PM. / Prof. Eun-Jong Cha

Affiliation:      Directorate for Basic Research in Science & Engineering, NRF

Tel:      82-51-240-2637

Email:  ejcha@chungbuk.ac.kr

Title: Policies for Promoting Basic Convergence Research by the National Research Foundation(NRF) of Korea

ABSTRACT

The NRF was established in 2009 to balance among different academic areas and to create an efficient support system for basic research. More than 500 people are serving for NRF and the this year (2014) budget reaches 3,572 million US dollars. To break down any disciplinary barriers, a mission was announced in 2013 to nurture a convergence research friendly ecosystem. Convergence research areas were recategorized into 5 and supported 103 US million dollars. A 5 step convergence research review process was also introduced to select best proposals. The NRF commits herself to promotion of basic convergence research activities nation wide.

Short Bio

Professor Eun-Jong Cha was born in Seoul, Korea in 1957. He received B. S. degree in Electronic Engineering from the Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea in 1980, and Ph. D. degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, U. S. A. in 1987. Followed by one year post-doctoral fellowship at USC, he has been appointed Professor and Chair of the Biomedical Engineering Department, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea since 1988. He also served as Director of Planning and Management for 2005-2006 and Director of Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation for 2010-2012 at the Chungbuk National University. He is currently appointed Division Director of Electrical Engineering, Information Sciences, and Convergence Research of the National Research Foundation of Korea.