Center for Nano-Micro Applied Mechanical Technology – Department of Mechanical Engineering Fusion of Engineering and High-Value Areas of NT/IT/BT As you enter the lab of the Center for Nano-Micro Applied Mechanical Technology, the first thing you notice is a large frame hanging on the wall. It is an artistic rendition of the words “Endless Possibility”, a striking contrast of the strong, black brush-stroke against the white background. The work is by a master calligrapher who created it to give hope and dreams to students. Internationally Recognized for Information Storage Device Research The Nano-Micro Center is exploring its endless possibilities in order to secure a place in the field of mechanics. Among the Center’s many government-funded laboratories, the most representative is the Center for Information Storage Device (CISD). Since its birth in 1997 as an Engineering Research Center designated by the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation, the Center has grown to achieve both national and international acclaim. The Center consists of 26 professors and 100 students. Whereas the US researchers generally concentrate on materials in this area, researcher at Yonsei have focused on high-precision mechanical technology. The institutions known for their work in information storage devices are the CISD of Yonsei, the Data Storage Systems Center (DSSC) of Carnegie Mellon, the Data Storage Institute (DSI) of the National University of Singapore, and the National Institute of Japan. New Directions for the Center – NT, BT, IT The objective of the Center is to conduct research on nano-applied high-precision mechanical technology. One specific goal is to bring technologies of the future, nanotechnology, information technology, and biotechnology into their research. “If traditional machinery was the force behind Korea’s growth in the past,” Professor Yang Hyun-Seok of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Director of the Center explained, “the future calls for a fusion of information, bio, and energy technology with electronic engineering, materials engineering, physics, and bioengineering through mechanical engineering. Through this approach, we will be able to create products with high added value.” International Level of Article Publications and Patent Registration The Nano-Micro Center had foreseen this change ten years ago and has been focusing its research on this technology of the future. As a result, the level of research conducted at the Center has already reached the international level. The Center evaluates the articles and patents from their research to be among the best in the field. The annual average of SCI articles per professor is impressive at 3.5. Korea’s First Successful International Industrial-Academic Consortium The CISD is the only university-affiliated institution in Korea that boasts an international industrial consortium. Top Korean and international companies pay an annual membership fee of over $10,000 (USD) in order to be part of the CISD International Industrial Consortium. Some of the participating companies are Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Daewoo Electronics, Philips, Hitachi, Ricoh, Konica-Minolta, Fujitsu, and Seagate. Sony is not an official member, but collaborative research has been conducted steadily for the past six years. Director Yang was full of confidence in its future: “We are well known internationally, and international companies are continuing to approach us for collaboration.” Research Exchange with 20 International Universities The Department of Mechanical Engineering, with which the Nano-Micro Center is affiliated, has extensive plans to secure a spot among the top institutions in the area. In addition to 35 full-time professors (including electronic engineering, physics, biology, and materials engineering), the department is working to invite international scholars to the faculty. The faculty will continue to consist of scholars from various disciplines in order to supplement the multi-disciplinary approach the department is taking. International exchange efforts are continuing as well. The department has signed MOUs with 20 universities, including the DSI of the National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University of China, Tokyo Institute of Technology and Shizuoka University of Japan. Director Yang emphasized the importance of securing outstanding research facilities and stable funding. Director Yang summarized the goal of the Center as “making great things happen in the world of engineering through nano-micro technology”. With the Center’s motto of “Endless Possibility”, this goal seems to be within reach.