Nam Wonwoo and Jo Gilwon Professors Awarded Korea Toray Science Advancement Foundation Science and Technology Award This Year

Nam Won-woo (left), Ewha Womans University Distinguished Professor of Chemical Nano Science, and Cho Gil-won (right), Pohang University of Science and Technology Professor of Chemical Engineering

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] The Korea Toray Science Promotion Foundation has announced the winners of the 3rd Korea Toray Science and Technology Award and the recipients of the Science and Technology Research Fund.

The Science and Technology Award honors scientists who have devoted their lives to basic and applied research in the fields of chemistry and materials, making outstanding contributions to the advancement of science.

In the basic category, Nam Won-woo, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Nano Science at Ewha Womans University, and in the applied category, Cho Gil-won, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology, were selected. Each awardee will receive a prize of 100 million KRW and a plaque.

Distinguished Professor Nam Won-woo is recognized as a top-tier researcher who has significantly contributed to the development of oxygen chemistry and enzyme mimicry research in bioinorganic chemistry through biomimetic studies using enzyme mimics, elevating the level of domestic research to a world-class standard.

Professor Cho Gil-won is acknowledged as a leading researcher in the field of surface-induced self-assembly of organic semiconductors and has been recognized for his international research achievements, including the world's first fabrication of polymer semiconductor self-assembled nanowires, contributing to the advancement of Korean science.

Additionally, four young researchers challenging creative projects were selected to receive 50 million KRW annually for three years to support highly potential research.

In the basic category, Professor Cho Eun-jin of Chung-Ang University’s Department of Chemistry and Professor Lee Gi-ra of Sungkyunkwan University’s Department of Chemical Engineering were selected, while in the applied category, Professor Kim Shin-hyun of KAIST’s Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering and Professor Oh Jun-hak of Seoul National University’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering were chosen. The research projects span various fields including organic synthesis, nanoparticle self-assembly, soft materials, and electronic materials.

The Science and Technology Award and research fund recipients were selected through two rounds of expert review after an open call from April to June this year. The award ceremony will be held on October 22, with only a minimal number of attendees including the awardees to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Korea Toray Science Promotion Foundation annually awards two Science and Technology Awards, supports research by four young scientist teams, and provides scholarships to science and engineering students, striving for the future of science and technology in Korea.

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