The UNIST Pioneers Innovation Education Team hosted the 2025 UIRP & AICP Best Awards Ceremony, recognizing outstanding achievements from students participating in the undergraduate interdisciplinary research program, UIRP (Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Project) and the AICP (AI Challengers Program)—an initiative aimed at fostering research-driven, student-led innovation and excellence in AI.
Held on October 31 at the Startup Lounge in the Industry–University Cooperation Building, the ceremony also served as a platform to encourage a vibrant research culture and inspire continued creativity among students.
The UIRP program supports undergraduates as they explore diverse career pathways through interdisciplinary, project-based research that extends beyond traditional academic boundaries. Students collaborate across departments on projects matched to their academic interests, gaining hands-on experience and strengthening their convergence skills. The AICP focuses on nurturing AI talent, capable of tackling real-world problems. Participants work on applied AI challenges, developing practical technical skills while exploring opportunities for research and entrepreneurship.
This year, 67 teams with more than 320 students took part—up from 50 teams and 226 students last year. Their work was showcased in late September at the 2025 Pioneers Festival, where long-term project outcomes were presented and feedback was exchanged. Top-performing teams from this festival were honored at the 2025 UIRP & AICP Best Awards Ceremony.
The ceremony featured award presentations, student reflections on their projects, and group photos, offering participants an opportunity to share lessons learned and celebrate their achievements.
Students who presented their interdisciplinary and AI project outcomes at the 2025 UNIST Pioneers Festival gather for a group photo.
In the UIRP category, Team NVN-MD—Accelerating MD Simulation via AI and HW/SW Integration (Advisor: Professor Jong-eun Lee), Team eckEGG—Remote Medical Support Using Multi-Channel Biometric Sensors in AR Interface (Advisor: Professor Youngbin Tchoe), and Team SkelSense—Human Skeleton Motion Classification Using Camera Sensors (Advisor: Professor Eunmi Choi), were given the Grand Prize for outstanding performance. For the AICP category, Team AIvestor Team—Development of Investment Models Using Large Language Models (Advisor: Professor Yongjae Lee) was awarded the Grand Prize.
Several teams also delivered notable performances beyond UNIST. Team NVN-MD, led by Professor Jongeun Lee (Department of Electrical Engineering) received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) Award at the 26th Korea Semiconductor Design Competition for their GNN-based accelerator IP design.
Students showcased their research projects and engaged with visitors during the 2025 UNIST Pioneers Festival exhibition.
Team Schrödinger’s Kimchi, advised by Professor Kim Junghoon (Department of Computer Science and Engineering) earned the Best Paper Award at KDBC 2025 for community analysis using the LLAMA algorithm. Team BREATHE, led by Professor Jungho Im (Department of Civil Urban Earth and Environmental Engineering) received the Best Paper Award at the 2025 GeoAI Data Conference (Fall) for developing an atmospheric pollution estimation algorithm using geostationary satellite data. Team AIvestor, led by Professor Yongjae Lee (Department of Industrial Engineering) was selected for a main-track oral presentation at ICAIF’25—an honor awarded to the top 15.5% of submissions at this leading international AI conference.
Students shared that the programs greatly enhanced their understanding of their majors, strengthened their problem-solving abilities, and gave them invaluable experience conducting research in a laboratory setting. Many noted that navigating challenges throughout the process contributed significantly to their academic and personal growth.
President Chong Rae Park met with UIRP and AICP participants and took a commemorative photo.
Dean In Cheol Bang of Academic Affairs at UNIST, remarked, “The process of inquiry and challenge shapes students into future-oriented, convergent pioneers. We will continue to expand and strengthen these programs moving forward.”
The 2025 UIRP and AICP programs have gone beyond mere participation, becoming comprehensive platforms for research, practical application, innovation, and collaboration. UNIST remains committed to supporting student-led research and AI-driven projects to cultivate creative, convergent talents for the future.
