The research team led by Prof. Kim Eun-shik with the Forest Environmental System Department/Forest Science College of KMU was nominated, on the 20th of May, as the research group in charge of Next-generation Eco-innovation Technology Development Project that is promoted strategically by the Ministry of Environment as its host and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) as its implementing agency. This project is aimed at improving the environmental technology and industry competitiveness of Korea while leading the improvement of environmental quality and green growth through the development of the world’s top-level technology. The theme suggested by Prof. Kim is “development of the platform system for forecasting the change in ecosystem following the climate change”, for which, the fund amounting to 950,000,000 won/year will be supported for a three-year period, from 1st May 2013 until 31st April 2016.

The study on “development of the platform system for forecasting the change in ecosystem following the climate change” is expected to greatly contribute in solving the current environmental issues in Korea. Apart from its academic aspect, this research project is intended to minimize damage due to the change in the domestic ecological environment. It also aims to provide people with a pleasant and safe living environment through the security of standardization technique for ecological information for the observation and prediction of ecosystem, establishing environmental sensor network that enables monitoring of ecological change and environmental pollution on a real-time basis, and consistently developing the technique of ecological environment monitoring and analysis/prediction.

Prof. Kim, senior researcher in charge of this project, has been selected by Donga Ilbo in 2011 as “one of 100 individuals who will enhance Korea’s prestige 10 years from now.” In that same year, he received the Excellence Award for his outstanding services having uplifted the prestige of KMU at home and abroad through his international academic activities as the Secretary-general of ISIE (International Society for Industrial Ecology), Chairman of East Asia Society for Industrial Ecology, and Chairman of ILTERE-EAP.

In addition, he was re-elected as the Chairman of ILTERE-EAP in July 2012.