Ajou University has been selected for the Ministry of Education’s LAMP Project and is set to receive KRW 14.8 billion in funding over 5 years. “LAMP” stands for “Learning and Academic research institution for master’s and PhD students, and Postdocs,” and the LAMP Project was greenlit by the Ministry of Education just this year to promote groundbreaking joint research in the basic sciences. 

A joint endeavor of the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea, the LAMP Project has so far added eight universities to its roster. Ajou University and Seoul National University were selected in the Seoul region, and Kangwon National University, Kyungpook National University, Pusan National University, Pukyong National University, Gyeongsang National University, and Chosun University were selected from the provinces. The participating universities will each select one of the 10 basic sciences and pursue innovative joint research that is theme-based and not restricted by subject or major. 

Over each of the five years, the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea will provide annual funding of around KRW 3 billion. The participating universities will manage and support research activities and infrastructure internally, and run “focused theme research centers” where large joint research projects will take place. Full-time professors and postdoctoral researchers are among the research personnel to be recruited for the endeavor. 

Ajou University will contribute to the LAMP Project through research in materials and energy science. The Institute of NT-IT Fusion Technology at Ajou University, hitherto active in this area of research, will be reformed and expanded into the Institute of Next-generation Energy Science by way of the focused theme research center envisioned by the LAMP Project. Ajou University has put together a postdoctoral research team of 20 for the LAMP Project, 14 of whom will serve full-time, to lead large joint research activities defined by important themes.

Ajou University has placed Ahn Byungmin, Chief of the Office of Research Information, as Chief of the LAMP Project Group. Commenting on the task at hand, Ahn stated, “Ajou University’s organization and systems for research will receive attention to enable capable new researchers to work to their full potential and provide them with support that combines Ajou University’s human and material resources.” He added, “Ajou University will do its best to produce, through the LAMP Project, research achievements of future value.”