News
Dr. Sang-Rok Oh Appointed as 26th President of KIST (March 27, 2024)
- Date : 2024-04-01
- Views : 334
-
Writer
International Cooperation Team
-
Att.
Dr. Sang-Rok Oh Appointed as 26th President of KIST
On March 27, 2023, KIST held a ceremony for the inauguration of the 26th President of KIST, Dr. Sang-Rok Oh, at its headquarters in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.
In his inaugural address, President Oh outlined the future management innovations and operational directions that KIST will pursue, stating, “Amid the rapidly changing domestic and international environments and trends, I will contemplate the new roles that KIST should play and establish a new vision accordingly,” and further adding, “I will ensure that KIST establishes a first-class research culture and the best research support system to position itself as a leading global research institution.”
Continuing his address, he called for expanding the institution's outreach through “mission-centric” research aimed at addressing national and societal challenges such as carbon neutrality and aging populations. To achieve this, President Oh pledged to build a collaborative research environment that transcends research departments and extends to collaborations with other participating research institutions. He also emphasized the cultivation of an entrepreneurial spirit among all members of KIST to open up and share KIST's excellent research outcomes more meaningfully with industries.
President Oh concluded his inaugural speech by stating, "KIST will also take the lead in establishing cooperative global relationships by disseminating its valuable scientific and technological resources and culture throughout the international community." He also pledged to listen to and incorporate everyone's valuable and diverse opinions as he seeks to formalize these directions into KIST's official management plan.
Dr. Sang-Rok Oh graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Seoul National University in 1980 and obtained his Master's in Electronics and Electrical Engineering and PhD in Robotics Engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Since joining KIST in 1988, he has held various positions, including External Relations Director, Gangneung Branch Director-General, and Quarantine Robotics Division Head. Additionally, he served as the Intelligent Robotics PM for the Ministry of Information and Communication for over four years starting from 2004, demonstrating his expertise in both research and administration. He has also held various other positions, including President of the Korea Robotics Society, Advisory Committee Member for the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Innovation Growth Promotion Planning Team, and Member of the Special Committee on Civil-Military Technology Cooperation for the National Science and Technology Review Committee.