The annual Sunrise Festival, one of Postechians’ most beloved Spring events, was an exciting blend of tradition and innovation, running from May 9 to 10 in front of the 78 Stairs. The 2024 Sunrise Festival was special, marking a significant milestone for the festival that has grown from a scaled-back Culture Days, due to the pandemic, into a much larger festival. The theme of the 2024 Sunrise Festival Organization Committee was “Spark”. As the festival approached, the Sunrise Festival Organization Committee introduced new entertainment, and Postechians looked forward to experiencing the spirit

On April 11, a special event was held at the CHANGeUP GROUND Pohang. The first workshop between POSTECH and Mahidol University in Thailand provided a valuable opportunity to discuss topics in various fields for the development of the start-up ecosystem. Entrepreneurs from each university gathered to share knowledge and experience on technology commercialization, entrepreneurship education, and cooperation. They also enjoyed a variety of other harmonious and challenging discussions. At this event, researchers, including professors from each university, came together to share their thoughts. Mah

POSTECH research team of Professor Dong-Woo Cho (ME), Jae Yun Kim (I-Bio), and Tugce Sen (ME) developed a supportive material that quickly ceases bleeding and facilitates wound closure inside the kidney, through collaborative research with the team of Prof. Jae Yeon Lee at the Department of Companion Animal Health in Daegu Haany University. The research was published in Biomaterials, a peer-reviewed journal covering biomaterials. The kidney is an important organ that removes waste products and controls blood pressure. Although the kidney is known as the “silent organ,” due to the absence of su

The research team of Professor Jong Kyoung Kim (LIFE) and Integrated Ph.D Candidate Yujin Jeong (LIFE) revealed the mechanism that regulates the inflammation and metabolic dysfunction triggered by obesity through joint research with teams of Prof. Yun-Hee Lee (SNU Pharmacy), Prof. Young-Min Hyun (YU Medicine), Prof. Granneman (WSU), and Prof. Young-Suk Jung (PNU Pharmacy). The research was published in the international journal, Nature Communications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the obese population took up 16% of the whole population in 2022. Obesity is one of the fastes

On April 16, local time, the United Kingdom passed a tobacco and e-cigarette bill to create a smoke-free generation by a vote of 383 in favor and 67 against. According to the bill proposed by the government to create a “smoke-free generation,” the legal age to purchase tobacco will be increased by one year annually, meaning that individuals born on or after Jan. 1, 2009 (currently 15 years old) will never be able to buy tobacco in the UK legally. This measure effectively prohibits the sale of tobacco to anyone below a certain age. The bill also includes provisions that ban disposable e-cigaret

These days, most university students are relying on electronic devices like mobile phones, tablet PCs, and laptops, during lectures. Rather than buying paper textbooks, they simply load textbook files onto their devices. Only a few students are accessing these textbook files through legitimate means. Furthermore, some students purchase or sell these files through illegal channels. In extreme cases, it has been reported that some students even share previous exam questions without any permission from the professor. All of these are acts of copyright infringement, but most students are either un

About the smart biomaterials design research our lab is conducting In our Smart Biomaterials Design Lab, we are conducting a research that integrates biomimetic materials, microfluidics/bioreactor technologies, and cell biology to develop ex vivo models and microdevices that mimic human physiological and pathological states in the fields of tissue engineering and organ-on-chip devices development. In tissue engineering, we use cells, scaffolds, and bioactive molecules to restore, maintain, or enhance damaged tissues or organs. From a materials perspective, scaffolds are particularly important

The Spring that I had never expected in this land has finally arrived now, and sunshine rather than a gloomy sky features throughout the day. The landscape is filled with buildings that have no preponderance of aesthetics of slowness that; Something that I never experienced so far. And the coexistence of the park where chirping birds are and strongly packed in vigorous crowds. The country that includes all things herein is Denmark, and it has been more than three months since I arrived. I was truly busy processing a bunch of duties like residence permit, bank account opening, and joining vario

Two people on one land. Israel and Palestine continue to wage a life-threatening war. In April, there was an Israeli attack that killed World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-government organization, workers. U.S. President Biden strictly urged Israel to protect civilians, and although the aid has been extended, both civilians are still endangered. A large pro-Palestinian protest was held at Columbia University, while some students at Seoul National University posted a poster supporting Palestine. Despite the fact that it is a long-standing ethnic conflict based on history and religion, it is stil

The 2024 Sunrise Festival, under the motto of “SPARK”, clearly made our fellow Postechians’ hearts spark with passion and youth. The two-day festival, held May 9 to 10, was full of eventful activities, breathtaking performances, and the staging produced and performed by our school members was certainly one of the biggest highlights of the festival. It was school stage clubs that lit up the stage with various performances on the first day. Singing club VOCES marked the beginning of the staging, filling the campus with enchanting music. Songs beloved by the public, including “Confession” by 4MEN

During the Sunrise Festival, a wide variety of booths provided unforgettable experiences for Postechians. These booths were run by various organizations related to POSTECH: The Advisory Committee of the Sunrise Festival (ACSF), the General Affairs and Safety, and Student Clubs. From 12 P.M. to 6 P.M., many kinds of booths offered students interesting activities. Also, between 7 P.M. and 1:30 A.M. of the next day, a lot of departments and clubs opened pubs. Some booths, such as “Street Karaoke” and “Ask Anything,” were run all day long, from 12 P.M. to 11:30 P.M. After enjoying a booth experien

As spring comes, with a new mindset, campus facilities are being reorganized. The reconstruction aims to inspect facilities in order to resolve students’ safety and discomfort. The 78 stairs, that most students pass to go to lectures, continued to shake; and the steps were repaired to solve this problem. The usage rate of stairs has decreased due to the construction of Haedong 78 Tower, but many people still use the stairs during school hours. Safety concerns were steadily raised due to the loss or shaking of stones despite continued frequent use. The scheduled three-day construction was exten

The vision of personal robots, once confined to the realms of science fiction, is materializing into reality. Before now, our fascination with robots was long-fueled by cinematic portrayals of intelligent and versatile machines: going on a wild adventure with Baymax in “Big Hero 6” or enjoying a peaceful afternoon teatime with adorable WALL-E in the eponymous film. Yet, until recently, the robots we encountered were largely single-purpose entities, lacking the sophistication or autonomy to fulfill our imaginations. However, the landscape of robotics is undergoing a profound transformation. Eng

South Korea has very steep prices for agricultural products, especially for fruits. According to the Korea National Statistical Office (KNSO), the consumer price index (CPI) of apples and pears in April rose 80.8% and 102.9%, respectively, compared to the prices in the same month last year. These steep prices are related to many causes, but fundamentally due to three main reasons: high production costs, high import prices, and distribution structure. The high production cost due to limited sites suited for agriculture and the high labor cost from small-scaled private orchards makes it hard to

When someone passes by your side, the magic of scents unfolds, which quells a loud atmosphere for a moment. The wind carries the scent of fine flowers, and the sunlight wraps around the warm perfume. You feel that this street is like a scene from a novel, and at the heart of its beauty is fragrance. Fragrances give us new senses to our emotions, as if they are magical journeys. They may make someone stand out in themselves. Fragrances have long been in our lives. Ancient Egyptians considered them sacred, and in medieval Europe, they symbolized passion and love. Even today, scents play an impor

지난달 13일, 총학생회와 대학원총학생회가 학우들의 애로사항을 전달하고 해결 방법을 도모하고자 ‘총장님께 대신 건의해드립니다’ 대담회가 올해 처음으로 개최됐다. 총 2부로 진행된 본 대담회는 1부에는 총학생회를 대표해 △고태영(신소재 20) 총학생회장 △박현용(컴공 20) 부학생회장 △김원호(무은재 23) 소통연결국장이, 2부에는 대학원총학생회를 대표해 임효경(전자 통합) 대학원총학생회장이 참석했다. 대학 측에서는 김성근 총장을 비롯해 △이강복 입학학생처장 △류기선 행정처장 △최명용 학생지원팀장 △학생지원팀 손혜진 씨가 자리에 함께했다. 참석자들은 지난달 4일부터 11일까지 8일간 우리대학 구성원들을 대상으로 진행된 설문조사 결과를 바탕으로 1부는 학부생, 2부는 대학원생과 관련된 사안들에 관해 이야기를 나눴다. 1부에서는 △먹거리 부족 및 대기시간 장기화 △주차 공간 부족 △소통 부재에 대한 문제들이 제기됐다. 이어서 △오프캠퍼스 진행 현황 △학부생 바우처 진행 상황 △1조 2천억 자금 이용 방안에 대한 문의와 함께 △학교 홍보 강화 △인프라 개선 △증명서 발급 비용 감축에 대해 토의했다. 대학원총학생회가 주최를 한 2부에서는 앞서 언급됐던 주차 공간 부족

최근 세계적인 경쟁이 치열해지고 국제 협력의 중요성이 부각되며 우리대학도 국제화의 필요성이 크게 강조되고 있다. 이에 우리대학은 지난달 1일, 2019년 11월에 폐지됐던 대외협력처 산하 국제협력팀을 부활시켰다.국제협력팀은 국제화의 중요성을 인지하고 △국제적인 교육환경 제공 △국제 학술 연구 및 협력 강화 △다양한 문화적 배경을 가진 학생 지원 △포스테키안의 세계시민 성장을 위한 역량 강화 업무를 수행한다. 또한 기존의 국제화 관련 업무가 여러 부서에서 독립적으로 수행되며 발생한 업무 중복, 정보 분산 등의 문제 해소 및 효율적인 업무 처리를 위해 분산된 국제화 업무를 총괄한다. 대외협력팀의 △해외기관 협력·업무 협약 △환태평양대학협회(APRU)·동아시아연구중심대학협의회(AEARU) 협력 △해외 내방객 대응 업무, 학생지원팀의 △Inbound △Outbound △POSTECH Global Young Leader 업무, 입학팀의 외국인 대학원생 입시 홍보 업무 등이 국제협력팀으로 이관되며 우리대학의 국제화 업무 처리에 일관적인 기조를 유지할 전망이다.우선 국제협력팀은 주한대사관을 통해 우수 교육·연구 기관과의 국제 교류 및 공동 연구를 촉진할 계획이다. 지난

세계적 수학자이자 대한민국 과학기술유공자인 우리대학 권경환(수학) 명예교수가 지난달 29일(현지시간) 미국에서 별세했다. 권 교수는 서울대에서 수학과를 졸업하고 미국 미시간대에서 수학 박사 학위를 받았다. 이후 △플로리다 주립대 수학과 교수 △프린스턴 고등연구소 연구원 △미시간 주립대 수학과 교수 및 학과장을 지냈다. 1990년 우리대학의 초청으로 한국에 귀국해 인재 양성에 힘을 쏟았으며, 퇴직 후 ‘권경환 석좌기금’을 출연해 수학계에 헌신했다. 권 교수는 위상수학의 다양체 연구에서 괄목할 업적을 이뤘다. 특히 그는 기하위상수학 분야에서 1960년대 다양체의 곱과 분해, 1970년대 부분적으로 선형성을 띠는 ‘PL 다양체’ 등에 대한 연구를 진행했고, 이와 같은 연구 결과는 국제 학술지인 Annals of Mathematics에 게재됐다. 지난 2018년, 권 교수는 수많은 성과와 공로로 대한민국 정부 지정 과학기술유공자에 선정됐다.

우리대학 △김용태(신소재) △박규영(친환경소재·신소재) 교수 △최고권(신소재 통합) 씨 △RIST 정우철 박사 공동 연구팀은 이차전지 셀 메이커들이 양극재 소재 업체에 요구해 온 양극재의 순도 스펙이 지나치게 높게 설정됐음을 확인했다. 이제껏 이차전지 셀 메이커는 양극재 소재 업체에 고순도 품질의 제품을 요구해 왔다. 그러나 이번 연구 결과로 리튬 원료의 높은 순도가 이차전지 양극재의 생산과 성능에 비례하지 않는다는 사실이 밝혀졌다. 연구팀은 리튬 원료 내 마그네슘 불순물이 오히려 공정 효율을 높이기도 하며, 저순도 리튬이 생산비용과 이산화탄소 배출을 각각 19.4%, 9.0% 낮출 수 있음을 확인했다. 이번 연구를 이끈 김 교수는 “이차전지 셀 메이커들은 현재의 양극재 스펙이 과다한 것은 아닌지 재검토할 필요가 있다”라며 리튬 정제 과정의 간소화를 통해 이차전지 단가를 낮출 수 있다는 기대를 전했다. 이번 연구 성과는 최근 Nature Communications에 게재됐다.

우리대학 △조윤제(생명) 교수 △경희대 김광표 교수 △미국 서던 캘리포니아대(USC) 브셰볼로드 카트리치 교수 △영국 옥스퍼드대 캐롤 로빈슨 교수 공동연구팀이 청각 관련 특정 수용체 단백질 구조와 메커니즘을 밝히는 데 성공했다. 연구팀은 초저온전자현미경 분석법을 사용해 청각과 평형 기능 유지에 중요한 ‘GPR156’이라는 수용체 단백질을 고해상도로 관찰하고, 수용체를 활성화하는 작용제 없이도 높은 활성을 유지할 수 있는 원인을 규명했다. 본 연구는 베일에 싸여있던 GPR156의 구조와 활성 메커니즘을 드디어 밝혀냈다는 점에서 앞으로 청각 관련 연구의 새로운 지평을 열 것으로 기대된다. 한편, 본 연구는 구조 생물학 분야에 이바지한 공로를 인정받아 국제 학술지인 Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 온라인판에 게재됐다.