In 2014, I wish that all the members of POSTECH, such as students, staffs, researchers, and professors, will be happy and can mature even more in their responsibilities.
Regardless of Eastern and Western boundary, exchanging New Year’s greeting is wishing for a happy and prosperous year to each other. It is ceremonial for those who meet at the beginning of the year to give words of blessing, but I propose that people just stop and pause for a moment and try to think what I can do to make others happy. In my experience of traveling and living in several foreign countries, the Korean level of happiness is quite low, which is irrelevant to individual economic strength. In addition, there are so many conflicts between different economic, political, and cultural groups in Korea. Resolving these conflicts makes individuals happier than before but it is difficult because of conflicting interests among various individuals and groups.
The important requirements of happiness in POSTECH are also to reduce conflicts between individuals and groups. When I think why the conflict between them is becoming amplified, one of the biggest grounds is the so-called ‘absence of communication’. Many people discuss and suggest how to communicate emphasizing the necessity of communication. However, it is not real communication just to set a place for hearing the voices of the other side. The word ‘communication’ is the expression of opinions and understanding each other. We can start to realize communication by hearing others’ opinions and sympathizing with their opinions and behavior. Without the sympathy, it leads to discontinuous and dogmatic results. When we respect others’ opinions as we respect our own with sympathy, communication is complete and everything goes much better. We live in an age stressing the importance of com-munication. These days, many people have made complaints and itemized dissatisfaction. In a way, I wonder how well professors, staffs, students, administrative professors, president, and corporations understand each other.
I have felt that the year goes by so quickly whenever I hear the old year rung out and the New Year rung in. I still remember when I was appointed in POSTECH and prepared lectures and research, but I do not have much time remaining in POSTECH. It is the same as students in the way that it seems like yesterday that they started the school, but they are graduating already. Nowadays, I feel that there are some troubles communicating in my surroundings. I reflect on whether I lose my sympathetic abilities with age gradually.
I hope everybody has a happy New Year and it is a year filled with sympathy.

 

Professor TaiHa Joo (CHEM)
The member of University Senate

 

 

Dear Postechians,
We are Cho Jae Yeon and Lee Joon Ho, the representatives of the 28th Undergraduate Association (UA). As the New Year is the year of the blue horse, which is comparable to a unicorn, we think that it matches the dynamic history of POSTECH. Even though our university does not have a very long history, POSTECH can begin a promising New Year. It is attributable to professors, staffs, and students immersing themselves in their responsibility day and night for POSTECH. Whenever we listen to the stories about those who have been with POSTECH for a long time, these stories encourage us to have more affection for our university than before. Sometimes, we used to think over whether we would become proud Postechians who love the university and how we could contribute to POSTECH. Therefore, we really appreciate the opportunity to represent undergraduates during this year.
POSTECH has achieved rapid growth for the last 27 years. POSTECH is leading the scientific education of Korea and became a pioneer as a representative science and technology university of Korea. We believe that the driving force of POSTECH’s growth is a perseverance and adhering to its own way in the world, not an easier path.
The last 27 years made POSTECH join the ranks of the best education and research institutes in Korea. From now on, we will concentrate on creating a unique culture, sense of ethics, and foundation of student activities of POSTECH as the new president and vice president of undergraduates. In other words, it is time to include a change of generation and to reform our university, which is based on the efforts of our seniors. At this period, POSTECH may experience growing pains. However, Postechians always consider how to mend our wounds and how to make Postechians more energetic in their roles and positions. It is the same in the case of students who love POSTECH. As POSTECH has developed, individuals must also develop consideration and passion. We are confident our efforts will be fruitful.
Students have learned through various activities as well as studying, which is their duty. We hope that Postechians will be more active in studying and researching this year. The 28th Undergraduate Association supports and cheers for Postechians. Happy New Year!

 

President of the 28th Undergraduate Association Cho Jae Yeon
Vice president of the 28th Undergraduate Association Lee Joon Ho

 

 

I give greeting for the New Year to those who pay attention to the development of POSTECH, as a representative of the alumni. May the New Year bring you peace, prosperity, and happiness. I think this year will be important for POSTECH to leap forward again.
POSCO, a multinational steel-making company, was founded in Pohang in 1968. It was born for making steel, a crucial material for industry, and enhancing the national industrial competitiveness. After 18 years, POSTECH was established in Pohang (in 1986). Its mission was becoming a research centered university and developing a competitive edge in Korean education. Twenty-eight years later, what is the next step for securing national competitiveness? I declare that setting up the environment for fostering hidden champions is the beginning point.
In the past, as the nation established POSCO and POSCO established POSTECH, POSTECH will take the lead in setting up the environment that cultivates hidden champions. In addition, as POSCO and POSTECH improve the industries and education of nation respectively, the environment for hidden champion becomes a great model raising national industries?differentiation. Many prominent universities in America and China are contributing to the economy of the nation and local community by organizing lots of venture businesses, such as Google and Facebook. However, there is no such model in Korea yet. The competitive venture companies established by universities are meaningful in several aspects. First, prospective college students are increasingly entering natural science and engineering through a successful role model of a venture company. In addition, a prodigious research fund supports universities and the fruit of it will vitalize the national economy. It also forms a positive cycle, in which profits from technology and products are reinvested in research.
To set up the environment of fostering hidden champion, the event for memorandum of understanding (MOU) was held in the National Assembly on Nov. 6 2013. The members of POSCO, the Pohang Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the National Assembly, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Pohang City, and the Association of POSTECH Grown Company (APGC) participated in the event to work on model for the project. This year is the first year of realizing the MOU. POSTECH and its alumni will take the initiative in that realization. Notwithstanding some concerns about the foundation of POSCO and POSTECH in the first stage, they achieved their missions. It is in Postechians DNA to handle challenges successfully; they are proving this true once again.
I wish that all alumni have a big dream and accomplish it step by step this year.

 

 

Jae-Hong Park
CEO of Pmgrow
President of POSTECH Alumni Association

 

 

Dear Postechians,
A long-awaited New Year has dawned. I hope that staffs become more active, adventurous, and energetic, as the symbolic animal of this year is the blue horse, which is comparable to unicorn in Western mythology. Also, I wish that the New Year is filled with good fortune and blessing in your home and communities. Time is fair to everybody: it waits for no man, approaches by itself, and is passing by. Last year went by like a slippery snake.
Looking back on the previous year, there were lots of outstanding outcomes. POSTECH was selected as Brain Korea 21 Plus, turned out competent graduates, and met novel freshmen. The system established for efficiency of promotion in long-term administrative management was also improved. The financial hardship, caused by a continuous worldwide and domestic economic slump, was a big hindrance last year in managing the university and there was some confusion because of a lack of communication and conflict. However, staffs of POSTECH did what was expected of them in silence. Thanks to them, we completed the year successfully and comfortably. It is my sincere hope that our staffs will create new opportunities by showing their abilities, based on solid basic skills in this year.
According to the business forecasting of the KDI Economic Information and Education Center, the real economy is recovering but we are concerned about the influence on research funds of our university by government revenue deficit. Therefore, we need to prepare well with a thrifty mind. Looking back, POSTECH has often been in a crisis and gone through various hardships. In adversity, hidden efforts of staffs are at the center and a driving force of continuous development.
As the representative of POSTECH Workplace Development Council, there were some shortcomings last year, such as conflicts between related department and staffs. It is unfortunate that I did not arbitrate in such disputes. However, I do not want to miss the coming opportunities by being tied down to the past. Rather, I want to shape the future based on the past. POSTECH Workplace Development Council believes that all staffs are passionate and overcome any hardship through the power of unity and endeavor of harmony. In addition, we hope that staffs praise and encourage each other and build up trust among the members.
POSTECH Workplace Development Council is promising to make positive organizational cultures. We firmly exclude cultures based on unreasonable jealousy, cultures that fail to reflect public opinion and lack communication, cultures in which participants disregard one another without consideration, and cultures that are pretentious, power-orientated, and impulsive. In addition, we will make efforts to construct an organizational culture by simplifying complicated administrative procedures based, improve labor conditions and organizational equality, and establish a purchasing system without corruption. Thank you.

 

 

Kim gi jong
 (Information Technology Services)
Chairman of the POSTECH Workplace Council