Dr. Hwang Ji-seon of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) received the Woo-pyeong Sensory Science Award, a prestigious prize in the field of sensory science, at the recent international conference of the Korean Society of Food Science and Technology. The Sensory Science Laboratory of the JBNU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition produced another awardee following 2024, reaffirming its status as a key center for cultivating outstanding researchers in the country's sensory science field.

The Woo-pyeong Sensory Science Award was established in 2006 based on funds donated by Professor Emerita Kim Kwang-ok of Ewha Womans University to support the training of future scholars in sensory science. It is awarded annually to recognize outstanding talent in the field.

The Sensory Science Laboratory of the JBNU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition has continued to produce Woo-pyeong Award recipients, following alumnus Cho Yong-woo in 2024 with Dr. Hwang Ji-seon in 2026, sustaining its record of cultivating top researchers in the nation's sensory science field.

This award is regarded as evidence that the Sensory Science Laboratory of the JBNU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition has built independent research capabilities and a talent-development system within a domestic sensory science landscape long dominated by certain universities. The consecutive awards are particularly notable because they demonstrate both research competitiveness and educational achievements in the field of sensory science.

Dr. Hwang completed her master's and doctoral studies in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at JBNU and has conducted sustained research on topics such as the sensory characteristics of traditional fermented foods, kokumi perception, consumer preferences, and emotional responses. During this work she published 14 papers in SCI-level international journals, including nine as first author and five in Q1 international journals, demonstrating outstanding research achievements.

Her work also shows notable industrial applicability. Dr. Hwang produced four domestic journal papers, four registered patents, and one technology transfer worth KRW 15 million, evidencing the practicality and scalability of her research. 

Professor Kim Minakyungmin, who supervised Dr. Hwang, said, "The Woo-pyeong Sensory Science Award is a very meaningful prize in Korea's sensory science field, and as an educator I am deeply honored and pleased that our laboratory has produced another recipient following 2024. This award reflects not only Dr. Hwang Ji-seon's diligent research capabilities but also that the Sensory Science Laboratory of the JBNU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition is growing into an important foundation for nurturing talent in the country's sensory science field."

Dr. Hwang Ji-seon expressed her gratitude, saying, "I am grateful to the professors who guided me in learning and researching sensory science deeply during my master's and doctoral studies and to the colleagues with whom I conducted research." She added, "I will continue to develop as a researcher who scientifically understands the sensory properties of food and consumer perception and contributes to industrial and academic advancement."