Welcome speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the IBS KAIST campus construction project

Hello. This is NOH Do Young, the president of IBS. We welcome many people who gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the IBS KAIST campus construction project. I would like to thank respected Congressman LEE Sang-Min, Daejeon City Deputy Mayor of Science KIM Myeong-Su, Ministry of Science and ICT Director CHOI Do-Young, and while you are not here in person, Congressman CHO Seung-Rae for sending us a congratulatory message. In particular, I would like to thank President SHIN Sung-Cheol for leading the nation’s science and technology and supporting our KAIST campus research center both physically and mentally. While I can't name all of them, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who contributed to the construction project so that the groundbreaking ceremony could commence today.

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of the IBS. In the meantime, IBS has fulfilling its mission of 'Making New Scientific Discovery', thanks to the steady support of the government and the efforts of researchers. We are uncovering the fundamental principles of the universe, matter, and life, and starting to discover new knowledge. In particular, we fulfilled our responsibilities as a research institute during the COVID-19 crisis which impacted our nation this year.

IBS is operated in a way that fosters and supports world-class research groups in their respective fields of basic science. It is composed of the main headquarter research centers in Doryong-dong, Daejeon, the campus research centers that operate at universities specializing in science and technology such as KAIST, and external research centers located in general universities such as Seoul National University. The campus research center is a concept to create small but strong world-class research centers by combining IBS's research facilities, infrastructure, and financial resources with excellent researchers from the various Institutes of Science and Technology.

Contrary to the initial plan of the IBS, I am both grateful and apologetic to the professors of the Institutes of Science and Technology, including President SHIN Sung-Cheol, who have lent us research personnel as well as research space from universities such as KAIST until now.

The construction of the IBS Research Building at KAIST today symbolizes the beginning of the IBS campus research center in a true sense. This research building will serve as a home for about 300 individuals, including professors, postdoctoral researchers, and students who are conducting research at the IBS KAIST campus research Centers. As those of you at universities and research institutes are aware, researchers are constantly complaining about the lack of research space, which is always limited. I think the establishment of the KAIST campus research building will give both KAIST and IBS researchers a huge breath of fresh air.

The building itself is a very important part of establishing a lab. The difficulties that the IBS Headquarter is currently experiencing arose because the construction of the IBS Headquarter building was not accomplished at the beginning of its establishment. I always believe that securing the optimal laboratory building is the first step towards operating the best research institute. This is also why I am very worried about securing the research space of the Korea Virus Research Institute, which IBS plans to launch next year.

In the IBS KAIST research building, I hope to establish a world-class campus research institute where 4 or 5 research centers can work in synergy together. Currently, in consultation with President SHIN Sung-Cheol and the directors of the research centers, we are envisioning a world-class basic research institute in the field of ‘Chemistry and Life Sciences’. We will develop the IBS-KAIST campus institute up to the highest level with research capabilities on par with that of Max Planck Institute in Germany. I would like to ask the contractors to build a flawless building knowing that it will house a world-class research institute.

IBS is fully funded by the people's taxes, and as such our researchers are always grateful to the people. In addition, I would like to thank the members of the National Assembly and the Ministry of Science and ICT for their hard work and offering us support, and also the Daejeon City for its support.

We will make world-class discoveries on the IBS-KAIST campus and create a research institute that protects the nation through basic science.

Thank you.

November 12, 2020
IBS President NOH Do Young