Jeonbuk National University and Purdue University are launching joint research in global advanced technology fields, including Physical artificial intelligence (AI) and the defense industry. On Tuesday, the opening ceremony for the Jeonbuk National University-Purdue University Joint Research Institute (JPRI) took place at the Jeonbuk National University Industry-Academia Convergence Plaza. The event featured attendees such as Yang O-bong, President of Jeonbuk National University, and Dimitrios Peroulis, Vice President of Purdue University, along with Ro Sang Heub, Director of the Chonbuk National University Automobile-parts & Mold Technology Innovation Center (CAMTIC), and Lee Jung-kwon, Chairman of DH Group.
According to Jeonbuk National University, the newly established Joint Research Institute will serve as a hub for international collaboration and industry-academia partnerships. A total of 25 professors from 18 departments, including the Department of Advanced Defense Industry, will participate from Jeonbuk National University, while researchers from Purdue University, including Professor Martin Byung-Guk Jun from the Mechanical Engineering Department, will also be involved. The industry sector, including Hyundai Rotem and DH Autonex, will collaborate on large government research projects and corporate-linked initiatives, as explained by Jeonbuk National University.
Research in areas such as Physical AI and advanced defense industries, which Jeonbuk National University is focusing on, will also take place at this institute. The university plans to invite distinguished scholars from Purdue University to serve as chair professors.
Purdue University is recognized as a leading research institution in the United States, known for its strengths in engineering, aerospace, and semiconductor technologies. President Yang visited Purdue University in January to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at fostering mutual cooperation.
Jeonbuk National University anticipates that its collaboration with Purdue University will serve as a pivotal moment in elevating the university’s research capabilities to a global level while establishing a global ecosystem for joint research. President Yang stated that collaboration with Purdue University, one of the world’s top engineering schools, will be a decisive factor in Jeonbuk National University becoming a key hub for education and research in global advanced technology. It will implement a world-class integrated education and research model that encompasses student exchanges, online dual degrees, joint appointments of outstanding faculty, and technology management.