[2024 Commencement] UNIST Confers Degrees to 915 Graduates

The 2024 UNIST Commencement Ceremony was held in the UNIST Gymnasium at midday on Thursday, February 15, inviting families, friends, as well as the representatives of all degree recipients.

During the ceremony, President Yong Hoon Lee awarded 198 honorary doctoral, 290 master’s, and 427 bachelor’s degrees. Since its establishment in 2009, UNIST has produced a total of 9,409 graduates in science and technology, comprising 1,241 doctors, 2,119 masters, and 6,049 bachelor’s degrees.

The ceremony commenced with celebratory performances and academic processions. It featured the conferral of honorary doctoral degrees, followed by a report on academic statistics, presentations of academic awards, congratulatory messages by university officials, and remarks by distinguished guests, including Deputy Mayor Hyo Dae Ahn for Economic Affairs of Ulsan and Chairman Jae Ho Song of the UNIST Board of Directors. The conferral of degrees marked a special moment of recognition.

President Yong Hoon Lee expressed his heartfelt congratulations to the Class of 2024. In his remarks, President Lee urged the graduates to boldly face challenges with the spirit of ‘First In Change,’ as they have done throughout their time at UNIST. He emphasized the importance of adopting a global perspective, competing on the world stage, and shaping the future of humanity in this era of scientific and technological upheaval.

From left are Former UNIST President Moo Je Cho and Jiyeon Kim (Advisor: Professor Wonyoung Choe), this year’s recipient of Yebong Best Dissertation Award.

At each commencement ceremony, UNIST recognizes exceptional achievements of outstanding students through various awards, including the Yebong Best Dissertation Award. This year, Jiyeon Kim (Advisor: Professor Wonyoung Choe) received the Yebong Best Dissertation Award, presented by Former UNIST President Moo Je Cho.

During the ceremony, Seunghwan Noh (Department of Computer Science and Engineering) was honored with the UNIST President’s Award for his outstanding academic achievements. Additionally, the Minister of Science and ICT Award was presented to Seokjun Lee (Department of Mechanical Engineering), and the UNIST Chairman of the Board’s Award was given to Hyung Jun Noh (Department of Physics). Mina Kang (Department of Industrial Engineering) and Bada Lee (Department of Civil Urban Earth and Environmental Engineering) received the Ulsan City Mayor’s Award and the Ulju-gun Mayor’s Award, respectively. The LS Group Award was presented to EunSoo Lee (School of Business Administration) and JunYoung Park (Department of Mechanical Engineering).

The recipients of the Outstanding Paper Award were JunKyu Choi in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Advisor: Professor Jiyun Kim), HyunWoo Kim in the Department of Biological Sciences (Advisor: Professor Changwook Lee), KyuMin Lee in the Department of Management and Science (Advisor: Professor Young-Choon Kim), and JinWook Yoo in the Department of Energy and Chemical Engineering (supervised by Professor Seok Sang-il).

The honorary doctoral degree has been bestowed upon Duksan Group Chairman Junho Lee at the 2024 UNIST Commencement Ceremony on February 15, 2024.

The honorary doctoral degree in engineering was bestowed upon Duksan Group Chairman Junho Lee, a prominent figure in the Korean venture business sector and founder of the group. Vice President Jaiyong Lee highlighted Chairman Lee’s bold investments in research and development, transforming Duksan Hi-Metal into a world-class materials provider and serving as a role model for UNIST faculty and students.

The performance by UNIST Faculty Choir, comprising of Professors Sung Chul Bae, Youngkook Kwon, Kwangjin An, Soo-Hyun Kim, and Jooha Kim.

To congratulate the graduates, a surprise performance by the UNIST Faculty Choir was prepared, singing “You Raise Me Up” to uplift the spirits of the graduates on their new journey. President Lee encouraged the graduates to become future talents who anticipate and shape the next ten years to navigate the era of scientific and technological upheaval. He emphasized the significance of planning for the future, looking ahead five to ten years, within their respective fields of study or through interdisciplinary convergence.