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Wondering what you want to do after graduating SUNY Korea? Sunghwan Kim, a senior at Stony Brook, got accepted to Stanford’s Master’s Degree Program and is waiting for opportunities from other universities. Here is his story of his experience in SUNY Korea and how it made an impact on his decision to go to graduate school to pursue his dream in his field.  

Briefly introduce yourself

Hello, my name is Sunghwan Kim. I am a Senior at Stony Brook University’s Engineering & Applied Science Program majoring in Technological Systems Management, minoring in Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and expected to graduate this spring semester. If you have any questions about energy-related research or graduate school application, please feel free to email me:sunghwan.kim@stonybrook.edu 

Why did you decide to study at SUNY Korea?

Ever since I was young, I have been interested in technology and how it affects society. I set out to become a scientist who gives hope to mankind and the nation. So, in the Department of Technology and Society, I wanted to look at how engineering can directly help people through efficiency and optimization in areas such as sustainability.

What is your most memorable experience at SUNY Korea?

While studying Technology Systems Management at Stony Brook University, I have been able to look at technology and its broader impacts such as developing institutional regulations and policies for various energy technologies with the theme of sustainability. I have been able to apply the lessons from my coursework to several research projects with Professors Mark D. Whitaker, Sira Maliphol, and Neal Dreamson.

One of the most memorable experiences while studying at SUNY Korea is my internship experience at Stanford center. I worked as a research support and project consultant intern at the Stanford Center at Incheon Global Campus (SCIGC) Sustainability Department. As the only undergraduate member, I worked hard with many Stanford professors and researchers on projects studying the trends of EV charging technology and business, demand response (DR), reverse DR, renewable energy, and Smart Mobility. As part of the study, I was able to analyze cases of overseas energy companies and schematization of enterprise types and write a research report. Also, I analyzed GS Caltex Electrical P2P Transactions and V2G Services in Jeju Island, which is a new experimental smart city island in South Korea.

What is your greatest accomplishment as a student at SUNY Korea?

At the World Federation of United Nations Associations, I participated as a team leader in climate action (SDG13) and as a South Korean representative. Since sustainability is a global issue, I also wanted to learn about the multilateral international organizations that address it. I carried out a project focused on the technology transfer of ESS and EV tractors to prevent carbon emissions from Agri-Business farming in Kalimantan, Indonesia. The findings and proposed policies were presented to officials at the UN headquarters in New York.

In addition, in my last project, I investigated public interest in energy by region. From this study, we realized what is most important is that we need policies and regulations to support continuous attention and scientific development. Our study won the Best Paper Award at the 14th International Conference on Intelligent Human-Computer Interaction, which will be published in the Springer-Human Computer Interaction booklet.

Also, I participated in various programs and competitions on behalf of the university, such as IGC Central Library Learning Spaces Naming Contest and IFEZ Happy Study Room Mentoring Volunteer work.

What are your research interests and career goals?

In my current research project, I focus on applying energy storage system (ESS) technology to address the production and demand volatility of wind, water, and solar-derived (WWS) energy. Since renewable energy supply highly depends on weather conditions, ESS can stabilize the energy grid by storing WWS energy. And for my future career, I want to be a professor or project consultant who can suggest technological assessments and proper policies for various government organizations and businesses.