On August 16, UNIST signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) to pledge mutual support for one another in the pursuit of excellence in research and education. The primary purpose of this meeting was about the recent launch of a new summer exchange program between Harvard SEAS and UNIST.
The primary purpose of this internship is to increase diversity in science and technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the memorandum of understanding, the two institutes agreed to provide a large number of research opportunities through UNIST-Harvard SEAS Summer Program.
Harvard SEAS has been collaborating actively with prestigious universities across the nation for its undergraduate student programs. The school strives to provide a wide array of cross-cultural engineering programs, focusing on implementing renewable energy solutions on the world stage and improving solar cell efficiency. For this year’s summer exchange program, UNIST has been selected as their new partner university.
UNIST President Mooyoung Jung (left) is shaking hands with Dr. Fawwaz Habbal (right), Executive Dean for Education and Research at Harvard SEAS. l Photo Credit: KiHoon Bang
The UNIST-Harvard SEAS Summer Program is an international research internship program, started from the Summer of 2017. The program has brought together a total of 15 undergraduate students−five each from Harvard SEAS, UNIST, and Jiao Tong University in China. This year’s program included a thorough study of solar energy, including a hands-on component in which student teams designed, fabricated, and tested photovoltaic cells.
“Working together is important because it is nearly impossible for one person alone to make a difference. Individuals get stuck on one idea and cannot see any other way,” says Sung Hoon Kim in the School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Students had opportunity to experience nano-processing technology in the clean room at Harvard SEAS.
Students from Korea, China, and the United States are working together to develop new ideas.
Another goal of the program is to foster a collaborative mindset and helping students develop a global perspective are among the goals of the program.
Dr. Fawwaz Habbal, Executive Dean for Education and Research notes, “Diversity is extremely important in engineering.” He adds, “Engineers must be sensitive to cultural diversity to have a grasp of the global issues they will work to solve in the future. I hope these students depart with a sense that they can make a difference.”
“It is important to establish a partnership with the engineering school within Harvard University where each college operates independently,” says President Mooyoung Jung of UNIST. “I hope UNIST will engage more actively with Harvard in the areas of education, research, as well as exchange of faculty and students.”
From left are From left are HuiSu Yun, Minjeong Kim, Sung Hoon Kim, Jeongmin Ha, and Cheol Mun.
The UNIST-Harvard SEAS Summer Exchange Program has been supported by the Kyungdong Study Abroad Scholarship Program. Starting next year, the program hopes to expand its original two-week course into six-week course, allowing students to spend two weeks each at Harvard, UNIST, and Jiao Tong University respectively.
