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Professor Jongseong Brad Choi Secures 666 Million KRW (~555k USD) in Funding Through Highly Competitive “Metaverse Lab Support Program Professor Jongseong Brad Choi from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at SUNY Korea has been selected as the sole recipient of the prestigious “Metaverse Lab Support Program,” jointly organized by the Korea Radio Promotion Association (RAPA) and the Ministry of Science and ICT. In previous years, three to four labs were selected annually; however, due to a nationwide reduction in R&D funding, only one lab was chosen this year—Professor Choi’s—making the selection process exceptionally competitive. The program provides 666 million KRW (~555k USD) in research funding over a period of three years. Including continuing participants in their second and third years, a total of four universities are currently part of the program: Yonsei University, KAIST, Korea University, and SUNY Korea. SUNY Korea’s inclusion alongside Korea’s top-tier R1 universities highlights its emerging strength and growing influence in research excellence. Professor Choi’s winning project, titled:“Metareal: Commercialization of Ultra-Realistic Real Estate Spatial Information Metaverse Technology,” focuses on transforming his AI-powered, hyper-realistic 3D modeling algorithms into commercially viable metaverse technologies for the real estate sector. As part of the project, Professor Choi will establish a tech startup, MEIC-AI Co., Ltd., and plans to hire more than 10 undergraduate and graduate researchers among SUNY Korea students, fostering both innovation and student opportunity. Professor Choi’s consistent success in securing competitive R&D grants is especially notable in the context of significant reductions in national research funding for individual researchers. It represents not only a major personal milestone for Professor Choi but a significant institutional accomplishment, underscoring SUNY Korea’s rising reputation as a globally competitive, research-intensive university. It further demonstrates a testament to SUNY Korea’s commitment and focus to becoming a globally recognized research hub through innovative and practical research endeavors. Professor Choi leads the MEIC (Mechanical Systems with Intelligence and Computer Vision) Lab, which is dedicated to the concept of Engineering Soft Power. The lab’s core research areas include visual intelligence systems, vision-based control, digital twins, and human-machine interaction. The current team consists of 12 researchers, including five Ph.D. candidates, three master’s students, and three undergraduates, who have contributed to a series of award-winning research accomplishments. MEIC Lab Website: https://www.meic-lab.com
2025.05.16 Hits 76
Professor Seung-Bok Choi Ranks Among Top 0.05% of Scholars Worldwide for Impact and Excellence in Mechanical Engineering Professor Seung-Bok Choi (MEC) has placed in the top 0.05% of all scholars worldwide via Highly Ranked Scholars™, which ranks the most productive authors whose works are of profound impact (citations) and of utmost quality (h-index). Enabled by the generation of over 30 million detailed scholar profiles based on unique ScholarGPS™, classification of over 200 million scholarly publications of record into one of over 350,000 distinct Specialties, 177 Disciplines, and 14 Fields, Highly Ranked Scholars™ are, for the first time, identified within each Specialty, Discipline, and all Fields. Highly Ranked Scholars™ are those with ScholarGPS™ Ranks of 0.05% or better. The data are based on lifetime activity, weighting each publication and citation by the number of authors and excluding self-citations. According to the analysis of the 177 Disciplines, The World Rank of Professor Choi is #188 in Mechanical Engineering, and the ranks of his specific fields are evaluated as follows: Vibration Control #1, Smart Material #3 and Optimal Design #15. He is still actively serving as a journal editor for more than 15 international journals (SCI), including Smart Materials and Structures, Scientific Report and the Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures. The number of his publications to date is 890, based on Web of Science. Currently, he is a senior fellow of both the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) and the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK).
2025.05.15 Hits 101
Professor Seung-Bok Choi Wins “Lifetime Achievement Award" Professor Seung-Bok Choi (MEC) has received the “2025 Lifetime Achievement Award” from International Research Data Analysis Excellence Awards. His main contribution and honorable achievement in innovative works for this award includes parts of his research sectors: (1) Processing Online Massive Measuring Databases via Data-Uncertainty Quantifying Mechanism, (2) Recurrent Mechanism and Impulse Noise Filter for Establishing ANFIS, (3) Design of a New Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Based on a Solution for Clustering in a Data-Potential Field, (4) Development of a Novel Diagonal-weighted Preisach Model for Rate-Independent Hysteresis, (5) A Neuro-Fuzzy Training Algorithm for Identifying Dynamic Characteristics of Smart Dampers. Recently, he received the “2025 Best Researcher Award” from the International Research Awards on Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (IRAA, MO) which is a different category from this award. Professor Choi has been working at SUNY Korea since March 2021, after retirement from Inha University, where he worked for 30 years. He is still actively serving as a journal editor for more than 15 international journals (SCI), including Smart Materials and Structures, Scientific Report and the Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures. The number of his publications to date is 887, based on Web of Science. According to the research evaluation platform, ScholarGPS.com, his world ranking of Vibration Control Area is #1 and #2 in the Smart Material Field. Currently, he is a senior fellow of both the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) and the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK).
2025.04.16 Hits 1796
Professor Jongseong Brad Choi Leads EV Research Collaboration with Hyundai Motor Group Professor Jongseong Brad Choi, from the Mechanical Engineering Department at SUNY Korea, and his Mechanical Systems with Intelligence and Computer Vision (MEIC) Lab are conducting an industry-academia research project with Hyundai Motor Group, as reported on April 8th. Professor Choi’s research has been selected for the 2025 Future Technology Research Project (Future PoC Project), hosted by Hyundai Motor Group. This collaboration highlights the MEIC Lab’s dedication to cutting-edge research in AI-driven automotive technologies, and serves as a key achievement that demonstrates SUNY Korea’s research capabilities and academic excellence in the development of next-generation electric vehicle systems.
2025.04.09 Hits 2098
Professor Seung-Bok Choi Wins Consecutive "Best Researcher Awards" Professor Seung-Bok Choi (MEC) has received the “2025 Best Researcher Award” from the International Research Awards on Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (IRAA, MO). His main contribution and honorable achievement in innovative research is the molecular analysis of Magnetorheological Fluids (MRF). He has published more than 50 articles in MO related journals such as Internal Journal of Molecular Sciences. Specifically, he has focused on constitutive modeling of nana-particle based MRF via SEM images and XRD to identify the chain structures of the particle along with the magnetic field direction. This marks the second consecutive year that Professor Choi has received a Best Researcher Award, having been recognized in a different category in 2024 by the International Research Awards on Sensing Technology. Professor Choi has been working at SUNY Korea since March 2021, after retirement from Inha University where he worked for 30 years. He is still actively serving as a journal editor for more than 15 international journals (SCI), including Smart Materials and Structures, Scientific Report and Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures. The number of his publications to date is 887, based on Web of Science. According to the platform ScholarGPS.com, his word ranking of Vibration Control is #1 and #2 in the Smart Materials. Currently, he is a fellow of both the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) and the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK). Read about his acheivement in 2024: HERE
2025.03.26 Hits 1790
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 2058
Professor Jongseong Brad Choi Secures 1.25 Billion KRW (~1,042 USD) 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 3221
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 2099
Professor Linda Kim Awarded “Artist of the Year” at 2024 International Fashion Art Biennale in Seoul Linda Kim, professor of FIT, was named “Artist of the Year 2024” at the 2024 International Fashion Art Biennale. The theme of this year’s biennale was In Harmony with Nature: A Journey of Sustainable Fashion Art. Out of 77 fashion artists, representing 12 countries, Professor Kim was recognized for her exceptional contribution to sustainable fashion. The 2024 International Fashion Art Biennale, hosted by The Korea Fashion & Culture Association, was held from September 11th to September 19th at the Oil Tank Culture Park, Culture Complex. The exhibition features thought-provoking sub-themes of Contemplation, Coexistence, and Embrace. The garments on display reflected extraordinary creativity and craftsmanship, offering a unique perspective on sustainable fashion. Additionally, The Korea Fashion & Culture Association marked its 30th anniversary, having started with the first Gwangju Biennale in 1995.
2024.09.27 Hits 2154
Professor Neal Dreamson named a Top Scholar (0.5%) by ScholarGPS SUNY Korea professor Neal Dreamson was named a Top Scholar (0.5%) by ScholarGPS in the categories of Digital Electronics and Pedagogy for his strong publication record, the impact of his work, and the notable quality of his scholarly contributions. Neal Dreamson, who teaches in the Department of Technology and Society, was ranked 73rd in the world in the field of “Pedagogy” and 32nd in the world in the “Digital Electronics” category. ScholarGPS (https://scholargps.com) provides rankings of individuals and institutions overall (in all fields), in 14 broad Fields (such as Medicine, Engineering, or Humanities), in 177 Disciplines (such as Surgery, Computer Science, or History), and in over 350,000 Specialties (such as Cancer, Artificial Intelligence, or Ethics). Professor Dreamson stated, “Research originality comes when we think outside the box, moving away from competitive thinking within domestic systems and pursuing contributions based on humanism. This eventually leads to competitiveness in the international community.” Dr. Neal Dreamson received his Ph.D. in Socio-Cultural Philosophy from the University of Queensland. He contributes to the Incheon community through roles in various educational committees and conducts future education research with the National Education Commission.
2024.08.14 Hits 2038
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 1948
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 2172