KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES

The 1st KIGAM and DMR Joint Workshop on Training Center and Geological Museum

Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM, President Dr. Bok Chul Kim), and the Department of Mineral Resources of Thailand (DMR, Director General Dr. Sommai Techawan) had ‘The 1st KIGAM and DMR Joint Workshop on Training Center and Geological Museum’.

The full-scale regularized cooperation was initiated in 2018, and led to the first MOU between KIGAM and DMR signed in 2019. And, both organizations agreed upon the follow-up workshop soon after; however, the joint workshop had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 unintentionally. At last, it was very a fulfilling happy day for both KIGAM and DMR, organizing the online workshop on training center and geological museum. Each organization, KIGAM and DMR, has the unique strengths to expand the cooperation to the best level.

As for KIGAM, the Head of IS-GEO (Dr. Sujeong Lee) presented about the KIGAM’s education/ training center, which has decade-long managing experiences. They are now extending the channels to reaching out to more trainees (customers). The IS-GEO newly developed online education programs for the international experts and indoor Geoscience kits for the school children to fit in the time of self-quarantine. As for the DMR, the presentation was full of resources that DMR has to establish the training center(s), including introducing the (1) 4M Research Management* (2) Meeting Organized Team (3) Places (3) Reasonable Accommodations and Facilities. DMR proposes the agendas for the KIGAM-DMR Initiatives for Cooperation are setting up of Research and Training Center in Rayong Rocks and Mineral Research Center in the Rayong Province.

* DMR 4M Research Management= Manpower, Mineral Resources Management, Methodology, and Money

The following discussions were about cooperation in managing geological museums. The presentation was given by the Head of Geological Museum of KIGAM (GMK, Dr. Seung-bae Lee) to introduce GMK in general functions, strength, roles. Dr. Lee emphasized that the GMK is an R&D functioning geological museum to combine the works of paleontology and Geochemistry. The GMK has two-fold strategies to develop and manage, which is done by research-based project programs. They also promote visitor-friendly geological museums, especially even during the pandemic era by running the ‘Geoscience Eureka’ webpage and delivering DIY kits. DMR also informed us about geological museums, which are seven (7) geological museums all over Thailand. They have well-organized geo-specimen repositories, specializing in linking to the renounced Geo-parks in managing the geological museums.

The workshop ended with the agreement to organize side meetings by issues for further cooperative works. Today’s cooperation between KIGAM and the DMR will start from the Geological Museums and Education/Training Centers, and both organizations hope to expand to the comprehensive Geoscience R&D to benefit both organizations as well as bringing a mutual win-win for Korea and Thailand.