13 Consortia Selected for Postdoctoral Researcher Industry-Academia Project

The Ministry of Science and ICT selected 13 consortia for its first-ever strategic technology postdoctoral research project. Competition ratios varied by field but averaged 5:1. Selected consortia include: semiconductor/display (Kangwon National University, Optisys), AI (Kookmin University, Gaon Group), secondary battery (Korea Institute of Transportation, CNT Solutions), aerospace/ocean (Gyeongsang National University, Mecatronics NS), hydrogen (Kwangwoon University, Samjung Solutions), and next-gen communication (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Samjung Solutions). In advanced bio, six consortia were selected: Seoul National University/DTCR, Gyeongwon University/Chungdo Pharmaceutical, Sogang University/Dusel, Yonsei University/Chabaio, Chungcheongnamdo University/GAI Bio, and Sogang University/TNL. The project involves enterprises collaborating with universities and research institutes to conduct joint research led by postdoctoral researchers. Total applicants were 65 across fields: 9 electrical/electronics, 11 information/communication, 13 mechanical/materials, 29 chemical/bio, and 3 construction/environment. Competition was fiercest in mechanical/materials (13:1). Enterprise demand surveys showed 8 projects for semiconductor/display, 4 for secondary batteries, 27 for advanced bio, 8 for hydrogen, 11 for AI, and 3 for advanced robotics manufacturing. Cybersecurity and quantum technology demands were absent. The 12 strategic technologies include AI, semiconductor/display, advanced bio, quantum, advanced robotics/manufacturing, secondary batteries, aerospace/ocean, next-gen mobility, next-gen communication, cybersecurity, hydrogen, and next-gen nuclear power.