Redefining Excellence: Authentic Research in the AI Era
The 5th HOBY Korea International Young Scholars Conference

 

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In the era of AI Transformation (AX), individuals with abilities that are difficult for AI to replicate are gaining increasing attention, surpassing the mere acquisition of knowledge. In this context, youth research activities are recognized as crucial indicators that comprehensively evaluate essential skills required in future society, such as creativity, critical thinking, and self-directed learning, rather than simply academic achievement.

This aligns with the educational philosophy emphasized by Hugh O’Brian, the founder of the HOBY Foundation: “How to think, not what to think.”

Moreover, as the use of AI becomes more prevalent, the importance of interviews as a means to directly assess a student’s actual capabilities and the authenticity of their research activities has grown significantly. In response to these shifts, this two-day youth research conference will be newly revamped and operated under an updated format this year.

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■ Hosted/Organized by: HOBY Korea

■ Supported by: Education Association for Software Empowerment (EASE), HOBY Foundation, Green Environment Practice Headquarters, International Young Scholars

■ Dates: September 20–21, 2025 (KST)

 

■ Application Deadline: September 1 (KST)

■ Award Announcement: October 10, 2025 (KST)

 ■ Publication in Knowledge to Lead Volume 6 (HOBY Korea Official Journal): October 20, 2025 (KST) 

 ■ Submission Deadline for HOBY Korea Open Access Journal Volume 1: October 11, 2025 ( Expected Publication: December, 2025)

 

■ Venue:  ZOOM Events platform

■ Eligibility: Middle and high school students (all tracks) and college freshmen and sophomores (presentation track only), regardless of nationality

 

■ Special Lecturers and Evaluators:

• Associate Professor, the University of Pennsylvania
• Professor, Brown University
• Associate professor, Cornell University
• Assistant Professor, Nanyang Technology University Singapore (MS, PhD from Columbia University)
• Medical Advisor, University of Pennsylvania
• PhD Candidates, Stanford University

■ Tracks: 
- Presentation Track 
- Research Performance Track 
- Capstone Track in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Inquiry

 

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■ Track Details - Presentation Track 

 

Eligilibity : Middle and high school students, or college freshmen and sophomores with sufficient English proficiency who have completed a full paper or research proposal in English

Activities : 

Through paper presentation and interview-based evaluation, the authenticity and credibility of your paper are strengthened. It is critically important to verify whether you truly wrote the paper and how deeply you understand the subject.

• Presentation of full paper or research proposal: Max. 10 min per person
• Judging Q&A : Max. 10 min per person

 

Accepted research types: Submit your research using the official conference format.

• Original Paper – Your (or your team’s) own data, experiment, or analysis
• Review Paper – Summary of existing studies
• IB EE / IA / TOK – Research from your IB classes
• AP Capstone / Honors Paper – Advanced U.S. high school research projects
• Research Proposal – Your future research plan
• School Projects – Class assignments with research or research-based club activities
• Internship Report – Reflections from research experiences

 

Schedule (KST): The presentation order will be announced to participants after the final deadline. (Each participant is to attend at their assigned time.)

**Each participant will be assigned a session based on their local time zone. You are only expected to attend your assigned session. **

• Day 1 : 10:00 - 12:00  STEM Session | Social Sciences Session
• Day 1:  12:30 - 13:50  STEM Session | Social Sciences Session
• Day 2:  10:00 - 12:00  STEM Session | Social Sciences Session
• Day 2:  12:30 - 13:50  STEM Session | Social Sciences Session

 

Awards :

• Professor’s Award - 1st
• Professor’s Award - 2nd
• Professor’s Award - 3rd
• Organizing Committee Award
• HOBY Foundation Award
• HOBY Korea Award

 

Benefits :

• Certificate of participation
• Certificate of recognition signed by a professor
• Publication opportunity in Knowledge to Lead Journal, Volume 6, for all participants
• Submission opportunity to Open Access Journal, Volume 1, for awardees
• Official edited video of individual presentation and interview (for personal archive)
• Professor’s evaluation feedback

 

Evaluation Criteria :

• Evaluation of Full PaperEvaluation of Full Paper or Research Proposal or Research Proposal (45)
• Presentation and Interview Evaluation (35)
• Potential for Development (20)

 

Participation Fee : $650

How to Apply : 

1. Submit On-line Application <- Click
2. After your paper is reviewed for quality, plagiarism, and AI usage, you will be informed of your acceptance status.
3. Upon acceptance, pay the participation fee.

• Forms:
  • Full Paper <- Click
  • Research Proposal <- Click

 

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■ Track Details - Research Performance Track

 Data Analysis is the core research skill valued by our Ivy League faculty and TAs. Launch your research journey by mastering data analysis in the Research Performance Track.

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Eligibility : Any middle or high school student proficient in English

Activities : 

With HOBY’s prestige and HOBY Korea’s seven years of proven expertise in youth research and evaluation, this track lets you showcase research potential trusted by top universities.

 

SOCIAL SCIENCES: Data analysis goes beyond simple numerical calculations and begins with a precise understanding of the meaning embedded in the data. One of the common challenges students face in the research process is starting their analysis without a sufficient understanding of the dataset itself. Without carefully reviewing documentation or codebooks in the data repository, students may encounter issues such as failing to download the data correctly or misinterpreting variables, which can lead to errors in analysis. Students participating in the Social Sciences track will learn and practice data exploration to address these issues and build essential core competencies for conducting sound and meaningful research in social sciences. 

 

STEM: In the STEM track, participants learn to analyze specific datasets using cutting-edge AI tools such as ChatGPT. Rather than simply entering commands, they engage in hands-on practice to interpret and verify AI-generated results and apply them to their research objectives. Faculty at leading STEM universities, including those in the Ivy League, now actively encourage AI integration and regard the ability to effectively combine AI with research and learning as a critical academic competency. This track is designed to align with these evolving standards, equipping participants with both practical data analysis skills and the critical thinking abilities essential for success in the AI era.

 

• Lecture: 1 hour of real-time lecture by a professor from an Ivy League college and release of the research prompt
• PhD Mentoring: Research design & data
• Practice: Research execution & data analysis with curated data set and resources / Report Writing
• Evaluation: Presentation and Interview

 

Schedule (KST): Participants will be assigned to either the STEM or Social Sciences track, depending on their selection on the application form.

• Day 1 : Lecture  09:00 – 10:00
• Day 1: PhD Mentoring 10:00 - 13:00
• Day 2: Practice 1.  08:30 - 10:00 
• Day 2: Practice 2. 10:00 - 11:20
• Day 2: Presentation and Interview 11:30 - 13:00

 

Awards :

• Professor’s Award - 1st
• Professor’s Award - 2nd
• Professor’s Award - 3rd
• Organizing Committee Award
• HOBY Korea Award

 

Benefits :

• Certificate of participation
• Certificate of recognition signed by a professor
• Professor’s evaluation feedback
• Publication opportunity in Knowledge to Lead Journal, Volume 6, for awardees

 

Evaluation Criteria :

• Research Design and Execution (40)
• Research Report Writing (30)
• Presentation and Q&A (20)
• Potential for Development (10)

 

Participation Fee : $520

How to Apply : 

1. Submit On-line Application <- Click
2. After your application is processed, you will receive confirmation of your participation.
3. Once confirmed, pay the participation fee.

 

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■ Track Details - Capstone Track in Interdisciplinary Qualitative Inquiry

 

Eligibility : Any middle or high school student proficient in English (Regardless of intended major or field of interest)

Activities : 

• 7-Hour Intensive Workshop: 4 hours of Ivy League Professor’s real-time lecture, 3 hours of undergraduate-level mentoring sessions
• Hands-On Research Focus: Participants will design practical research methodologies addressing real-world diplomatic challenges connected to the countries participating in HOBY Korea's Global Youth Goodwill Ambassadors  for Foreign Embassies in the Republic of Korea such as Bangladesh, Slovenia, Ecuador, Qatar, Kenya, and the Czech Republic.
• Evaluation: Participants will present their research design directly to the professor, followed by in-depth feedback, Q&A, and academic discussion.
• Extended Research Opportunity (Optional): Diplomacy Meets Discovery: Undergraduate-Level Independent Study (6 month program)

Schedule (KST): 

• Day 1: 08:30 - 10:20 Professor Lecture - Foundations of Qualitative Research in Global Contexts
• Day 1: 10:30 - 12:30  Mentoring Workshop 1 (by PhD) - Qualitative Research Method Design
• Day 2: 09:00 - 10:00  Mentoring Workshop 2 (by PhD) - Draft Review
• Day 2: 10:00 - 12:00 Professor Lecture -Presentation and Research Proposal for Future Research Opportunities 

Awards :

• Professor’s Award - 1st
• Professor’s Award - 2nd
• Professor’s Award - 3rd
• Professor’s Award - 4th
• Professor’s Award - 5th

Benefits :

• Certificate of participation
• Certificate of recognition signed by a professor
• Professor’s evaluation feedback
• Published in Issue No. 14 of the WORLD, the official youth public diplomacy magazine of HOBY Korea - featured in the Special Section and distributed to participating embassies

Evaluation Criteria :

• Research Design (45)
• Presentation and Q&A (35)
• Potential for Development (20)

Participation Fee : $1,200

How to Apply : 

1. Submit On-line Application <- Click
2. After your application is processed, you will receive confirmation of your participation.
3. Once confirmed, pay the participation fee.

 

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* Detailed information will be provided through the participant guide.

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• This competition utilizes Turnitin, a program widely used by prestigious educational institutions around the world, including Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Yale, as well as MIT, Stanford, and Seoul National University, to detect plagiarism (content similarity).
• Please note that using AI tools such as ChatGPT will also be subject to checks.