Lee Gyu-seon, a graduate student (doctoral program) in the Organic and Polymer Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry (supervisor Professor Jeong-gon Kim), has been selected in the 'Doctoral Student Research Incentive' category of the 2022 Support Program for Next-Generation Scholars in Science and Engineering, supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).

This program is a research support initiative launched in 2019 to support the creative and challenging research ideas of domestic doctoral students.

With this selection, the graduate student will receive research funding of KRW 20 million per year for two years, a total of KRW 40 million, to conduct research on 'Easy Solvent-Free Mechanochemical Polymer Synthesis.' The research was evaluated as a creative and challenging project that aims to synthesize polymers in an environmentally friendly manner using a solvent-free mechanochemical approach, distinct from conventional solvent-based methods. It is also expected that the development of a new synthesis method will further strengthen the foundations of the polymer materials field.

In particular, supported by the research incentive, the student plans to conduct collaborative research on 'mechanochemical polymer synthesis' with the research team of Professor Hyun-joong Jeong at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

During his undergraduate research period in the Department of Chemistry at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), graduate student Lee Gyu-seon published a paper in 2019 in 'Polymer Chemistry,' the leading journal in polymer chemistry published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. He has also demonstrated excellent research capability, publishing papers in journals such as ACS Nano and Macromolecules through collaborative research with KAIST and Yonsei University research teams.

Professor Jeong-gon Kim said, 'I believe this selection rewards the efforts accumulated by the students who have worked hard on research for many years,' and added, 'Together with the JBNU Department of Chemistry's selection for the BK21 Project Division, this will enable us to advance to a higher level by producing outstanding doctoral graduates in research.'