The "2025 CORE NEXT (Basic Science Research Capacity Enhancement Project) Jeonbuk Council," convened to consolidate basic science research capacity in the Jeonbuk region through the training of specialized research support personnel (Staff Scientists), took place on December 19 at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) College of Engineering.

The council was organized as part of the "CORE NEXT (Basic Science Research Capacity Enhancement Project)" promoted by the Ministry of Education and the Korea Basic Science Institute (BASE). It served as a forum to share research outcomes and to discuss strategies for joint utilization between core research support centers and infrastructure advancement centers in the Jeonbuk region.

Participating Jeonbuk-area basic science research hubs included the JBNU Future Energy Convergence Core Center, High-enthalpy Plasma Research Center Jeonbuk National University, Zoonosis Core Research Support Center, Semiconductor Process Research Center, Wonkwang University Biomedical Materials Analysis & Imaging Support Center, and Gunsan National University Future Mobility Platform Reliability Core Research Support Center. Each center shared its operational achievements and its future development directions.

In particular, each center presented on the operational achievements of advanced research equipment, the role of specialized research support personnel, and plans for linking and jointly utilizing equipment and infrastructure. They emphasized the need to expand cooperation among centers.

The program also included an introduction to the research infrastructure of the Future Energy Convergence Core Center and a networking program among participating centers, creating opportunities to identify cooperative models and to foster exchanges for future joint research.

Seo Hyung-gi, Director of the JBNU Future Energy Convergence Core Center, stated, "The CORE NEXT project is a key initiative that systemically connects regional research infrastructure beyond individual research support. With respect to the nationally highlighted Staff Scientist system, the core research support center model is already established in the field as a leading, stable operational model."

He added, "This Jeonbuk Council served as a starting point for sharing the research assets and operational know-how accumulated by each center and for generating tangible synergies through joint utilization and linkage. As the foundation for basic science research is strengthened, the potential to expand into regional strategic industries such as semiconductors, energy, and bio will also grow."