APCTP and AMGS Co-Host the 2026 APEC STEM Young Researchers Forum

Young Researchers from Nine APEC Economies Explore AI-Based Collaborative Solutions to Shared Regional Challenges at POSTECH

The 2026 APEC STEM Young Researchers Forum, co-organized by the Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP), led by President Misao Sasaki, opened at POSTECH on August 10 and will run through August 14. Hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and jointly organized by APCTP and the APEC Mentoring Center for the Gifted in Science (AMGS), with support from POSTECH, the forum is being held under the theme “AI-Based STEM Research to Address Shared APEC Challenges.” Approximately 25 participants are attending, including 16 young researchers from nine APEC economies, as well as researchers and experts from Korea.

Participants will take part in collaborative research idea pitches, the Pre-UGRP*, and networking programs for young researchers. Going beyond lectures and research presentations, the forum allows participants to propose their own research ideas, form international research teams, and develop concrete plans for follow-up collaborative research.

* Pre-UGRP (Pre-Undergraduate Research Program): An undergraduate-level research experience program in which participants work in POSTECH laboratories under the guidance of researchers and gain hands-on experience with research topics and methods.

Prof. Jae-Hyung Jeon, Executive Director of APCTP and a professor at POSTECH, will deliver a Plenary Lecture and share the significance of international research collaboration and insights from his own development as a researcher through a networking program. Participants will also gain firsthand experience in research environments and learn about the latest research trends through POSTECH’s Pre-UGRP and mentoring programs.

The program aims to help young researchers explore scientific and technological solutions to shared APEC challenges through research activities in AI-based climate crisis response and disaster prediction, infectious disease and public health data analysis, marine and environmental monitoring, and quantum and theoretical physics. Through connections facilitated by APCTP, participants will also experience research environments in Korea, including those at POSTECH, expanding opportunities for young researchers from abroad to engage with Korea’s research ecosystem.

The young researchers participating in the forum carried out collaborative research online from January through June, gaining experience in international scientific cooperation. One aspiring researcher from Korea worked with a participant from Australia to study the degradation of Tasmania’s marine ecosystems caused by the spread of sea urchins. Together, they proposed a solution combining spread forecasting, the development of materials for artificial reefs, and potential market applications. “The experience of working with participants in different environments to address a shared problem will stay with me for a long time,” the participant said, expressing appreciation to the collaborators who worked on the project.

As part of APCTP’s 30th anniversary initiatives, the forum was designed to give young researchers from across the Asia-Pacific region opportunities to engage with Korea’s scientific research community and lay the foundation for future research collaboration. It also aligns with the Korean government’s policy direction of supporting international exchange among young researchers and fostering the growth of future science and technology talent.

“What makes this forum especially meaningful is that participants are refining the ideas they developed through online collaborative research into concrete research plans with mentoring from POSTECH researchers,” said Misao Sasaki, President of APCTP. “We hope the international research teams formed at the forum will continue their collaboration after the event and produce research outcomes addressing shared APEC challenges.”

Established in 1996 on the occasion of the APEC meeting, APCTP is Korea’s only international center for theoretical physics. Based at POSTECH in Pohang, the Center works with 20 Member Countries/Regions and 39 Partner Institutes across the Asia-Pacific region.

With continued support from the Korean government’s Science and Technology Promotion Fund and Lottery Fund, APCTP has attracted and trained more than 300 outstanding early-career scientists as resident researchers. Through collaborative research and academic exchange in theoretical physics, the Center contributes to strengthening Korea’s capabilities in basic science. APCTP also promotes the public value of basic science through public lectures, participatory science festivals, and science outreach programs for young people.