[In-Depth Look] A Letter to Junior Female Scientists

Since my inauguration as the President of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) last year, I have attended numerous official events, and each time my introduction began with "the first female president." The fact that the president being a woman is still a topic of conversation is evidence that female leaders remain rare in our society.

When I entered university in the late 1970s, I first realized that men and women were not equal in society. I began my university life with a kind of victim mentality regarding gender discrimination. Because of this, I made deliberate efforts to act against common stereotypes, striving to present myself not as a "woman" but as a "human being." When I went on to graduate school, I developed an interest in research and met valuable seniors and juniors with whom I have shared joys and sorrows to this day. It was a period when I was building my value and existence within society.

Choosing KRICT as my first workplace in 1985 was a great fortune. KRICT is a government-funded research institute that researches and develops eco-friendly chemical process-based response technologies for climate and atmospheric environmental changes, cutting-edge chemical material core technologies leading the 4th Industrial Revolution, and core new drug bio technologies for healthy living and medical innovation. The organizational culture of the institute, where I met colleagues who think rationally and where opportunities are fairly given, became the foundation for my growth as a researcher with expertise.

I was able to achieve results in the field of polyimide-based heat-resistant polymers. Polyimide is one of the three semiconductor materials whose export was restricted by Japan. Although there were difficulties during my 35 years at the institute, the driving force that helped me develop myself was the "independence" that humans must always be able to stand alone.

Im Mi-hye, President of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology

Thanks to government policies in the early 2000s that expanded opportunities for female scientists to participate in various expert committees, I was able to expand my human network with experts in diverse fields. I never set grand life goals but always did my best at work, which eventually led me to take on the important role of president.

My future goal is to make KRICT the world's top research institute. Along with this, I want to work harder to serve as a role model for junior female scientists who work diligently behind the scenes. I also want to create an environment where they do not give up research simply because they are women. There was a time when I had to bear both research and childcare responsibilities. Managing both was not easy. Fortunately, I overcame that period well, so I understand the difficulties faced by junior female scientists better than anyone else.

Research requires long-term, consistent effort, so junior female scientists who must balance research and childcare during their prime research years inevitably face deep concerns. This is because a decline in research activity can directly lead to a decline in achievements. Because of this, in the past, it was rare for researchers to leave due to childbirth and childcare and then return. Fortunately, recently, institutional measures have been established to resolve career interruptions. This is thanks to the formation of a consensus on career breaks and sufficient social discussion.

I want to emphasize the importance of careers to female juniors who stand at the crossroads between work and family. Of course, I am not unaware of the difficulties in reality. The hopeful thing is that our society recognizes the importance of work-life balance more than ever, and social systems are rapidly improving. Additionally, gender-discriminatory factors that hinder women's growth are gradually being resolved. Therefore, I hope you never give up the "self" you have arduously achieved. Every human being is an independent entity and must take responsibility for themselves.

Lee Mi-hye, President of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.