Together, We Can See More (Professor Emeritus Young-key Kim at the George Washington University)
- Date2024.07.29
- 4302
Professor Emeritus Young-key Kim (graduating class of 1963, Department of English Language and Literature) at the George Washington University donated a development fund of USD 100,000 to Ewha for supporting convergence research in the humanities and sciences and fostering future scholars. In recognition of her generous contribution, Ewha will establish the “Kim-Renaud Research Award in the Humanities” as an award given annually to an outstanding researcher in the field.
With this generous act, Professor Young-key Kim spoke about the idea of “Ewha built together,” remarking, “It seems somewhat self-aggrandizing to think of my contribution as a ‘donation,’ and I prefer to consider it an act based on a ‘sense of participation.’ Just as we can see the world from a broader perspective by envisioning and discussing the humanities and sciences together, I made my contribution with the goal of creating a better future through the joint endeavor of older and younger generations of alumnae.” She added, “It would be truly meaningful if my contribution becomes the ‘seed money’ to grow the fund even more, as others who share my vision add whatever amount they can.”
Professor Kim previously served as Chair of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the George Washington University. She currently serves as Professor Emeritus of Korean Language and Culture and International Affairs, and as Senior Advisor to the George Washington (GW) Institute for Korean Studies. Professor Kim expressed high expectations for future scholars who will contribute to the advancement of convergence research in the humanities and sciences, saying “Eastern cosmology and the principle of yin and yang tell us that all of us strengthen and complete one another in solidarity. Throughout my extensive study of the humanities, I have long held a deep interest in multidisciplinary research based on mutual relevance that connect various other fields. I hope to see a higher understanding and degree of convergence with fields that I’ve never even considered before.”
Following the wishes of Professor Kim, the “Kim-Renaud Research Award in the Humanities” was created, combining her family name of “Kim” with “Renaud,” the family name of her husband, French economist Dr. Bertrand Renaud. The first Kim-Renaud Research Award in the Humanities will be presented at Ewha Womans University next year.
While teaching the Korean language and Korean studies for nearly 60 years in the US, Professor Kim has made significant contributions to promoting the Korean language and culture worldwide. She earned an M.A. in Linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Hawaii. She then served as a professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the George Washington University for a tenure of 32 years from 1983, during which she led the establishment of the GW Institute for Korean Studies. Likewise, she engaged in various activities as a pioneer in spreading the Korean language and culture abroad. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Okgwan Order of Culture Merit from the Korean government in 2006.
On July 10, Ewha invited Professor Kim to give a special lecture on the topic of “The World Heritage, Hunmin Jeongeum: A Wondrous Invention Where the Humanities Met Science.” In the lecture, she explored the Korean alphabet from a scientific perspective, delving into the spirit of humanism behind its invention for the fundamental benefit of the public.
She explained, “At the time, King Sejong had already accomplished a multidisciplinary linguistic analysis, a feat that would not be studied until the 20th century. He demonstrated remarkable creativity with the ingenious idea of representing this analysis through ‘linguistic pictographs.’ This concept also incorporated the unique structural characteristics of Korean consonants and vowels, including the structure of onomatopoeia and mimetic words, as well as vowel harmony rules. The use of Eastern cosmology in explaining these features as an intellectual system that was most familiar to Koreans at the time demonstrates the simultaneous application of aspects from both the humanities and science.”
In addition, Professor Kim argued that “As is the case with Hangeul, the most scientific thing is often the simplest.” She then engaged in an in-depth discussion with the participants and exchanged various opinions on the unique excellence of Hangeul, such as the phonetic commonality of natural sound groups that embody the characteristics of the Korean language.
She also did not forget to leave a message of hope for her junior alumnae in the Department of English Language and Literature, remarking, “For me, the Department of English Language and Literature was my gateway to the world, not only because of the language aspect of learning English, but because it also allowed me to experience new cultures and civilizations. One day, there will come a time when you look back on your life and realize how meaningful your college years at Ewha were. Absorb all the knowledge you come across both on- and off-campus, enjoy your youth to the fullest, and express your own unique creativity to the world.”