Stony Brook University SUNY Korea

“It Was Almost Like a Press Conference” … SUNY Korea Admission Briefing Session Attracted Many Prospective Students and Their Parents Despite the COVID19 Situation The SUNY Korea Admission Briefing Session for the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semester entry was held at Shilla Stay Samsung in Seoul on the 24th. Students and parents who attended the briefing session showed high interest in—and continued to ask questions even after the event—on the merits of each major and career path after graduation, rather than inquiring about the university itself. The briefing session was held in English and Korean respectively in the morning and afternoon, with around 10 participants in the morning and 70 participants in the afternoon. Although the number of participants per session was limited to 50 people due to the COVID19 pandemic, the afternoon session was so eagerly anticipated that more than 20 people attended additionally without prior registration. The briefing session was conducted in accordance with the government’s COVID19 prevention rules. As for the reasons for developing their interest in SUNY Korea, students and parents mentioned the advantage of receiving a foreign university degree without studying abroad and the opportunity of rapid improvement in English language proficiency. "While planning for the admission of universities in the US, I got to learn about SUNY Korea and prepared for its admission at the same time. I was attracted to the fact that I can improve my English skills with 100% English lectures as the university provides the same curriculum as in the US while staying in Korea. I think it is also a benefit that I get to meet foreign friends and learn different languages from various countries," said Kim Min-Ji, a senior student at a local high school. Jeong Hyo-Jung, a parent who came with Kim Min-Ji, said, "My daughter wanted to study in a foreign country, so we sent her abroad last year. However, she had to come back earlier because of the COVID19 pandemic, and the situation has not gotten any better for her to leave the country again. Thus, we considered an option of applying for SUNY Korea." Among the participants, there were several transfer students as well. Yang Hyun-Sik, a graduate of a 2-year college, said, "I realized that having a degree from a four-year university is necessary to have a competency in a job market, and transferring to a domestic university was already a red ocean for me," adding, "My brother is currently studying in the State University of New York, and I was always jealous about his English ability. I am interested in SUNY Korea because I wish to improve my English skills along with having an opportunity to study at the Stony Brook New York campus for a year. Kim Kyu-Seok, the team leader of the admissions team at SUNY Korea, said, "The change in students’ perception about university admission due to the evolving atmospheres in education, such as a decrease in the number of school-age populations, and the emergence of various higher education alternatives, was evident throughout the session. As students’ awareness about SUNY Korea has been enhanced, I received many constructive questions about its programs rather than simple questions about the university itself. It was as if I was at a press conference. The briefing session was substantial because students brought questions which reflect their individual circumstances." At the briefing session, not only were the university and its seven different majors introduced, but also an analysis of admission trends and admitted student portfolios was conducted. In particular, the session provided detailed explanations of the admission process that is not included in the number of times that one can apply to domestic universities during early and regular admission. Also, an analysis of admitted students’ high school GPA and tips for acceptance was given. Shin Hye-Mi, the assistant manager of the admissions team, noted that, "Even if students are not confident with their high school GPA, they can submit other supplementary documents such as SAT scores, essays, awards, and certifications. The genuine interest in the major and thorough preparation for admission are the basis of successful applications. The admission process is based on 100% document screening, but some students can be invited to an interview and this can be an opportunity for them to make a good impression.” Meanwhile, Stony Brook University (SBU) of SUNY Korea is recruiting 260 students this year. The Fall 2021 admission deadline for early applications is April 30th, and for regular applications is July 16th. The required application documents include an English high school transcript, English cover letter, English or Korean recommendation letter, and official English proficiency test scores (TOEFL iBT 80 or higher/ IELTS Academic 6.5 or higher/ New SAT ERW 480 or higher/ ACT English 19 or higher/ Duolingo English Test 105 or higher). SUNY Korea FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) is recruiting 105 students this year. The deadline for regular applications is April 30th. The required application documents include an English high school transcript, English cover letter, and official English proficiency test scores (TOEFL iBT 80 or higher/ IELTS Academic 6.5 or higher/ PTE 53 or higher/ Duolingo English Test 105 or higher). Note that the English proficiency test score requirement for FIT is different from that of SBU. For more information, students can visit SUNY Korea's official website. Additionally, the second admission briefing session will be held on June 5th.       Click here to read the original article

World Bank Group and SUNY Korea will host a five-week training program for entrepreneurs from 12 countries to leverage ICT solutions to drive innovation and entrepreneurship. This program (ETHOS: Entrepreneurial Talents’ House of Opportunities and Supports) begins on April 19th to foster and empower talented entrepreneurs through digital skill support and entrepreneurship training. This is the fourth edition of the program since its first inception in 2015, funded by the Korea World Bank Partnership Facility (KWPF).     To help the ICT start-ups strengthen their businesses in the COVID-19 era, the ETHOS program this year will be operated virtually to selected participants from 12 countries: Algeria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Georgia, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Rwanda, Tunisia, Viet Nam, and West Bank and Gaza. The program entails a knowledge series, mentoring, tech partnership, networking, and pitching sessions to boost entrepreneurial aspects of participants. Selected participants will take customized business mentoring sessions, have opportunities to partner with Korean deep-tech startups to establish joint-ventures, and get investment opportunities.     Selected participants will develop their business models more competitively and revise their pitch decks more attractively during 8-hour intensive mentoring sessions addressed by skillful mentors from CNT Tech, Born2Global Centre, D3, and NH Investment & Securities. Born2Global Centre is actively supporting the program by matching them with tech partners in Korea and providing joint-venture establishment opportunities. With tech partnership sessions, the program will be a channel for Korean deep-tech start-ups to expand their business to the globe and for the selected participants to integrate Korean advanced technologies into their business models.     Wonki Min, the President of SUNY Korea, emphasized the true meaning of entrepreneurship in the type of society which the ETHOS program actively pursues.     “As SUNY Korea’s mission is nurturing creative leaders standing up to global challenges, we are more than delighted to host the ETHOS program. Starting up a business is not only the key to economic development but also essential to the social and cultural advancement of human society. Therefore, ETHOS is committed to providing entrepreneurs with opportunities to build essential capacities to become successful.”     Samia Melhem and Je Myung Ryu, Task Team Leaders from World Bank Group, made clear the role of ICTs in the COVID-19 pandemic situation.     “Today, we are living in an extraordinary and unprecedented time, heading into a fast-changing future. The COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly accelerated digital transformation to the forefront across almost all sectors and brought new demands for disruptive technology solutions to better respond to the urgent medical, social, and economic needs. We have seen abrupt changes in consumer behavior in this digital economy as well. For both startups and businesses, the ability to leverage digital skills and online platforms has become a critical element to meet the consumer needs in a pandemic.”     Hoon Sahib Soh, Special Representative of World Bank Group Korea Office, expressed high expectations toward the ETHOS program.     “The WBG Korea Office is actively supporting SUNY Korea on the ETHOS II program. The Korea Office is a global innovation and technology center for sustainable development.  I believe supporting programs such as ETHOS will be an integral part of our innovation and technology program”.     The successful execution of the ETHOS program will enhance the reputation of Korea as a leader of ICT entrepreneurship, as well as demonstrate Korean economic development based on ICT businesses.       Click here to read the related article 

For several years, the Stony Brook Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AMS) major has been ranked third among the top five undergraduate programs in Applied Mathematics by College Factual, as cited in USA Today.     The diverse program of the AMS major at SUNY Korea that teaches, learns, and conducts interdisciplinary research in Applied Mathematics and Statistics provides the exact same high-quality curricula of Stony Brook University in New York.     Below is the story of Hyewon Jung, a new AMS major student at SUNY Korea, who figured the AMS program at SUNY Korea will encompass all her interests in mathematics, statistics and data science.     The specialty of the major and the existence of various opportunities at SUNY Korea have given Hyewon an expectant heart for her years at SUNY Korea.     We hope her story below will be helpful to all those who wish to study at SUNY Korea.     1)    Could you briefly introduce yourself? Hello. My name is Hyewon Jung. I am currently a freshman majoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics at the State University of New York, Korea.         2)    Why did you apply to SUNY Korea instead of other universities in Korea?     When I was in high school in Korea, I never thought about options other than Korean universities. I first got to know the State University of New York, Korea when I was in grade eleven in high school. What I considered the most in the process of choosing a University was its suitability, as well as opportunities for various experiences. Since I was interested in mathematics, statistics, and data science, I hoped to enroll in a department that encompasses them all. So when I first got to know about the State University of New York, Korea, the Applied Mathematics and Statistics Department was very attractive to me.     Also, I liked the point that there are many opportunities to experience various things in SUNY, Korea. I thought I could experience various things and have more options after graduation than others who enrolled in Korean universities, and that’s why I chose SUNY, Korea.     When I am allowed to experience something I have never experienced before, I tend to challenge myself and get motivated in the process of overcoming difficulties and failures. So I want to experience various things as much as possible. In particular, I hope that the opportunity to study on the New York campus for one out of the four years will be a chance to look at the world from a wide perspective while encountering other cultures and various people.         3)     Are there any tips you would like to share with students who wish to apply for SUNY Korea?     I think the most important documents while preparing for entrance were the self-introduction and essays. I tried to include a sincere story about myself, focusing on the values that I consider most important and the activities that I participated in most actively during my high school years. Because it is important to reveal my strengths in these documents, it is also good to incorporate keywords that can reveal your strengths, such as 'leadership' and 'mathematical thinking'.     Of course, the process of preparing documents about awards and school activities will be easier the more actively you participated in school activities. I tried to participate in all the activities and contests offered by the school, so there were a lot of activities that I could include in the documents. Among them, I tried to emphasize the awards and activities related to my major, Applied Mathematics and Statistics.         4) Could you share your experience at SUNY Korea since admission?     Due to the Corona situation, classes are being conducted in a non-face-to-face medium, but so far, satisfaction with classes is very high. There are a lot of assignments and exams, so after I review and finish my homework after classes, there is not much free time left. But I can feel that my skills are improving while taking classes and doing assignments, and this is the driving force for me to work harder. I hope the Corona situation becomes stabilized as soon as possible so that we can participate in classes and club activities face to face.         5) How are classes like at SUNY Korea?     Overall, the classes encourage students to study hard. Since classes are being conducted non-face-to-face, professors often check students' understanding and try to elicit questions from students in the middle of the class. If I have any questions about the class material, I can get feedback right away from the professor. I was not familiar with the type of class in which the professor asks students' opinions about the contents of the class, and students share their thoughts, but I can think deeply about the concept and learn new things that I didn't know by this process. Many students try to participate actively in the class and interact with professors well.     Despite the ongoing pandemic, the faculty and staff are doing our best to make an environment at SUNY Korea where students can reach their full potential with passion. We sincerely hope more students will be able to learn at a deeper level, face challenges, and get closer to their dreams here at SUNY Korea.

Where is your favorite spot at SUNY Korea? Which place first comes to your mind when you think of SUNY Korea? ​ Although the memories from places cannot be fully captured in pictures and words, they help to reminisce about the beauty of the moments!     Visit SUNY Korea's blog to find out our Student Ambassadors' special places around the campus! Click here     

FIT Professor Bon Kuk Koo had an interview with 'Weekly Today' about core competency of fashion designer. In this interview, Prof. Koo talked about SUNY Korea - FIT, teaching methods and core competency to be a fashion designer.     Click here to read the original article 

uGPS technology developed by idciti, CS Department Professor Jihoon Ryoo’s startup company, was introduced on the program YTN Science. uGPS technology generates, simulates and transmits GPS signals in GPS-disabled environments such as tunnels. As one of the technology companies recognized by the Seoul Institute of Technology(SIT), idciti expects to utilize the uGPS technology in many different fields to make citizens’ lives more convenient.   To watch the program: Click here    idciti website: Click here 

SUNY Korea Admissions’ Kakao Channel has been launched to have friendly interactions with all those interested in SUNY Korea. By adding “SUNY Korea Admissions” on Kakaotalk, 1:1 chat with the admission counselors will be available to anyone who wishes to find out more about SUNY Korea.  The latest admission news and events information will also be shared on the channel.

Net- Zero  Written by Professor Gerald M. Stokes       Recently, Korea pledged to make its economy “net-zero.” This means it will effectively eliminate all carbon emissions by 2050. This goal is admirable and in keeping with the five-year-old Paris Climate Accord process. In Korea, this is part of an emerging strategy to use the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as a vehicle for enhancing the green agenda in general and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in particular.     The commitment is important and necessary. Every nation will have to make a similar commitment in order to stabilize the Earth’s climate. Korea’s leadership in this process is consistent with its emerging leadership role in many areas like culture, electronics, and disaster response and in this case the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This leadership within the UNFCCC became significant during the tenure of Ban Ki Moon as Secretary General of the UN and continues with Hoesung Lee, the current head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.     This will not be easy, and I think it is important to think about what a profound change this will bring to Korea.     Net-zero has two parts. The first part is to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. The emissions from Korea are greater than 12 metric tons of carbon dioxide per person per year. These emissions come from many industrial sources: generation of electricity, manufacturing, steel production, and shipping. Individual Koreans generate emissions by driving, cooking, and heating residences. Carbon dioxide emissions come from practically every aspect of society.     Because “decarbonizing” some of the uses will be difficult, for example, steel production, the second part of a net-zero strategy is supporting processes that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These processes are needed to offset difficult to eliminate emissions. For example, the forests of Korea absorb a little less than one ton per capita of carbon dioxide per year. There are also technologies that capture carbon dioxide for either utilization or disposal. These latter technologies are not currently in widespread use in Korea or anywhere else in the world. They are certainly worthy of governmental R&D.     A great deal of energy generation technology is available to facilitate this transition., Renewable energy systems like wind, solar, and wave energy, as well as nuclear power can all make significant contributions. Recent advances in fusion power are also important, but this technology is not likely to create an impact before 2050.     I am sure that Korea will rise to the technological challenge, but there is more.     First and foremost, net-zero essentially means no fossil fuel use in Korea – not for electricity, not for driving, not for manufacturing, not for cooking. The 12-ton per capita carbon emissions highlight how much the Korean economy depends on fossil fuels. In many ways decarbonization should also be viewed as a reindustrialization of the country. This transformation will not be easy. It entails not only capital investment but many businesses, large and small, will either no longer exist or will have to dramatically change their business strategy. Lessons from around the world suggest that the magnitude of these changes will create political resistance. The challenge will become how to sustain the commitment with the government changing every 5 years.     Next, it is important to plan to decarbonize the entire economy. Generally, we think carbon emissions are tied to production and fuel use within the country. However, there is a concept called consumption emissions, which is a measure of the emissions associated with consumption within a country. For example, if a country imports steel for construction, the country is consuming a commodity that generated emissions while being produced in another economy. Korea’s imported consumptive emission has dropped from 30% of domestic emission in 1990 to less than 5% in 2017, an impressive change. The US on the other hand, had no net addition of emissions from consumption in 1990, but its transformation to a service economy has resulted in it importing goods that now embody almost 8% of its production emissions. In essence, the US, in offshoring its heavy industry, has also exported its emissions. In Europe the same is true where countries like France, Great Britain, and Italy import goods that generate between 20 and 30 percent of their domestic emissions. The temptation for Korea to move emissions offshore will be very high. The net-zero commitment must include the whole economy, including emissions embodied in imports.     Similarly, countries not only offshore emissions but they offshore poorly performing technology to the developing world. One prominent example of this is automobiles. Many developed countries, including Korea, are putting in place policies to improve mileage or accelerate the transformation to electric vehicles. The resulting used car supply is frequently exported to developing countries, where the vehicles’ poor performance creates environmental issues. These issues have led to some countries actually banning the import of used vehicles. Losing, or not participating in these markets would affect the value of used cars, a non-trivial consideration in consumer decisions to upgrade their vehicles. But the emissions exported in these vehicles are not a real reduction in global emissions. Similarly, developed countries not only export emissions in used technology, but also sell technologies abroad that would not be allowed within their own borders. Sometimes foreign assistance dollars are spent supporting the construction of coal-fired power plants in developing countries, that could not be built in the donor country.     In conclusion, net-zero is an important and necessary aspiration. However, as Korea takes on this task, it must do several things. First, it needs a policy and aspiration that covers the whole economy, including addressing the carbon emissions of its imports and exports. Next, it must ensure that the policy has continuity and long-term support. Finally, it needs to be ready for the profound transformation net-zero represents. Korea shares the atmosphere and climate with almost 200 other countries. Its leadership will help others understand the importance of assuming global responsibilities and stewardship.           Click here to read the original article         

“Sustainability is not a trend… it can be style, material… everything!” said Heesung Choi, the first guest speaker of SUNY Korea Spring 2021 Career Talk to You which was organized by Career Development Center (CDC).   Heesung Choi, the CEO and founder of Seven All Around, shared her inspiring career journey as a New York Designer with SUNY Korea students on Wednesday, April 14th. SUNY Korea students participated in the event in-person and also via zoom.   Seven All Around is a brand using sustainable and recycled materials to create comfortable and elegant fashion products that function 7 days a week. Ji Hye Park, an internationally recognized fashion designer, also visited and met our students.   During the event, designer and entrepreneur Heesung Choi talked about “sustainability in fashion” and encouraged SUNY Korea students to be curious at all times in the pursuit of their career.        

2021 SUNY Korea Information Session     SUNY Korea cordially invites you to the information session series for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 admissions. Join us to learn more about our programs and admissions.     1.   Schedule     Session   Time/Date   Language   1st   April 24 (Sat) 10:00 – 12:30   English   2nd   April 24 (Sat) 14:30 – 17:00   Korean   3rd   June 5 (Sat) 10:00 – 12:30   4th   June 5 (Sat) 14:30 – 17:00     2. Where: Meeting Room, Shilla Stay Samsung (19th Floor)   506,Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul   3. Registration: https://apply.sunykorea.ac.kr/portal/admissions_events       4. Inquiries: SUNY Korea Admissions (032-626-1030 / admission@sunykorea.ac.kr)        

We would like to extend our invitation to you for the SUNY Korea Virtual Preview Week Spring 2021.You will be able to learn about the Stony Brook University and FIT Programs at SUNY Korea, including but not limited to academic excellence/curriculum, study areas, career prospects, and many other values and privileges that you could enjoy by joining us.     We will provide a chance to have conversations with faculty, current students, and department counselors to talk about each department and what your college life would be like on our campus.     Also a Q&A session with the current students and faculty will take place.     *Registration Link: https://apply.sunykorea.ac.kr/portal/admissions_events     *Inquiry: admission@sunykorea.ac.kr | +82 (0)32 626 1030

Dear Students and Faculty,     I hope you are all having a safe and healthy semester while enjoying your classes.     Earlier in February we announced our plan for Spring classes as you can see in the email I am including below for your reference.     As we assess the Covid-19 situation today, we have decided to continue the current mode of classes until April 23, 2021. We will reassess the situation on April 19, 2021 and decide whether to continue with the current plan beyond April 26, 2021 or not.     Academic Affairs will follow up with class-specific information soon and Student Affairs will follow up with housing-related information as it gets finalized with the IGC Foundation.     Please follow the Covid-19 safety measures at all times.     We hope to see you all on campus with in-person classes soon.         Sincerely, Arthur Lee

SUNY Korea Stony Brook will newly introduce the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (B.E., M.S., and Ph.D.) from Spring 2022 within the existing total student quota of 1,207. From this Fall 2021, SUNY Korea FIT will also expand its program with an increased student quota from 140 to 210. (150 for Fashion Business Management and 60 for Fashion Design in total)     Related Article: Click here 

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, SUNY Korea classes are partly held online, students taking zoom classes whether it be their dormitory or home.   For some FIT classes that require demonstrations with fabrics, the professors are teaching directly from the labs and when necessary, students are taking turns to sign up for using software in the computer lab.   Are you curious of what Fashion majoring students wear during their online classes?   Click here to find out their zoom class looks and read their thoughts on online classes! 

On March 19th, the Opening Ceremony of “Dr. Myung Oh, Gateway to Korean ICT” was held at the IGC Library. Dr. Myung Oh, Honorary President of SUNY Korea, generously donated his personal collection, built during his strenuous journey of furthering the nation's ICT capacity and competence, to the Incheon Global Campus Foundation for students' learning and research.       Former Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Myung Oh is highly acclaimed as a leading figure in constructing the infrastructure of the nation as a world leading ICT powerhouse.       Due to the strict social distancing in place, the event was held only with selected invitees that included Honorary President Dr. Myung Oh, President Emeritus Dr. ChoonHo Kim, President Wonki Min, Former VP for Administration Jongsoo Jay Kim, CEO of IGCF Dr. Kihun Paek and a few other staff members.        Related Articles: Financial News: Click here Kiho Ilbo: Click here