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The MIT Skoltech Initiative Report identifies KAIST as one of the core group of emerging leaders for academic entrepreneurship and innovation
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Skoltech Initiative was established in 2011 to support MIT’s multi-year collaboration in building the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), a private graduate research university in Skolkovo, Russia.
Recently, the office of the MIT Skoltech Initiative has published a benchmark report conducted from 2012 to 2014 by Dr. Ruth Graham, an internationally recognized leading consultant for engineering education and research as well as academic technology-driven entrepreneurship, under the guidance of MIT professors and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the MIT Skoltech Initiative.
The report identified more than 200 institutions as the world’s most highly-regarded entrepreneurial universities and characterized the approach taken by them to build university-based ecosystems for entrepreneurship and innovation (E&I).
Among the top-ranked institutions, the report mentioned an emerging group of leaders (EGLs) that are “located within more challenging environments but establishing strong entrepreneurship and innovation profiles and reputations.” The report named, in particular, five universities, KAIST (Korea), Technion (Israel), Aalto University (Finland), the University of Michigan (US), and the University of Auckland (NZ), as the core group of the EGLs.
This benchmarking study was written to highlight key strategies and features associated with well-regarded university E&I transformations within more challenging environments and to address barriers and limits faced by the EGLs, thereby providing a good model to other universities wishing to make similar changes.
Through an in-depth case study of a small group of emerging universities, the report concluded that three major components play a critical role in the development of institutional E&I capacity and the growth of ecosystems for E&I:
Component 1: Inclusive grassroots community of E&I engagement across university populations and regional community;
Component 2: Strength in industry-funded research and licensing of university-owned technology; and
Component 3: University E&I agenda reflected in its policies, mission, budget allocations, incentives and curriculum
For more details, please visit the link below:
http://web.mit.edu/sktech/sktech-program/entrepreneurship-innovation/benchmark.html
2014.08.20 View 9398 -
2014 NEREC Conference on Nuclear Nonproliferation: July 31-August 1, 2014, Seoul
The Nonproliferation Education and Research Center (NEREC) at KAIST hosted an international conference on nuclear nonproliferation on July 31-August 1, 2014 in Seoul. The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and the Korea Nuclear Policy Society (KNPS) sponsored the event.
Over one hundred experts and "thought leaders" in nuclear security and nonproliferation attended the conference and discussed issues related to the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, the role of scientific community in mitigating nuclear threat and promoting the peaceful use of nuclear power, and nuclear disarmament policy.
Keynote speakers were: Steven E. Miller, Director of International Security Program at Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard University; Scott D. Sagan, Senior Fellow of the Center for International Security and Cooperation, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University; Mark Fitzpatrick, Director of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Programme, International Institute for Strategic Studies; Sang-Hyun Lee, Director of Security Strategy, Sejong Institute; and Man-Sung Yim, Professor of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, KAIST.
At the conference, Professor Yim, Director of KAIST NEREC said, “Korea has grown to become a key player in the development of commercial nuclear energy over the past decades. We hope that our conference encourages Korea to be more involved in the efforts of the international community to enhance the global nonproliferation regime.”
2014.08.05 View 15540 -
BizWorld 2014 Takes Place at the KAIST campus: July 28-August 2, 2014
A multinational student conference on science, technology, and business called “BizWorld 2014 (http://kisa.kaist.ac.kr/bizworld/kaist/)” began on July 28, 2014 and continues through August 2, 2014 at the KAIST campus in Daejeon.
Created in 2013 by international students at KAIST, the conference aims to promote entrepreneurship among students within KAIST as well as those from other nations and to exchange knowledge and experiences in translating technological and scientific innovations into business opportunities.
The KAIST International Student Association (KISA) hosts the conference in partnership with five universities in the Asia-Pacific region: Peking University in China, National Taiwan University in Taiwan, the University of Tokyo in Japan, National University of Singapore, and the University of Queensland in Australia.
This year, four distinguished speakers from the Korean government and private sector will give talks on job creation through science and technology advancement, strategic management of technology, and trends in information technology business.
Participating students will also visit laboratories for electric vehicles being developed by KAIST: Armadilo T and the Online Electric Vehicle (OLEV).
The Armadillo T is a small, light, and agile electric car that folds its body for an efficient use of space. OLEV can be an electric car, bus, or even a high-capacity train, which is recharged wirelessly while on-the-go.
The s tudents will have a Q&A meeting with researchers and discuss a possible business model to commercialize these technologies.
2014.07.30 View 9888 -
Smart eBook appeared in New York Times on May 17, 2014
Smart eBook (hhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVyBwz1-AiE), an interface that allows e-book readers to have the similar experience and convenience to reading paper books, was introduced in an article from the New York Times on May 17, 2014. The Smart eBook was developed by researchers from the Institute for Information Technology Convergence at KAIST.
For the article, please go to the link below:
New York Times, May 17, 2014
“Tackling the Limits of Touch Screens”
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/business/tackling-the-limits-of-touch-screens.html?_r=0
2014.07.21 View 6841 -
Discovery of New Therapeutic Targets for Alzheimer's Disease
A Korean research team headed by Professor Dae-Soo Kim of Biological Sciences at KAIST and Dr. Chang-Jun Lee from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) successfully identified that reactive astrocytes, commonly observed in brains affected by Alzheimer’s disease, produce abnormal amounts of inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) in reaction to the enzyme Monoamine oxidase B (Mao-B) and release GABA through the Bestrophin-1 channel to suppress the normal signal transmission of brain nerve cells.
By suppressing the GABA production or release from reactive astrocytes, the research team was able to restore the model mice's memory and learning impairment caused by Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery will allow the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer’s and other related diseases.
The research result was published in the June 29, 2014 edition of Nature Medicine (Title: GABA from Reactive Astrocytes Impairs Memory in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease).
For details, please read the article below:
Technology News, July 10, 2014
"Discovery of New Drug Targets for Memory Impairment in Alzheimer’s Disease"
http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2014/07/10/7917811.htm
2014.07.16 View 10067 -
KAIST develops TransWall, a transparent touchable display wall
At a busy shopping mall, shoppers walk by store windows to find attractive items to purchase. Through the windows, shoppers can see the products displayed, but may have a hard time imagining doing something beyond just looking, such as touching the displayed items or communicating with sales assistants inside the store. With TransWall, however, window shopping could become more fun and real than ever before.
Woohun Lee, a professor of Industrial Design at KAIST, and his research team have recently developed TransWall, a two-sided, touchable, and transparent display wall that greatly enhances users' interpersonal experiences.
With an incorporated surface transducer, TransWall offers audio and vibrotactile feedback to the users. As a result, people can collaborate via a shared see-through display and communicate with one another by talking or even touching one another through the wall. A holographic screen film is inserted between the sheets of plexiglass, and beam projectors installed on each side of the wall project images that are reflected.
TransWall is touch-sensitive on both sides. Two users standing face-to-face on each side of the wall can touch the same spot at the same time without any physical interference. When this happens, TransWall provides the users with specific visual, acoustic, and vibrotactile experiences, allowing them to feel as if they are touching one another.
Professor Lee said, "TransWall concept enables people to see, hear, or even touch others through the wall while enjoying gaming and interpersonal communication. TransWall can be installed inside buildings, such as shopping centers, museums, and theme parks, for people to have an opportunity to collaborate even with strangers in a natural way."
He further added that "TransWall will be useful in places that require physical isolation for high security and safety, germ-free rooms in hospitals, for example." TransWall will allow patients to interact with family and friends without compromising medical safety.
TransWall was exhibited at the 2014 Conference on Computer-Human Interaction (CHI) held from April 26, 2014 to May 1, 2014 in Toronto, Canada.
YouTube Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QdYC_kOQ_w&list=PLXmuftxI6pTXuyjjrGFlcN5YFTKZinDhK
2014.07.15 View 8260 -
Professor Haeng-Ki Lee appointed as "ICCES Distinguished Fellow"
Professor Haeng-Ki Lee
Professor Haeng-Ki Lee from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at KAIST has been appointed as “Distinguished Fellow” and has also received the “Outstanding Research Award” at the International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences (ICCES).
Founded in 1986, ICCES is regarded as one of the most prestigious international conferences in the field of computational mechanics and experimental engineering.
The Nominating Committee at ICCES recommends the appointment of a distinguished member who has made significant contributions to the development of computational mechanics and experimental engineering. Professor Lee was the first Korean who received such title. Furthermore, he was the recipient of the “Outstanding Research Award” presented by ICCES for his academic research on damage mechanics of complex systems.
Professor Lee is currently serving as the Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at KAIST and the Director of BK Plus Agency, a Korean government’s research program. He received an award from the Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning in 2013 for the promotion of science and technology.
2014.07.02 View 12724 -
"KAIST Day" at the Korean Baseball League: Hanwha Eagles Home Game
KAIST is out to promote school spirit and to strengthen the communication with Daejeon citizens.
KAIST’s Graduate Student Union held “KAIST Day” by supporting a baseball game between the Lotte Giants and Hanwha Eagles, a home team of Daejeon City, on June 26, 2014 at Daejeon Baseball Stadium.
Marking the third KAIST Day this year, the event has been organized to provide graduate students with opportunities to leave their labs and enjoy a moment of relaxation, such as watching baseball games.
The event began with an opening ceremony, followed by the main baseball game. The KAIST cheering squad, ELKA, held a pregame performance to root for a home-team victory. KAIST President Steve Kang and Sin-Yeong Kim, a master’s student at KAIST, threw the first pitch to celebrate KAIST Day.
Picture below:
President Steve Kang, Mia Kang, and graduate students cheering at the Hanwha Eagles' home team baseball game on June 26, 2014 at Daejeon Baseball Stadium
2014.07.02 View 7904 -
JEROS, a jellyfish exterminating robot, appears in a US business and technology news
Business Insider, a US business and technology news website launched in 2006 and based in New York City, published a story about JEROS, a robot that disposes of ever-increasing jellyfish in the ocean.
JEROS was the brainchild of Professor Hyun Myung at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, KAIST. It can shred almost one tons worth of jellyfish per hour.
For the story, please visit the following link:
Business Insider, June 24, 2014
“These Jellyfish-Killing Robots Could Save the Fishing Industry Billions Per Year”
http://www.businessinsider.com/jellyfish-killing-robot-2014-6
JEROS in action
2014.06.26 View 9779 -
Forbes Asia: 48 Heroes of Philanthropy
Mun-Sul Jeong
Hui-Jeong Park
Forbes Asia, an American business magazine covering the latest news on Asian markets, politics, business, and finance, announced the list of 48 philanthropists in the Asia-Pacific region in its July 21, 2014 issue.
Four Koreans made the list: Mun-Sul Jeong (a former chairman of KAIST's Board of Trustees), Hui-Jeong Park (a wife of the late Dr. Geun-Chul Ryu, a philanthropist who gave the funds to build the Sports Complex in KAIST campus), Yuna Kim (a former Olympics figure skater and a gold and silver medalist), and Nam-Kyu Min (the chairman of JK Group, a plastics and petrochemical products manufacturer).
Mun-Sul Jeong, the founder of Mirae Corp., a semiconductor equipment manufacturing company, donated $21 million to KAIST for brain science research this year. He also donated $235 million to KAIST in 2001 for convergence research in information and business technology.
Hui-Jeong Park, a former professor of nursing at Korea University, endowed a $100,000 scholarship fund for KAIST students in January 2014. Her late husband, Dr. Geun-Chul Ryu, contributed over $55 million in real estate to KAIST, allowing the university to have a new sports facility. He was an eminent doctor of Oriental medicine in Korea and also served as a professor at KAIST.
For more, please click on the link below:
Forbes Asia, July 21, 2014
“48 Heroes of Philanthropy”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoppisch/2014/06/25/48-heroes-of-philanthropy-3/
2014.06.26 View 10171 -
A KAIST startup, YBrain, builds a wearable device to cure Alzheimer's
A group of KAIST graduates from the Departments of Bio and Brain Engineering, Computer Science, Materials Science Engineering, and Industrial Design created a startup called YBrain (http://ybrain.com/). YBrain develops a wearable neuroscience technology to treat or reduce the symptoms of degenerative brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Their recent technological developments were covered in e27, one of the leading blogs based in Singapore. The blog covers topics like the latest technology innovation, startups, and entrepreneurship in Asia. A news article follows below:
e27, June 24, 2014
“This wearable tech may be able to combat effects of Alzheimer’s”
http://e27.co/this-wearable-tech-may-be-able-combat-effects-of-alzheimers-20140624/
2014.06.25 View 13430 -
Professor Won Do Heo on LED Light Technology for Controlling Proteins in Living Cells
With the newly developed LED technology, Professor Won Do Heo at the College of Life Science and Bioengineering, KAIST, was able to suppress cell migration and division when cells are exposed to LED light. This suggests a breakthrough to apply in future cancer cell research.
Professor Heo talked about the impact of his research in the following excerpt from a news article:
“We are already conducting research on the spread of cancer, as well as brain science in animal models with the Light-Activated Reversible Inhibition by Assembled Trap. I believe this technology will be a breakthrough in investigating cancer treatments and the function of neurons in a complex neural network, which existing technologies have not been able to do.”
From EE Times Europe, June 19, 2014
“LED Light Technology Controls Proteins in Living Cells”
http://www.ledlighting-eetimes.com/en/led-light-technology-controls-proteins-in-living-cells.html?cmp_id=7&news_id=222909336
2014.06.22 View 8442