We usually find ourselves unable to solve most problems on topics that we have just completed reading on from physics textbooks. Postechians might blame the textbook for its insufficient explanation as a cause for their inability to solve a problem. However, textbooks do not offer a compass to follow, and you must identify an issue prior to inadequate textbooks. Which direction are you heading towards? Nothing can help a ship that does not know where it is headed.What should we accomplish after learning physics? Paul Dirac proposed this intriguing motto: “I understand what an equation means if

The arguments of Mencius and Martha Nussbaum represent the view of shame. Mencius said, “It is natural for humans to feel ashamed when they do not follow the rules they must follow as humans.” From the perspective of Mencius, not taking shame on their defects was like a declaration to tolerate faults, which meant giving up humanity. On the other hand, Nussbaum regarded shame as an emotion that is too conscious of others and passively engaged in external value judgment. The shame that Nussbaum thinks is the feeling caused because humans cannot accept themselves as they are. According to Nussbau

Nice to meet you. I am Sei Kwang Hahn, Seokchun Chair Professor in the Department of Material Science and Engineering (MSE) and CEO of the Biomedical Nanomaterials Lab (BNL). I obtained my B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at KAIST. As the youngest Ph.D., I joined the LG Chemical group in 1996. At the LG Chemical Research Institute, I carried out my research on biodegradable polymers including hyaluronate (HA) and the sustained release formulation of the human growth hormone (hGH), which was successfully commercialized in Korea under the t

During our lifetime, we often face unfamiliar, effort-demanding events. And in most cases, it is hard for us to deal with or conquer them. No matter how much you struggle and spend your time dealing with stress, a positive result does not always follow. Sometimes it might give you a dramatic failure, and you may have regrets. And sometimes, you may think you should not have even started to begin with. However, regardless of the result, those challenges can always turn into a tremendous opportunity: a trigger to change your life. That is to say, it is up to you to digest (or to interpret) such

Ever since I entered POSTECH, I have embraced life to make every season of my college years cherishable. Even taking this thought into account, last autumn was particularly special for me in many ways—I chose my major, became part of IME, and finally got in contact with my friends who finished their college entrance exams. Yet, out of all of these memorable events, the rarest and most remarkable experience was indeed being given the opportunity to participate in and present my research at the Autumn Conference of the Ergonomics Society of Korea (ESK). Since July, I have been working on a proje

What is the coldest place in the Universe? The first entry from my Google search tells me that it is the “Boomerang Nebula,” which is 5,000 light-years away and has a temperature of about one Kelvin. However, for me, as a researcher in the field of ultracold quantum gases, the coldest place in the Universe is not in outer-space but on Earth in our laboratories, where we use laser beams, ultraclean vacuum systems, and a host of other technologies to trap and cool atoms to nano-Kelvin temperatures.In this extreme temperature regime, our intuition of how Nature works dramatically breaks down. The

On the fifth floor of the renovated Tae-Joon Park Library, a space to study with music is provided, and the music played there gives pleasure to many Postechians who are tired of studying. Although there are many different genres of music being played in that place, it is difficult to listen to certain genres, especially rock music. Maybe it is natural that rock music, which is often loud enough to interrupt students’ concentration, is not played at the library. However, even soft rock, the relatively calm and quiet subgenre of rock music, is difficult to hear in the library too.The Tae-Joon P

I recently stumbled across an article that has really stuck to my mind: it goes by the title Raising My Child in a Doomed World by Roy Scranton. Reserve your judgments because, as absurdly pessimistic as the title may sound, he has a point. In fact, it would be beyond redundant to even discuss his point because we all know what it is. But as trivial as the fact may be, our indifference is large enough to not act accordingly, and even at times to forget that it is happening at all.Do you know the story of ostriches sticking their heads into the ground when they are in danger? We all think that

Professor Hoon-Kyu Shin is the vice president of the POSTECH National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology (NINT). His recent research on molecular electronics and devices was awarded this year’s grand prize from the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers. Professor Hoon-Kyu Shin shared some details about NINT, his research, and the recent experience of being awarded the grand prize. NINT was established in 2004 when POSTECH was selected to be part of the university consortium for the government’s project on business development. Now NINT has become an integral part

Have you ever questioned why you decided to go to university? If you are a student, or have been a student, you will recognize the common belief that going to university is essential for one’s life. Not surprisingly, this culture is deeply ingrained in South Korea, the country with the highest Educational Attainment (the highest level of education that an individual has completed, for ages 25~64) among OECD countries, not to mention the high competition rate for the so-called “prestigious” universities. Why are people competing so fiercely? To answer this question, we need to know about what v

Self-esteem refers to an act of self-respect, acknowledging the worth, ability, and value of oneself. It is such an important quality in life that shapes one’s mindset and attitude towards life. Those with high self-esteem have the confidence to challenge themselves and take risks. Their views on the world are filled with positivity and hope. On the contrary, those with low self-esteem view the world through a negative lens. Their pessimistic attitude towards life may ultimately lead to depression. The thing is, we all acknowledge the benefits of having a high self-esteem, and that we must mai

Training a small number of selected students is a prominent feature of our university. At a young age, attracted to this factor, I entered POSTECH and eventually graduated with a Ph.D. Thanks to this advantage that only POSTECH can offer, I was able to receive unwavering support during my university studies. Ironically, however, the greatest limitation of my Ph.D. came from POSTECH being a small university. Back then, there was only one professor, just a few students, and no researchers studying computer theory in POSTECH. By the time I finished my Ph.D., I became interested in others’ researc

Recently, I have been talking with colleagues, seniors and professors about what to do during the school semesters. Here are some useful tips I have received from the last three semesters at POSTECH.Read the course catalogReading the course catalog is the most important thing of all. When registering for courses, you might get frustrated with basic essentials, major essentials, major selections, free selections, and others. POSTECH has its own courses and regulations such as HASS, STC and WI, so students must be fully aware of the course catalog. You might have to spend a ninth semester with o

The role of the reporter and reader are different, yet they mirror each other. Reporters like myself ask themselves the following three questions to write a good article, but readers may also ask themselves these questions to become better readers.The first question is: Who is the target audience, and why is this news important to them? For example, my search for a photo for this year’s G7 Summit article highlights the importance of the target audience. Many photos from Anglophone sources focused on the G7 leaders, without other invited leaders. By contrast, many Korean sources showed Moon Jae

IntroductionHello, I am Professor Young-Joo Suh, currently dean of Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence (GSAI), head of Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and director of POSTECH Institute of Artificial Intelligence (PIAI). Research at the GSAI and PIAIThe Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence and the Institute of Artificial Intelligence are not only similar in name but are also twin institutions in charge of AI education and research. Talented graduate students have been matriculated at the Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence since it opened in Nov. 2019. Throug

After a long day at the office, watching the tedious opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday night was a difficult task. In a speech that made the event more wearisome, Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced a new word (together) to the original Olympic Motto (Faster, Higher, Stronger). Although this announcement was called a “desperate attempt” of the committee as they were hosting a global event amid the pandemic, the phrase struck me in a different way.Recalling experience during the Summer Experience in Society (SES) program as an intern at

Recently, I was depressed because it seemed that I had done nothing during this summer recess. I did not participate in the Undergraduate Research Program (UGRP) nor any internship programs. Rather than partaking in various programs provided on or off campus, I wanted to study alone during this recess and cultivate my academic understanding. I had a lot to learn, such as financial mathematics, combinatorial analysis, Python, and Spanish. Despite studying these disparate fields on a planned basis, I was perturbed about what I was doing. My studies did not seem to be headed towards one consisten

Professor Kyong-Tai Kim was appointed as a professor of the Department of Life Sciences at POSTECH in 1991 and has been teaching students for the past 30 years.My ResearchMy current research focus is on developing preventive and therapeutic treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Korea has become an aging society where more than 14% of the population are elderly people aged 65 years or older, and it is expected to become a super-aging society within a few years. Although the average life expectancy has increased to more than 100 years, the most threatening disease to the elderly is neurodegen

Life is full of presentations. Some grow up to conduct presentations on a daily basis, others give lectures to students or their fellow workers occasionally. Those who are reading this article will also have had opportunities to give speeches to audiences either at school or at business conferences. As it seems, conveying one’s ideas to numerous people effectively is very important. However, despite the great number of presentations you may have given until now, we still fear how nervous we might become before the next one. Your heart might beat so fast that it reaches your throat, your hands

Why is learning a foreign language so hard? Why do people enjoy the nuance of dialects, vernacular, exotic accents, and such? Why are catchy phrases always accompanied by a specific tone or an accent? What makes literature so fun and diverse? What made me love writing? Why did I become a newspaper reporter in the first place? These are all questions that make me ponder about my interest in languages, my passion as a journalist, and the never-ending quest for my future.The endless combination of the alphabet (or the equivalent in your language) is truly fascinating, both in written and spoken l