Sogang University Chosen for Ministry of Education’s LAMP Project

- Empowering Innovative Capabilities in Basic Science Research with Five-year Funding of KRW 15.5 Billion -

- Establishing ‘Ricci Institute of Basic Science’ to Build a Research System and Facilitate Study Exchanges Based on Sogang’s VISION 2030 -

On Tuesday, September 26, Sogang University (led by Professor Kim Hyun-jung) was selected for the prestigious LAMP (Learning & Academic research institution for Master’s-PhD students, and Postdocs) project, a support initiative from the Ministry of Education to facilitate fundamental scientific research.

The LAMP project, organized by the Ministry of Education, aims to transform universities into creation hubs for new knowledge in basic science. Its objective is to nurture expertise in basic science and bolster related research fields by enhancing universities’ research- management systems and providing support for young researchers from diverse departments and majors to engage in collaborative research.

The Ministry of Education selected eight universities, including two in the Seoul Metropolitan Area and six in non-metropolitan regions, to participate in the LAMP project. For its part, Sogang University will receive substantial funding of KRW 15.5 billion over the next five years.

Under the LAMP project, the university envisions “developing research capabilities that lay down new paradigms and guide global research endeavors.” Key goals include gaining technological advantages and achieving pinnacle research performances to address global challenges, such as reducing greenhouse gases, developing next-generation semiconductors and energy materials, and devising treatments for chronic diseases.

Sogang University plans to establish the “Ricci Institute of Basic Science” on its campus to effectively implement the LAMP project. Based on Sogang University’s VISION 2030 development plan, which emphasizes ease, creativity, and altruism in research and education, the institute aims to establish a “researcher-centric education and research system.”

This institute operates based on the principles of independence and autonomy, focusing on basic science. Moreover, it is committed to supporting the commercialization of research accomplishments through collaborations with the LINC (Linking Industry, Nation, and Campus) business unit. Located in the dedicated POSCO Franciscan (F) Building, the institute boasts cutting-edge lab equipment, joint research labs, administrative offices, and meeting spaces. This environment is expected to facilitate seamless research and efficient communication among researchers.

The institute centers around the Nanomaterials Research Center and comprises six research centers within the Faculty of Natural Sciences. These centers include the Institute of Biological Interfaces, the Research Institute for Basic Science, the Center for Quantum Spacetime, the recently established Center for Mathematical Sciences and Data Science, and the Functional Research Center for Stress-Responsive Biological Nano Materials. Each center operates at the business- unit level, fostering close research collaborations and synergies. By breaking down partitions and barriers between groups and institutes, the university aims to encourage research exchanges and to embark on significant research initiatives to enhance innovative capabilities in basic science research.

Kim Hyun-jung, head of the LAMP project, emphasized, “Through the LAMP project, we intend to attract the best new faculty members, enhance the research capabilities of young scholars, and systematically structure research institutes in the field of basic science, particularly focusing on the realm of nanoscale science. Through these efforts, we aim to establish Sogang University’s Ricci Institute of Basic Science as a globally acclaimed institution.”