UNIST hosted its 2025 New Year’s Kick-off Ceremony in the 2F Auditorium of the Main Administration Building at UNIST on January 2, 2025. The event was marked by a spirit of celebration and reflection, setting the tone for an impactful year ahead.
President Chong Rae Park delivered an inspiring New Year’s greeting, outlining UNIST’s strategic direction for 2025 while wishing the entire UNIST community a year overflowing with happiness, health, and prosperity. This meeting stands as a reminder of UNIST’s commitment to excellence in science and technology as it embraces new opportunities for growth and innovation.
UNIST President Chong Rae Park extends his new year’s greetings to all members of the UNIST community at the 2025 New Year’s Kick-off Ceremony on January 2, 2025.
The ceremony featured a special performance and a video presentation, which showcased interviews with faculty, students, and staff members reflecting on the institution’s remarkable achievements over the past year and celebrating the year ahead. Adding to the excitement, President Yong Hoon Lee delivered opening remarks, followed by the prestigious 2024 Highly Cited Researchers (HCR) Awards Ceremony that recognized outstanding scholars within the UNIST community.
At the ceremony, among seven distinguished faculty members, four who were able to attend were honored for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields. Distinguished Professor Sang Il Seok (School of Energy and Chemical Engineering), Professor Hyun-Wook Lee (School of Energy and Chemical Engineering), President Chong Rae Park, Professor Seungho Cho (Department of Materials Science and Engineering), and Professor Changduk Yang (School of Energy and Chemical Engineering) received the 2024 HCR Awards.
From left are Distinguished Professor Sang Il Seok (School of Energy and Chemical Engineering), Professor Hyun-Wook Lee (School of Energy and Chemical Engineering), President Chong Rae Park, Professor Seungho Cho (Department of Materials Science and Engineering), and Professor Changduk Yang (School of Energy and Chemical Engineering).
In his message, President Park reflected on the significance of 2025, stating, “This year is particularly important as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of our transformation into a government-funded research institute for science and technology. It reminds us that even the most enduring elements can evolve over a decade.” He emphasized the pivotal role UNIST plays in nurturing talent that drives the advancement of national science and technology.
Highlighting UNIST’s ambitious vision for the year, President Park announced, “This year, UNIST will embark on a bold challenge as Pioneers.” He elaborated, “Pioneers are not merely ‘Generalists‘ striving for ‘Average Excellence,’ rather they are ‘Strategic Experts‘ whose ‘Individual Uniqueness‘ and ‘Diversity‘ intertwine to carve out new paths, embodying ‘Unprecedented Excellence‘ and ‘Competitiveness‘ through ‘Connectivity.'”
To foster this pioneering spirit, President Park proposed three foundational platforms—termed the Transformative Bridges—to enhance education, research, and global cooperation, encouraging flexibility and integration among these domains: △ Transformative Education Bridge, △ Transformative Research Bridge, and △ Transformative Glocalization Bridge.
In closing, President Park expressed heartfelt gratitude to all members of the UNIST community who gathered to partake in this enriching experience. He reiterated that the collective efforts and commitment of everyone at UNIST will pave the way for groundbreaking advancements in the coming year.
Click HERE to read the New Year’s Message from President Chong Rae Park.
