Stony Brook University SUNY Korea

The Department of Technology and Society (DTS) at SUNY Korea Stony Brook University equips students with the knowledge and skills needed for career success in the 21st century.

Identical to that at the Stony Brook main campus, the DTS program at SUNY Korea provides an education that unifies traditionally separate disciplines into an integrated unified whole to address problems in society. Applying concepts and tools drawn from natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences, the Department examines and enhances the relationship between technology and our society.

Are you curious to find out what SUNY Korea DTS graduates are up to after graduation?

Please check out the story of Yerin Cho, a DTS graduate of SUNY Korea, now working at Samsung Electronics.

Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Hello, this is Yerin Cho, a DTS graduate of SUNY Korea, currently working at Samsung Electronics. I am a person who gains energy from interacting with others as my MBTI is ESFP. My life goal is to share with others in need and contribute myself to make a better world through technology. I love traveling, exploring regional beverages at travel sites, and recording my memories in videos.

What is your current job responsibility at Samsung Electronics? Tell me about your career path after graduation.

I joined the Global Sales & Marketing Team at Samsung Networks, which is in charge of network business at Samsung Electronics. Since I have only been here two months, I have spent most of my days at new employee training. After the OJT, I will be assigned in one of the regional groups to work as a global sales person so that I can make a contract with global MNOs (Mobile Network Operators) to provide Samsung Networks’ telecommunication solutions like 5G devices and software.

After graduating from the DTS undergraduate program, I joined in the graduate program to research the DRR (disaster risk reduction) field. After graduating from the master’s program, I worked for the ETHOS (Entrepreneurial Talents’ House of Opportunities and Supports) program operated by SUNY Korea and World Bank Group for a year. While working for this project supporting ICT start-ups in developing countries, I got interested in the private sector, especially in the telecommunication sector, which led me to apply for Samsung Networks. 

What is the most memorable experience/achievement you had as an undergraduate student at SUNY Korea?

The most memorable achievement that I had as an undergraduate student was when I was selected as a recipient of the Academic Excellence Scholarship. It was special to me because it was the scholarship that I was awarded after my most challenging semester.

As a DTS student, I realized that the basis of every technology is CSE, and I wanted to challenge myself to overcome my weakness in programming. Even though I knew that I will not get a good GPA while taking a lot of CSE programming courses, I went for it to broaden my perspectives and cognitive thinking. Through this experience, I learned how to manage limited time and how to utilize the human resources around me who could help me to overcome my weakness. In addition, I was lucky to get good rewards from my effort, which kept me challenging myself for higher goals.

How do you think the SUNY Korea DTS program shaped you into the person you are right now? 

The DTS program forcibly put me in a position to acquire both technical and managerial aspects when facing a problem. I could experience predicting and analyzing the interaction between the society and a variety of technology including AI, IoT, blockchain, and 5G, which broadened my perspective. I could see the big picture of every matter of fact, which made me decide to work in the telecommunication field, since I thought telecommunication technology is the fundamental technology which enables future industries such as UAM, metaverse, and remote healthcare.

Do you have any tips for students who are looking for job opportunities? 

I recommend challenging yourself in studying and participating in different types of activities to find which industry or task fits you. In addition, I recommend constantly updating yourself with job boards, so you can read as many job descriptions as possible. In this way, you may find a position that fits you even though you might not have made a precise decision on your career path. If you keep challenging yourself to learn a variety of subjects and participating in as many programs as you can, you will find the job which fits you.