Sookmyung Women's University held a naming ceremony for “Ham Si-hyeon Lecture Room”
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2021-07-23
A lecture room named after the late Si-hyeon Ham, an honorary research professor who was renowned for her protein research at Sookmyung Women＇s University, was born.
Sookmyung Women＇s University held a naming ceremony on June 21 (Mon) and named room 109 of College of Science as “Ham Si-hyeon Lecture Room” to commemorate the wishes of the late Si-hyeon Ham, an honorary research professor, who served as a professor in the Department of Chemistry for 20 years.
The naming ceremony was held on this day in the presence of about 30 people, including President Yunkeum Chang, Vice President Hyuk-seung Shin, chemistry department professors and students, along with the family of Emeritus Research Professor Ham. It was prepared to express gratitude for her sincere passion toward research and education and for her love of the school that was passed on through her will to donate 100 million won to the school as a development fund.
At the naming ceremony, Chang-geun Ham, the younger brother of the honorary research professor, said, "My sister, who had lived a fierce life as a professor and scholar, would have been very happy if she were here with me," and “I hope that the creation of the classroom will be of some help in nurturing the juniors, which was my sister’s wish.”
Emeritus Research Professor Si-hyeon Ham, a world-renowned authority in protein research, entered the Department of Chemistry at Sookmyung Women＇s University in 1987 and graduated top of the class in 1991. After that, she obtained her Ph.D. from Texas Tech University in the U.S. in 4 years and 6 months. She was appointed as a professor of chemistry department at her alma mater in 2003 and served until 2021, and passed away at the age of 53 last January.
During her lifetime, Professor Emeritus Ham played a leading role in protein research by identifying protein aggregation at the atomic level that causes incurable diseases such as dementia, Parkinson＇s disease, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, she was the first in the world to identify the mechanism of aggregation of proteins that cause dementia with “dynamic thermodynamics,” which was independently designed by combining supercomputer and thermodynamics. She marked a milestone in the history of treatment of incurable diseases, such as developing a technology that realizes the interaction of protein and water.
The achievements she left behind are splendid as if to prove her lifelong interests of research and education. Emeritus Research Professor Ham, who has been accompanied by splendid adjectives and awards such as “Woman Scientist of the Year” (2014) and “Scientist and Engineer of the Month” (2016), received a series of awards as an excellent researcher from Sookmyung Women＇s University during her tenure.
Her disciples also attended the naming ceremony, adding to the meaning of the event. One disciple said, “Professor Ham’s achievements became a dream for students, and her love for students became the courage to achieve their dreams,” and “with the dreams and courage passed on by the professor, we will continue our journey toward the challenge of becoming future scientists.”
President Yunkeum Chang said, “The late Emeritus Research Professor Si-hyeon Ham was a person who shone with a ＇dream＇ to develop Sookmyung Women＇s University and students during her lifetime,” and "I hope Sookmyung Women＇s University will develop that dream and become a cradle of female scientists and produce ＇the second Si-hyeon Ham＇ and the ＇third Si-hyeon Ham＇."
Previously, Sookmyung Women＇s University awarded Professor Ham with a certificate of appointment as an honorary research professor on April 14 (Wed) to commemorate her contributions to research and education.