The Institute of Natural Science (INS) of the College of Natural Sciences of Yonsei University was established in 1965, the year of the 50th anniversary of the College and of the 80th anniversary of the University. The founding purpose of the INS was to promote prosperous research in the fields of pure and applied natural sciences. The establishment of the INS was motivated by the responsibility of the College of Natural Sciences to act as a leading educational and research institution in Korea, contributing to the advancement of the basic sciences and to industrial development. Currently, the INS comprises six branch institutions in the following fields: mathematics, physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy and space sciences, and atmospheric sciences. The institute will continue to promote the research activities of professors, research staffs, and graduate students of the College of Natural Sciences.

The Institute of Mathematical Sciences was established for the development of mathematical applications and industrial mathematics. Its major research areas include machine learning, fluid mechanics, numerical computation, and experimental mathematics for medical science. There are 12 faculty members, 12 post-doctors and 60 graduate students. Its main activities include the publications of research articles, the resolution and offer of consulting help for industrial problems, and the education of professional researchers.

Physics is a branch of natural science in which an incredibly wide variety of phenomena emerging from the interaction of the spacetime, the force fields, and the matter are studied. The domain of physics research spans from the smallest objects such as quarks, the basic constituents of matter, to atoms and molecules, and condensed matter such as solids, to the largest object in existence, our Universe itself, all of which are ultimately to be understood within a unified framework of fundamental principles. The discoveries and knowledge acquired through the quest of the physicists have left everlasting imprints on the monumental intellectual achievements of mankind, and at the same time brought the unprecedented level of prosperity to our modern civilization. The Department of Physics at Yonsei University, established in 1915 as the first of its kind in Korea, has devoted itself to pioneering research and educating generations of bright, young physicists who have contributed enormously to the development of a modern Korea over the last century.

Chemistry is a discipline in physical sciences that strives to understand the structure, composition, properties, and change of matter at the molecular level. Chemistry is often referred to as “the central science” because of its role in bridging all fields of natural sciences. The scope of study in chemistry is vast, spanning from atoms to advanced living beings. The department of chemistry at Yonsei University is devoted to the education of a new generation of chemists, innovators, and leaders. The department began its educational mission in 1917 as the first dedicated chemistry department in Korea. Throughout its rich history, the department built its reputation for conducting world-class research and upbringing qualified graduates that have contributed to academia and industry.

Global climate change and the industrialization of our society have caused fast changes to our planet's environment, impacting human lives by promoting various disasters and their associated risks. The Earth System Science Research Center (ESRC) seeks to contribute to the sustainable development of our society through (1) the scientific identification of mechanisms for natural and anthropogenic disasters, and (2) the suggestion of systematic management and mitigation measures. To this end, the faculties of the Department of Earth System Sciences and the researchers of the ESRC work together on diverse basic and interdisciplinary research, and in the training of post-graduate students and in the construction of international expert networks to lead the scientific research in Earth System Sciences.

Today (at the beginning of the 21st century), mankind is finally able to explain the development of the Universe as part of the big bang paradigm. Our next aim is to understand the origin of stars, galaxies, planets, and life within this paradigm. Therefore, countries worldwide are now investing more time and resources in astronomy and in the space sciences than ever before. Along with the US and Austrailia, Korea is actively involved in the Great Magellan Telescope Project, which aims to build the largest telescope to date by 2020. The great observatories of JWST, TMT, ALMA, SKA, etc. are also under construction: thus, we are living in a time of astronomical “big bang” expansion! In addition, research on the manufacturing, maintenance, and applications of satellites is a current and future focus. We are actively engaged in education and research in the fields of galaxy formation and evolution, stellar evolution and population, astronomical optics, and satellite sciences. These activities are undertaken in a timely and necessary fashion, with the constructive support of large government projects such as BK21Plus and SRC.

One of the major concerns of the 21st century is the global environment. At the core of this concern are global warming and climate change, weather phenomena, ozone depletion, acid rain, and desertification. As global societies are recognizing the seriousness of the impact of these global environmental problems on earthly life (including humankind), the leaders of each country are now prioritizing the preservation and improvement of the global environment and pursuing a systematic collaborative effort. International cooperation for the provision of global environmental data is being organized. The Institute of Global Environment Institute was established by Yonsei University professors to perform systematic research and to solve of global environmental problems through interdisciplinary research based on the natural sciences.