Korea Aerospace Industries (047810) said on the 27th that its 24th Aerospace Thesis Award competition began accepting submissions on the 24th, with sponsorship from the Korea AeroSpace Administration, the Korea Aerospace Industries Association and the Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences.
The competition is a thesis contest dedicated to aerospace, created to identify and cultivate talent to lead the future of South Korea's aerospace industry. KAI has organized the program for more than 20 years. Students at any South Korean university or graduate school with an interest in aerospace may enter.
Entries are accepted in five categories: mechanical engineering; materials and processing; electronics and electrical engineering; software; and policy and management. Research topics center on KAI's core future businesses, including manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T), future software, next-generation platforms spanning fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and commercial aircraft, space solutions and advanced air vehicles (AAV).
Prize money has been increased from a year earlier. The top awards — the Korea AeroSpace Administration Administrator's Award and the KAI chief executive's award — carry 10 million won each, up 5 million won from last year. Awards for excellence rose 1 million won each to 5 million won and will go to two recipients. Total prize money stands at 38 million won, up 1 million won from a year earlier.
Lead authors of winning papers are exempt from the document screening stage in KAI's open recruitment process for new employees.
KAI and the Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences will jointly review the submissions. Winners will be announced in early November, with an awards ceremony scheduled for later that month.
"The aerospace industry is not only a core future industry with limitless growth potential but also a pillar of national competitiveness, which makes cultivating and supporting talent in the field essential," KAI President Kim Jong-chul said. "KAI will take the lead in setting an example for building the surrounding ecosystem so that more young and outstanding talent takes an interest in aerospace and enters the field."
