SeoulTech Alumnus Hong Su-min Accepted Into PhD Program at Notre Dame

Hong Su-min, an alumnus of the Dept. of Industrial Engineering's ITM programme at SeoulTech College of Engineering and Management (class of 2017, graduating in February 2024), has been accepted into the PhD program in the Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame). She will begin her studies in the upcoming fall semester.

• Alumnus Hong Su-min

U.S. News ranks Notre Dame 20th in the nation.
Hong Su-min will receive full financial support from Notre Dame, including tuition, living expenses, and health insurance.
During her Bachelor's studies in the ITM programme, Hong conducted research activities in the Interaction Laboratory under the guidance of Professor Jeong Jin-woo (Dept. of Industrial Engineering).
Her major research areas included AI-based Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), feedback systems to assist presentations, facial expression recognition models in real environments, and book damage detection models.
Concerning these topics, she recently published one paper as the first author in an SCI(E) journal and co-authored two papers at international conferences.
Link: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

[Interview with Hong Su-min]
Q. Please introduce yourself briefly.
I graduated from the ITM programme in the Dept. of Industrial Engineering in February 2024. Now, I am preparing to study abroad.
Although the semester starts in September, I plan to start my research at Notre Dame in July after consulting with my advisor.

Q. What motivated you to pursue graduate studies?
Initially, I did not plan to attend graduate school. I found the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research in my department's lab intriguing and started undergraduate research activities in my sophomore year.
Through various research experiences in the lab, I broadened my perspective and became particularly attracted to researching IT technologies that can be directly applied to our lives.
HCI research focuses on improving human behavior and experiences through technology and solving real-world problems, and this research was fascinating.
I realized that I needed knowledge and experience beyond the undergraduate level to become an expert in this field, which naturally led me to pursue graduate studies.

Q. What influenced your decision to attend a graduate school abroad?
I initially planned to continue my graduate studies in Korea.
I was accepted into an integrated master's and PhD program at a Korean university but ultimately withdrew because the research field did not align with my interests.
There are three main reasons I chose to study abroad.
First, I discovered that my research field is actively being explored in the US.
Considering the scale of the research environment and infrastructure, I believed it was the optimal place for my growth.
Also, the US allows students to earn a PhD without a master's degree.
Given my three-year gap due to an extended leave of absence, saving time by not pursuing a master's degree was a significant advantage.
Furthermore, I expected that studying abroad would broaden my horizons by exposing me to diverse perspectives and approaches.
For these reasons, I decided to pursue my graduate studies overseas.

Q. How did your graduate school applications go?
I applied to ten PhD programs in the US and was accepted by Notre Dame.
Although I did not receive favorable results from other schools, I found a good match with my advisor. The research field at Notre Dame led to my final acceptance.
I believe the research I conducted as an undergraduate researcher and my various extracurricular activities left a good impression on the selection committee.

Q. What are your plans or goals for the future?
Since I am entering the program immediately after my undergraduate graduation, I recognize that I have much to learn.
Through the PhD program, I aim to build a solid foundation in computer science and strive to become an excellent scholar.

Q. Lastly, would you like to say anything to other students?
There are moments when the efforts you are making may seem futile.
However, I believe that your efforts will help you in some way.
I, too, experienced times of confusion regarding career decisions, school life, and graduate school applications. Yet, seemingly unrelated experiences have shaped my identity and contributed to my successful outcome.
I encourage you to gradually piece together your puzzle at SeoulTech, a place full of opportunities.
Thank you!