Prepared the foundations of modern astronomy and earth science education
Demonstrated the superiority of Korean traditional astronomy through the study of the history of astronomy
(Late) Yu Kyung-loh
President of the Koran Astronomy Society (1917~1997)
- Academic background
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1936
Graduated from Gyeong Seong School of Education
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1949
Graduated from Physics dept., College of Education, Seoul National Univ.
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1963
M.S. at Graduate School of Indiana Univ. (Astronomy)
- Professional career
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1958 ~ 1982
Professor at College of Education, Seoul National Univ.
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1979 ~ 1982
President of SNU Science Education Institute
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1968 ~ 69, 1974 ~ 76
President of Korea Astronomy Society
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1973 ~ 1974
First president of Koran Earth Science Education Association
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1985 ~ 1987
Present of Korea Science History Society
- Awards
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1982
Order of Civil Merit, Camellia Medal
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1985
Award of Merits in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Korea Astronomy Society
Professor Kyung Loh Yu is a researcher who pioneered the research on Korean astronomy history as well as an educator who established the foundation of modern astronomy and earth science education.
He made path-finding achievements in totally different three areas of science, education and history, though they had a common factor of astronomy. He began modern astronomy education by establishing the first astronomy class at Seoul National Univ. and established the Earth Science dept. at the College of Education, SNU, preparing the foundation for earth science education. From the 1970s, he began research on the history of Korean astronomy, studying astronomy literature written during the Joseon dynasty era. His activities founded the basis of the academic development of the area.
The first area he worked for was astronomy. He established astronomy classes at Seoul National Univ. in 1955 and began modern astronomy education such as astrophysics and astronomical observation. However, it was difficult for him to gain high level education as he had never had professional astronomy education. As such, he went to the USA in 1961 and studied astronomy and astrophysics at the graduate school of Indiana Univ. and then performed research on astronomical observation at the Lowell Observatory. After returning to Korea, he prepared educational courses on advanced astronomy at the university and contributed to the fostering of young astronomy researchers based on his experiences in the USA. In addition, he participated in the project to locate the Korea National Observatory and introduce the telescope as the Establishment Committee member for the observatory for seven years from 1967 to 1973. In 1965, he established the Korea Astronomy Society and took up the presidency to prepare the institutional foundation for the development of Korean astronomy.
His second area of research was earth science education. He fostered lots of excellent talents in the earth science area, taking up the role of pioneer of Korean earth science education from 1959 when he established the Earth Science dept. (later, the Earth Science Education dept.) and until his retirement due to age. Also, recognizing the importance of astronomy education at high schools, he made efforts to develop educational courses in science for primary, middle, and high schools and retrain teachers to include earth science into the educational course of science in middle school. In 1973, he also established the Korea Earth Science Education Association. Helped by his various activities for the development of earth science education, today, earth science is established as a required subject in middle school education.
The third area was research of the history of science (astronomy). In 1973, he edited annotations on “Chil Jeong San Nae Pyeon” and “Chil Jeong San Woe Pyeon” along with professors Eun Seong Lee and Jeong Jun Hyeon, marking a historic research achievement in the history of Korean astronomy. Chil Jeong San is the representative book on the calendar in the era of King Sejong. With annotations by Professor Kyung Loh Yu, etc., the superiority of the Joseon dynasty was known to the world and this also established the foundation of the full-scale research on the history of Korean astronomy. Later, he continued to perform translations and annotations on the classics of Korean astronomy such as “Jeung Bo Mun Heon Bi Go Sang Wi Go” and “Seo Wun Gwan Ji” with other researchers of science history. Also, to introduce the study achievements overseas, he published a translation of “Chinese Astronomy”, which made him a path finder in East Asian astronomy history as well, not just in Korea.
After retirement, he took up the presidency of the Korea Science History Society from 1985 to 1987, leading the development of the society. And after 1989, he made efforts to foster young researchers not only in astronomy and earth science but also in the history of science by transferring oriental astronomy history to those students with an interest in oriental science history. In 2005, after his death, his pupils established the “Sonam Astronomy Institute” named after his alias and according to his will to establish an institute on astronomy history. The institute is currently operated as an affiliate institute of the Korea Astronomy Society. After all, he left a great milestone for research on Korean astronomy history via fostering junior scholars and establishing the institute.
Professor Yu prepared the foundation of Korean modern astronomy and led the education on earth science. He was the scholar who opened a new chapter in the research of Korean astronomy history. His achievements formed the basis for the development in the three areas and by this, his name in the arenas assumes a unique place as a pioneer or a developer.