[Reading Science] Nobel Prize Explained by World-Class Researchers... Institute for Advanced Study to Host '2025 Nobel Prize Commentary Lecture'

A Comprehensive Look at Achievements in Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry
A Science Festival for the Public

An opportunity has been arranged to hear in-depth explanations of this year's Nobel Prize achievements from Korea's leading scientists.

The Institute for Advanced Study and the KAOS Foundation will hold the "2025 Nobel Prize Commentary Lecture" at 2:00 p.m. on November 1 at the Grand Auditorium of Building 1, Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul Campus of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Hoegi-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul.

Lecture poster. Provided by the Institute for Advanced Study

This event is a flagship science culture program of the Institute for Advanced Study, designed to present the research achievements and significance of Nobel laureates in a way that is accessible to the general public. It has been held annually since 2013. Since 2018, the KAOS Foundation has co-hosted the event, further expanding the program’s breadth and depth.

Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry: Three Commentary Sessions

The "2025 Nobel Prize Commentary Lecture" consists of three commentary sessions on the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Physics, and Chemistry, as well as an open discussion and Q&A session. Each session will be led by Korea’s top experts in the respective fields, and Hyunmyung Cheon, a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study’s Department of Physics, will serve as the host, ensuring a professional yet cohesive flow.

In the first session, Shin Eui-Cheol, professor at the KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, will explain the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine under the theme "Suppression of Immune Responses: Why Is It Needed and How Does It Occur?" Professor Shin highlights that while immune responses protect our bodies, excessive immune activity can lead to self-attack. He will discuss the discovery of regulatory T-cells, which serve as a brake on the immune system, and their potential medical applications in a way that is accessible to the public.

In the second session, Park Kwon, professor at the Institute for Advanced Study’s Department of Physics, will explain the significance of the Nobel Prize in Physics with the topic "Quantum Mechanics You Can Touch: Macroscopic Quantum Phenomena and Quantum Computers." Professor Park notes that quantum mechanics is no longer confined to the invisible microscopic world and will provide an easy and engaging explanation of macroscopic quantum phenomena demonstrated by superconducting circuits and the fundamental principles of quantum computers.

In the third session, Moon Hoilee, professor at the Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience at Ewha Womans University, will introduce the Nobel Prize-winning achievements in Chemistry under the theme "Architects of the Invisible World: Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF)." Professor Moon refers to the intricate MOF structures, where metal ions and organic molecules are precisely combined, as the "sponges of the 21st century," and will showcase their wide-ranging applications, from gas storage and separation to energy and environmental uses.

Front view of the Institute for Basic Science. Provided by the Institute for Basic Science.

Open Q&A with the Audience... First 300 Registrants Accepted

After all sessions, there will be a "Science Talk" segment, where all three speakers will join to freely exchange ideas with the audience and take questions directly from the floor, creating an open forum for communication between scientists and the public.

Advance registration for the lecture is available through the Institute for Advanced Study and KAOS Foundation websites, or via the QR code on the poster, and participation is free of charge. Registration is limited to the first 300 applicants, and anyone from school-age students to the general public can attend. The lecture aims to make scientific principles easy to understand while introducing the latest research trends, helping to spread scientific culture and support students in exploring career paths.

No Taewon, Director of the Institute for Advanced Study, said, "This Nobel Prize Commentary Lecture is an opportunity to share world-class research achievements in a way that is accessible to the public," adding, "The Institute for Advanced Study will continue to do its best to share in-depth knowledge of basic science with society."