Dongguk University said on the 30th that Lee Gwang-geun, a professor in the Department of Food Bio-Convergence Engineering, was elected the new vice chair of the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (AGFD) at the American Chemical Society (ACS) fall meeting held in Chicago from Aug. 23 to 27. Since the committee was founded in 1909, this is the first time a scientist of Korean nationality has been elected vice chair. It is also a first for an Asian country.
The American Chemical Society is one of the world's largest scholarly organizations with a 150-year tradition, and among them, the Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has a history of more than 117 years. Professor Lee Gwang-geun has been recognized for contributing to the development of the field through research and academic activities in the ACS Division of Agricultural and Food Chemistry since 1999.
The vice chair automatically becomes chair after two years. With this election, Professor Lee will serve in the Leadership Succession Line for three years. Next year, he will serve as vice chair, become chair-elect in 2028, and serve as chair in 2029.
Professor Lee Gwang-geun said, "It is a great honor to take on such an important responsibility at a world-renowned society that has long been at the center of my professional research journey," adding, "Going forward, as a Korean, I will take pride and do my best to advance international research cooperation and the field of agricultural and food chemistry."