Simultaneously pursued academic research in applied statistics while supporting the industrial sector with statistical quality management Contributed to the proliferation of modern statistics and popularization of its education through extensive publications
Sunghyun Park
Emeritus Professor, Department of Statistics, Seoul National University
(1945~Present)
- Academic background
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1968
Graduated from Seoul National University, Department of Chemical Engineering
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1972
Master’s in Industrial Engineering, North Carolina State University, USA
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1975
Ph.D. in Statistics, North Carolina State University, USA
- career
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1965∼1971
Professor at the College of Agriculture of the Seoul National University
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1977∼2010
Professor, Department of Statistics, Seoul National University
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2010~Present
Fellow of the American Statistical Association
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2013∼2015
Chairman of the Science and Technology Infrastructure Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council
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2013∼2016
President, Korean Academy of Science & Technology
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2017~Present
Member of the National Academy of Science
- Awards received
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1980
Award for Contributions to Quality Management
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1990
Literature Award for Quality Management
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2000
Hongjo Geunjeong Medal
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2008
Culture Award by the Seoul Metropolitan City Government
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2015
National Science and Technology Medal for Innovation
Professor Sunghyun Park is a pioneering statistician whose contributions in the fields of fields of regression analysis, experimental design, and statistical quality control have elevated both the academic development of modern statistics and its industrial applications that enhanced Korea’s industrial competitiveness.
Born in 1945 in Hwanghae-do and raised in Seoul. Professor Park graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Seoul National University. He later earned a master's degree in industrial engineering from North Carolina State University, where he also minored in statistics. Then, he pursued a doctorate in statistics with a focus on regression analysis and experimental design in applied statistics. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the School of Business at Mississippi State University as an assistant professor before returning to Korea in 1977 as a professor in the Department of Computational Statistics at Seoul National University.
Modern statistics, the study of effectively extracting information from uncertain data, was still nascent in Korea during the 1970s. Professor Park emerged as one of the pioneers who introduced modern statistics in Korea and advanced the discipline through systematic research and education. Over his career, he published more than 200 research papers in domestic and international journals and engaged in nurturing next generation of statisticians by supervising 117 master's and doctoral students, including 31 doctoral candidates. In particular, he published over 80 books on statistics, an extraordinary achievement for a statistician. His foundational texts, including Regression Analysis, Modern Design of Experiments, and Statistical Quality Control, first published in the early 1980s, became enduring classics of statistics and remained widely used through the 2010s.
Building on his foundation in chemical and industrial engineering, Professor Park’s expertise in statistical research was well-accepted and applied throughout the industrial sector. Statistical quality control played a critical role in mass production systems to ensure consistent quality which consequently helps to improve quality and price competitiveness. As an expert in statistical quality control, Professor Park traveled nationwide, consulting for industrial companies, resolving production process issues, and delivering on-site training for industrial practitioners. He also developed statistical process control packages tailored to the diverse needs of the industrial sector in Korea. This was a rare initiative for a professor in natural sciences. His publications in statistics became essential guides for industrial quality control training. This is why he is often known for his reputation as both a fundamental scientist and an industrial applied technologist.
Through his involvement in academic organizations, Professor Park played a vital role in revitalizing domestic research and raising the international profile of Korean statistics. He served as chairman of the Korean Statistical Association and the chairman of the Korean Society for Quality Management, contributing to the advancement of statistical research and academic activities. Recognized for his research achievements and leadership, he was named a life member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Korean Academy of Science and Technology. His international contributions include two books on quality management, published in English, promoting the achievements in Korean statistics to the world. He later served as a deputy chairman of the International Association for Business and Industrial Statistics and became a fellow of the American Statistical Association in 2010. In 2013, he was honored as the only Korean fellow of the American Society for Quality.
Throughout his diverse career covering research, education and industrial consulting, Professor Park was deeply committed to advancing science and technology in Korea. As head of the Basic Research Division at the National Research Foundation of Korea and chairman of the Science and Technology Foundation Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council, he provided strategic guidance on planning and advisory activities for the development of basic sciences. During his tenure as president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Professor Park expanded international cooperation in science and technology. He also advocated for the recognition and support for scientists, contributing to initiatives such as as the System for Persons of Merit in Science and Technology. In addition, since the early 2000s, Professor Park began advocating theories on big data and data science technologies, contributing articles to various media outlets to raise awareness of these emerging fields. Professor Park’s diverse and interdisciplinary nature of activities are well reflected through numerous awards. For his contributions to the field of quality management, he was awarded the Person of Merit in Quality Management award in 1980, the Literature Award in Quality Management in 1990, and the Hongjo Geunjeong Medal in 2000. In 2008, he was also honored with the Culture Award in the area of humanities by the Seoul Metropolitan City Government. In 2015, he received the Innovation Award of the National Medal of Science and Technology.
Professor Sunghyun Park exemplifies an innovative scientist, demonstrating the dual nature and importance of statistics as both foundational and applied science. He has fulfilled diverse roles of a statistician: as a researcher, educator, industrial consultant and practitioner of statistical quality control in industrial settings, author who contributed to the education and popularization of statistics, and a science administrator who contributed to the promotion of science and technology.
