Dr. Dai-Won Yoon, Chairman of the Ilsong Educational Foundation, won the Uppsala University Linnaeus Gold Medal

Korea's first Linnaeus Gold Medal

Dr. Dai-Won Yoon, Chairman of the Ilsong Educational Foundation, was selected as the gold medal winner at the 'Linnaeus Medal' awards ceremony hosted by Uppsala University in Sweden.

The Linnaeus Medal was established in honor of the 300th anniversary of the birth of the biologist Carl Linnaeus, who is said to be the founder of botany. Uppsala University has awarded the Linnaeus Medal every year for outstanding achievements in science since its first award in May 2007.

Professor Michel Mayor (Nobel Prize winner in Physics), Professor Noam Chomsky (linguist), HM King Carl XVI Gustaf (King of Sweden), and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan have won the Linnaeus Gold Medal. And Dr. Dai-Won Yoon, Chairman of the Ilsong Educational Foundation is the 2020 winner.

Recognized for contributions to academic exchange, human resource development, and medical science development

Uppsala University praised Chairman Dai-Won Yoon for leading the joint symposium between Hallym University Medical Center and Uppsala University every year since 2008, and for his contributions to creating academic exchange opportunities for basic and clinical research between Korea and Europe and expanding it to a global network.

In addition to academic exchanges, Chairman Yoon has contributed greatly to the development of human resources and medical science by establishing world-class research institutes such as ▲ Hallym-Uppsala Overseas Research Center ▲ Hallym University Medical Convergence Center ▲ Hallym Medical AI Center.

Founded in 1477, Uppsala University is a prestigious European educational institution with a history and tradition. Uppsala University is particularly well-known with world-class authority in the field of translational research that connects basic and clinical medicine, and has produced a number of Nobel Prize winners.

The Uppsala University Linnaeus Medal

Linnaeus Medal was enacted on May 23, 2006 in commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the birth of Karl von Linne, who's called as the founder of botany.

The gold medal is awarded for 'excellent scientific achievements in the research area of Linne, or for the contributions to the assets of Linne or Uppsala University', and the silver medal for 'respectable administrative service'. 

The medal was first conferred on May 23, 2007 at the Linne Memorial Ceremony at Uppsala University. The winner is selected by the Vice-Chancellor, and the gold medal is discussed with the leadership of the university sector and the Trustee Council of the University Board for making a decision.

The Linnaeus Medal was instituted in May 2006 in connection with the Tercentenary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus on May 23, 1707. The gold medal is conferred ‘for truly outstanding scientific achievement, especially in the Linnaean subject areas but also for meritorious furtherance of the legacy of Linnaeus or Uppsala University.’ The silver medal is conferred ‘for estimable administrative service in connection with the Linnaeus Tercentenary.’ The medals were awarded for the first time at the University’s Linnaeus celebrations on May 23, 2007. Recipients are selected by the Vice-Chancellor, regarding the gold medal in consultation with the leadership of the disciplinary domains and after conferring with the Trustee Council of the University Board.

■ Past winners

2019: Gunnar Broberg (Professor of Science History, Lund University, Sweden)

2018: Leif Andersson (Professor of Functional Genomics, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2017: Siv Andersson (Professor of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2016: Hans Ellegren (Professor of Genetics, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2015: Göran Arnqvist (Professor of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2014: Birgitta Bremer (Professor of Botany, Stockholm University, Sweden)

2013: Björn Olsen (Professor of Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2012: Hans Dalborg (Chairman of the board of Finnish financial firm Nordea / Swedish)

2010: Sigurd Fries (Professor of Scandinavian Linguistics, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2009: Staffan Ulfstrand (Emeri Professor of Ecology and Genomics, Uppsala University, Sweden)

2007: Allan Ellenius (born in Uppsala, Sweden, art historian)

2007 (during the Linnaeus jubilee): 

□ HM King Carl XVI Gustaf (Sweden King)

□ Kofi Annan (UN Secretary-General)

□ David Attenborough

□ Christian von Bar

□ Noam Chomsky (American linguist)

□ Gaalen Erickson

□ Jane Goodall (UK environmentalist / Chimpanzee research authority) 

□ Walter Kasper (German Catholic Cardinal)

□ Michel Mayor (Swiss astronomer / Nobel Prize in Physics)

□ Elinor Ostrom

□ Lisbet Rausing

□ Douglas Roberts

□ Bengt Samuelsson (Swedish Biochemist / Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine)

※ Source: https://www.uu.se/en/about-uu/traditions/prizes/linnaeus-medal/