본문 바로가기 대메뉴 바로가기

뉴스센터

SBUNews
FITNews
Site-wide Search

Search Results for 'Mechanical Engineering'

Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s Influential Contributions to the Maeil Business Newspaper The Role of Genetics in the Academic Success of College Students The relationship between genetics and personal traits such as skin color, height, eye color, and health risks are well understood. However, the relationship between genetics and academic success is less clear. It has been the subject of many new research studies. All research, in general, agrees that many factors, including environmental influences, socioeconomic background, personal motivation, and genetic predispositions, influence academic success. This dichotomy is referred to as "nature" and "nurture". Recent genomic studies have, however, uncovered "genetic nurture" effects, whereby parental genotypes influence offspring outcomes via environmental pathways rather than genetic transmission. A comprehensive study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics reviewed 12 studies comprising 38,654 distinct parent(s)-offspring pairs or trios from 8 cohorts. The study quantified these effects and found that the direct genetic effects on offspring's educational outcomes were twice as high as genetic nurture effects. A range of cognitive and noncognitive traits drives academic achievement. One of the primary ways genetics influences academic success is through cognitive ability. Intelligence, often measured through IQ tests, has been shown to have a strong genetic component. A research paper published in the Jornal Nature in 2018 by Plomin & von Stumm estimates that approximately 50-80% of individual differences in intelligence are hereditary. Twin and adoption studies reinforce this idea, showing that identical twins raised apart often exhibit similar cognitive abilities. In contrast, adopted children resemble their biological parents more than their adoptive ones in terms of intelligence. Beyond general intelligence, polygenic scores—measures of genetic influence based on multiple genetic variants—have shown that genetics also affect specific cognitive functions crucial to academic success, such as memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills. According to a 2018 research paper by Lee et al., students with higher polygenic scores tend to perform better in school. While genetics provides a strong foundation for academic abilities, these abilities can only be realized under conducive environmental factors. A 2019 study by the University of York found that socioeconomic status (SES) is more beneficial than genes for academic success. In this study, 47% of children with high polygenic scores but a poorer background made it to university, compared with 62% of children with a low score but more affluent parents. Children with high polygenic scores for education who were also from wealthy and well-educated family backgrounds had the most significant advantage, with 77% going to university. Several studies on the impact of low SES-related factors such as stress, poor nutrition, and difficult early childhood experiences indicate that they can alter gene expression and affect cognitive development and learning ability. For instance, prolonged stress can negatively impact brain function, reducing working memory and attention and hindering academic performance despite a student's genetic predisposition for intelligence. These genetic research discoveries also raise serious ethical consideration regarding how this information should be used. While genetic insights can help identify students who may need additional educational support, there is a risk of misuse, such as genetic determinism—the belief that genetics alone determine success—or discrimination based on genetic predispositions. Additionally, concerns about privacy and consent must be addressed when using genetic data in educational settings. Other concerns include the fact that almost all related studies have been conducted on populations from the US and Europe. Global studies, including broader populations in Asia and Africa, are lacking. In summary, environmental factors and children's inherited DNA differences are potent predictors of educational achievement. Acknowledging this complexity enables educators, policymakers, and students to take a well-rounded approach that fosters individual growth while promoting equal access to educational opportunities. Click here to read the article.
2025.03.13 Hits 160
Professor Jongseong Brad Choi Secures 1.25 Billion KRW in Funding Selected Through "Outstanding Young Researcher Program" Professor Jongseong Brad Choi of the Mechanical Engineering Department at SUNY Korea has been selected for the “Outstanding Young Researcher Program” under the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Basic Research Support Initiative for 2025. This year's selection was highly competitive, with the number of awarded projects reduced by half compared to the previous year. With this selection, SUNY Korea has secured a total of 1.25 billion KRW in funding over five years. This is one of the largest awards ever granted under this initiative and reinforces the university’s growing research impact. The research project, themed "Human Machine Interaction," is titled “True Twin: Development of AI-Based Hyper-Realistic Digital Twin Core Technology for Multi-Party Distributed Collaboration and Predictive Maintenance in Mixed Reality.” It focuses on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and visual technologies to develop a real-time remote collaboration system. This research aims to overcome the limitations of physical distance by enabling real-time multi-party collaboration in virtual spaces. By leveraging hyper-realistic visual information, it allows engineers to work together as if they were in the same location without having to visit the site in person. This innovation is expected to establish a new paradigm for remote communication and could become a standard for telecommunication in the future, particularly as remote work becomes more widespread. Furthermore, in the context of a shrinking population and a growing shortage of engineering professionals, this technology is expected to play a key role in supporting the remote operation of global manufacturing industries, such as managing overseas factory facilities. Professor Choi expressed his passion, stating, “At a time when the field of engineering is undergoing rapid transformation with the advent of AI, I am delighted to contribute to expanding academic horizons by incorporating research on visual intelligence.” He added, “This research grant is not just a personal achievement but an opportunity to showcase SUNY Korea’s strong global network and accessibility to cutting-edge technology, while also reinforcing the university’s high research standards among domestic institutions.” Furthermore, he emphasized his commitment to fostering an inclusive research environment, saying, “I want to help undergraduate students become more familiar with AI and other emerging technologies by encouraging them to collaborate with graduate students in meaningful research projects.” Currently, Professor Choi leads the MEIC (Mechanical Systems with Intelligence and Computer Vision) Lab, which focuses on Engineering-Soft-Power as its key research theme. His lab specializes in visual intelligence systems, vision-based control, digital twins, and human-machine interaction. The lab consists of 12 researchers, including four Ph.D. students, four master’s students, and three undergraduate students, all of whom have contributed to innovative research achievements and received numerous awards. The selection of this Outstanding Young Researcher Project is a significant milestone demonstrating SUNY Korea’s research competitiveness and potential for continued growth. It also marks a meaningful achievement to Professor Choi’s dedicated efforts and the university’s ongoing industry-academia collaboration efforts. SUNY Korea reiterated its commitment to further advancing as a global research hub through innovative and practical research initiatives. MEIC Lab Website: https://www.meic-lab.com/
2025.03.06 Hits 439
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s Influential Contributions to the Maeil Business Newspaper Why Study Engineering? Many factors affect the engineering job market. These include local and global economic activities, industry trends, labor force supply and demand, and a changing need for new skills and education levels. A report by Mordor Intelligence, cited by Yahoo Finance, highlights the high demand for global engineering services in the near future. The report cites a market size of $1.67 trillion in 2024, projected to grow to $2.04 trillion by 2029. This corresponds to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.20%. While the Asia Pacific region currently leads the market, the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the fastest growth rates. From the labor supply perspective, the high salaries in engineering play a significant role in encouraging college students to choose this field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, engineers had a median annual salary of $91,420 in May 2023, well above the median yearly wage for all professions, which was $48,060. Additionally, employment in engineering is projected to grow at a faster-than-average rate from 2022 to 2032, with an estimated 188,000 new job openings each year. The challenges of engineering education and the current gender gap, however, impact the supply of engineers. Despite some progress, only 16.5% of engineers globally are women. In Korea and the U.S., around 20% of STEM degrees are awarded to female students. Other factors impacting supply shortages are an aging workforce, a lack of interest in some conventional areas of engineering among younger generations, and the skill gap, a mismatch between the skills that emerging technologies require and the skills that some engineers have. These issues highlight concerns about a potential shortage of engineers. According to a Boston Globe (BG) report, the U.S. requires around 400,000 new engineers yearly. The report estimates that nearly one in three engineering positions may go unfilled annually until at least 2030. This shortfall could impede progress in vital industries and impact government and industry initiatives to boost economic growth and competitiveness. The engineering talent shortage isn't limited to the U.S. The Japanese Ministry of Economy has forecasted a deficit of over 700,000 engineers by 2030, while the German Economic Institute reported a shortage of 320,000 STEM professionals in Germany as of April 2022, according to the BG report Another report from Engineering UK forecasts a 2.8% increase in engineering jobs in the UK by 2030, resulting in about 173,000 new positions. This growth rate is above the anticipated national average for all occupations, set at 2.3%. The demand for engineers is expected to surpass that of other professions, reflecting the country's significant need for engineering skills. A recent article from NIKKEI Asia reported that companies like Samsung are increasingly hiring high school graduates as the competition for skilled engineering talent intensifies in South Korea. This comes even though, according to Statista Korea, South Korea graduated nearly 86,000 engineers and computer scientists in 2023. Engineering education quality differs from country to country. Recently, Insider Monkey, a financial data website, published a list of the 15 best countries to study engineering based on its "Insider Monkey Global Education Index." This index ranks countries by the number of universities in the top 1,000 QS World University Rankings and considers factors like government investment in higher education. South Korea, with 31 universities in the top 1,000, is ranked eighth, following Japan, Australia, Italy, Germany, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, which ranks first. Encouraging students to pursue engineering degrees is a notable challenge. Engineering roles are among the most intellectually rigorous, demanding constant problem-solving and innovation. The field's interdisciplinary nature requires a diverse skill set, as engineers must integrate knowledge from various domains to analyze, design, and optimize systems. While studying engineering can be highly rewarding, its difficulty may deter some talented students from choosing it as a major. To address these challenges, universities and educational institutions should foster supportive environments and develop balanced curricula focused on developing core skills and life-long learning strategies. Click here to read the article.
2024.11.14 Hits 547
Meet Professor Hamid Hefazi at SUNY Korea Meet Provost and Professor Hamid Hefazi at SUNY Korea. In this interview, he shares valuable insights into the Incheon Global Campus (IGC) and his journey to joining IGC. He discusses how IGC offers a global education and a diverse range of experiences within Korea's advanced technological society. Click here to watch the full interview: LINK
2024.07.29 Hits 706
Professor Seung-Bok Choi Wins 'Best Researcher Award' SUNY Korea professor Seung-Bok Choi was recognized last month with a prestigious “Best Researcher Award” for International Research Awards on Sensing Technology from the journal Sensors. Choi, a distinguished professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has published 6 papers in the journal over the last year. His recent publications include: i) "Sensor-Less Control of Mirror Manipulator Using Shape Memory Polyimide Composite Actuator: Experimental Work,” Sensors, vol. 24, no. 12, June 2024, Article No. 3910 (19pp), doi.org/10.3390/s24123910 ii) "Sensors and Sensing Devices Utilizing Electrorheological Fluids and Magnetorheological Materials – A Review,” Sensors, vol. 24, no. 9, May 2024, Article No. 2842 (23pp), doi.org/10.3390/s24092842 iii) “A Novel Tactile Sensing System Utilizing Magnetorheological Structures for Dynamic Contraction and Relaxation Motions,” Sensors, vol. 23, no. 22, November 2023, Article No. 9035 (17pp), doi.org/10.3390/s23229035. (Video Link: https://encyclopedia.pub/video/video_detail/1020) Sensors is an international open-access journal published by MDPI that covers research on sensors. Along with the IEEE Sensors Journal, it is one of the leading journals in the field. Professor Choi received his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Inha University, and MS and PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University. He has been serving as a leading professor at SUNY Korea since March 2021 after retirement from Inha University. He has published over 700 SCI journal papers so far, 80 SCI journals with SUNY Korea, and was ranked #1 scholar in the world evaluated by ScholarGPS.com in the area of vibration control.
2024.07.19 Hits 669
English Proficiency in Korea English Proficiency in Korea More than half of the world’s population have one of ten languages as their native tongue. English, with about 400 million native speakers, is the third, after Chinese (1.3 billion) and Spanish (485 million). However, if we include people who speak English as a second language, the estimates of English-speaking populations range from between 1.5 billion to 2.0 billion. This makes English the most spoken language worldwide. English is also the most influential language, dominating the fields of science, technology, medicine, business, art, etc. There are many reasons why English has become a universal language. The British empire, colonizing close to a quarter of the world’s population, had a significant role in spreading the English language, particularly in Asia and Africa. The emergence of the United States of America as a world power after World War II is another important reason. Technological and scientific development mostly originating in the US and some other English-speaking countries made English the dominant language of science and technology. This economic and technological power has also led to the spreading of English through news, entertainment, and social media. As a result, English language proficiency can substantially enhance people’s career prospects, academic pursuits, cultural experiences, access to information, and ability to connect with people globally. Since the economic development of countries increasingly relies on information and global presence, for the foreseeable future English will remain the dominant global “lingua franca” (a language used by people with different native languages to communicate with each other. The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) is the most common index used to rank countries for English proficiency It is produced annually by EF Education First, an international education company. The EF EPI 2023 edition was calculated using test data from 2.1 million test takers in 2022. The test takers were self-selected from 113 countries and territories. Countries’ English proficiencies are categorized as very high (12 countries), high (18 countries), moderate (33 countries), low (27 countries), and very low (23 countries). The report finds that per capita, gross national income and innovation all correlate positively with English proficiency. Overall, Europe has the highest proficiency in English while the Middle East averages the lowest. While people in Engineering and Information Technology rank highest, on the average most industries have levels of English lower than they would need to work optimally (Moderate Proficiency or higher). Men’s English proficiency has outpaced women’s for the first time this year in Asia, driven by India and Thailand, with gender gaps of 21 and 32 points respectively. Expectedly, adults in their 20’s and 30’s remain the best English speakers in Asia. The top five countries, with scores between 625 and 661, are Northern European countries, except for Singapore (ranked 2nd with a score of 642, after the Netherlands with a score of 661). With a score of 525 South Korea ranked in 49th place in this survey, which is considered moderate proficiency. This represents a 13-spot drop from the previous ranking of 36th place in 2022. China and Japan also experienced declines of 20 and 7 spots respectively, ranking 82nd and 87th. Korean learners of the English language face many challenges in acquiring the language on a proficient level, even though English is introduced to children at an early age and many private programs teach English as extracurricular programs. Unfortunately, however, only a minority master the language on a proficient conversational level. The reasons seem to stem from cultural and social differences, the significant differences between the two languages: Korean and English, and the Korean Educational System. The EF-EPI report makes several recommendations for government and educational authorities to improve English proficiency. They include: • Consider the hours available in the curriculum and the proficiency level achievable for each major educational milestone. • Ensure that English is taught only by people who speak the language well • Adjust entrance and exit exams so that they evaluate communicative English skills. • Include English in the training for all new teachers. • Re-train English teachers in communicative teaching methods if they were initially trained using other methods • Assess the English skills of all public servants and provide training as necessary • Provide English language instruction in job centers and unemployment reduction programs. • Give adults access to lifelong learning programs. • Ensure that government-funded adult language courses are long enough and intensive enough for learners to meet their goals. • Develop standardized micro-credentials that certify course quality and improve skill portability. • Allow TV shows and movies to be shown in their original language, with subtitles rather than dubbing. Click here to read the article.
2024.03.18 Hits 770
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper College Students’ Mental Health; a crisis Mental health of college students is a global problem that requires serious attention by university administrators. According to a 2022 survey by Best Colleges, in the United States more that 77% of college students experienced moderate to severe psychological distress. This included anxiety (35%), depression (27%) as well as trauma, eating disorder and bipolar and substance use disorders. Another 2020–2021 Healthy Minds Study, which collects data from 373 campuses nationwide found more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem. The situation in Korea is similar. A 2022 published study by Daejeon University conducted on 260 Korean Female College Students in 2018 (Pre-COVID-19) found that 51.9% experience light to sever depression. The rate increased to 69.1% in 2020 (Post-COVID-19). Overall in 2020, South Korea's suicide rate was 25.7 which is more than double the OECD average of 11 per 100,000 population. Although lower than the rate for the elderly (101.4 per 100,000 population) grade school and college students in Korea have a higher than average suicide rate. Factors that affect suicide and suicide ideation are combinations of individual, family, and school factors. University education in Korea is very competitive. Students are constantly worried about their academic performance, grades, class rankings, etc. School-related influencing factors includes stress related to finding a job. Several studies have suggested that critical communication by parents is an important family-related risk factor for suicidal ideation in Korean university students. Korean parents maintain a major influence on their children even after they are grown up. As a result, students who experience considerable critical communication from their parents that reduces their self-esteem, experience more suicidal ideation. Dealing with mental health issues on university campuses requires a multifaced approach which includes university administrators, professors, students and students’ families. Universities must ensure that students have access to high quality mental health care including psychological crisis intervention resources. The mental health care system in Korea can be hard to access and overwhelming for a student in crisis. A combination of on campus resources plus designated outside specialty clinics can help provide needed access. Designing and implementing realistic programs tailored to students' academic majors to enhance their self-esteem and provide practical knowledge in dealing with academic stress will help students obtain a healthier school life emotionally as well as academically. For young adults, college can offer self-discovery, lifelong friendships, and a better understanding of the world. However, college life may also bring enormous social and emotional pressures. Being away from family and friends, unfamiliar environments can cause intense levels of loneliness. Universities can help students navigate through these challenges by having programs that engages inspires and build friendly communities that students can feel safe and welcomed. Studies have also suggested that lack of physical exercise and adequate sleep are important factors for depression among students. Promoting a healthy life style should be an important part of student services programs. Faculty paly a significant role in addressing mental health issues on University campuses. Universities must make sure faculty are adequately trained on how to identify students in distress and how to respond and refer them to mental health professionals. A study by Boston University School of public Health found that only 51 % have a good idea of how to recognize a student is in mental distress, with a mortify (61%) support mandatory training for faculty. Finally, the role of families, particularly parents in student’s mental health is significant but more difficult to address by the universities. Education programs tailored to parents and families, such as brochures maybe effective methods for such communications. Click here to read the article
2023.06.12 Hits 474
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper Academic Freedom in American Universitas In the United States, academic freedom is a recognized principle in the higher education. It is generally defined by the "1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure," jointly authored by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. These principles broadly state that "Teachers are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject." Academic freedom is based on the idea that to have a dynamic and safe environment for research, inquiry and education, faculty must have the right to engage in discipline-related teaching, learning, and research without outside interference. More specifically faculty must have the right to determine the universities’ curricula, teaching, students’ admission and evaluation criteria, research topics, publications, etc. The goal is to ensure that universities students and scholars can freely challenge the popular or conventional wisdom. The concept is closely related to principles of shared governance and tenure. Many other countries including South Korea have adopted similar principles in their higher education system, albeit with different degrees of strength. In 2021 Freedom House placed Japan and Taiwan in its top 10% ranking, scoring 4 out of 4 for academic freedom. South Korea’s ranking tied with that of the US at 3 out of 4. China and North Korea, were in the bottom 10%, with academic freedom for both assessed at 0 out of 4. Academic freedom however is not without limitations. The laws of society, including those concerning obscenity, pornography, and libel, apply to academic discourse and publication. Faculty also may not claim the privilege of discussing in their classroom controversial matter which has no relation to their subject. The above-mentioned 1940 statement also permits institutions to impose "limitations of academic freedom because of religious or other aims" In the US, discussions of race, gender and sexual orientation are among the most controversial related issues. Can a professor use racial epithets in teaching a course? Should a white supremacist professor argue for his belief? Should academic freedom protect those who make false and morally repugnant claims? In response to these questions , many universities have adopted policies aimed at limiting speech and writing that is deemed discriminatory , or offensive on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or physical disability. Whereas supporters of the measures, known as “speech codes,” defended them as necessary to protect vulnerable groups against discrimination and harassment, opponents contend that they amounted to the legal enforcement of “politically correct” ideas and expressions. In Korea, the atrocities committed by Japan during its occupation of Korea, and North Korea related topics are among the most controversial academic freedom issues. For example, academics have to tread carefully in accessing officially blocked North Korea state and media websites for their research in order to not violate the National Security Law passed in 1948. As another example, In 2018 a Sunchon University professor was dismissed, prosecuted, and imprisoned for six months for insulting former Korean comfort women during a lecture . Sejong University scholar Park Yu-ha was fined in 2017 for false defamation of comfort women in her book Comfort Women of the Empire. Retired Yonsei University scholar Lew Seok-choon was tried after complaints from civic groups that he had insulted comfort women during a class. Academic freedom is an active subject of controversy and debate. the universities are well advised to have an open dialog with their faculty and students on this topic with consideration of their university’s culture. While in the exercise of this freedom faculty members may, without limitation, discuss their own subject in the classroom, the principle of academic freedom shall be accompanied by a corresponding principle of social responsibility Click here to read the article
2023.02.13 Hits 724
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper Academic Misconduct Among University Students Violation of academic integrity by students is a real concern to university administrators around the world. Cheating, plagiarism, having someone else do the work, or using prohibited resources are some of the more common modes of academic dishonesty among students. However, falsification of records for admission, and cases of falsified research have been more the subject of recent media attention. A comprehensive survey of academic dishonesty in the US was conducted by the International Center for Academic Integrity over 12 years (2002-2015) among 70,000 students. This study found that 17 % of graduate students and 39% of undergraduates admitted having cheated at least once on a test. More importantly, only 39% of the respondents said it is not acceptable to cheat on tests or homework. The situation in Korean universities is similar. In a study conducted by Konkuk University in 2009, 35% of the undergraduate students surveyed reported that they have copied from another student or used a “cheat sheet “during a test. Another study (2015) at two veterinary schools in Seoul reported plagiarism and falsification by students ranging from 32% to 71%. Many researchers have studied and identified various factors that influence cheating. For example, students in small elite colleges have much lower rates of cheating (15-20 %) compared to large public universities where the rate can be as high as 75%. Other factors include age, gender, and grade point average (GPA). Older students, females, and students with higher GPAs are less likely to cheat. Students with excessive extracurricular activities are more probable to cheat according to some studies. The above-mentioned Konkuk university research found that classes that are taught by foreign professors reported fewer incidents of cheating. This might be partly due to the types of assignments and assessment methods that foreign professors employ as well as more emphasis on the importance of academic integrity issues. Race, nationality, and religion show little correlation with cheating. However international students in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have a substantially higher rate of cheating. For example, A Wall Street Journal analysis of data from 14 public colleges in the United States during the 2014-2015 school year found that international students had five times more reports of cheating compared to their domestic counterparts. As online teaching becomes more prevalent, there is a perception among students and faculty that online teaching leads to more cheating. Working remotely may make it easier for students to use unauthorized resources such as cell phones, and the Internet or communicate with others during a test. The research on this topic is ongoing and somewhat inconclusive due to the availability of limited data for a comprehensive study. Addressing the problem of cheating in university classes requires a complex and multifaceted approach. First and foremost, the university administration has to take an active and decisive role. Studies indicate that having a clear code of conduct that is well communicated to students and enforced, is essential. The approach however has to go beyond enforcement and punishment. Faculty play an instrumental role in preventing cheating. For example, avoiding recycling exams and homework, developing the tests and their supervision by faculty, not delegating the task to t teaching assistants, assignments that require oral presentations, using subjective questions that require a written response, and using random questions in tests are among methods that can be used. Finally, creating a culture of integrity in the class by professors that includes, often talking about academic honesty, expecting high standards, being clear about expectations, and getting to know the students is paramount in order to educate responsible and ethical students. Click here to read the article
2022.10.24 Hits 805