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Graduate Student Spotlight

Dr. Youngsun Jang - Ph.D. Computer Science

• What led you to pursue your Ph.D. at ������Ƶ?

I was working in South Korea when I decided to study in the U.S., driven by personal circumstances and a dream I wanted to pursue. While working at a national research institute in Korea, I witnessed AI innovations like Google DeepMind's AlphaGo, which inspired me to study this field in graduate school. The ������Ƶ Computer Science Department had experts in this area, making it the optimal choice for me.

• What was your experience at ������Ƶ in the doctoral program?

The department provided full support for all activities, from teaching assistant experience to presenting research at domestic and international conferences, ensuring that Ph.D. students could successfully settle into their careers post-graduation. Thanks to this, I gained critical experiences needed to establish myself in academia and build an excellent CV. Additionally, the lab environment allowed me to focus on both research and academics, which was extremely beneficial. Most importantly, the interactions with fellow students were a great stimulus for my personal growth.

• What advice do you have for others considering graduate school?

Graduate school is not an easy choice, as it requires sacrificing part of your business career and dedicating considerable material and human resources for an extended period. However, if you have academic curiosity and ambition, I believe that dedicating a few years to focused study and research in graduate school will bring you rewards that exceed the opportunity cost. Especially in the Computer Science field, where the pace of development is accelerating, maintaining your position in the industry without continuous research is challenging. Therefore, by acquiring cutting-edge skills and learning how to conduct research in graduate school, you can maintain your competitiveness in the long term.

• What led you to your current position as an assistant professor at Muhlenberg College?

Above all, it was my personal dedication to and passion for education. While studying for my Ph.D. at ������Ƶ, I realized that I had a talent for making difficult concepts easy to understand for learners. I also discovered my desire to help students. This led me to pursue an academic job to build a career in both teaching and research. Muhlenberg college was the first to approach me and introduced themselves in a sincere way. I believe I was able to successfully secure my current position thanks to the support from the faculty members in the ������Ƶ Computer Science Department during the job search process. I am deeply grateful to the professors and staff at ������Ƶ.

It's Kindness Week at ������Ƶ!!

October 5 is 'Do Something Nice Day' and to celebrate, ������Ƶ is spending the whole week honoring our graduate students, faculty and staff for being #JackRabbitNice.

Win $1,000 to Jackrabbit Central or a $500 Apple Gift Card!

The Students’ Association is currently conducting a vote to approve or reject the reallocation of your General Activity Fee (GAF) dollars. This reallocation would keep the GAF rate flat and support a variety of student services, including:
• An additional mental health counselor
• Student organization funding
• Virtual mental health counseling services
• Student union staff wages and funds for student union technology
• Office of Student Activities services
Cast your vote now for a chance to win $1,000 to Jackrabbit Central or a $500 Apple gift card!”

The link the the survey is below. A QR code for the survey is also attached to this email.

https://sdstate.questionpro.com/t/AY24vZ392c