Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)’s Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Energy Materials Technology (GIFT), the world’s only institution dedicated to steel studies, has undergone a transformation into the Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology (GIFT), focused on the education and exploration of eco-conscious future materials technologies.

The official unveiling ceremony, which took place on September 5, was attended by Jeong-woo Choi, CEO of POSCO Group and chairman of POSTECH Foundation, Ji-yong Kim, Director of POSCO N.EX.T Hub, Byung-ok Yoo, Leader of Green Materials Team at POSCO Holdings, Se-don Joo, Director of POSCO R&D Center, Soo-Hee Nam, Head of Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (RIST), Jun Hyung Kim, President of POSCO Future M, and Seong Keun Kim, President of POSTECH.

Not only will the graduate school’s name be changed, but the Energy Materials program within it will also be renamed as Secondary Battery. These changes reflect POSTECH’s firm commitment to actively advancing research in eco-friendly material technologies such as second batteries and hydrogen alongside eco-friendly steel production. In the upcoming year, POSTECH will admit new students majoring in hydrogen-related fields.

Jeong-woo Choi, Chairman of POSTECH Foundation, remarked, “Over the past 37 years, POSTECH’s dedication to educational patriotism and POSCO’s commitment to the iron and steel industry have together transformed Pohang into a world-class city.” He added, “In the future, the Graduate School of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology will evolve into a central hub, further strengthening the connection between POSTECH and POSCO Group, ultimately serving as a center for eco-friendly future materials and a representative institution for education and research.”

Seong Keun Kim, President of POSTECH stated, “POSTECH will achieve significant milestones through collaborations with leading domestic and international companies including POSCO Group, focusing on Graduate School of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology. We aim to pave the way toward a sustainable future for humanity through industry-academia-research cooperation.

POSTECH Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Eco Materials Technology was initially established as Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology in 2005 with full support from POSCO. It underwent expansion and restructuring in 2020, becoming Graduate Institute of Ferrous & Energy Materials Technology. This graduate school was the first in Korea to publish a steel-related paper in Nature, one of the world’s most prestigious academic journals. It has also received numerous academic awards from the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials. To date, it has trained a total of 900 master’s and doctoral students, and its graduates have gone on to excel in various domestic and international industries and universities including the POSCO Group, contributing significantly to the advancement of steel and energy technology.