DGIST marks 22nd anniversary with awards ceremony

DGIST held its 22nd anniversary ceremony Thursday at the convention hall of its main campus in Daegu, celebrating the institution's growth and reaffirming its commitment to a new phase of development.

President Lee Geon-woo attended the event along with senior administrators, faculty, staff and students.

The ceremony included the presentation of commemorative plaques to faculty and staff who have served the institution for 20 and 10 years, followed by an awards presentation honoring individuals who have brought distinction to DGIST through outstanding achievements in education, research and administration.

Professor Kwon Hyeok-jun of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science received the "DGIST Person of the Year" award.

As head of the Department of Semiconductor Engineering — a contract program with Samsung Electronics — Kwon led the successful establishment of the department's degree curriculum and academic systems. He has also maintained a strong research record in next-generation electronic devices and semiconductor processes, publishing 75 SCIE-indexed papers.

Four professors were appointed as distinguished faculty: Kim Young-wook of the Department of Chemistry and Physics, Kim Ga-in of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Yang Ji-woong of the Department of Energy Engineering, and Kim Bong-hun of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering.

"DGIST will boldly take on challenges and find answers so that it can grow into a university that the nation and local community need most — a world-class institution that the global community looks to and seeks to partner with first," President Lee said.

Meanwhile, DGIST plans to use the 22nd anniversary as a springboard to bring its research, education and startup capabilities to the global stage, and to significantly expand strategic partnerships with leading universities, research institutions and global companies at home and abroad.