Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
KAIST professor wins L'Oreal Korea-UNESCO Award for Women in Science
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) professor Lim Mi-hee / Courtesy of L'Oreal
By Lee Gyu-lee
Lim Mi-hee, a chemistry professor at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), was honored with the Academic Advancement Award at the 24th L'Oreal Korea-UNESCO Awards for Women in Science.
During a ceremony in Songpa District, Seoul, Wednesday, five recipients were announced, with Lim recognized for her contributions to Alzheimer’s disease research.
Lim is an endowed chair professor at the school’s department of chemistry. She is internationally recognized for her research into the molecular causes of Alzheimer’s disease. Her work has shed light on the links between biological networks and the cause of dementia.
Her study has identified how multiple risk factors for Alzheimer’s are interconnected, and she is focused on suppressing their harmful activity and toxicity to improve cognitive function. Through this research, she is paving the way for the development of next-generation treatments and new therapeutics for dementia.
Her track record includes several global accolades. She was given the RIGAKU-Asian Conference on Coordination Chemistry Award in 2023, which recognizes the highest-achieving woman scientist of the year in Asia. She also won the Asian Biological Inorganic Chemistry (AsBIC) James Hoeschele Award in 2020.
Along with Lim, four up-and-coming female scientists who have outstanding achievements in the fields of medicine, immunology and environmental studies received fellowships during the ceremony. Awardees of both the Academic Advancement Award and Fellowship received certificates and research grants of 30 million won ($21,560) and 7 million won, respectively.
“We pay deep respect to the passion and accomplishments of this year’s winners, who continue to push the boundaries of science through their unwavering curiosity and bold pursuit of knowledge,” L'Oreal Korea President Samuel du Retail said during the ceremony.
“At L’Oreal, we are guided by the belief that 'the world needs science, and science needs women,’ and remain deeply committed to empowering women scientists around the world by strengthening their capabilities and improving their research environments.”
Since 2002, L'Oreal Korea, together with the Korean National Commission for UNESCO and the Women’s Bioscience Forum, has been recognizing outstanding women scientists in the country. To date, a total of 105 recipients, including awardees who have won multiple times, have been honored. The program has been continuing to encourage talented women scientists to join the field of science and technology, as well as to support promising young women researchers.