Pohang University of Science and Technology

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Pohang University of Science and Technology
포항공과대학교
Motto Integrity, Creativity, and Aspiration
(성실, 창의, 진취)
Established 1986
Type Private
Endowment USD $57 million[1]
President Yongmin Kim
Academic staff 268 (April 2013)[2]
Undergraduates 1410 (April 2013)[2]
Postgraduates 1853 (April 2013)[2]
Location Pohang, North Gyeongsang, South Korea
Campus Urban
Mascot Poscat (Unofficial)
Website www.postech.edu
Pohang University of Science and Technology
Hangul 포항공과대학교 (포항공대) or 포스텍
Hanja 浦項工科大學校 (浦項工大) or 포스텍
Revised Romanization Pohang Gonggwa Daehakgyo (Pohang Gongdae) or Poseutek
McCune–Reischauer P'ohang Kongkwa Taehakkyo (P'ohang Kongdae) or P'osŭt'ek
Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology

Pohang University of Science and Technology or POSTECH is a private university based in Pohang, South Korea, which is dedicated to research and education in science and technology.

History

POSTECH was founded in 1986 as Korea’s first research-oriented university by Park Tae-joon, the CEO of POSCO, one of the world’s leading steel producers, under the mission to educate young future leaders who can contribute to national prosperity through advancement in science and technology. In February 1985, POSCO organized a task force made up of employees selected by the company. Construction work began in August 1985. On May 4, 1986 when university buildings were in the process of construction, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visited POSTECH. After being briefed by Founding President Hogil Kim, Prime Minister Thatcher presented a gift of an INMOS transputer, one of the leading edge computer parts at the time.

The official opening of the university took place on December 3, 1986. The construction of POSTECH was completed within a short time of one year and ten months. The first matriculation ceremony was held on March 5, 1987. An elite group of 249 freshmen were selected from the top one percent of all graduating seniors in South Korea.

Founding President Dr. Hogil Kim envisioned a research-oriented institution for Korea modelled after the California Institute of Technology.[3] The founding principle behind POSTECH's establishment lies in providing a student-centered education in a highly collaborative and intimate academic community. POSTECH's student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1.

In 2001, POSTECH announced that it would build a bilingual campus, for the first time ever in Korea, where English will be used for major communication along with Korean.[4] In February 2010, POSTECH declared the initiation of a bilingual campus plan. POSTECH has invested approximately 180 billion South Korean Won in its globalization project to recruit top international faculty and staff, establish an international student services center, and publish all official documents and administrative services in Korean and English. Currently, all major official events are run in both Korean and English. Most junior and senior level courses as well as graduate courses are taught in English.

Academics

POSTECH Plaza

Admissions

POSTECH admits approximately 300 undergraduate students each year. POSTECH received 1,987 applicants for freshman admission and admitted 323 for the 2014 school year.

POSTECH provides the highest educational investment and the most per-student scholarship support in Korea, allowing talented students from all economic backgrounds the opportunity to obtain a POSTECH education.[5] All graduate students receive teaching assistant scholarships and the university provides the Tae-Joon Park Graduate Fellowship, which provides the highest level of scholarship (approximately 25 million South Korean won) to about 50 top graduate students each year.

A growing number of international students attend POSTECH as it expands its recruiting efforts abroad. A regional office for POSTECH was established in Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2010. POSTECH offers full tuition fellowships to excellent graduate students from the following countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. The POSCO Fellowship is available for students recommended by a POSTECH departmental committee and then selected by the POSCO TJ Park Foundation.

Research Institutions

POSTECH ranked first in Korea in the number of research papers carried by local and foreign academic journals with 1.39 papers per teacher, followed by Kwangwoon University with 1.35 and Korea University with 1.3 papers. It also tops the list of research expenses in Korea with 796.7 million South Korean won on average per professor, followed by Seoul National University with 234.3 million South Korean won and Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology with 189.7 million South Korean won. POSTECH's corporate partners include Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor and LG Chemical.[6]

POSTECH is one of just four universities worldwide to build a fourth-generation accelerator laboratory, with a $500-million giant X-ray machine that is expected to expand the frontiers of cancer treatment and nanotechnology.[7] The fourth-generation light source (PAL-XFEL), which is currently under construction on the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) premises and scheduled to be operational in 2015, is 10 billion times brighter than the third-generation light source.

The POSTECH Biotech Center (PBC) is Korea's largest biotech research lab. PBC was established in November 2000 in collaboration with POSCO under the mission to grow into a world class biotech center that carries out cutting edge research and trains future leaders in biotechnology. The Center’s four-story building (14,000 m2), whose construction work started from December 2002 and was completed in July 2003, follows the concept of Open Laboratories (no walls in between laboratories) to facilitate easy communication and exchange of ideas. It also provides a wide range of state-of-the-art core technology facilities and a large number of specialty facilities including clean rooms for nano-biotechnology, green house, and germ-free animal rooms.[8]

The National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology is a core research center for nanotechnology. The center supports commercialization of new equipment and materials technologies developed jointly with industry, performs equipment and materials evaluation, benchmarking, standardization of the evaluation and certification. Its joint R&D activities are participated by major semiconductor and display manufacturers, equipment, and materials companies.

The Max Planck POSTECH/Korea Research Initiative is a Korean branch of the Max Planck Society Research Institute. The Max Planck Society of Germany and POSTECH established two Max Planck Centers at POSTECH: the Max Planck-POSTECH Center for Attosecond Science and the Max Planck-POSTECH Center for Complex Phase Materials.

The Pohang Institute of Intelligent Robotics (PIRO) at POSTECH is Korea's one and only intelligent robotics research center. PIRO is in charge of securing the technological competitiveness of Korea`s intelligent robotics industry and developing the robotics technology of small- and medium-size businesses. PIRO plays a key role in improving relations between industry, academia and research institutes and in promoting new robotics technology.

Founded in 2005, the Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology (GIFT) is the world's only accredited institute of higher learning offering graduate education in the field of steel science and technology. GIFT is composed of three centers that collaborate on research work: the Clean & Green Technology Center, Materials Development Center, and Application & Solution Center. In addition, one research facility center has been established to support research work. All GIFT students are encouraged to participate in a short-term study abroad program. Students can experience and participate in research projects of ferrous technology with a global perspective. GIFT is now globally recognized for its unique focus on both education and research for the development of steel technology.

The Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP) was relocated to POSTECH in August 2001. The Center was established in June 1996 in Seoul. It is a non-governmental international organization (NGO) pursuing the highest quality topical research in all areas of theoretical physics. It consists of member countries that represent the nations and regions of the Asia-Pacific Area including Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. APCTP is equipped with visiting researcher offices, computer facilities, digital library and guest houses, which enable it to provide full administrative and academic support for visiting scientists.

Rankings

In 1998, POSTECH was ranked by Asiaweek as the best science and technology university in Asia.[9] Furthermore, from 2002 to 2006, one of Korea's most circulated daily newspapers, JoongAng Ilbo, ranked POSTECH as the leading university in Korea. In 2010, the Times Higher Education ranked POSTECH 28th in the world.[10] In 2011, the Times Higher Education[11] ranked the university as the 53rd best university in the world, the 6th best in Asia, and the best in South Korea. In 2011, QS World University Rankings[12] ranked POSTECH 98th overall in the world. It remains third best ranked in Korea, after Seoul National University and KAIST, in the QS Asian University Rankings.[13][14] However, in the Times Higher Education rankings, it scored highly after compilers placed less emphasis on "reputation and heritage" and gave more weight to objective measures including the influence of universities' research, placing 53rd.[15] In 2012 and 2013, the Times Higher Education ranked it 1st in their "100 Under 50 Young Universities" rankings.[16]

Campus

POSTECH is a 400-acre campus located twenty minutes by car from downtown Pohang, a forty minute drive from the eastern coast, ninety minutes by bus from Busan, and approximately four hours by bus or train from Seoul.

POSTECH operates a Smart Campus where the scientific and technological information of the world is accessible anywhere on campus using different types of smart phones and mobile devices as well as laptops. In 2010, for the first time among Korean universities, POSTECH implemented a Desktop Cloud Service, providing a convenient and secure computing environment.[17]

POSTECH in the Spring

Tae-Joon Park Library

Opened in early 2003, the Tae-Joon Park Digital Library has six floors with over 25,000 square meters of floor space and provides 1,150 seats. This new state-of-the-art facility provides seminar rooms for meetings and lectures, 50 group study rooms, reading tables and browsing sofas.

Shelved accordingly to the Library of Congress Classification Number System (LCCN), the reference materials, book collections, and academic journals are located on floors two through four of the library. All materials stored in the library can be found via the web-based online public access catalog, Digital LINNET.

The multimedia section located on the fifth floor is a popular space for students to utilize and experience various media resources, including audio cassettes, videotapes, CD-ROMs, DVDs, LDs, and other amenities supporting their education and leisure. The library now has a collection of over 355,000 books, 2,900 journal titles, and 24,000 multimedia resources.

On the sixth floor of the library is the Cyber Cafe, where students can take a break from their studies with drinks and snacks. There is also a small snack shop which sells items such as cookies, chips, drinks, and sandwiches.

Reaching beyond its current holdings, the library has made extensive provisions for various applications of the latest information technology. The library's online system forms a part of the campus-wide network and is accessible from anywhere on and off campus. Through this online system, users are able to access a broad range of bibliographic and full-text information such as electronic journals and books as well as search networked CD-ROM databases. The library provides 8,174 e-journals, 23,598 e-books, and 15 academic databases.

The library places an equal emphasis on providing quality services for its users. A highly trained and experienced staff assists library users in a variety of ways, from the selection, acquisition, and cataloging of materials to providing assistance in using the library's collections, online services, and interlibrary loans.

Student life

Student Housing

Sunrise Festival

Since 1987, POSTECH has hosted the annual Sunrise Festival to celebrate the spirit of unity and harmony of the POSTECH members and the local community. It is run in mid-May for three days immediately after the midterm of the spring semester. This festival is financially supported by the university, and is prepared by the entire student body and the POSTECH Student Club Association. Participants at the festival can enjoy movies, performances, singing contests, quiz shows, as well as traditional Korean drinks sold at cafes, beer gardens, and food stalls set up by student clubs.

POSTECH-KAIST Science War

Science War is an event held together by the KAIST and Pohang University of Science and Technology every year in the fall. The first tournament was held since 2002 at KAIST. Every year since, both schools held it alternately. The competition name is determined depending by the home university. If held at KAIST, it is called "Pocajeon"; at the Pohang University of Science and Technology, it is called "kapojeon". Events include football, baseball, basketball, athletics and hacking competitions, Starcraft, and a science quiz.

Hyungsan Academic Festival

The Hyungsan Academic Festival, organized by the Federation of Student Circles, takes place at the end of October after the midterm of the second semester. Originally designed to provide venues for academic presentations by students' circles and departments, this festival now provides various programs including sports competition, plays and movie festivals, as well as academic conferences.

Thursday Cultural Program

Every Thursday a variety of cultural events including musical performances, plays, movies, and operas are performed at the POSTECH Auditorium. The Cultural Program Committee was organized in March 1987, to provide students, faculty and staff members, who are mostly living on and near campus, with cultural and entertainment opportunities.

Departments

The university has 11 undergraduate departments and 21 graduate departments which includes five professional schools.

Academic Departments

The Department of Physics focuses on condensed matter physics including nanophysics, plasma and accelerator physics, and biophysics. The undergraduate curriculum offers basic physics courses and various electives which are organized into several modules. Students are encouraged to embark on in-depth studies of any physics area of their own choice. They are also encouraged to take low-level graduate courses and participate in ongoing research activities in physics labs. In order to help students gain more comprehensive understanding of basic physical concepts, General Physics Lab I and II are required for all freshmen. Core courses for sophomores and juniors include Mechanics, Electromagnetism I, II, Quantum Physics I, II, Thermal Physics, and Physics Experiment I, II, III.

The Department of Chemistry at POSTECH is a three time winner of Outstanding Research Center designated by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation. It was also selected as 1st and 2nd level Brain Korea 21 (BK21) Science Technology Business group by the Korea Research Foundation. The department is home to a number of large-scale national and international project research centers such as Center for Smart Supermolecules, Center for Superfunctional Materials, Polymer Synthesis and Physics Lab, Polymer Physical Chemistry Lab, Nanophotonics & Nanomedical Lab, and Laboratory for Modified Nucleic Acid Systems.

The Department of Life Sciences at POSTECH was opened in March 1989, two years after the University was established in December 1986. The department admits 25 undergraduate students annually. To graduate, students need a total of 120 credit hours - 29 in Humanities & Social Sciences, 26 in General University Requirements in Mathematics, Physics, Life Science, Chemistry, and Computer Science, 46 credit hours of Major Requirements and Major Electives, and 19 Free Electives. Major Requirements include 18 credit hours in Cell Biology (+Lab), Biochemistry (+Lab), Molecular Biology (+Lab), and an Undergraduate Thesis, while Major Electives of 28 credit hours are chosen from courses offered by the department and some of those offered by other related departments. In addition, students are required to participate in faculty research starting from junior year and complete a satisfactory graduation thesis. The double major program, which combines the requirements of the departmental major with those of another department, offers many electives and provides students with broader career opportunities.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering was evaluated as the nation's best graduate program in the field of mechanical engineering by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST), and thus was awarded a seven-year graduate education grant of $1.7 million per year from the Brain Korea 21 Program of MEST in 2006. The department also houses seven National Research Laboratories, all being sponsored by the Ministry of Science & Technology. These numbers are one of the highest among all university divisions or departments in Korea.

The Department of Electrical Engineering admits only 45 undergraduate students per year. Students must complete 135 credit hours in order to graduate: 15 credits in Humanities and Social Sciences, 14 credits in Humanities and Social Sciences electives, 30 credits in General University requirements, 40 credits in major requirements, 24 credits in major electives, and 12 credits in free electives.

Major requirements are "Circuit Theory”, "Signals and Systems”, "Introduction to Electromagnetism”, "Digital System Design”, "Electronic Circuitry I”, "Fundamental Electronic Experiments”, "Microprocessor Structure and Application”, "Semiconductor Electronics I”, and "Design Project I”, and "Design Project II." The major electives are "Physics Electronics”, "Introduction to Automation Control Engineering”, "Electronic Circuitry II”, "Introduction to Information and Communication Engineering”, "Electromagnetic Fields”, and "Computer Design." Undergraduate students must take three or more of these six subjects.

Since the goal of the department is to foster the research ability of students through education, every undergraduate student must complete a design project. This project is completed over 2 semesters. Before the design project, students can choose to take a research preparation course which is available every semester. These courses help students develop research skills that prepare them for graduate school or for positions in industry.

The Computer Science and Engineering Department provides undergraduate and postgraduate programs. The department also conducts research in a comprehensive range of information technology areas. The research areas of the department are broadly divided into four areas: System and Software, AI and Data Analysis, Digital Media, and Networks. The department has one government supported research center (ITRC) and one national research lab (NRL).

As of June, 2013, POSTECH Chemical Engineering is composed of 183 undergraduates, 23 master’s candidates, 147 integrated course candidates, and 39 doctorate candidates under the guidance of 20 full-time faculty members. The undergraduate curriculum provides fundamental principles in physics, biology, and mathematics, a major concentration in chemistry, and a strong core of chemical engineering. In addition to science and engineering, students take an integrated sequence of subjects in the humanities and social sciences. Specific course selection allows students to meet individual areas of interest. The curriculum provides sound preparation for jobs in industry and government, as well as for graduate school. Undergraduate students are encouraged to take part in research activities during their third and final years.

Professional Graduate Schools

  • Department of Mathematics
  • Department of Physics
  • Department of Chemistry
  • Department of Life Sciences
  • Department of Materials Science & Engineering
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • Department of Industrial & Management Engineering
  • Department of Electrical Engineering
  • Department of Computer Science & Engineering
  • Department of Chemical Engineering
  • Department of Creative IT Engineering (CiTE)
  • School of Environmental Science & Engineering (SEE)
  • School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience & Bioengineering (I-BIO)
  • Technology Innovation & Management Graduate Program (TIM)
  • Graduate School of Wind Energy (GWE)
  • Division of Advanced Materials Science (AMS)
  • Division of Integrative Biosciences & Biotechnology(IBB)
  • Division of IT Convergence Engineering (ITCE)
  • Division of Advanced Nuclear Engineering (DANE)
  • Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology (GIFT)
  • POSTECH Ocean Science and Technology Institute (POSTI)
  • Graduate School of Engineering Mastership (GEM)

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "POSTECH". postech.ac.kr. September 10, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://www.postech.edu/
  3. ↑ http://www.postech.ac.kr/mueunjae/eng/page/subpage.php?Pcode=POSTECH&Ccode=07&pageNum=2&subNum=7
  4. ↑ "POSTECH to Establish Bilingual Campus by 2005". The Chosun Ilbo July 22, 2001. Retrieved September 30, 2013. 
  5. ↑ "POSTECH Spent Most Money on Students". The Chosun Ilbo September 23, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2013. 
  6. ↑ "More Korean research papers published in foreign journals". The Korea Times September 27, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2013. 
  7. ↑ "To Raise Its Global Profile, a Korean U. Shakes Up Its Campus". The Chronicle of Higher Education January 5, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2013. 
  8. ↑ "About PBC". POSTECH Biotech Center Website. Retrieved October 1, 2013. 
  9. ↑ "Ahead of the curve: Asia's science and technology institutes mix students and success". Asiaweek May 15, 1998. Retrieved July 6, 2005. 
  10. ↑ "Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings 2010-2011". 
  11. ↑ "Times Higher Education’s 2011-2012 World University Rankings". 
  12. ↑ http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2011?page=1
  13. ↑ "QS Asian University Rankings: Overall in 2012". Quacquarelli Symonds. 2012. Retrieved 2012-07-06. 
  14. ↑ special Reporting Team, "Kaist maintains its No. 1 ranking," Joongang Daily, september 27, 2010, p. 1.
  15. ↑ https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AonYZs4MzlZbdGZ2dkdSX1FLZEpYejJTX3h0cnRFYnc&hl=en#gid=0
  16. ↑ "Times Higher Education’s 100 Under 50 Universities 2013". 
  17. ↑ "Smart Campus". POSTECH Website. Retrieved October 1, 2013. 

External links

Departments

Research

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Coordinates: 36°00′39.18″N 129°19′21.61″E / 36.0108833°N 129.3226694°E / 36.0108833; 129.3226694

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