Stony Brook University SUNY Korea

  Eight SUNY Korea students have been appointed as Student Ambassadors for academic year Fall 2023 to Spring 2024: Eunbin Cho (AMS), Hyeseo Hong (AMS), Diego Alejandro Alvarez Gonzalez (ME), Gibson Katuma (ME), Sepehr Soheili Najafabadi (TSM), Sieun Park (CS), Yoonji Min (FBM), and Jennifer Christiana (FBM). These students were appointed on Wednesday, October 25th to become the representatives of SUNY Korea (Stony Brook University and Fashion Institute of Technology). At the ceremony, President Arthur H. Lee gave a congratulatory speech: “Thank you all for being a member and representative of SUNY Korea. Now you as the student ambassador of SUNY Korea will be representing SUNY Korea. Every action and decision you will make will give a great impact to those around you. And you were selected because we believe you are capable in what you do. Therefore, make a decision with the best knowledge you have about SUNY Korea.”     [SUNY Korea’s 8 New Student Ambassadors] Eunbin (Elisa) Cho - South Korea Applied Mathematics and Statistics, joined Spring 2023   I'm still exploring what kind of career I want, but for my immediate plan, I am going to pursue my master's degree. Being a proactive and welcoming representative is a role I am committed to fulfilling. As a Korean who has lived most of her life outside of Korea, I want to be a voice of the students who have similar experiences to mine because I know how it feels to be out of place when you are expected to not feel such a way.                     Hyeseo Hong – South Korea Applied Mathematics and Statistics, joined Spring 2021 I aspire to be a supportive and compassionate individual who strives to make a positive impact around the world. As a student ambassador, I will do my best to represent the great people of SUNY Korea and its unique, yet global learning experience to become the history makers who change the world.             Diego Alejandro Alvarez Gonzalez - Venezuela Mechanical Engineering, joined Fall 2020 As an ambassador I wish to let others know of how welcoming of a place our university is and how they can find friends in every corner. My future goals are broad, only entailing to give back to my friends and family who got me this far.                   Gibson Katuma - Tanzania Mechanical Engineering, joined Fall 2021 Despite my fear of flying, I’m deeply passionate about aeronautics and aspire to uncover its technological wonders. As a SUNY Korea student ambassador, I am looking forward to representing my fellow students and the university in general, and also communicating our vision and mission to prospective students looking to join us as history makers, parents, and anyone curious about what we stand for.                   Sepehr Soheili – Iran Technology and Society, joined Spring 2023 I decided to join the TSM major due my interest in societies’ dependency on technological advancements and how they are shaping the world. With technology constantly growing and humanity entering this new era, I want to effectively be part of this immense change. As a student ambassador I hope to bring more joy to SUNY Korea and add to it values in any way I can.                 Sieun Park – South Korea Computer Science, joined Spring 2021 I love seeing how technology shapes our lives, such as artificial intelligence transforming industries and improving human lives. I would like to develop AI solutions and contribute to the latest advancements in the field. As a student ambassador, I aim to set an example both academically and socially. I would also like to show the image of the school as a foundation for everyone to fit in and fulfil their needs and dreams.                Yoonji Min - South Korea Fashion Business Management, joined Fall 2022 My passion for Korean traditional clothing, hanbok, led me to study at FIT, SUNY Korea. In addition to my studies at FIT in Fashion Business Management, I look forward to finding my career and pursuing my future goals through the learning opportunities in upcoming seasons. As SUNY Korea's student ambassador, it is a pleasure to communicate with students, parents, and faculty members. In addition to attracting and introducing new students to our campus, I will encourage undergraduates to keep up their passion and to be proud students of our school.                  Jennifer Christiana – Indonesia Fashion Business Management, joined Fall 2022 I have always known that fashion is the industry I want to do, and with FIT's experiential education, I am able to enjoy various opportunities while expressing my passion in fashion. As a SUNY Korea student ambassador, I will continue to set a high standard within the student body, and to drive others to be passionate and hard-working.

  Business Management Department Professor In-Ki Joo was selected as an inductee into the Korea Accounting Hall of Fame for 2023. The Accounting Hall of Fames seeks to recognize outstanding accountants who have made significant contributions to improving Korea’s accounting industry and the country’s economic development. On October 31, 2023, Professor Joo was officially inducted into the 2023 Accounting Hall of Fame during the induction ceremony. Professor Joo has contributed significantly to the development of modern accounting. He achieved this through numerous published lectures and books related to various fields in accounting. Beyond his academic contributions, he played a pivotal role in the development of the public sector of accounting as an accounting and tax advisor, and engaged in various committees within the accounting field. He has also enhanced the status of the Korean Certified Public Accountants globally by representing Korea in the International Accounting Standards Commission (IASC) in 1987, where he actively advocated Korea’s situation during the development of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). In addition, he served as the president of the Confederation of Asian and Pacific Accountants (CAPA) from 2009 to 2011. His leadership also extended to becoming the first Korean president of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) from 2018 to 2020. During his stewardship of these international global organizations, he opened doors for South Korea to participate in various international accounting organizations, solidifying his legacy as a global accounting figure. Professor In-Ki Joo is a leading professor in Business Management at SUNY Korea, Stony Brook University. He earned his B.A. degree from Yonsei University, an MBA from Seoul National University and New York University, and a Ph.D. from New York University.   http://www.kahof.org/contents/bbspage/xbd/board.php?bo_table=m4_db1&wr_id=26  

  Haeun Choi (Fashion Business Management, Class of 2020), CEO of GREENEST, a sustainable fashion brand, shared her insights on starting your own business at the “FIT Alumni Talk: My Fashion Startup Story” event held on Wednesday, October 25th, organized by the SUNY Korea Career Development Center. Haeun Choi joined SUNY Korea in 2018 and earned her Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Fashion Business Management. She then continued her studies at FIT, New York to achieve her B.A. degree. Right after graduating from college she embarked on launching her own brand, GREENEST. GREENEST stands as a fashion brand that promotes responsible and refined fashion while aiming to make sustainable fashion more widely accessible. At the event, Choi openly shared her personal experience of launching her own business, highlighting the challenges she encountered, and how she could overcome them. Also, she shared her experience here at SUNY Korea-FIT and emphasized the strong reputation that FIT has. She explained that the courses taught here prepared her in various ways for the fashion industry. Additionally, she pointed out her unwavering commitment to pursuing her passion in fashion and how this dedication ultimately enabled her to start her own business.

The SUNY Korea Museum of Modern Costume has opened a new “short-term” exhibition titled “Chic & Chill: Winter Garments with a Twist.” The exhibition features the extraordinary winter fashion creations of the renowned designer, Kim Dong Soon. This exhibit provides a glimpse into the meticulous artistry and craftsmanship behind each of Kim Dong Soon’s pieces, elevating winter attire to wearable works of art. With a focus on carefully curated textures and innovative designs, the exhibition unravels the intriguing ideas and techniques of the designer. The exhibition will be available from October 23, 2023 through November 17, 2023. The exhibition will be open on weekdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and closed on holidays and weekends. Don’t miss out on visiting this museum and getting the opportunity to unravel innovative ideas and techniques in this limited-time exhibition.

    Professor Yoon Seok Yang from the Computer Science Department was a featured speaker at the Korea Times Forum: Survival and Growth Strategies in the AI Era, which took place on Wednesday, October 18th, at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul. Professor Yang took part in the initial panel discussion, which focused on the transformative influence of AI technology on human society and addressed the ethical concerns accompanying its advancement. Along with Professor Yang, Uhm Yul, Director General of the Artificial Intelligence Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, Chang Joong-ho, a professor at Seoul School of Integrated Sciences & Technologies (aSSIST), and Kim Myoung-shin, Principal Policy Officer at LG AI Research were also esteemed participants of the discussion panel.  Professor Yang highlighted: “I have worked in Silicon Valley for over ten years, and I was part of the AlphaGo developing team, and all developers say that the AI developing trend is so fast that even they don’t know how and when AI will become the dominant force in the future world.  AI innovation holds significant potential across diverse industries. Specifically, it plays a pivotal role in the medical industry, aiding the development of new drugs and medical treatments; contributes to risk assessment and investment analysis within the financial industry; and its language model technologies reshapes operations within the business sector. These advancements all influence our present way of life.   When considering the ethical factors, we cannot stop the growth in technological advancement; rather we need to focus on minimizing side effects through regulations. Emphasizing the risk factors is crucial when developing new technologies, and simultaneously, safeguarding personal information must be a paramount concern."   Professor Yoon Seok Yang is an assistant professor in the Computer Science department at SUNY Korea, Stony Brook University. Professor Yang completed his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Texas A&M University. Prior to his academic role, he contributed as a research scientist at the Neuromorphic Computing Lab at Intel Labs in California, and worked in Google as a silicon and research engineer in the Tensor Processing Unit.  To access more about forum click this LINK  

The Department of Technology and Society held a 3rd forum of “Annual Information and Communications Technologies for Development (ICT4D) Faculty Panel: The Enabling Possibilities of Digital Development” on October 16th, 2023. It was moderated by Dr. Anthony Pennings. Five speakers participated in this event: Dr. James Larson, Dr. Suzana Brown, Dr. Sira Maliphol, Dr. Gayoung Park, and Dr. Mark Whitaker . This forum was obviously a great opportunity for DTS students; however, it was also helpful to students from other departments. It was a chance to interact with a group of DTS professors who are experts in the ICT4D sector. A total of 70 students from various majors took advantage of the opportunity to participate in this forum. After Dr. Pennings’ introduction on the “3rd Annual ICT4D Faculty Panel: The Enabling Possibilities of Digital Development,” each professor provided a short introduction, and then spoke about their personal experiences, research interests, the agenda they have researched, a detailed explanation of the research, examples of student reports, and future research. One commonality amongst the professors is that each mentioned asking students to come up with an approach to technology issues focusing on development. Additionally, they stated that ESG and SDG frameworks are important. ESG refers to the non-financial elements of a company: environment, social, and governance. SDG is an abbreviation for Sustainable Development Goals, also known as Global Goals.  Written by Student Reporter, Hyeonha Hwang (hyeonha.hwang@stonybrook.edu)

  On October 15th, FIT students club named ‘DNC (Design for Neighbor and Community)’ was selected for the ‘Global Art Market,’ which is one of the 20th anniversary event of Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, IFEZA. In this event, they select a total of 20 teams to provide booths and an opportunity to sell their products related to the arts. The Global Art Market was held from 1 pm to 8 pm at the Central Park Grass Square behind the National Hangeul Museum. DNC club members created two logos: Miredosi (Future City) Songdo and Songdo Landmark with Hangeul. Miredosi (Future City) Songdo logo was designed with images that come to mind when the members think of Songdo International City. In Songdo, a beautiful sunset ends the day with a wonderful view of the buildings that couldn’t be found in other cities. Therefore, DNC designed the aspect of the sun filled with buildings, and the word future city, which can symbolize Songdo, was expressed by the syllable names in the music. A T-shirt with this Future City Songdo logo was shown in the opening video to commemorate the 20th-anniversary events of IFEZA. In addition, Jin-young Kim, the Director of IFEZA, also introduced this T-shirt to people by wearing it. Miredosi (Future City) Songdo Landmark Hangeul logo was inspired by the National Museum of World Writing Systems, which opened in Songdo this year. These Hangeul letters are designed with landmarks symbolizing Songdo. From the left, ‘ㅅ’ shows Posco Tower Songdo, ‘ㅗ’ shows Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, ‘ㅇ’ shows Incheon Global Campus, ‘ㄷ’ shows Posco and Booyong Songdo Tower, and lastly ‘ㅗ’ shows Incheon Bridge, which connects two IFEZ Smart Cities: Songdo and Yeongjongdo. Songdo Landmark Hangeul logo       Written by Student Reporter, Hyeonha Hwang (hyeonha.hwang@stonybrook.edu)

SUNY Korea’s new brain-inspired computing research lab has been established. Led by Professor Yoonseok Yang from the Computer Science department, the Brain-Inspired Computing Lab (BCL) focuses on developing new computing technologies inspired by the human brain.  Starting from the Fall 2023 semester, the lab has already attracted the attention and interest of several undergraduates and graduate students. Together with Professor Yang, they hope to foster an environment of creativity, experimentation, and new discoveries.  The BCL has joined the Intel Neuromorphic Research Community (INRC), a consortium of academic, government, and industry groups around the world that are working to advance neuromorphic computing. Professor Yang is a leading expert in Neuromorphic Computing. His research has focused on developing new hardware and software platforms that can mimic the way the brain processes information. The BCL's work is expected to make significant contributions to the field of neuromorphic computing and could lead to the development of new and powerful computing technologies. Lab link: https://sites.google.com/view/suny-bcl/home         

  The Fall 2023 Internship Panel, which took place this past Wednesday, ended successfully. Four notable students were able to share their experiences as interns at various companies to their fellow colleagues during this event. The four students were Eunbin Cho (AMS), Minjun Kim (CS), and Christian Choi (TSM) from Stony Brook University, and Jennifer Christiana (FBM) from Fashion Institute of Technology. In the first half of the event, the speakers shared their unique experiences and gave tips. In the second half, students had the opportunity to ask questions, allowing for an interactive discussion. This was a great opportunity to learn about internship programs and meet other students. Eunbin Cho did her internship at SeeAnn Solution, a software and 3D modeling manufacturing company. Minjun Kim, a Computer Science major, finished his internship at d2 Engineering (engineering company), THE COMPANY (software development company), SOOBAK (Fashion, textile, and other specialized industry), and To Be Done (language institute). Christian Choi, a TSM major, did his internship at Pala, a software development company, Jennifer Christiana, Fashion Business Management major, completed her internship at Gingerline Curated (thrift & consignment store), Lee Seung Jin Wedding (designer's brand), Voda (designer's brand), and by Sophie (fashion & beauty company). (From the left: Jennifer Christiana, Eunbin Cho, Christian Choi, and Minjun Kim)   Throughout each semester, the Career Development Center provides numerous sessions that help in the development of future careers. This fall semester, key events include: FIT Alumni Talk on October 25, IGC Career Workshop on November 1, the SBU Alumni Panel on November 11, and Career Talk to You on November 15.

  Computer Science major Sooa Kim won 1st place in the 2023 Jeju Digital Social Innovation Hackathon Competition. The Hackathon competition, hosted by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, was held on September 21st – 22nd. The theme of this year’s competition was proposing ideas for products or services that solve societal issues using digital technology. Sooa Kim came in first by proposing a customized power monitoring platform. “In Jeju, which has declared carbon neutrality since 2012 and is actively working to expand new and renewable energy sources, citizens can use the time-of-use electricity rate system that takes into consideration the characteristics of new and renewable energy. The time-of-use rate system is a shifting of electricity rates based on the season and time of day, and the ultimate goal is to match the supply curve of renewable energy and the demand curve for electricity. Accordingly, we proposed “Jirit” (찌릿, the sound of an electric shock), a customized power monitoring platform that encourages citizen participation by providing real-time monitoring of power usage and user-centered data analysis that induces demand response using incentives. Through this, we can expect economic benefits for electricity users and a carbon reduction effect through the time-based rate system. It was a meaningful time to address the shortcomings of the existing power analysis platform with technology optimized for Jeju Island's unique power system. I had the opportunity to receive feedback from professional mentors regarding the issues that needed improvement when the platform is put into use, and this led me to consider a more user-centered approach.

  This week on Wednesday, the Mechanical Engineering Department welcomed 44 undergraduate and 9 graduate students to the “ME Open Lab Day”. Both the undergraduate and graduate students had the opportunity to get an overview of the various research areas in the Mechanical Engineering Department, prepared by the great professors of the ME Department. During this event, students were able to learn about the MEIC Lab, System Integration Lab, Water Technology Lab, Bio Sensor Fabrication Lab, along with others. Moreover, students were able to connect with all of the department professors, explore their interests, and find out about their study options.   Please check out the video of the ME Open Lab Day from the link below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeRz_2Bk-4E

Linda Kim, an FIT professor, has participated in two global exhibitions this summer: 2023 SFTI-Piattaforma Moda International Exhibition in Milan and 2023 International Fashion Art Exhibition in Stockholm. The 2023 SFTI-Piattaforma Moda International Exhibition took place in Milan, Italy from July 6th-8th. The Korean Society of Fashion & Textile Industry and Piattaforma Sistema FormativoModa ETS (Piattaforma) co-hosted this international exhibition, with the theme of ‘Making Fashion Circular’.   Darkness to Light For this exhibition, Professor Kim designed artwork that was naturally dyed using indigo, nutgall, and red soil on upcycled and braided denim shirts. The piece of art is called “Darkness to Light,” because it portrays a gradient of the dyed colors in the clothing. Another exhibition Professor Kim participated in was the 2023 International Fashion Art Exhibition in Stockholm, Sweden. An ongoing exhibition from August 22nd to September 22nd, exhibits promote the charm of K-fashion under the theme of Obangsaek (오방색: the color scheme of the five traditional Korean colors that include white, black, blue, yellow, and red). Professor Kim designed a piece, “Cheonggiwa Hanok,’ that represents the Korean Traditional House with blue roof tiles by layering this organza and translucent mesh fabric: the elegant curves of blue roof tiles, and the shadows and light reflected on the window paper are expressed. Cheonggiwa Hanok (Korean Traditional House with Blue Roof Tiles) Professor Linda Kim is an International Director at The Korean Society of Fashion Business and a Full Member at The Korea Fashion & Culture Association. Professor Kim has participated in numerous international fashion exhibitions and fashion shows, and has been at SUNY Korea since 2014. 

SUNY Korea is proud to recognize students’ achievements. Here are some notable achievements by our graduates and currently enrolled students.   Prince-David Malendel, who graduated in Fall 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Stony Brook University, achieved his Master’s Degree in Stony Brook and secured a position at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) as an Associate Staff Mechanical Engineer. BNL is known for winning seven Nobel Prizes and 37 R&D Awards.  YoungHoon Kim, a Business Management graduate of the Spring 2021 semester, got employed as a Data Analyst at Samsung Electronics. Samsung Electronics is one of the most famous global brands and is widely known for their wide production in electronic devices.  Seonbin Jeon, a Spring 2023 Technological Systems Management graduate, recently got hired at EY Hanyoung for the technology transformation consulting position. EY Hanyoung, one the largest professional services networks in the world, provides a wide variety of services that include tax assurance, transactions, accounting, and related auditing services. Su Rin Kim, Spring 2023 Mechanical Engineering graduate, got an OPT and started her career at DiLandro Andrews Engineering (NY) as a MEP Engineer. DiLandro Andrews Engineering specializes in civil, structural, and mechanical engineering services. Xuezhu Wang, a Spring 2021 Applied Mathematics and Statistics graduate, has been admitted to UC Irvine for his Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Bethlehem Kebede, another Spring 2021 Applied Mathematics and Statistics graduate, has been admitted to Georgia Tech for his Master’s Degree in Analysis.   Currently Enrolled Students’ Achievements Two currently Sophomores from the Business Management Department, Hyeonik Park and Junhee Kim, passed the AICPA exam during this summer in July. Interviews with the students will be posted, so be alerted. Click here to watch the interview: https://youtu.be/C5t4JfJt28k?feature=shared

  Last Friday, the State University of New York, Korea (Stony Brook University and Fashion Institute of Technology) held its Fall 2023 Convocation Ceremony in Songdo, Incheon. A total of 231 new students took part in this ceremony. Welcoming remarks and congratulatory speeches were given by SUNY Korea President Arthur H. Lee, Executive Director of SUNY Korea Dr. Imin Kao, and FIT Professor and Chair of Fashion Business Management Vincent Quan. The Convocation Ceremony also included an Oath presented by two selected freshmen students, the awarding of scholarships, and the badge ceremony. President Lee welcomed students from 18 countries, including 3 new countries for SUNY Korea – Mauritius, Morocco, and Peru – and added: “Dream big enough to change the world and don’t be afraid of failure.” In addition, Professor Quan reminded the new students that FIT ranked first globally in 2023 amongst fashion schools, and encouraged students who entered this world-renowned program to be proud of themselves. In particular, he advised students to find a balance in their lives, saying, “During your college life it is important to focus on your studies; however, the most important thing is health, and as important as acquiring knowledge are various extra curricula activities to develop your capabilities.” The new students from the 6 majors at Stony Brook – Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Business Management, Computer Science, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Technology & Society – and the 2 majors at FIT – Fashion Design and Fashion Business Management – will begin their first classes as university students on Monday, August 28, 2023.    

The IGC Library recently created a Hall of Fame for the notable book donors from the IGC community. The Hall of Fame recognizes people who have donated books to the IGC Library. Two donors from the SUNY Korea community has their appreciation plaques displayed: Honorary President Dr. Myung Oh and Technology & Society Professor James Larson. “I personally dream about making Dr Myung Oh’s donation, some of my donations, and the IGC Library into an Incheon Global Campus Policy Museum,” said Professor James Larson. Professor Larson has published a number of books during his career and has co-authored with Dr. Myung Oh Digital Development in Korea: Building an Information Society, published in 2011. To watch his interview, click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a1uXIUaHRI