IN HAN'S TO LIVE OR TO DIE

"Now only Mount Everest remains"
Dr. In Suk Han, who is the Founding President of the University of Utah Asia Campus, climbed 6 summits out of the 7 Summit. The final challenge of his bucket list is “Everest.”

South Korea’s mountain boy embraces the world
○ Born in Hoengseong, Gangwon province, which is located in the mountain area, he spent his childhood in Jeongseon and Yeongwol—the same Gangwon province.
○ Graduated from Seonrin Middle School and Daeil High School, respectively, he entered the Department of Chemistry at Hanyang University in 1977.
○ Served as a chemical officer for 3 years before completing his military service after graduating from college in 1981.
○ Worked as a teacher at the high school affiliated with Hanyang University in Seoul for 4 years and 6 months after military service.
○ Studied abroad as a Ph.D. student in biochemistry at Washington State University, USA, to pursue his dreams in 1989, at 32 years old.

Contributed to science and industry as a biochemist.
○ Received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1993 from Washington State University, USA.
○ Researched as a Research Fellow at the University of Michigan Medical School and College of Pharmacy for 4 years.
○ Contributed to academic and industrial development through biosensor development over 30 years as a scientist and professor at the University of Utah and industries.
○ Advised many bio-companies such as Seegene and Medytox for the Korea Small and Medium Business Administration.
○ Researched and developed a dementia diagnosis kit and transferred the technology to a Korean company as a distinguished professor at Hanyang University.
○ Founded the bio-venture M-Biotech in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1997, conducted research and development of glucose biosensors for diabetic patients for 10 years, and licensed out the technologies in 2008.
○ Contributed to globalization of Korea’s bio-ventures through R&D consulting and aiding in partnerships between industry and universities.

Educated Korean identity as a Korean language school teacher and principal in the United States.
○ Volunteered as a Korean language school teacher and principal for 7 years while studying in the US and worked as a researcher.
○ Taught Hangul to 1.5 and 2nd generation Koreans so that they stay connected to their Korean identity and pride in their heritage.

Took the path of a global entrepreneurial mentor and practitioner.
○ Based on the experience of starting a business in the United States and many corporate advisory committee experiences, he founded the Global Startup Association under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to help Korean entrepreneurs advance overseas and develop global markets in 2015.

Became the First President of the Global Campus.
○ While working at the University of Utah, he proposed and promoted the establishment of the University of Utah Asia Campus in Korea in 2008, and officially established the University of Utah Asia Campus in Songdo, Incheon, Korea in 2014.
○ In order to established an oversea campus for the first time, the Utah state law was needed to be amended
○ Made the foundation for smooth exchange and joint research among students, faculty, and researchers in Korea.
○ Established the University of Utah Asia Campus, inaugurated as the first president, and after completing his term, he is currently the Founding President.

45 years of consistent mountain climbing, hiking and hitting milestone at each stage of life from young adulthood
o The genesis of his love and passion for the mountains began with the university mountaineering club at Hanyang University. Engaged in various mountaineering activities such as rock climbing, ice climbing, and long-term expedition climbing.
o To commemorate his graduation in 1981, he climbed alone for 9 nights and 10 days from Sogeumgang River in Mt. Odae to Misiryeong.
o In 1985, he continued mountaineering in Korea and he went to the United States for expedition climbing El Capitan in Yosemite, USA.
o Lived in the United States for more than 25 years, the mountains have been a constant anchor in his life. Continuously, he was involved and engaged with the mountains through rock, ice and snow climbing. Being in the mountains feels like home whether it is the mountains in his backyard, solo climbing in Grand Teton in 2006 or going on overseas expeditions. consistently involved in mountain activities such as rock climbing, ice climbing, snow climbing, and overseas expeditions.

Became the first Asian to climb the highest peak in the 50 states of the United States.
○ Became the first Asian to climb the highest peak in the 50 states of the United States, joining the Highpointers Club #253. The journey began on September 4, 2005 and completed the ascent November 15, 2013. It took 8 years, 2 months and 11 days.
○ Climbed the highest peaks on six continents (Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, Antarctica) among the highest peaks on seven continents achieved by only about 350 people worldwide.
○ If successful summiting Everest in 2023, he will become the first Asian to climb the highest peaks in the 50 US states and the highest peaks on seven continents and the oldest Korean and Asian to climb the seven continents.

Being together with mountaineers
○ When president of the Korea University Alpine Federation, he published the history book of the federation commemorating the 50-year celebration event and organized an expedition made up of college students to promote overseas expeditions.
○ With other major key 6 mountaineering organizations (Korea Mountaineering Association, Corean Alpine Association, Korea Student Alpine Federation, Um Hong-gil Foundation, Seoul Mountaineering Federation, Sanseo Association), he formed the National Park Management Council to carry out work representing the mountaineering world, such as the opening of the Baekdudaegan Mountains as the chairperson.
○ In 2004, he established the Korean Utah Alpine Association and served as the first president and vice president of the Korea-American Alpine Federation.

17 Metropolitan cities and provincial highest mountain climbing program to discover Korean culture in the representative mountains.
o Various programs are also being developed and conducted to learn and experience the roots of the Korean people's heritage, spirit and philosophy by creating the 17 highest peak program.

Initiated and facilitated volunteering programs for multicultural families and people with autism and their loved ones.
○ In 2015, Ansan City, Hanyang University Erica Campus, Seoul Institute of the Arts, and University of Utah Asia Campus joined in cooperation agreements for families in Ansan, a multicultural international city. This created various volunteer programs for children of multicultural families to encourage professors and students to participate and serve each other and their community.
○ The University of Utah in the United States conducted collaboration in a multicultural program with Korean universities to help bring strong and harmonious relations between two worlds.
○ The Asian Autism Center Committee was formed to promote the establishment of an autism center in Korea and a hub for Asia.

Lead alumni
○ As the president of Washington State University’s Korean Alumni Association and Hanyang University’s Chemistry Department Alumni Association, he strived to provide a venue for unity and harmony among alumni and to help network between seniors and juniors.
○ As the president of the Hanyang University's Chemistry Department Alumni Association, he successfully completed the 60th anniversary event and provided opportunities to provide more alumni scholarship benefits to current students.

Philanthropy through Give & Given.
○ Philanthropic work for three years as a founding director of the Give and Given, a group of people with the ideology of self-betterment in order to provide a brighter future for others.
○ Major nonprofit organizations activities include overseas relief and development projects such the Well of Hope campaign, along with supporting overseas Korean-led charities for nature conservation, small businesses and cultural programs.

Assembled the talents of Korean biomedical experts in the United States.
○ Organized a U.S. Washington State University-University of Idaho Bio Science Meeting to gather the skills and cooperation of bio-experts.
○ Started the Biomedical Association of Korean American Scientists in Michigan to enable collaboration and convergence.
○ While at the University of Michigan, he developed new drugs by working with Asan Medical Center, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, and Shinpoong Pharmaceutical in an industry-university research project.

Fostered and advised bio venture companies.
○ Acted as the Director of the Songdo BioConvergence Center, helping bio venture companies to succeed during their incubation phase. Some companies after early start-up consultation, management and seed money investment have begun to succeed. - Success story of Songdo BioConvergence Center: Able Labs received a series A investment of 3 billion won from Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Future Play in August 2022, 1 year and 6 months after it was founded in February 2021. They also signed a delivery contract with Samsung BioLogics.

Created a biomedical engineering forum to contribute to Korea's biomedical policy.
○ In 2022, created and serves as a chairman the Biomedical Engineering Forum together with scientists, doctors, medical field experts, and engineers. The forum creates internationally competitive policies that can lead the biomedical field and proposes them to the federal and local government.
○ For the development of Incheon Biohub, he works as a member of the Incheon City Bio Special Committee and makes various proposals, aiding Incheon to become a world-class Biohub.