Say goodbye at 2009, say hello at 2010! Through 2009, there have been so many events to remember at POSTECH. Our Postech Times English reporters have selected the top 10 events in The Postech Times Korean worthy to be reminded of again.
The Postech Times English Launched
POSTECH launched The Postech Times English, an English-language newspaper, on Wednesday, Sep. 2, 2009. Founded as a part of embodying a global campus, it is printed in the same paper with Korean-language newspaper, and covers 5 pages out of overall 20 pages.
Through the launch of the English newspaper, POSTECH will be ahead delivering campus news to foreign Postechians, collecting public opinion from foreign Postechians, and encouraging cultural exchange between Korean and foreign students.
Mecca of Ferrous Technology, GIFT New Building 
The building for GIFT (Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology) was opened on June 30 to develop future core technology in connection with POSCO and perform the ”POSCO - POSTECH Ferrous Innovation Program” to trains the world-class ferrous talent.
POMIA (Pohang Institute of Material Industry Advancement) also held an opening ceremony for its building on Sep. 25. It is expected that the two institutes will play a very important role in world ferrous education and research.
Admission System Changed
All freshmen candidates are now selected through a newly changed admission system starting this year. With a 6:1 competition rate, they are chosen first by their career papers and remaining candidates go through a potentiality interview and a math and science interview individually.
Meanwhile, graduate school applicants are now able to apply and be selected anytime they want to broaden their chances so as to select the talented. In 2009, candidates were selected four times a year.
First Overseas Office Opened at Beijing
POSTECH launched its first overseas office on Oct. 30th in Chaoyang District, Beijing, to effectively enhance internationalization. It plans various advertisements and activities to attract Chinese students and to strengthen the relationships with sister universities.
Also, a college fair focused on superior Chinese students of sister universities was held afterward with representatives from 13 sister universities in China. Launching another local office in America or Europe is under consideration as well.
Warning for contagious H1N1 Flu virus
Worldwide, the H1N1 Flu virus, once called a swine flu, is still a major concern of the year. It also unfortunately struck the POSTECH campus. As an urgent countermeasure, an emergency center for checking temperatures at the Student Union Building and a thermal imaging infrared camera around the campus were set up to prevent the spread of the flu virus.
For the worse, the 2009 8th KAIST-POSTECH Science War planned for Sep. 18 to 19 in POSTECH was canceled as a precaution against the contagious H1N1 Flu.
Global Cooperation with Outstanding Institutes
POSTECH has made every effort this year to construct global cooperation systems to become a world-class research-centered university and to strengthen research competitiveness.
POSTECH signed agreements with Exxon-Mobil, the biggest market cap oil industry in the world, on Feb. 27, the Max Planck Institute, the ‘Nobel Prize Academy,’ on Jan. 23, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute on May 8, Japan’s RIKEN Spring-8 center, the world’s biggest accelerator center, on Oct. 5, and many others.
World Top 20 with 3 new WCU Departments
Three new POSTECH divisions were chosen for the national World Class University Project, that aims to promote future national core-field research. The Division of Advanced Material Science had an opening on Oct. 14, the Division of IT Convergence Engineering at Oct. 16, and the Division of Integrative Biosciences and Biotechnology was launched without one.
These are expected to give students opportunities to interact with world renowned experts through a variety of research activities as a spearhead of Vision 2020.
Four Professors selected as ‘POSTECH Fellows’
The “POSTECH Fellow” system was established to motivate professors’ educational and research activities with the first fellows being Prof. Gynheung An of Life Science and Bumman Kim of E.E.E. on Mar. 24. Prof. Kwang S. Kim and Kimoon Kim of Chemistry were also selected on Sep. 1.
Candidates with excellent educational and research credentials can become Fellows after deliberation by the personnel committee and the board of directors. Fellows are endowed with benefits like extended retirement and special bonuses.
Unsatisfactory University Rankings of POSTECH
POSTECH is ranked 3rd, one place down from last year, in the Joong-ang Ilbo Univ. Rating 2009. This result comes from a comparatively poor evaluation in internationalization even though POSTECH got distinguished scores in faculty research, educational environment, and finances.
Meanwhile, POSTECH jumped up 54 places in one year to place 134th in the Times Higher-QS World University Rankings in 2009. The newly performed QS - Chosun-Ilbo Asia University Rankings ranked POSTECH at 17th.
A Train of Publications in Authoritative Journals
So many authoritative scientific journals are filled with articles by Postechian professors again.
Laboratory members of Prof. Oh Byung-ha in Life Science, Prof. Hong Gil Nam in School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, and Prof. Kwang. S Kim in Chemistry published their article in Cell on Jan. 9, Science on Feb. 20, and Nature on July 23 respectively.
Also, Journals such as Physical Review Letters, Chemical Communications, and Nature Nano-technology have published Postechians’ researches.
