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Becoming a Young Scientist to Lead the Future
Professor Na Seok-in (Y-KAST)
Kwon Jong-hwan Editor, Kim Ju Myeong Reporter
What It Means to Become a Y-KAST Member
Professor Na Seok-In, a Professor of the Professional Graduate School of Flexible and Printable Electronics, was recently elected as a young scientist in order to help lead Korea through the Young Korean Academy of Science and Technology (Y-KAST). The Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) is the institution with the most distinguished scientists in Korea. They are also the driving force for advancing and globalizing the nation’s academic activities in science and technology. The purpose of Y-KAST is to encourage Y-KAST members to actively participate in the global field of technology advancement. Y-KAST provides an opportunity for members to communicate with the world’s leading-class scientists in the future by allowing scientists now under the age of 45 to share scientific knowledge and build networks with members of the international young academy.
About the Professional Graduate School Where Professor Na Studied
JBNU Professional Graduate School of Flexible and Printable Electronics (PE), where Professor Na has studied, is currently the only one in Korea. It was created for the purpose of the development of human resources in PE fields since 2012. This graduate school acquired the 'Professional Graduate School' title to be authorized as the only school for this field by the Korean government. Many people would not know much about this field because the graduate school's name is not familiar to most people. Professor Na said about the PE field that, “the word ‘flexible’ refers to “studying devices that can be flexed and unfolded freely. You could imagine that it is an important technology that is applied to foldable Smartphones that are often talked about these days. The word ‘Printable Electronics’ means electronic devices which are manufactured by printing techniques. It can be considered to be something like eco-friendly printing technology that does not contain toxic substances.”
The Road to Professional Graduate School of Flexible and Printable Electronics
The Professional Graduate School of Flexible and Printable Electronics is located within the College of Engineering. As one might clearly guess, it is a graduate school affiliated with the College of Engineering. Professor Na said, “In our graduate school, there are students in many kinds of departments. At this point, it is not advantageous to admit specific departments of science and engineering” into the graduate school. “If somebody wants to study at our graduate school, it will be helpful to study subjects that” are only “general sciences.”
Advice to Students Who Wants to be Professors
As a professor who leads in the professional Graduate School, Professor Na gave some compelling advice to readers who hope to be a professor or wants to work at a research facility. “I graduated from the Department of Information Materials Engineering at JBNU. Luckily, I came back to JBNU and met my students in class. During class, I felt students are too needy and too modest for the position at JBNU. I heard things like “I am bad at studying,” or “It’s not my type to study hard at my desk.” Then in the same way, among fifty students in my class, who is the type to study? Students who earned the highest grade? I think it is all the same for all of my students, because the moment they enter JBNU, I think their ability and knowledge is enough.”
“However, due to one’s low self-esteem, they conclude, “to study more isn’t my way,” to themselves. My next question is, “How did you know that it isn't your way?” CSAT? Every high school student worked hard for it. You would know how much you did compared to others. Getting 990 Points on TOEIC? Always getting the best grade in class? That person was one of the fifty people in the beginning. All students are qualified to enter an academic career. Many students think an academic career is severe. I myself couldn't get good grades in my university, and many professors who I admired weren't exceptional from the start. “My advice is when you have doubt about your path, you should consider, ‘You didn't do it because you can't. You can't do it because you didn't.’”
Through this article, it is our hope that viewers will know more about KAST, Professional Graduate School of Flexible and Printable Electronics, the Department of Flexible and Printable Electronics, and to learn some sage advice from Professor Na on how to solve your problems about studying. In conclusion, if you have any problems with something you are working on, such as not feeling confident in your work, following Professor Na’s advice on being determined could be of great use to you.