News & Updates
POSTECH Graduate Student Seung Hyeon Lim Wins Top Honor at the 2025 Future Ocean Science and Technology Awards
- Date2025.05.21
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[Awarded the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Award for Research on Mercury Pathways into the Arctic Ecosystem]
Seung Hyeon Lim, a student in the integrated program at the Division of Environmental Science and Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), has been awarded the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Award, the highest honor of the 2025 Future Ocean Science and Technology Awards, at the Korea Ocean Science and Technology Conference. The award ceremony was held during the conference’s opening session, which took place at BEXCO in Busan from May 8 to 10, 2025.
The Future Ocean Science and Technology Awards recognize outstanding early-career researchers in marine science and technology who have published exceptional academic work. The award aims to support and foster the next generation of scientific leaders in the field.
Under the supervision of Professor Sae Yun Kwon (Division of Environmental Science and Engineering, POSTECH), Mr. Lim collaborated with the Korea Polar Research Institute to scientifically identify the pathways through which mercury—a globally recognized toxic substance—enters the Arctic ecosystem. His research has significantly advanced the understanding of marine environmental pollution. The study was further recognized for its excellence with publication in the international journal Nature Communications in 2024. (Paper title: "Near surface oxidation of elemental mercury leads to mercury exposure in the Arctic Ocean biota").
In addition to the ministerial award, Mr. Lim received a cash prize of KRW 2 million (approximately USD 1,480). Reflecting on the honor, he stated, “This recognition motivates me to continue conducting research that contributes to addressing marine environmental pollution.”
This year’s award was highly competitive, attracting numerous graduate students from major domestic universities and research institutes specializing in marine science and technology, including POSTECH. The final recipients were selected through a rigorous evaluation process conducted by the conference committee.