The Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physic (APCTP) was founded in Jun. 1996 at POSTECH, Korea to support young scientists and improve international cooperation through cooperation research or seminars among physicists living in member countries and other countries located in Asia and the Pacific area. APCTP focuses on Junior Research Group (JRG) and reside research program . JRG was made to support young physicists’ research and help them to improve their ability to cooperate with others. The Max Planck Institute made JRG first in 1996, and APCTP also managed JRG since 2008 with Max Planck Institute and POSTECH. The APCTP selects a group leader and the group leader makes research groups that focus on whatever they want to research. The group consists of a group leader, one or two Postdocs, Ph.D. candidates,and invited researchers. Professor Youngman Kim (PHYS) said “One research topic needs various fields’ knowledge so for conflated research we need experts of various fields related with the research topic. Like JRG, national cooperation research is needed surely.” He was a leader of a JRG made up in 2009.
Additionally, the APCTP manages many programs and workshops and publishes journals. Topical Research Programs is one of APCTP’s academic activities. It is a long project related with high technology. It opens series of and seminars and workshops and scientists of the world come the seminars and share their knowledge.The APCTP often invites other countries’ scientists and also operates schools for vacations. It invites famous scientists who give in-depth lectures related with main subjectsofPostdoc and Ph.D. candidates. Through the chance they can improve their physical base and ability to cooperate. The APCTP also posts Crossroads, a web journal and science book focusing on various fields. It is available on the APCTP web site.
The APCTP tries to raise scientists who will lead the future and holds Science in City Hall, Pohang Family Science Festival, Physics in Library, and Science Communication Forum/Lecture. The APCTP benchmarked a program in which the Max Planck Institute presents successes of modern science to people. Science in City Hall introduces contents combined science, education, arts and experience to stir citizens’ interest in science. Pohang Family Science Festival also allows people to experience science hands-on. It helps parents and children appreciate science. In the case of the other programs, famous professors give interesting lectures that are easy to understand.
Professor Kim SeungHwan (PHYS), president of the APTCP, said “Communication between physics academia becomes more important as science technology has developed rapidly. The number of theses by one scientist has decreased. Now making networks and cooperation contributes to advancement so the APCTP focuses on cooperative research and communication.”The APCTP also develops children who dream of becoming scientists into competent young scientists. The APCTP contributes to international cooperation beyond Asia and the Pacific. Member countries of the APCTP are Korea, Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Mongolia, Vietnam, Laos, India, Thailand, and Uzbekistan. The APCTP is located on the 5th floor of Hogil Kim Memorial Hall in POSTECH.