본문 바로가기 대메뉴 바로가기

뉴스센터

SBUNews
FITNews
Site-wide Search

Faculty

MEC Professor Wins The Lifetime Achievement Award at ERMR2023 Professor Seung-Bok Choi (MEC) has received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 18th International Conference on Electrorheological Fluids and Magnetorheological Suspensions (ERMR2023), held in Chongqing, China from June 9 to 12 2023. He started his research from 1985 and is still actively working on design and control sectors utilizing ERF and MRS such controllable automotive suspension system. At this conference he delivered a plenary lecture entitled, “Design of a new rotary MR damper for suspension system of purpose-built vehicles”. 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 served as the leading professor at SUNY Korea since March 2021.
2023.06.13 Hits 1114
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 1985
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 2407
Professor and Chair Vincent Quan's Interview in Fashionista Vincent Quan, professor and department chair of FIT SUNY Korea, was mentioned in FASHIONISTA, a well-known fashion news website published by Breaking Media. In this article Professor Quan quoted, “FIT SUNY Korea offers an unparalleled win-win for the students and the creative/fashion sector in which we serve." To read the full article click here --> https://fashionista.com/2023/01/fashion-schools-teaching-metaverse-classes
2023.02.03 Hits 1026
A MoMent of Xen Interview: Metaverse and Fashion with Professor Vincent Quan A MoMent of Xen Interview: Metaverse and Fashion with Professor Vincent Quan (Photo Captured from Youtube_'Bridging The Gap Between The Fashion Industry & Metaverse? ft. Joseph DeAcetis & Vincent Quan Ep94) Last week, Professor Vincent Quan went on a live interview on A MoMent of Xen that was broadcasted over iHeart Radio, YouTube, and Traverse TV. A MoMent of Xen is a weekly broadcast that talks about film, fashion, pop-culture, entertainment, and politics hosted by Xen Sams. Xen Sams is an actress, model mentor, and a media contributor who discusses such topics from the millennial mom’s perspective. In this interview, Professor Vincent Quan talked about where fashion is heading, how far it has come, and how it fits into web 3.0. He mentioned how Ralph Lauren, a fashion company, partnered with ZEPETO, a South Korean social network AR avatar app, to create a metaverse for users to dress their own avatars with products and appearances and how this novel platform both generates a huge advantage for marketing brands and creates an entirely new revenue stream through NFT into the web 3.0. The Metaverse is changing the view of fashion. Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality opens up opportunities for new business models in the fashion world that leverage virtual fashion targeting the wave of the future, Gen Z. Click here to watch the interview --> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvmQNoBClqc
2023.02.01 Hits 994
FIT Professor Linda Kim Participates in the 2022 International Fashion Art Biennale FIT Professor Linda Kim Participates in the 2022 International Fashion Art Biennale SUNY Korea FIT Professor Linda Kim participated in the 2022 International Fashion Art Biennale in Busan, Korea that was hosted by the Korea Fashion & Culture Association. 82 fashion art designers from 12 countries and 21 artists from the fields of media, installation, painting, and photography participated in this exhibition. Among the artists, Professor Linda Kim said, “I hope more platforms for artistic exchanges are also happening around the campus. To add on, I hope that not only will the excellence of Korean fashion strive, but also Korean fashion will be able to lead the world of fashion through continuous opportunities like this.” The International Fashion Art Biennale was held from October 20th to 30th at Museum One in Busan, Korea. The theme of this exhibition, “Technique of Healing”, was prepared with the aim of healing the difficult times caused by COVID-19 with fashion art and artworks.
2022.11.03 Hits 1030
DTS Professor Johng-Ihl Lee Awarded the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Prize Professor Johng-Ihl Lee Professor Johng-Ihl Lee of SUNY Korea (Professor of the Department of Technology Management and Dean of the Department of Strategic Planning & Relations) received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award at the 10th Anniversary ceremony of Incheon Global Campus held on October 26th, 2022. Prof. Johng-Ihl Lee received this award in recognition of his contribution to the development of the country and society by encouraging the activation of foreign education and research institutes in the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Prof. Johng-Ihl Lee has served as the Chief Executive of the Korea Israel Industrial R&D Foundation, the President of the Korea Society for Innovation Management & Economics (KOSIME), and the Director of the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT). Also, in March 2022 he was appointed as the co-representative of the Incheon Citizens’ Coalition for Economic Justice (ICCEJ). He is actively working not only for the development of higher education, but also for the development of the local community.
2022.10.25 Hits 889
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 2369
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper Academic Leadership Unlike the corporate world, which relies on formally trained managers and leaders, academic leaders typically come to their positions without such formal education or training. Historically, academic leaders go through a transformation from teachers/scholars to department chairs, to deans, to provosts, and presidents. It is during this transformation that they develop their leadership and management philosophies and styles. While at first glance this may seem unsettling, some studies of managers cite work experience, not the classroom, as the best training for developing management styles and leadership skills. In the majority of cases, educational managerial and leadership philosophies of academic unit leaders are the results of their experiences and career transitions, and sometimes in combination with some “self-training” and socialization in academic environments. In general, the definitions of an academic leader pertain to both leadership and management. Academic leadership issues have been widely researched and studied. Numerous articles, texts, and scientific journals such as the Journal of Academic Leadership have been produced to investigate and discuss the nature of the concept. However, despite this extensive literature, the term leadership, while frequently used, is neither consistently used nor uniquely defined. In general, some use the term to describe a collection of tasks or functions performed by individuals appointed to formal positions of responsibility within universities. Others use it to describe the qualities or characteristics of particular individuals who are recognized by others as being academic leaders. There is also the question of the difference between management and leadership. Leadership is distinctly different from management. While management focuses on budgets, tasks, and roles, leadership is about direction and vision. Academic leadership is an influence relationship. Leaders direct efforts toward future results. This influence relationship should be a two-way and non-coercive relationship that is based on interpersonal skills rather than organizational authority. However, this relationship is not an equal partnership since the parties do not provide the same level of expertise and outcome towards the goal. Leaders must articulate the vision, encourage, direct and inspire faculty and staff towards the desired future state, while faculty and staff must contribute with quality teaching, recognized research, and excellent service to all of the stakeholders. Managing an academic unit is no less challenging than leading it. There are generally different and sometimes conflicting ideas and interests about almost any decision and issue facing the academic unit. The main role of the manager is to build a participatory framework where major decisions are openly discussed and decided. Elements of this framework include fairness, transparency, and accountability. A potential drawback of a participatory approach is inefficiency. However, an effective manager must make certain that the process is not unnecessarily prolonged and once a decision is made, the organization moves forward. All of the above strategies require a commitment to excellence. Excellence has to be deeply embedded in the culture of the unit. However, excellence needs to be carefully defined in the context of the mission and capabilities of the institution. It is important to avoid the tendency of mimicking excellence in the sense of other, albeit elite, universities which have different missions and capabilities or serve different constituents. Finally building an academic organization, consisting of highly skilled professionals, which is dynamic and purposeful requires shared governance. The administration alone cannot bring all of the necessary elements to the table. Successful leadership builds a “participatory framework and continual commitments to the shared values, responsibilities and rewards of group leadership” (Polglase, Leadership is everyone’s business, Leadership 2003), which ensures that contributions of all parties, while maybe unequal in specifics, are channeled towards accomplishing the mutual intent. Click here to read the article
2022.06.20 Hits 829
Dr. Hamid Hefazi’s contribution to the Maeil Business Newspaper Engineering Ethics On a cold day on January 28, 1986, at 11:38 am, the Space Shuttle Challenger was launched from Kennedy Space Center. The mission designated as STS-51-L was the tenth flight of the Challenger. The orbiter broke apart 73 seconds into the flight, killing all seven crew members. A subsequent investigation by NASA determined that the technical cause of the accident was the failure of two redundant O-ring seals joining the solid rocket boosters (SBRs). On the surface, this appears to be an unfortunate accident where no malice was involved. Investigation however showed that a series of carless, sometimes self-serving, and unethical decisions were made by managers and engineers of NASA and Thiokol, the SBRs manufacturer, which led to this disaster. Several other notorious and high-profile incidents involving ethical failures such as disregarding public safety, environmental protection, fairness, honesty in research and testing as well as bribery, fraud, and conflicts of interest, on the part of engineers, have been documented in previous years. These problems have raised an important question for engineering educators. Engineers perform works that significantly impact the environment, and public safety, and also have major financial and economic consequences. These conflicting aspects sometimes present ethical dilemmas for engineers. Are engineering students trained and prepared for confronting and resolving such ethical dilemmas in their work? To address this challenge, led by the ABET (ABET.org) the body responsible for accrediting undergraduate engineering programs in the United States, engineering programs in the US are mandated to incorporate engineering ethics in their curricula. Professional ethics is primarily addressed by professional codes of ethics which are specific to each profession. Perhaps the most rigorous professional codes of ethics belong to the medical and legal professions. Engineering professional organizations also have their own codes of ethics. In the United States, these include the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) codes of ethics among many others. It is important to note that these codes are guidelines and do not cover every potential ethical dilemma that may be faced by an engineer. Their applications often require a subjective review of the problem. They also sometimes present apparent conflicts when applied to a problem. For example, one of the NSPE Fundamental Canons states that engineers should “hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public”. Professional Obligation section of the same code however states that “Engineers shall not disclose without consent confidential information concerning the business affairs or technical process of any present or former clients or employers or public body on which they serve”. The dilemma presented here is, for example, when Thiokol engineer Roger Boisjoly was aware of potential problems with the O-ring in the booster, was he ethically bound to disclose that to the public without the consent of his employer? Situations like that require students to develop ethical problem-solving skills. Elements of ethical problem solving include understanding both the factual and conceptual issues of the problem, identifying the moral principles to use, and developing a systematic approach to applying these principles. Most problems have a clear ethical answer. Safety health and welfare of the public clearly supersede the professional obligation of confidentiality to an employer. There are however situations when the answers are not as clear. Practicing engineers are well-advised to understand and follow relevant professional codes of ethics in order to protect society, themselves, and their employers from serious negative consequences. Engineering curricula must train students on the analytical skills that are required for addressing ethical questions that are faced by engineers. Click here to read the article
2022.04.19 Hits 1089
An article published by Prof. Choi (MEC) was selected as a journal cov… MEC Professor Seungbok Choi’s article was selected as the cover page of a journal titled, Applications of Magnetorheological Fluid Actuator to Multi-DOF Systems: State-of-the Art from 2015 to 2021. Below is the cover story written by professor Choi: “This review article presents various multi-DOF application systems that utilize magnetorheological (MR) fluid actuators such as sandwich structures, dampers, mounts, brakes, and clutches. In the first part of this review article, recent research works related to MR sandwich structures, which have been extensively studied in the field of vibration and noise reduction and control, are discussed. In the latter part of this review, recently reported MR fluid actuators are classified by application field, and the features of newly proposed actuators are investigated. The application fields considered in this study include not only traditional automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and civil engineering fields but also robotics, rehabilitation engineering, and haptic interfaces, which have recently received increasing attention.”
2022.03.04 Hits 965
Appointment of Dr. Hamid Hefazi as Provost Dr. Hamid Hefazi has been appointed Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs of SUNY Korea, effective February 9, 2022. The announcement was made by SUNY Korea President Arthur Lee. Dr. Hefazi joined SUNY Korea in 2019 as Professor and Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department. Since he received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1985, Dr. Hefazi has been involved in a broad range of teaching, research, and academic administration activities. His more recent research works have been on the application of CFD in turbomachinery, aerodynamic design optimization, aeroacoustics, hydrodynamics, ship design, and advanced multidisciplinary design and optimization (MDO) methods. Dr. Hefazi has been the principal investigator for more than one-hundred externally funded research projects including projects sponsored by the US Office of Naval Research, NASA, US National Science Foundation, and the Boeing Company among others. Prior to joining SUNY Korea, he served as the head of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Departments at California State University and Florida Tech for a combined 19 years. Dr. Hefazi has also served as the director of several organizations and research labs including the Boeing Company's Technology Centre at California State University. He has received many awards including The US Department of Defense’s Nunn-Perry Award for 2005 and 2006 and the Boeing Company's Silver Eagle Award for innovation in 2006. He is a member of the US National Academy of Inventors and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Hamid Hefazi has already contributed much in many areas of SUNY Korea operations during his short tenure at SUNY Korea: personnel and policy committee, faculty senate, grievance policy, faculty evaluation criteria and guidelines, etc. As the chief academic officer overseeing the curricular and faculty matters, he has much to contribute to the university.
2022.02.19 Hits 1296