Samsung SDI signs deal to sponsor South Korea's International Chemistry Olympiad team
In short
Samsung SDI said on 22 October that it signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity and the Korean Chemical Society to sponsor South Korea's delegation to the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). From January next year it will support the team's education, selection and participation in the competition, and it will pay separate scholarships to prizewinners.
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Samsung SDI said on 22 October that it had signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (한국과학창의재단) and the Korean Chemical Society (대한화학회) to sponsor South Korea's delegation to the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO). The ceremony was held at the Korea Science and Technology Center (한국과학기술회관) in Gangnam District, Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Under the agreement, Samsung SDI will support the education, selection and competition participation of the delegation from January next year. The delegation is run by the Korean Chemical Society. Prizewinners at the competition will also receive separate scholarships. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Yonhap and Newsis said Kim Hun-gyu (김훈규) of Samsung SDI's People team, Jeong U-seong (정우성), head of the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity, and Geum Gyo-chang (금교창), president of the Korean Chemical Society, attended the ceremony. [ 2 , 3 ]
Samsung SDI said it decided on the sponsorship to back basic-science students taking on the world stage, and to contribute to national science and technology competitiveness and the nurturing of the next generation of talent. A Samsung SDI official said the company continues various efforts to train science and engineering talent, such as research support and education sponsorship, and will keep contributing to developing future science and technology talent. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
The IChO is an international competition in which high school students from countries around the world compete in chemistry. Asia Economy said South Korea has sent a delegation since 1992. Newsis, Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily said that began with the 24th contest in Pennsylvania in the United States. Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily added that South Korea has achieved good results every year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
The 59th IChO will be held in Taipei, Taiwan, from 19 to 28 July next year. Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily said pre-registration is due to start in March next year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Yonhap and Seoul Economic Daily noted that Samsung Electronics sponsors the Korean delegations to the international mathematics and physics olympiads, and Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis sponsor the delegation to the International Biology Olympiad. Newsis added that Samsung SDI signed an agreement last year with Sungkyunkwan University to set up a battery engineering department. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The agreement sets up corporate backing for South Korea's chemistry olympiad team from January next year. Samsung SDI said the aim is to support young basic-science talent and to help national science and technology competitiveness.
Key facts
- Samsung SDI signed an IChO Korean delegation sponsorship agreement with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (한국과학창의재단) and the Korean Chemical Society (대한화학회), and announced it on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- From January next year Samsung SDI will support the education, selection and competition participation of the delegation, which is run by the Korean Chemical Society. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Prizewinners at the competition will receive separate scholarships. [ 1 , 3 , 5 ]
- The signing ceremony took place at the Korea Science and Technology Center (한국과학기술회관) in Gangnam District, Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The 59th IChO will be held in Taipei, Taiwan, from 19 to 28 July next year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Pre-registration for the 59th IChO is due to start in March next year. [ 3 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Samsung SDI, the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity and the Korean Chemical Society signed the sponsorship agreement, announced on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Under the agreement Samsung SDI will support the Korean delegation's education, selection and participation in the competition from January next year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The next IChO is the 59th and will be held in Taipei from 19 to 28 July next year. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- The size of the scholarships and the amount of Samsung SDI's sponsorship. None of the documents gives a figure.