Kwon Oh-nam, new chairman of the Korea Science and Technology Federation
and the youngest and second feminine head
“We will break down old and solid barriers and create an ecosystem that will help others”
![[Reporter Lee Seung Hwan]](https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202603/16/news-p.v1.20260306.ff8cf4d2b400421682b572c852e3dd0b_P1.jpg)
“I’m a non-mainstream person. She’s from a relatively small academic society called mathematics education, and she’s also a woman. The fact that I became the head of the science and technology group representing 5 million science and technology people itself is a strong proof that our science and technology community is longing for change and innovation.”
A brand new channel has opened within the 60-year historical past of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Organizations. Kwon Oh-nam (65), a professor of mathematics schooling at Seoul National University who started his time period because the twenty second chairman after taking workplace on the ninth, is the primary character. He is the primary incumbent professor within the historical past of the KCTU, the youngest, and the second feminine head of historical past.
“As a current professor, I am still standing on the podium and guarding the laboratory, so I feel the temperature of the research site and the hardships of young scientists more closely and desperately than anyone else,” Kwon stated in an interview with the Mail Business. “I will show you old practices and the leadership of ‘共鳴’ that breaks down the solid walls of the center and brings together small voices on the periphery.” He additionally expressed his ambition, saying, “Now diversity is not a benefit, but the most powerful weapon and essential survival strategy for the Korean scientific community to scale up to the next level.”
Chairman Kwon first crossed the brink of the duty pressure 13 years in the past to search out out the funding allotted to the Korean Mathematical Education Association. As one of many few younger ladies on the board of administrators on the time, she felt the constraints of the sphere whereas serving as a director in a senior-centered house called the “Old Voice Club.” “At that time, there were only a few female directors, but the 22nd chairman’s group increased the proportion of women among 88 executives to 25 percent,” he stated. “The top priority is to actively hire local, young and female talents to the central and male-centered task force.”
Chairman Kwon in contrast the brand new imaginative and prescient of the fruit gun to the “Benzengori” of chemistry. Just as single and double bonds in benzene’s hexagonal rings are probably the most sturdy buildings when they don’t compete or reject one another, 604 group members will merge with one another no matter dimension or academic area and assist create sturdy synergies.
![Kwon Oh-nam, the new chairman of the FSC, is delivering his inauguration speech at the inauguration ceremony held on the 9th. [Korea Federation of Science and Technology Organizations]](https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202603/16/news-p.v1.20260315.04ddd7b40aa74c4bb1e35791f9dd8621_P1.png)
It was due to a {photograph} that he was prepared to hold the heavy burden of being the pinnacle of the duty pressure. During the 2023 World Conference of Korean Science and Technology, there was no single feminine chief within the commemorative photograph taken by quite a few heads of organizations. “I was worried that young girls and parents who saw this picture would guess that ‘the science and technology world is a place where women cannot grow into the top leader,'” he stated. “I decided to take the lead in person to change the message to the public.” “Actually, I’m an introvert (I) person who likes to read books sitting in a lab,” Chairman Kwon stated. “But I became a ‘social extrovert’ because I thought I should become a role model for my juniors and change the old ecosystem of the science community.”
On the worldwide stage, Chairman Kwon has left a huge mark. He has been the primary Asian girl to function president of the World Mathematical Education Psychology Association (PME) since final yr, breaking via the mainstream academia centered on white males. Chairman Kwon promised to determine a “global leadership support system” on the degree of the duty pressure primarily based on his expertise gained via personally bumping into one another. Just as superior universities within the United States systematically assist their very own professors run for worldwide society executives, we are going to present sensible administrative and monetary help for younger Korean researchers to develop into leaders in world decision-making past simply individuals in worldwide societies, he stated.
The paradigm of scientific communication with the general public can be anticipated to alter considerably. It is a declaration that the fruit gun will function the “last bastion of truth” in an period when pretend information and unscientific data are overflowing. Chairman Kwon identified, “When information lacking scientific evidence spread rapidly during last year’s large forest fire, public anxiety would have been greatly reduced if a group of experts provided a balanced fact quickly.” In order to enhance the truth that students are reluctant to go public for concern of political misunderstanding, they’re additionally contemplating reflecting their contribution to public communication as extra factors when evaluating academic actions.
Regarding the brand new path of the Korea Science and Technology Federation, which marks its sixtieth anniversary this yr, Chairman Kwon offered a blueprint as “Korea’s best science policy shank tank.” “At the time of the establishment of the Science and Technology Federation in 1966, there was no proper comprehensive research institute in Korea, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) first opened,” he stated. “60 years later, Korea’s R&D expenditure to GDP is 5.13 percent, ranking second in the world.” He then confused, “Now the question for the next 60 years should not be ‘how much’ to spend, but ‘how to spend’ the budget.”
![[Reporter Lee Seung Hwan]](https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202603/16/news-p.v1.20260306.f5e426d7c50d47359c643d86d2ccd577_P1.jpg)
Chairman Kwon affirmed that the National Federation of Science and Technology is the one group that may present a solution to this query of the instances. Introducing an anecdote with ambassadors from every nation he often interacted with, he defined, “The group of science companies is a very unique and unique structure that is nowhere else in the world, with organizations ranging from basic science to applied engineering, health, and agriculture and fisheries.” He recognized, “The Korea Science and Technology Federation has gathered masters from all fields of science and technology in Korea, but it has been somewhat insufficient to gather the tremendous wisdom of these 604 organizations through preemptive policy proposals.” Chairman Kwon additionally stated, “If we can properly weave the collective intelligence of these top experts, we can become a national science shank tank better than any other institution.Beyond passively responding to current issues, the National Federation of Government Administration will come up with alternatives first and play the role of a real shank tank in which national policy moves accordingly, he said.
He is also a marathoner who runs 15km steadily every week. “When I run the complete course, the restrict of the ’30km wall’ comes,” he said. “The second I need to surrender, it isn’t my will however the footsteps of my colleague who runs silently subsequent to me.” Chairman Kwon added, “We is not going to go quick alone, however we are going to make three years the place all 5 million science and know-how staff take heed to their colleagues’ footsteps and go far collectively.”