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Ewha Womans University Inaugurates 18th President, Hyang-Sook Lee
Ewha Womans University held the inauguration ceremony for its 18th President, Hyang-Sook Lee, on January 24, 2025 (Fri.), at Kim Young-ui Hall. The event was a distinguished affair, with over 1,000 esteemed guests in attendance, including foreign diplomats from various countries, university presidents from leading institutions, prominent figures from research organizations, and government officials. Also present were Chairperson Chang Myong-Sue of the Ewha Womans University Board of Trustees, former and current university presidents, alumnae, and students, all gathered to commemorate this momentous occasion. The ceremony commenced with a prayer led by University Chaplain Sunhee Ahn, followed by a Scripture reading delivered by President Lee Myung Kyung of the Ewha Alumnae Association. Chairperson Chang Myong-Sue underscored the profound significance of the inauguration ceremony, describing it as an opportune moment for the Ewha community to contemplate the university’s founding principles and resolutely reaffirm its dedication to future advancement. The event culminated in the formal appointment of President Hyang-Sook Lee, who was presented with the official appointment certificate and the symbolic Key to Ewha. President Hyang-Sook Lee, who will guide Ewha Womans University for the next four years starting February 1, shared her vision of “Ewha leading the era of great transformation through inclusive innovation” during her oath of office. In her inaugural speech, the President declared, “Through creative and inclusive innovation, Ewha will create people-centered values and lead the changes of this era of massive technological transformation.” She outlined six key policies to bring this vision to life: 1) Establishing first-mover research leadership, 2) Creating a model for future education in response to AI, 3) Innovating administrative systems and enhancing campus infrastructure, 4) Enhancing Ewha’s brand value and global status, 5) Establishing a system for sustainable financial growth, and 6) Enhancing the research and clinical capabilities of Ewha Womans University Medical Center (EUMC) while elevating its global competitiveness. Additionally, she highlighted how “Ewha as a social asset” has played a pivotal role in driving national competitiveness over its 139-year history, reaffirming her commitment to fostering national development by cultivating creative future talent for the digital age and advancing world-class research and development. She also shared her ambition that, by “harnessing the core values of creativity and challenge, excellence and innovation, cooperation and companionship, sustainability, and sharing and service, we will aim to create a new Ewha to embark on a journey toward a new era.” President Hyang-Sook Lee, the first president of Ewha Womans University with a background in science and technology, earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics from Ewha, followed by a Ph.D. in mathematics from Northwestern University in the United States. As a leading researcher in cryptography, she became the first female president of the Korean Mathematical Society. Additionally, she has held prominent positions, including serving as a board member of the National Research Foundation of Korea, the National Research Council of Science & Technology, and the Institute for Basic Science. Since her return to Ewha Womans University in 1995, she has made significant contributions to the development of both her department and the university, serving as Director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Vice President of Research, and Director of the Industry-Academia Collaboration Foundation . In November of last year, she was elected as the 18th President through a direct election and the appointment by the Board of Trustees. Her term commenced on February 1, 2025, and will span four years, concluding on January 31, 2029. Following the inauguration ceremony, a celebratory luncheon took place at Lee Sam-bong Hall and Conference Hall in the ECC building, and Jinseonmi-gwan. Celebrating Ewha Womans University’s 139th anniversary, the event stood as a momentous occasion, symbolizing the university’s commitment to a new era of progress and innovation under the leadership of its new president. [Full transcript of the 18th President Hyang-Sook Lee’s inaugural address in Korean | English]
Thirteen Laboratories at Ewha Womans University Certified as Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management in 2024
Thirteen Laboratories at Ewha Womans University Certified as Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management in 2024 Ewha Womans University demonstrated its exemplary capability for laboratory safety management as 13 laboratories obtained certification from the Ministry of Science and ICT under the Certification of Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management program in 2024. The Certification of Exemplary Laboratories in Safety Management program aims to improve the safety management level of laboratories at universities and research organizations based in Korea and to spread the model standards of laboratory safety management. The certification is available to approximately 83,000 laboratories and is granted to laboratories which pass an assessment by experts. The 2024 assessment took place in August and examined each laboratory’s compliance with 29 requirements in three fields such as a system for a safe laboratory environment, safety-related activities, and safety awareness. At Ewha Womans University, 13 laboratories—Bio & Nano Electro-mechanics Lab, Polymeric Biomaterials Lab, Sustainable Catalysis Lab, Laboratory of Integrative Organismal Protistology, Common Equipment Room, Environmental Electrochemistry Laboratory, Cell Biointerface Engineering Laboratory, NanoBio Engineering Lab, Center for Infectious Disease Treatment & Control, Genome Integrity & Structural Biology Lab, Department of Biochemistry, and Laboratory of Nano Imaging—obtained the certification. The number of certified laboratories has almost doubled from 2023. Ewha Womans University has constantly worked to improve laboratory safety through regular inspections, thorough safety assessment, self-inspections, and safety education. In addition, Ewha’s Exemplary Laboratory Safety program to reward outstanding laboratories in safety management has been in place since 2009 as part of the university’s continued efforts to establish an advanced research environment.
