• 543 Scientists Selected and KRW 36.4 Billion in Research Funding Provided Over the Past 17 Years

 

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation (Chairperson: In-hwa Chang) selected 30 early-career scientists as the 17th POSCO Science Fellows and held a certificate award ceremony on October 23 at POSCO Center in Seoul.

 

This year's fellowship attracted 440 applications from early-career faculty members representing 75 universities across Korea, resulting in a highly competitive selection process with an acceptance ratio of more than 14 to 1. Each selected fellow will receive KRW 100 million in research funding over a two-year period.

 

The POSCO Science Fellowship is one of the Foundation's flagship programs supporting promising early-career scientists in Korea. Since its launch in 2009, the program has selected 543 outstanding researchers in the fields of basic and applied sciences and has provided a cumulative KRW 36.4 billion in research funding, helping create a stable environment for innovative scientific research.

 

The award ceremony also featured special lectures by Professor Sang Yup Lee, Distinguished Professor at KAIST, and Professor Chul Sung Hwang, Chair Professor at Seoul National University.

 

Professor Moonjung Park of POSTECH, recipient of the 2025 POSCO TJ Park Prize and a former POSCO Science Fellow, delivered a congratulatory video message to the new fellows, saying:

"Take pride in being a POSCO Science Fellow. Stay true to your original passion, persevere in your research, and continue challenging yourself to pioneer new fields of science."

 

Representing the 17th class of POSCO Science Fellows, Professor Yunha Heo of POSTECH shared her aspirations, stating, "Being selected as a POSCO Science Fellow gives me an even greater sense of responsibility as a researcher. I will continue pursuing meaningful research that contributes to a more sustainable future."

 

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation will continue to encourage and support talented young scientists, helping them conduct world-class research in Korea through the POSCO Science Fellowship.