The 2021 Korea Science and Technology Fair was held in KINTEX from 22 to 24 December. The annual affair recognizes developments in science and technology made in the year with the Opening Ceremony, the Awards Ceremony celebrating scientists, interactive booths showcasing the developments, and performances bringing both science and entertainment to their audiences. 

Four KAIST professors were recognized in the Awards Ceremony on the 22nd: Professor Tae-Eog Lee (Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering), Professor Young-Jin Kim (Department of Mechanical Engineering), Professor Minkee Choi (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering), and Professor Heung-Sun Sim (Department of Physics).

Professor Tae-Eog Lee won the 2021 Korea Engineering Award for developing controlling technology for an optimized semiconductor manufacturing process. Two KAIST Professors were awarded the Young Scientist Award: Professor Young-Jin Kim for developing high-precision optical transmission technology, and Professor Minkee Choi for developing a method to create high-performance catalysts resembling enzymes. These catalysts can replicate the action of enzyme systems in the natural world. Professor Heung-Sun Sim was awarded the Science and Technology Award of the Month in July for verifying the existence of Kondo clouds, which is a phenomenon that occurs in metals with magnetic impurities which have a cloud of electrons surrounding them, called the Kondo cloud.

KAIST also set up various booths in the fair showcasing a myriad of developments. In addition, KAIST’s Undergraduate Admissions Team and KAINURI also set out to counsel prospective students on applying to KAIST.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering set up a “Cutting-edge Robots” booth showcasing both wearable robots by Professor Kyoungchul Kong, and quadrupedal robots by Professor Emeritus Junho Oh. Wearable Robots are intended to help people lead more comfortable, normalized lives, and for this fair robots that can assist paraplegia patients and stroke patients respectively were showcased. 

The “Pioneering Biology” exhibit from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering presented the work of distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee, namely advances in the production of natural colorants and biodegradable plastics. Professor Lee’s research devised a method of utilizing E. coli to produce seven natural colorants, which can replace potentially harmful and eco-unfriendly dyes in current use. The research was also the first to demonstrate the production of green and navy natural colorants. The booth also showcased research that quantitatively detailed the production of biodegradable polyesters inside microorganisms, which have potential as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic plastics.

Other booths from KAIST included the “Flying Car” booth from the Department of Electrical Engineering showcasing the vehicles of tomorrow, the “Celebrating KAIST’s 50th Anniversary with the Blue Whale 0.1 Rocket” booth, and the “Mobile Negative Pressure Ward” booth from the Department of Industrial Design.