First Science Journal in Korea by Undergrads and for Undergrads

 

Contributions Reviewed by Peers; Doors to be Opened to All Korean Students

 

 

A group of GIST College students recently launched a new academic journal, titled “Korean Journal of Undergraduate Research” (KJUR). It is the first of its kind in Korea where the entire process of conducting research, writing papers in English, and conducting peer review is done by undergraduate students in science and engineering.

 

For the inaugural issue carrying six articles, the editorial board was led by Hwang Ji-hyun, who was a GIST College senior while serving as editor-in-chief and is now a graduate student in GIST School of Information and Communications, and four other editors including Park Young-eun, who is concentrating in chemistry in GIST College.

 

Hwang Ji-hyun said, “The objective was for undergraduate students to understand and experience the whole process of devising research ideas, forming hypotheses, designing and executing experiments, analyzing data, and writing up in English.”

 

The journal grew out of two courses offered by Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences, “Science and Technical Writing” taught by Professor Ellis Lee and “Gene Expression and Analysis” taught by Professor Steve K. Cho.

 

Professor Lee, who is also a US lawyer, said, “Peer review is an excellent training experience that is not easily available to even doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers. I hope the launching of KJUR will lead to a paradigm shift in science and technical writing education in Korea.”

 

For the next issue of KJUR, GIST College is planning to invite science and engineering students from other Korean universities as contributors and editors.

 

Professor Do-Young Noh, Dean of GIST College, said, “I hope KJUR will provide Korean science and engineering students with opportunities to share and exchange ideas and interests for their future research careers.”

 

For further information or inquiries, please contact isso@gist.ac.kr.