• 
  
  INTERVIEW ➊

  Jeong Taek Lee,
  at the Graduate School of
  Energy and Chemical Engineering

  Please briefly introduce yourself.

  A. __ How are you? I am Jeong Tack Lee and currently attending the dual master’s and Ph.D. degree course in the lab of Professor Kwanyong Seo at the Graduate School of Energy and Chemical Engineering. I completed my undergraduate course at UNIST and enrolled in the graduate school in 2021. It’s now my second year. I am researching nano/ micro structure-based devices using crystalline silicon, which is the main field of our lab.

  What does Webasto Development Fund support mean for students?

  A. __ The development fund supported by Webasto is very important. First, it covers essential research costs to continue our research. I think it is an important financial support to enable us to strive for better research outcomes. Second, I think the fund is highly important and meaningful to add more value to our research. The Webasto Foundation recognizes our research and provides a good opportunity, which will lead to better research results, so that our research results will be used more valuably for society and mankind.

  What is the research that is ongoing or will be conducted under the auspices of the development fund?

  A. __ The development fund of the Webasto Foundation is currently used to continue the research on transparent solar panels for vehicles, which is one of the key elements for future mobility technology. Existing solar cells have limitations in the installation space and area due to opaque characteristics. However, our research implements transparent solar cells by applying a micro-structure on a silicon substrate so that solar cells can be installed anywhere on a vehicle. Even the glass of the vehicle can be used as solar cells. The dramatically increased installation area of solar cells will allow cars to run longer and farther as a power source without sacrificing aesthetics at the cusp of the electric vehicle era.

  Please tell us about your dream and plans.

  A. __ I have a dream to become a global scientist and engineer who will contribute to the lives of mankind, which is also the core mantra of UNIST. In particular, I like to be a scientist and engineer who can solve the critical energy problems faced by mankind in modern society.

• 
  
  INTERVIEW ➋

  Yuri Lee,
  at Graduate School of
  Energy and Chemical Engineering

  Please briefly introduce yourself.

  A. __ How are you? I am Yuri Lee. I am a postgraduate student at the Graduate School of Energy and Chemical Engineering. I have studied solar cells since I enrolled in the dual master's and Ph.D degree course at the UNIST Graduate School in 2020.

  Which part of your study is recognized in the development fund support of Webasto?

  A. __ I have studied crystalline silicon solar cells where various surface structures are applied since I enrolled in the graduate school. Meanwhile, I had an opportunity to apply for the Webasto Paper Support Project with my research theme. It is a study on the application of various mobility technologies such as cars and drones using crystalline silicon where a surface micro-structure is applied. Fortunately, I got this award for my research.

  What is the research that is ongoing or will be conducted under the auspices of the development fund?

  A. __ Currently, I am researching maximizing the light absorption of solar cells to increase efficiency. Particularly, I have focused research on applying various surface structures. Based on this, I am doing structural optimization to maximize light absorption from the optical viewpoint. Along with this, I aim to implement high-efficiency solar cells as I fabricate solar cells first-hand.

  Would you like to add a few words to the German Webasto Foundation providing the development fund support?

  A. __ . Thanks for supporting and recognizing my research. I will do my best to produce a top-notch performance by devising a method to fabricate high-efficient solar cells and implement it, making it worthwhile to earn the support of the development fund.

BULLETIN

EUR 120,000 donated to the Development Funds of UNIST by the German Webasto Foundation

The Webasto Foundation in Germany has donated EUR 120,000 (worth KRW 160 million) to the development fund of UNIST. This fund will be used to advance research in the future mobility field.
The Webasto Foundation will donate a total of EUR 120,000 for the next four years. As its first recipients, three postgraduate students were chosen and EUR 10,000 was funded to each of them. The Webasto Foundation has its headquarters in Germany, which was founded by Webasto SE, the global automotive parts company. The Foundation has supported non-profit projects, associations, and institutions around its branches worldwide, while supporting sustainable mobility-related research under the mottos of “We lead the future – Sustainable mobility for a bright future” and “Mobility for all: Tomorrow.” The donation was recommended by Webasto Korea, which screens and discovers new donation recipients.
UNIST and the Foundation will sponsor research and paper submissions in futuristic and sustainable mobile concepts. Myeong Hyun Lee, Jeong Taek Lee, and Yuri Lee, who were selected as recipients, are pursuing dual master's and Ph.D. courses at the Graduate School of Energy and Chemical Engineering. They will research solar cell-related technologies of roof systems for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the automobile industry.
Taebong Cho, the CEO of Webasto Korea Holdings expressed how keenly he aims to support the research of UNIST students on related topics based on their passion for sustainable technologies.