INHA University
Published on 24 November 2025
Trainee Lee Myung-chul from the Research Equipment Specialist Training Program received the Minister of Science and ICT Award.
The award was presented at the International Research Industry Convention 2025, hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and co-organized by the Korea Research Industry Association, the Korea Technology Commercialization Promotion Agency, and the Korea Basic Science Institute. Lee received the top prize, the Minister’s Award, at the event.
A graduate of the Department of Biotechnology, Lee is currently enrolled in the Research Equipment Specialist Training Program at the Institute for Standard Analysis, where he is receiving specialized training focused on research and analytical instruments. Based on his coursework, he presented a project titled “Quantification of Protein and Detection of Heavy Metals in Protein Supplements,” which won first place.
In his project, Lee verified whether the protein content of commercially available protein supplements matched their labeled information by using EA (Elemental Analyzer) and UV-Vis spectroscopy, and analyzed the presence of heavy metals using ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy) to determine whether any products exceeded regulatory limits.
The Research Equipment Specialist Training Program aims to cultivate research equipment engineers with strong practical skills through field-oriented, hands-on education.
Among the seven designated professional training institutions nationwide, the Institute for Standard Analysis at the university oversees the program in Incheon and recruits new trainees annually. Graduates of the program achieve an impressive average employment rate of around 80%.
Professor Yong-sun Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, who serves as the project director, stated, “This Minister’s Award demonstrates that the Research Equipment Training Program significantly contributes to enhancing trainees’ capabilities,” adding, “We will continue to focus on both theoretical and practical training in research equipment, as well as strengthening employability, to cultivate highly skilled professionals in this field.”
