A Scientist Who Pioneered the New Field of “Polymer End-Group Chemistry”

 Professor Moon Jeong Park of the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH, recipient of the Science Award, is a pioneering scientist who established the entirely new field of polymer end-group chemistry, a subject that had not previously been addressed even in standard science textbooks. Through this groundbreaking work, she has introduced a new paradigm for polymer synthesis and control technologies that are essential to advanced industries.

 Polymers are giant molecules composed of many small molecules linked together through chemical bonds. Traditionally, the end groups of polymer chains—which account for less than one percent of the entire polymer structure—were considered insignificant and were largely overlooked by the scientific community. Professor Park was the first in the world to demonstrate that these polymer end groups can fundamentally govern the thermodynamic properties and physical behavior of polymers.

 Her landmark findings were published in January 2024 in Science, one of the world's most prestigious scientific journals. The research has attracted significant attention from the global scientific community, as it opens new possibilities for the development of a wide range of future technologies, including nanotechnology, advanced energy systems, and wearable medical devices that are expected to form the foundation of future society.