Globally renowned animal husbandman who devoted his whole life as a researcher, writing hundreds of papers
Led the development of Korean zootechny as the representative of zootechny-related societies both in Korea and overseas
(Late) Han In-Gyu
Honorary Professor of Seoul National University (1934~2019)
- Academic background
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1952~1956
B.S. at College of Agriculture, Seoul National Univ. (Zootechny)
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1956∼1958
M.S. at Graduate School of Seoul National Univ. (Animal Feeding, Agriculture)
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1962∼1965
Ph.D. in Science at Cornell University, USA (Nutrition)
- Professional career
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1965∼2000
Professor of Seoul National Univ.
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1987∼1991
Dean, College of Agriculture, Seoul National Univ.
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1993~1998
President, World Association of Animal Production
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2001∼2004
Third President, Korea Academy of Science and Technology
- Awards
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1971
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Award, Science and Technology Award
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1995
Sanghuh Grand Prix, Academy Award
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2000
Korea Green Ribbon Medal
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2016
AAAP Animal Science Award
The creator of Korean animal nutrition and feed engineering who wrote 670 papers
Professor In-Gyu Han is a globally recognized animal husbandman who developed Korean zootechny internationally via research and education in animal nutrition and feed engineering.
He received his Ph.D. in nutrition from Cornell University, USA and returned to Korea to devote his life to research as a professor at Seoul National University. He was a researcher who wrote hundreds of papers, providing the basis for the development and supply of animal feed in Korea and an educator who provided the basis for the advancement of research and education at the College of Agriculture at Seoul National University. He worked as the president of many societies relating to zootechny, both in Korea and overseas, including the Korea Zootechny Society. Through this, he advanced Korean zootechny to the global level and became the president of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology for the first time from the area of agricultural science, making him a legendary person.
His distinguished accomplishments in the area of Korean zootechny can be found in the 670 academic papers he published. He made it a primary target to ‘write as many papers as possible’ after he became a professor. His advisor professor at Cornell University advised him, “You can forget everything you learned here but a scholar will fade away without continuously publishing papers”. And, he continued to publish over 10 papers every year either by himself or jointly with other researchers in academic journals both in Korea and overseas. The topics included a very broad area, ranging from evaluation of the feed for Korean animal feeding to the development of feed and production. Especially, he continued basic research for the establishment of the Korean standard feed ingredient table and specifications, making him the creator of Korean animal nutrition science and feed engineering. His research accomplishments were highly evaluated both in terms of quality and quantity, as he had 138 papers published by international SCI level journals.
An educator who provided the establishment of research and education on advanced farming for fostering junior researchers
Acting as an educator for 35 years, he left a great footprint in the development of the Korean agriculture education and research system. He has put an effort into writing textbooks since the 1960s when there were not good ones, and edited 113 books, including 50 solely by himself. After he became the dean of the College of Agriculture, he established the College of Agriculture Research Foundation in 1987 and the ‘Sangrok Agriculture Life Science Research Grand Prix’ with his own funds in 1991, for the research spirit of the college. At the same time, he introduced an IBRD education loan for the advancement of the research facilities and established the ‘National Instrumentation Center for Environmental Management’, where he worked as the founding president. He also established the foundation for the development of Korean agricultural science under advanced systems.
The leader of Korean zootechny who acted as the core of zootechny both in Korea and overseas
Lastly, he was a leader who developed Korean zootechny up to the global level by acting as a core researcher in the societies relating to zootechny both in Korea and overseas. In Korea, he took up the presidency of the Korea Zootechny Society, the Korea Nutrition Society, and the Korea Nutrition Feed Society and internationally, he took up the presidency of the Asian Australasian Animal Production (AAAP) and the World Association of Animal Production (WAAP). Especially, he led the establishment of the AAAP and in 1982, convened the AAAP conference in Seoul, which was the first time the Korea zootechny arena induced an international conference. In 1988, he established the Asian Australasian Animal Production Journal and registered the journal as an SCI level one as the founding editor-in-chief. After he became the president of the WAAP, he also held the WAAP conference in Korea in 1998, enhancing the profile of Korean zootechny. Moreover, as the president of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, he established the foundation of the initial development of the academy by constructing the building, preparing the mid- and long-term development plans, and exchanging with other international academies.
Professor Han devoted himself to research activities for life, actively fostered junior researchers as an educator, and expanded the horizon of zootechny in Korea internationally, all of which make him the true Godfather of Korean zootechny. Lots of academic achievements by him are the clear milestones reminding his wish to be remembered by his junior scholars as “a scholar born to work.”
