Gwangju National Science Museum Successfully Hosts the 16th Phil Science Forum

The National Gwangju Science Museum announced on the 22nd that it held the 16th Phil Science Forum under the theme "Nobel Prize, Nurturing the Dream of Science in Korea" in collaboration with the Gwangju-Jeonnam Regional Federation of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies at the Sang-sang Hall of the building the previous day.

This Phil Science Forum was organized to examine the current status of basic science in Korea at the time when the 2023 Nobel Prize winners were announced, and to provide an in-depth discussion session where expert panels from various fields and the audience could participate together for future talent development.

In the keynote presentation, Noh Do-young, President of the Institute for Basic Science, explained the significance of the Nobel Prize, the importance of basic science, and the achievements of Nobel laureates in the field of science, and introduced Korea’s status as a scientific and technological powerhouse and the research activities of the Institute for Basic Science.

In the subsequent panel discussion by field, Jang Byung-joo, Dean of the University of Science and Technology, emphasized the importance of national research and development budget investment and highlighted the innovation of the education system and the expansion of customized specialized education as methods to nurture creative and excellent scientific and technological talent.

Hong Sung-min, Director of the Science and Technology Talent Policy Research Center at the Science and Technology Policy Institute, stressed the necessity of a paradigm shift in the framework for nurturing scientific and technological talent in response to the global trend of population decline and changes in talent supply and demand.

Representing the education policy sector, Choi Sung-kwang, Superintendent of Future Education Planning at the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, introduced various cases in the education field currently being promoted for future talent development under the slogan "Diverse Abilities Are the Future."

The last panelist, Sun Joo-won, Director of the Gifted Education Center at Gwangju National University of Education, drew attention by presenting the evolution of gifted education in Korea and specific directions for progressive gifted education.

In the subsequent audience participation discussion, various opinions, questions, and answers were actively exchanged regarding education policies for winning the Nobel Prize in science and the need for mid- to long-term support for basic science research.

Jeon Tae-ho, Acting Director of the National Gwangju Science Museum, stated, “The vivid voices from the field discussed in this forum will serve as the foundation for Korea’s future Nobel Prize in science, and the science museum will do its best to contribute to this process.”