On Saturday, August 26, 2023, the Korean American Scientists and Engineers Association South Texas Chapter (KSEA-ST) and the Korean American Oil & Gas Engineers Association (KOEA) hosted the Young Generation Forum (YGF) at the 609 Main in Houston, Texas. The YGF was sponsored by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Houston and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA).
This year, we welcomed participants mostly from the Houston area, but some traveled from Austin, Dallas, and Lubbock TX, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Virginia. Additionally, many undergraduate and graduate students from Rice University, University of Houston, and Texas A&M University attended. The 2023 YGF started with a fun, icebreaking session where we played a game, YGF says, similar to Simon says game. Then Mr. Geunggi Min from KOTRA Dallas introduced the mission of KOTRA. We then moved on to the breakout sessions: Academia, led by Drs. Crystal Shin and Jeongmin Park, and Industry, led by Mr. Nathaniel Han and Dr. Cheolkyun Jeong. The Academia Session targeted university students preparing for graduate school admission, graduate students and postdoc researchers aspiring to become principal investigators. Approximately 45 participants, including 8 speakers, attended the session consisting of two interactive panel sessions.
The first panel session featured five faculty members (Drs. Eunhee Kim, Hyuntaek Oh, Seung Kam, Goo Jun, Kiseok Kim). Dr. Crystal Shin, the moderator, led a discussion about the skills and preparation necessary to grow into PIs and ultimately become leaders in academia. We also share ideas and tips for managing research projects and writing papers and grant applications. The second session led by Dr. Jeongmin Park had three senior postdocs (Drs. Dah-eun Chloe Chung, Youngdoo Kim, Tae-Ung Wi) and two faculty members (Drs. Crystal Shin, Kiseok Kim) as speakers. We had an active discussion on recent trends in academic appointments in both Korea and the United States, an introduction to fellowships and their application process, and other available support for postdoctoral researchers.
Concurrently, more than 70 participants actively engaged in the Industry Session. This session focused on professional development, particularly for students pursuing careers in industry. Dr. Cheolkyun Jeong and Mr. Nathaniel Han led the discussion on various helpful topics for career development. The panelists include Ms. Michelle Kim, Drs. Alex Lee, Hoseong Lee, Youngwoong Lee, and Seung Kam. We discussed how to refine and enhance existing skills and acquire new skills. The panelists emphasized the importance of networking to follow up and maintain connections. They also shared their own experiences illustrating the impact of networking on their career progressions.
After a short break, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Houston, Young Ho Jung, greeted over 100 attendees and shared positive and encouraging words with the next generation. The most anticipated session was the keynote session. We were fortunate to have Dr. Yongho Sohn, who is a Professor in the Department of Materials Sciences and Engineering at the University of Central Florida. He also serves as the current President of the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association. Dr. Sohn started the keynote session with a brief story of his early life. He then shared his story as a graduate student and how he developed an interest in teaching. Dr. Sohn also talked about mentors he had and students he mentored over the years and presented an overview of his research program focusing on additive manufacturing. He shared his motivations to pursue a career in academia and what he thought was important for students and trainees regardless of their career aspirations. Lastly, Dr. Sohn shared his view on why service is important and necessary, particularly to the Korean-American community. The audience was fully engaged as we filled the room with energy and laughter. There was no doubt that the audience left the session with inspiration!
This year, we were excited to have seven companies (Samsung Semiconductor, Samsung Engineering, SK E&S, Lotte Chemical, Intac Solutions, KNOC, and Hyundai Global Service) joining the career fair. The representatives from each company gave short presentations which were well-received by the audience. Students seeking summer internships or full-time opportunities could interact with the representatives during the career fair. Other participants continued the conversation with the panelists during the networking hour. We concluded the event with the raffle and closing remarks from Drs. Crystal Shin and Cheolkyun Jeong.
Overall, this year’s YGF was a success and well-attended. From the post-event survey, we received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. Of 52 responses, 60% reported it was their first time attending the YGF, and they were excited about the networking opportunity and breakout sessions. The majority of participants expressed high levels of satisfaction with all the sessions. They enjoyed the career fair and networking even though it was only an hour long. We sincerely thank the organizing committee, volunteers, KSEA, KOEA, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, KOTRA, and most importantly, all participants who made the day meaningful. We look forward to hosting another YGF next year!
Organizing Committee: Jaewoong Choi, Nathaniel Han, Cheolkyun Jeong, Minkyu Jung, Jung Hwan Kim, Kunho Kim, Jeongmin Park, Junhyung Park, Crystal Shin
The article reported by Crystal Shin, PhD (KSEA-South Texas Chapter President and Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine)
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