KAIST

<Photo1. Group photo at the end of the program>

KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 11^thof August that it successfully hosted the 'APEC Youth STEM Conference KAIST Academic Program,' a global science exchange program for 28 youth researchers from 10 countries and over 30 experts who participated in the '2025 APEC Youth STEM* Collaborative Research and Competition.' The event was held at the main campus in Daejeon on Saturday, August 9.

• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) refers to the fields of science and engineering.

The competition was hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and organized by the APEC Science Gifted Mentoring Center. It took place from Wednesday, August 6, to Saturday, August 9, 2025, at KAIST in Daejeon and the Korea Science Academy of KAIST in Busan. The KAIST program was organized by the APEC Science Gifted Mentoring Center and supported by the KAIST Institute for the Gifted and Talented in Science Education.

Participants had the opportunity to experience Korea's cutting-edge research infrastructure firsthand, broaden their horizons in science and technology, and collaborate and exchange ideas with future science talents from the APEC region.

As the 2025 APEC chair, Korea is promoting various international collaborations to discover and nurture the next generation of talent in the STEM fields. The KAIST academic exchange program was particularly meaningful as it was designed with the international goal of revitalizing science gifted exchanges and expanding the basis for cooperation among APEC member countries. It moved beyond the traditional online-centric research collaboration model to focus on hands-on, on-site, and convergence research experiences.

The global science exchange program at KAIST introduced participants to KAIST's world-class educational and research environment and provided various academic content to allow them to experience real-world examples of convergence technology-based research.

<Photo2. Program Activities>

First, the KAIST Admissions Office participated, introducing KAIST's admissions system and its educational and research environment to outstanding international students, providing an opportunity to attract global talent. Following this, Dr. Tae-kyun Kwon of the Music and Audio Computing Lab at the Graduate School of Culture Technology presented a convergence art project based on musical artificial intelligence data, including a research demonstration in an anechoic chamber.

<Photo3. Participation in a music AI research demonstration>

Furthermore, a Climate Talk Concert program was organized under the leadership of the Graduate School of Green Growth and Sustainability, in connection with the theme of the APEC Youth STEM Collaborative Research: 'Youth-led STEM Solutions: Enhancing Climate Resilience.'

The program was planned and hosted by Dean Jiyong Eom. It provided a platform for young people to explore creative and practical STEM-based solutions to the climate crisis and seek opportunities for international cooperation.

<Photo4. Participation in Music AI Research Demonstration >

The program was a meaningful time for APEC youth researchers, offering practical support for their research through special lectures and Q&A sessions on:

• Interdisciplinary Research and Education in the Era of Climate Crisis (Dean Jiyong Eom)
• Energy Transition Technology in the Carbon Neutral Era (Professor Jeongrak Son)
• Policies for Energy System Change (Professor Jihyo Kim)
• Carbon Neutral Bio-technology (Professor Gyeongrok Choi)

After the afternoon talk concert, Lee Jing Jing, a student from Brunei, shared her thoughts, saying, "The lectures by the four professors were very meaningful and insightful. I was able to think about energy transition plans to solve climate change from various perspectives."

Si-jong Kwak, Director of the KAIST Global Institute for Talented Education, stated, "I hope that young people from all over the world will directly experience KAIST's research areas and environment, expand their interest in KAIST, and continue to grow as outstanding talents in the fields of science and engineering."

KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee said, "KAIST will be at the center of science and technology-based international cooperation and will spare no effort to support future talents in developing creative and practical problem-solving skills. I hope this event served as an opportunity for young people to understand the value of global cooperation and grow into future science leaders."