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Kim Myeong-sook, director of Jeju National University’s Research Institute of Basic Science (JNU-RIBC), was awarded the 16th Northeast Asia Biodiversity Prize.

The biology professor was announced as the winner of the prize, which is presented by the Northeast Asia Biodiversity Institute, for her contribution to the studies of phylogenetic systematics of marine algae.

In the past 25 years, Kim discovered five new genera and 34 new species. Her discoveries also include 10 unrecorded marine algae, helping the nation investigate its marine plant diversity.

The marine biology specialist currently serves as the director of Jeju National University’s autonomous key institute project sponsored by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation. She is also the chairperson of the Korean Society of Phycology and the Network of Women Scientists and Engineers, and a board member of the Korea Federation of Women’s Science and Technology Association.

The Northeast Asia Biodiversity Institute was established in 2002 and has since investigated and conserved the biodiversity in Northeast Asia. The Northeast Asia Biodiversity Prize has been annually awarded since 2006 to those who contributed to the conservation of the nation’s biodiversity.