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#6 Min-Koo Han from KAST Vice President Min-Koo Han of the research department is taking responsibility for the research department of SUNY Korea. Since 2015, he has been strengthening the foundation for the growth of research activities in SUNY Korea. 2018 February, Vice President Han was appointed as the ninth President of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST). We had an interview with Vice President Min-Koo Han who has been leading the SUNY Korea’s research department for 4 years, and who is going to guide the Korean Science and Technology, KSAT. Congratulations on the appointment of the ninth president of KAST. What does KAST do? Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) is called ‘National Academy’ in the United States. There are several fields of Science (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Natural Science, Engineering, Medical Science) and a few fields of Humanities and Social Science. It is called ‘The Royal Society’ in the United Kingdom. ‘Royal’ doesn’t mean the royal family but the nation. KAST in Korean implies the meaning of academy. KAST specifically focuses on the fields of natural science, engineering, medical science, and agricultural science. The total number of KAST members is under 500 in Korea and about 2,500 in the U.S. For the members at the age of 70, they are called ‘honorary member’ in the U.S. and ‘lifelong learner’ in Korea. For the new members to enter the community, the regular members retire at the age of 70, exceptionally the president can last until 73. KAST is, in other words, a group of scholars. As the number of members is very few, it’s a small meeting for professors and researchers who are very well-known and had gone through many studies in the field of natural science, engineering, medical science, and agricultural science. KAST is quite new to people. What is the main role of KAST in Korea? KAST gathers many experts and researchers of each field, and therefore, the government discusses science policies in Korea with us. Furthermore, KAST introduces Korean science technology to the nations abroad by inviting experts from foreign countries and Nobel prize winners to make international interchange. KAST also holds international events to strengthen the national science research department and gives special lectures to high school and college students with many experienced KAST members so that students can build their dreams. What does it mean to become the ninth President of KAST in Korea? KAST is where the best experts gather. I believe the true owner of KAST is the members, not myself. In order to discover ideas of these world’s greatest scholars, servant leadership is essential. Most of the members study deep into their subjects. I think we should introduce their valuable ideas to the public and serve our society. How are the members of KAST selected? Each of the fields has its own committee. For example, natural science is divided into physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, and members are selected among these. In the inauguration ceremony, you mentioned that Korea is getting very close to winning the Nobel prize. I think Korea is just about to win the Nobel prize within the next decade. Nobel prize is achieved mostly by the international agreement, not by the individuals, so informing Korea’s current research status internationally is important. Thus, it is a really tough task. Not only for the Nobel prize, but many international events should be organized to raise the level status of Korean science technology. For instance, regarding the recent climate and weather problems, it is important to find the issues directly related to the real world, whether there is any academically remarkable solution, or what is the social responsibilities of technologists. Therefore, many outstanding people in the field of science technology are invited to international conferences to solve these problems. Korea should consider more about making more investments for Korea’s top science technologists to make the basic studies. Nowadays, the number of students majoring in engineering decreases while the numbers and qualities of engineering students should increase. Experts in the fields worry about what we should do in the current condition. What is your future plan and goal as the ninth President of KAST? My Goal is to gather opinions from a large number of science technologists, suggest necessary policies to the government, and provide more various channels of voluntary services. Also, I want to help the Korean scientists to become more well-known by making more interactions with many internationally experienced scientists. Although Korean science technology has a slightly short history compared to America or Europe, we have been presenting numerous research papers. However, we don’t have corresponding chances to take significant roles internationally. I expect the KAST can be the bridge for the Korean scientists to be respected in international stages. It is important to push ahead for the interactions with experts in abroad, but I consider the recommendation of the policies for the Korean government and volunteer works are far more important. You studied electrical engineering in the past. Please tell us more about your research in that field. I studied the display engineering like the OLED, LCD, that is shown on TV monitors. Among the various minors of electronic engineering, I studied for the semiconductors and display. The core elements of the display in detail. You only went through the whole life as a researcher, do you have any interest in any different fields? There were only a few Korean industries in the 1970s. So, most people tended to study abroad. I graduated the Seoul National University and received a Ph.D. at the Johns Hopkins University. In order to build experience, I worked as an electrical engineering professor in SUNY Buffalo for 5 years, and finally carried on my career as a professor of the engineering college in Seoul National University for about 30 years. How did you come to SUNY Korea after working in the Seoul National University for 30 years? In 2013, I retired from the Seoul National University and contemporary worked as a professor in Kyeong Hee University. Then I was asked for the favor of President ChoonHo Kim to take the ‘Director of Research’ position at SUNY Korea. From 2015, You have been in the SUNY Korea for 4 years, what can be the most remarkable difference? The number of faculty increased extremely as well as students and staffs. And the scale and quality of research projects showed the most distinction. What should be done to promote the research activities at SUNY Korea? It seems you have a big picture. Research cannot be done in a blink. It needs a long time like a tree to be fully bloomed. As time passes, more graduate students and more experienced professors will help with the projects and it will be followed by outstanding results. SUNY Korea has developed in a short period, but it is still waiting to be more developed. The bigger pool of talent must be created. Just as figure-skating develops as having more colleagues, science field also needs many colleagues to compete with one another to help to grow. Computer Science is the core of the 4th industrial revolution, therefore it will grow more than we expect. Maybe more important than electrical engineering. Computer science is significantly showing up their importance. I have greater expectations since we have experienced professors and provost, Dr. Arthur Lee, for instance, teaching at SUNY Korea. What do you want to say to the junior researchers and students? I want to remind them of how the world keeps changing. For the next 5 years, we have to keep up on our studies in order to follow and predict the future. Faculties should always think about their positions in the future and what they would like to do. Korean Constitution Day (Je-Hun Jul) is a day commemorating the establishment of National constitution. The name 한민구 stands for the national constitution day. We expect him to stretch out his Savant Leadership for the development of Korean science and technology, and to build up the foundation of SUNY Korea research field.
2019.04.10 Hits 1555
#5 Seung Yeon from Korea “I know that right at the moment, things at school could be seen as a waste of time or not the best way to spend your time, but I can guarantee that it will become a very big asset in the future.” Seung Yeon Lee, who graduated in 2017 Fall with a major in Technological Systems Management, always loved to learn and study. Right after graduation, she began a new journey as a graduate student at Seoul National University continuing her study in the field of Technology Management, Economy, and Policy. Seung Yeon said she would like to proceed with her studies into the Ph.D. program after completing her Master’s. And her ultimate goal is to become a professor or researcher. She also added that if she gets a chance, she would like to come back to SUNY Korea and teach as an alumna. Hi, my name is Seung Yeon Lee, and I graduated in 2017 Fall. I majored in Technological Systems Management with a specialization in ICT. What do you do now? I’m currently enrolling in Seoul National University’s master’s program called ‘Technology Management, Economy, and Policy Program.’ It’s a very similar subject to Technological Systems Management, but we more specialized in the economics and policy area, along with the management of technology. How did SUNY Korea help you? SUNY Korea helped me in three ways. Number one is the lecture. Number two is all the programs, career programs. And number three are professors that helped me through. As I said before, classes are what kind of drove me to find my real interest area and find what I was really passionate about. While more career programs are really led me to finding what I actually have to do in order to achieve my dream. And professors became very good mentors in looking at my interest areas and suggesting new ideas for research. They also listened very attentively to all my concerns and my questions. That was a very big part of SUNY Korea that kind of lead me to find my passion. Comments for other students First of all, you need to make sure that you are taking full advantage of the school because that’s sort of how I created my passion and I decided on what path I should take in the future. I know that right at the moment, it can be seen as a waste of time or not the best way to spend your time, but I can guarantee that it will become a very big asset in the future. So, if there’s anyone who is a little bit afraid of the fact that you are from a very small or new community, don’t be afraid and try to show what you have achieved in that community because that’s what matters. What is your future plan? I’m planning on successfully completing my master’s program and proceeding into Ph.D. as well. I ultimately want to become a researcher or professor in this field and continue studying and researching the topics that are relevant to the world. SUNY Korea is… I wrote ‘SUNY Korea is a platform to build your potential on’ because to me SUNY Korea is where I could experiment with my abilities, my talents, and my potential and create what is really me. So, SUNY Korea is ‘SUNY Korea is a platform to build your potential on’ To watch the interview, CLICK HERE
2018.04.03 Hits 1189
#1 Charis from Ghana Charis Asante-Agyei, Class of 2017, majoring in Technological Systems Management, is a proud alumnus of SUNY Korea. He flew all the way from Ghana with his dream to give back to his people what he learned in Korea. During his junior year, Charis and his friends from SUNY Korea went on the "African Mission 2016" to Burkina Faso. They planned and organized Science Camp with various fun activities for the children of Burkina Faso. During the camp, Charis said to the kids who were looking at him with such shining eyes: "I have a lot of dreams. One of my dreams came true today, and my dream was to give you guys hope… I want you to know that you can do anything you want to do, and then my dream will come true. So, help me make my dream come true." With his dream of going back to his country and give value to the people, Charis began his graduate school at SUNY Korea after his graduation. Charis, who always puts his heart to his own country, became the first interviewee for SUNY Korea's Alumni series, History Makers. My name is Charis Asante-Agyei. I'm from Ghana, and I am a graduate of SUNY Korea. Why did you choose to come to SUNY Korea? We got to know SUNY Korea through the Korean Embassy and KOTRA which is the trade association arm of the Korean Government. And my head master suggested that I apply. How was your life in Korea in the beginning? It took just a little getting used to. Food, Transportation, communication… As soon as I got used to those things, it became really convenient, really comfortable, really enjoyable too. What do you do now? I have an internship with a construction equipment manufacturing company, and I'm in the R&D department, which is research and development. So, we are working on new projects that they plan to roll out. What's your favorite time of work? Lunch breaks, where, with my team members we go out, just take a walk, release some stress, and get to know each other better. How did your major help you? Research and Development has a lot to do with understanding humanities; so, economics, marketing, and also it has to do with the understanding technological side of things. And TSM (Technological Systems Management) is sort of a merger of the two. So, I had a unique advantage. How did SUNY Korea affect your life? In my team, I am the only foreigner; I'm the only international person… But because of my ability to interact with people, they also value that, so they actually want to have people with a global mindset, so to speak. So… And SUNY Korea is really, really instrumental in equipping students with that mindset. Did you achieve the goal you had before graduation? I had about three, and this is one of them. So, in a way yes. After this internship, I'll be beginning graduate school, continuing in a sense. That's another plan. Long term, I want to go back to Ghana, where I'm from and give value to the people. In the past 40-50 years, Korea was beginning to pick up the pace, that is where I think Ghana is right now. So many of the things that Korea has put in place, we can also sort of copy and adjust to suit our own situation. So that's what I want to do. SUNY Korea is … SUNY Korea is a [bright light]. After coming to SUNY Korea, you begin to see things that you couldn't see before. You begin to see things about yourself that you didn't know before. And I used light, not just for direction, but also because it shows you what to do. A lot more than this… But I think this also captures a really huge component of SUNY Korea. So, SUNY Korea is a [bright light]. To watch the interview, CLICK HERE
2018.03.13 Hits 1356
#2 MinJoon from Korea “My name is MinJoon Kim; I’m one of the first graduates of SUNY Korea… At SUNY Korea, I was able to learn how to embrace the differences through my friends from all over the world.” MinJoon Kim, Class of 2016, majoring in Technological Systems Management, is one of the first graduates of SUNY Korea. Right after graduation, he moved on to the next chapter of his life: career, marriage, and family. Now he works at Korean Air, representing SUNY Korea’s global mindset to the passengers from all over the world. MinJoon said that a mentor that he met from SUNY Korea positively influenced him and helped him to plan out his future. He excitingly said that someday he also wants to become a mentor for someone else. Living the life of a professional with global manners, MinJoon shared his story as the second interviewee for SUNY Korea’s Alumni series, History Makers. My name is MinJoon Kim; I’m one of the first graduates of SUNY Korea. One thing special about my university experience is that I met my wife at SUNY Korea. Why did you choose SUNY Korea? The reason why I chose this college is that it would be beneficial for me to study in Korea where family and friends are around me but take classes in English at the same time. How was your university experience? Overall, it was great and fantastic. I met great friends who came from other countries. By having daily casual conversations with my friends from all over the world, I was able to learn how to embrace the differences. What do you do now? I work as a gate agent of Departure & Arrival team of Korean Air. I have to make sure that the flight departs at the right time and the passengers board on the right flight. I’m also studying visa and passport regulations of other nations to provide better quality service to Korean Air passengers. How did SUNY Korea help? When I was doing the job interview with Korean Air, they were looking for someone with a global manner, which I’ve learned from SUNY Korea. That’s how SUNY Korea helped me to work in this field. What is your life goal? One of the school counselors at SUNY Korea introduced me to a mentor. And through many talks I had with my mentor, he positively influenced me. So, someday I also want to become a mentor and influence other students. And of course, on top of that, I want to become a sweet husband and a father in a family. SUNY Korea is… I wrote SUNY Korea is a [paradise for dreamers.] I believe, when you come to a university, you enter with a specific dream in your mind. Even if it’s not a dream, it’s okay. You still have something that you want to do in the university, right? SUNY Korea offers a lot of opportunities and chances. So, don’t be afraid, put yourself out there, and never settle for less. That’s why I wrote SUNY Korea is a [Paradise for dreamers].
2018.03.13 Hits 1253
#3 Sanju from Sri Lanka "Four years ago, I came to Korea without knowing anyone, as a stranger. But through those years, I met so many great friends whom I share precious memories… they became my family." Sanju Rukshan, Class of 2017, graduated from the Technological Systems Management program at SUNY Korea. Sanju said he would have never experienced the things he had if he didn't come to SUNY Korea. After the graduation, Sanju started working at an IT company as an engineer, and he built an excellent reputation for being hard-working, responsible and considerate. Sanju, who valued cultural experiences, music, nature, friends, and family, became the third interviewee for SUNY Korea's Alumni series, History Makers. My name is Sanju Rukshan, I come from Sri Lanka, and I'm a proud graduate of SUNY Korea. What do you do now? Currently, I work at a software development company called "Monitoring 6", as a software engineer. We offer a wide spectrum of services, from embedded systems, IoT devices to Cloud monitoring systems. And we are a sister company of SUDO Premium Engineering. How did SUNY Korea help you with the work you do now? Yes. SUNY Korea helped me a lot in what I am doing right now. Especially, it helped me to find my passion. For example, for the Year-End project at SUNY Korea, I selected to develop a Vertical Garden in Lead-Lab. Through that, I started going more into the IoT technology, and I got to know and become familiar with the software development side of it. SUNY Korea taught me how to be a fighter, to work hard at something, to be patient, and also to be persistent. What would have happened if you didn't come to SUNY Korea? I would have never had such a global experience in doing various kinds of activities. I did volunteer activities, played basketball, and also got to know different languages as well… I became better at Korean and English. Comments for university students who are preparing for a career Make most out of it. Part of me thinks that I should have done more things during my university years. Now, because I'm a worker, I have to go to work every day. I cannot skip work. So, enjoy, as well as make many friends and participate in many activities, not only studies. Participating in different activities will give you an idea of how other things will work. And, be good at study. Putting on efforts are important as well. SUNY Korea is… One Word? Hmm… I wrote SUNY Korea is [family]. Because four years ago, I came to Korea without knowing anyone, as a stranger. But throughout these four years, I met so many friends, whom I shared so many precious moments, and they became brothers and sisters to me. And I met some professors whom I learned a lot from, and they also became my parents. I think SUNY Korea is like a big and high functioning community, which I always feel like I will belong. So, SUNY Korea is [family]. To watch the interview, CLICK HERE
2018.03.13 Hits 1296
#4 Vasundhara from India “The problems confronting the humankind are so complex and sometimes scary… and we, as young graduates, don’t know how to start or what to do about it. My goal is to keep taking positive actions and some steps in the direction I believe to be right and to not give in to the negativity.” Vasundhara Dehiya graduated from SUNY Korea with a master’s degree in Computer Science.After the graduation, she started working at a startup company called ‘Who’s Good’ as a data analyst. Vasundhara said her goal is to contribute to the betterment of society and that she wants to always take steps towards in making positive actions. Vasundhara, who is always taking a foot step forward to make this world a better place, became the fourth interviewee for SUNY Korea’s Alumni interview series, History Makers. I’m Vasundhara Dehiya, and I’m from India. I am a Seawolf and a History Maker, and I graduated from SUNY Korea with my master’s in Computer Science. Before that, I did my bachelor’s in Electronics Engineering from New Delhi, India. How did you find out about SUNY Korea? I met SUNY Korea’s Ambassadors when they were visiting India, and they introduced me to SUNY Korea. I was lucky enough to find really amazing professors in the CS department. I met an extremely talented group of professors who were even more passionate about research than me. I learned from them, I learned with them, and I credit them for my success now. What do you do now? I work as a data analyst at a startup company called ‘Who’s Good.’ We provide ESG based corporate risk analysis using AI (Artificial Intelligence). Our goal is to support sustainable business practices to improve our world. My role is to develop the algorithms and AI tools to achieve this goal. What is your future goal? My future and also current goal is to always contribute to make the world a better place. If you think about today’s world, the problems facing humankind are so complex and sometimes even scary. And we, as young graduates don’t really know how to start or what to do about it. So, my goal is to keep taking positive actions and some steps in this direction and to not give in to the negativity. How did SUNY Korea help you to be who you are now? SUNY Korea provided me an ideal balance between mentorship and freedom. Mentors I met at SUNY Korea enabled me to find my passion in life and led me to identify my true self both personally and professionally. Suggestions for students My only suggestion would be that you should dare to believe in your dream. You may fail, it may seem hard at times, but someday it will all come together. So, you shouldn’t be afraid. SUNY Korea is … SUNY Korea, to me, is [Freedom]. Freedom from self-doubt, freedom to believe, freedom to not give up and keep persevering. So, SUNY Korea is [freedom]. To watch the interview, CLICK HERE
2018.03.13 Hits 1216