By Cho Jin-seo
Staff Reporter
A drug investigator, a master statistician and a gene scientist were honored as the most outstanding female scientists of the year.
The Ministry of Science and Technology on Thursday named the three awardees: Chung Hee-sun, narcotics expert at the National Institute of Scientific Investigation (NISI); Sohn So-young, professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Yonsei University; and Kim V. Narry, professor of microbiology at Seoul National University.
In its press release, the ministry referred to the awardees as the ``alpha women'' who will lead South Korea's science and technology development. The awarding ceremony is to be held today at Seoul Renaissance Hotel and each will receive 10 million won in prizes. 23 candidates competeted for this year's award race.
Chung is director of the Forensic Science Department at the NISI where she has been working since 1978. She developed various detecting methods for narcotics such as philopone (methamphetamine), the most widely used drug in Korea. She has also fostered international collaboration in scientific crime investigation as a board member of the International Association of Forensic Toxiologists, the ministry said.
Sohn, the Yonsei professor, was honored for her achievements in statistics and industrial engineering research. Especially, her statistical risk evaluation system for research project financing, which is now used by Kibo Technology Fund, has saved more than 90 billion won in the government's annual budget, the ministry said. She was also voted the best lecturer of Yonsei this year.
Seoul National University professor Kim is one of pioneering researchers in the microRNA field. In October, she won the annual LOREAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science.
indizio@koreatimes.co.kr
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