Research

POSTECH has established the Max Planck POSTECH/Korea Research Initiative by partnering with the Max Planck Society (MPS), one of the world's leading institutions for basic scientific research. This partnership has helped POSTECH to attract world-class research centers focused on basic science, including the Center for Complex Materials, the Attosecond Science Center, and the XFEL Quantum Research Center, all of which aim to secure core technologies for next-generation materials development. Together with the MPS, POSTECH has developed cutting-edge research infrastructure valued at over KRW 14.5 billion (roughly USD 1 million). Developments include state-of-the-art equipment for ultrafast (attosecond/femtosecond) molecular spectroscopy, ultrafast (attosecond/femtosecond) electron spectroscopy, and middle-energy soft X-ray magnetic spectroscopy.

The Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP) is Korea's first and only international institute for theoretical physics. Established in June 1996 with Nobel laureate C.N. Yang as its founding director, the APCTP was created to advance basic science in the Asia-Pacific region. The center serves as a hub for basic research in the Asia-Pacific region, enhances global leadership, and provides an academic platform for the theoretical physics community in the region. Currently, it has 19 member countries: Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Vietnam, Singapore, Uzbekistan, India, Japan, China, Kazakhstan, Canada, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, and Cambodia, with plans to expand its membership to emphasize its status as an international organization. Researchers at POSTECH have the opportunity to grow as global scholars by participating in APCTP's research support programs and various academic activities held throughout the year.

POSTECH's C5 building is a convergence research complex designed to promote interdisciplinary education and research, nurture creative global leaders, and lead innovative research. The name C5 represents its core values: Creative, Collaborative, Cultivating, Convergence, and Center. The 16,000 m² facility includes seven above-ground floors and one basement level. It houses the School of Convergence (IT Convergence Engineering) and Korea's first Apple Developer Academy.

The Life Science Research Center was established in 2000, to serves as a hub for industry-academia collaborative technology development that links POSCO and other partners. The center aims to evolve into a world-class research hub that contributes to national biotechnology research and industrial development by developing and applying cutting-edge biotechnologies for innovation and commercialization. The center is equipped with essential facilities for biotechnology research, including an Experimental Animal Room. The center has achieved global recognition in advanced biotechnology fields such as molecular medicine and drug development.

The National Institute for Nanomaterials Technology (NINT) is a nanotechnology research institute dedicated to advancing and industrializing nanotechnology, including the development of next-generation semiconductor materials and display technologies. NINT is equipped with 181 state-of-the-art instruments, providing one-stop services that support researchers from both academia and industry, to contribute to every step from R&D to commercialization. NINT also takes a leading role in facilitating collaborative nanotechnology research within POSTECH, ensuring that university researchers can actively engage in cutting-edge studies related to nanotechnology.