Two distinguished professors from leading South Korean universities have been selected as recipients of the 35th Soodang Award by the Samyang Group’s Soodang Foundation, recognizing outstanding academic achievements.
Award Ceremony Details
The award ceremony takes place on May 27 at the Lotte Hotel Seoul. This prestigious honor, established in 1973, annually celebrates top researchers across basic sciences, humanities and social sciences, and applied sciences. Recipients receive plaques and 2 million won in prize money, along with recognition for two outstanding collaborative researchers.
Hwang Il-du: Excellence in Basic Sciences
Hwang Il-du, a Seokcheonseokja Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), claims the top spot in the basic sciences category. His research focuses on biomechanics of biomaterials—essential for tissue engineering and stem cell applications—along with stem cell proliferation mechanisms and functional enhancements in related comparisons.
These contributions advance domestic biological science publications. Hwang’s prior accolades include the 2013 MacroGen Life Sciences Award, 2021 Kakao Life Sciences Award, 2021 Korean Society for Plant Biotechnology Life Sciences Award, and the 2023 Grand National University Academic Award for the most cited paper domestically.
Jo Sung-bae: Leadership in Applied Sciences
Jo Sung-bae, a professor in the Department of Computer Science at Yonsei University, leads the applied sciences category. His work analyzes blockchain engineering applications, particularly in solving real-world problems through human-centric engineering, positioning him as a major player in national large-scale research collaborations.
Previous honors feature the 2015 Korean Government Information Science Award, 2022 Grand National University Jeongbujang Award, contributions to the Daetongryeong Direct Citizen Engineering Ethics Award Committee, and roles in the Korean Computer Science Ethics Review Board. Currently, he serves as chairperson for the Korean Computer Science AI Ethics Review Board.
