Science Culture Camp

The Center for Science and Culture in Incheon (Director: Gi-Soon Han, Professor in the Department of Creative Human Resource Development at Incheon National University) announced that it successfully held a science culture camp themed “From Incheon to Space” on November 15 in the area surrounding the Center for Science and Culture in Incheon (Jemulpo). The event was hosted by the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity and organized by the Center for Science and Culture in Incheon, with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT and Incheon National University.

A total of 17 people participated in the program, including four researchers from the Science Culture Hub Center, ten instructors, and three collaboration coordinators from Uijeongbu Exodus. The beneficiaries were 42 refugees living in the Gyeonggi region. By offering opportunities to experience science and technology culture, the program contributed to improving access to science culture among underserved groups and reducing regional disparities.

The camp itinerary focused on major science culture spaces in downtown Incheon. In the morning, participants attended a program at the Center for Science and Culture in Incheon where they learned about and experienced drone technology and autonomous driving systems. Through hands-on drone operation and demonstrations, participants naturally understood key concepts of advanced technology.

Afterward, participants explored the Incheon Open Port area to learn about the city’s historical and cultural background. This was followed by VR space environment simulations and autonomous driving experience programs, allowing participants to feel the potential and scalability of future science and technology through immersive space exploration.

This camp was designed to provide refugee children and youth settled in Korea with positive experiences in science and technology, offering them a special opportunity to imagine future career paths. One participating student expressed high satisfaction, saying, “It was my first time actually flying a drone — it was amazing, and now I want to try more of this in the future.”

Director Gi-Soon Han stated, “This science culture camp served as an educational platform where underserved students could experience real technologies firsthand and feel the excitement of science and the possibilities of the future,” adding, “We will continue to expand programs that promote science culture and reduce disparities within the region.”

The Center for Science and Culture in Incheon has been operated by the INU Institute for Science Gifted Education (www.inuisge.kr

) since 2021, implementing various programs that aim to expand science culture in the local community and bridge educational gaps. Last year, the center collaborated with 90 local institutions, establishing itself as a regional science culture hub used by approximately 170,000 Incheon citizens annually.

Programs at the Center for Science and Culture in Incheon are funded by the Science and Technology Promotion Fund and the Lottery Fund, and supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity. These efforts contribute both to the development of national science and technology and to the improvement of welfare for low-income and underserved populations.