As the era of artificial intelligence (AI) raises expectations for securing science and technology talent and a boom in science and engineering, an opinion emerged that scientists' growth should take place not through short-term performance competition but within a long-term education and research ecosystem.
Lawmakers from both the ruling and opposition parties, including Kim Hyun, Choi Hyoung-doo, Cho In-cheol, and Hwang Jeong-ah of the Science. ICT. Broadcasting. and Communications Committee, and The Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) held a joint forum at the National Assembly Members' Office Building on the morning of the 24th under the theme "From the dream of science to the Nobel Prize: the path to fostering future scientific talent."
At the forum, Noh Jung-hoe, chair of the Korea Science and Technology Media Center, said, "Korea's science and technology sector is no longer a follower but stands in the position of a leading country that must pioneer its own path," while noting, "the structure that leads to Nobel Prize–level achievements is still not sufficient."
In a keynote presentation, Kim Young-kee, endowed professor in physics at the University of Chicago, emphasized, "To secure science and technology talent, we should not stop at selecting a small number of outstanding students; a social structure and culture must be in place where anyone can learn and research science well."
In the ensuing discussion, there were repeated points that the way to foster scientific talent needs to change. Kim Geun-soo, distinguished professor in physics at Yonsei University, said, "Scientific research is closer to a marathon than a sprint," adding, "It is difficult to build the capacity to create knowledge that did not exist in the world with education focused only on solving problems within a given time."
Kim also raised issues with the support system for early-career researchers. Kim said, "The point at which one settles in as an assistant professor or early-career researcher after a postdoctoral program is not the end of research but the stage where the main game begins after passing the preliminaries," stressing, "A mid- to long-term support system is needed to help them grow into leading scholars at home and abroad."
There were also concerns about the weakening of the foundations of elementary and secondary science education. Son Mi-hyeon, professor in chemistry education at Gyeongsang National University, said, "STEAM education (the convergence of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) was introduced to boost interest in science and mathematics, but in the field, as the proportion of arts activities has grown, questions are being raised about whether it can truly replace foundational education in science and mathematics," proposing, "Through Korea-style STEM education (the convergence of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), we should strengthen the basics of math and science, and use AI and Internet of Things (IoT), among others, as tools to supplement basic education."
Moon Ae-ri, endowed professor at Duksung Women's University, said an inclusive research culture is needed to broaden the base of scientific talent. The path of science should be equally open to everyone, including students in urban and rural fishing villages, young and early-career researchers, non-regular research staff, and women scientists, and an environment should be created where anyone who can do science well can dream and take on challenges.
KAST plans to continue its project to foster scientific talent in the second half, starting with this forum. In the summer, it will support the participation of young scientists in the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Germany, and in Sep., it plans to hold a Nobel Prize prediction challenge and the Nobel Prize Dialogue Seoul. At the end of the year, it will also push a plan to dispatch teenagers and science teachers to the Nobel Prize award ceremony on site.
Jeong Jin-ho of KAST said, "Korea's future competitiveness begins with the curiosity and spirit of challenge of teenagers who dream of science," adding, "We will work together to find ways for teenagers to joyfully explore science and grow into scientists who contribute to society through new discoveries and innovations."