Underwood International College May 2024
The UIC Newsletter is committed to keeping our community informed and connected, emphasizing the diverse experiences of our students, alumni, and faculty. We strive to provide essential news, inspire engagement, and unite the UIC community through our coverage of its achievements.
“The truth will set you free” (John 8:32)
Underwood International College Vol. 9, No. 1, Spring 2024
Explore the heart of our liberal arts residential college through our newsletter, where we highlight a rich tapestry of stories within our community. As we invite prospective students to join our vibrant academic environment, we aim to authentically share the essence of life at our campus and inspire enthusiasm for learning.
An overlooking view of Yonsei International Campus at Songdo, with a focus on the Underwood Memorial Library building. Finished in 2014, Songdo Campus, home to the College of Pharmacy and Global Institute of Theology, offers a unique residential college experience to all freshmen.
Dear UIC Community Members,
It is with great pleasure that I address you today, celebrating the publication of another insightful issue of our college newsletter. As we gather to refect on the achievements and aspirations of our institution, I am honored to share some thoughts on our journey and the path that lies ahead.
First and foremost, I extend my deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who contributes tirelessly to the success of our college. Whether you are a faculty member, a staf member, a student, or an alumni, your dedication and passion are the driving forces behind the excellence we strive for at UIC.
In this issue, we have the privilege of featuring an interview with yours truly, ofering a glimpse into my motivations for returning to UIC afer nearly ffeen years and my vision for the future of our beloved college. Having been a part of the Yonsei family for three decades, my journey has been intertwined with the growth and evolution of this institution. It is my frm belief that UIC, as the pioneer of liberal arts education in Korea, holds a unique position in shaping the minds and hearts of our future leaders.
As we look ahead, it is essential to acknowledge the challenges that lie before us. From the shortage of faculty members to the imperative need for greater internationalization and inclusivity, we are confronted with tasks that demand our collective efort and commitment. However, I am confdent that with the unwavering support of our community and the dedication of our faculty and staf, we will overcome these obstacles and emerge stronger than ever before.
One of my primary goals as dean is to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, where interdisciplinary research thrives and our students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to tackle the pressing issues of our time. Furthermore, I am deeply committed to nurturing a more inclusive and diverse environment within UIC, where every voice is valued and heard. By fostering meaningful connections between students, faculty, and alumni, we can harness the power of our collective experiences and perspectives to drive positive change both locally and globally.
Looking ahead, I envision UIC as a beacon of excellence in liberal arts education, renowned for its academic rigor and commitment to global citizenship. Together, let us continue to strive for excellence and empower the next generation of leaders who will shape a brighter future for our world.
Dean of Underwood International College
UNDERWOOD INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
The official newsletter of Yonsei University’s English-based liberal arts college
EDITOR-IN CHIEF
Younah Kang
DEAN OF UIC
Doowon Lee
ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Hee-Seung Yang
ASSOCIATE DEAN OF PLANNING
Younah Kang
EDITORS
Chaeun Kim
Natasha Elyssa Gadjali Pho Vu
WRITERS
Chaeun Kim
Natasha Elyssa Gadjali Pho Vu
DESIGNERS
Saehyun Lee
Nicoline Dorothy Pho Vu
DIRECTOR OF UIC CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER
Hyunsang Kim
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
Michael Kim
We want this newsletter to channel the pioneering spirit of Horace Grant Underwood, whose legacy in Korea encompasses contributions to medicine, education, and the human spirit. We encourage submissions that defines our institution. Whether you have stories to share, concerns to address, or suggestions to offer, please connect with our dedicated Public Relations team at uicpr@ yonsei.ac.kr. Together, let’s continue to honor our heritage and shape the future of UIC. Thank you very much for being part of our journey
UIC NEWSLETTER is published two times a year, with online editions updated on the UIC website accordingly.
PUBLISHERS: Underwood International College
EMAIL: uicpr@yonsei.ac.kr
TEL: 02-2123-3923
WEB: uicyonsei.ac.kr/newsletter
Printed in the Republic of Korea.
Professor Lisa Son on Unlearning Failures
IID Showcases Student Works in Bi-Annual Exhibition
New ISE Tumor Immunology Lab at Songdo Campus #FACULTY_NEWS
FACULTY NEWS
Dialogue with the Dean: Professor Doowon Lee
Professor Jinyoung Kim’s Transition from UIC Student to Unyielding Scholar
An Interview with Professor Tony Qian, UIC’s New Asian Studies Faculty
QRM Professor Jeong Hoon Jang’s Vision for the Future of Risk Management & Data Integration
Professor Lisa Son on Unlearning Failures through Metacognition
CDM Professor Bokyung Lee’s Path to Designing User-Centered Innovation for Tomorrow
STUDENT NEWS
UIC’s Jungmin Kang Awarded Best Oralist at SUAD Youth COP
What UIC Singapore Global Career Tour Taught Me
UIC Students Learn Various Career Pathways from Global Career Tour Korea
IID Showcases Student Works in Bi-Annual Exhibition
Incoming Freshmen Enjoy WIC (Writing Intensive Clinic) & CC On:Line Program
Student Reflects on LearnUs Global Semester
COLLEGE NEWS
New ISE Tumor Immunology Lab at Songdo Campus
Exclusive Lecture Series Hosted by Asian Studies Major in Fall 2023
Asian Studies Holds Spring 2023 Senior Theses Presentations
The Politics of Christian Rescue in the Hŭngnam Evacuation of December 1950
UIC’s Asian Studies Major Spearheads Success in Yonsei-Indonesia Association Event
NIS Students Discover UIC Academic Offerings at Yonsei
ALUMNI NEWS
Four Alumni Triumph in Rigorous Government Examinations
Thank you for making the time today. Before we begin, please introduce yourself to our readers
I joined Yonsei University in 1994 as a faculty member of the Economics Department, and this year marks my 30th year as a Yonsei professor. My first involvement with UIC was in 2007 when I assumed the role of Associate Dean and served for two and a half years during the early stages of the college. Since then, I have held various administrative positions within Yonsei, including Vice President for International Affairs and Dean of College of Commerce and Economics.
You have returned to UIC in almost 15 years. I think the readers would be curious about your motivations behind taking the position of dean, as well as your decision to return to UIC.
Initially, when the new President Yoon Dong-Sup offered me this position in late January, I hesitated. It has been 15 years since I left UIC, and I was aware of the significant growth and complexity the institution had undergone over those years. Taking on such a role seemed like an audacious idea. However, the special attachment to UIC that I developed during my two and a half years as Associate Dean motivated me to accept the position. I was also curious to see the progress UIC had made since my departure and assess the challenges it is currently facing. Ultimately, I wanted to contribute to shaping the future of the college.
To this day, UIC remains the top liberal arts college in Korea. So how do you envision liberal arts education and education at UIC both as a dean and one of the founding members of UIC
I believe that the core value of a liberal arts education is to integrate humanities, arts, and various academic majors through an interdisciplinary curriculum. That’s why at UIC, we emphasize on our Common Curriculum (CC), which encompasses literature, history, and philosophy—these are the basic courses students have to take to understand human nature. On the foundation of CC, we offer 16 diversified professional majors. This kind of interdisciplinary study reflects the essence of what a leading liberal arts college aims to achieve.
While UIC already possesses the basic structure of interdisciplinary study, we still have progress to make.
I recognize that we are still trailing behind many prestigious liberal colleges in the USA and Europe. Our primary challenges include a severe shortage of faculty members and excessively large class sizes in certain courses.
Alongside the shortage of faculty members, what do you perceive as the current challenges that UIC is facing right now, and how do you plan to address them
My top priority is to increase the number of qualified faculty members. As of this semester, we have 43 full-time faculty members in UIC and we have nearly 3000 students. The studentto-faculty ratio is simply incomparable to any other college within Yonsei University. I’m actively drawing as much cooperation as possible from the university headquarters to increase the number of faculty members, and they also acknowledge this problem very well. So I am sure that they will give us full support
Doowon Lee is a professor at the School of Economics, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. Currently, he is also the Dean at Underwood International College, Yonsei University. He acquired his B.A. in business administration from Yonsei University in 1987 and his Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University in 1991.
but obviously, it’ll take some time. My goal is to recruit several new faculty members by the end of this year, bringing our total to over 50, and to continue this recruitment trajectory throughout my term until January 2026.
We also need more collaboration between faculties, between divisions, and between majors. For that purpose, I’m trying to arrange more interdepartmental meetings among faculties, and of course, more collaboration between faculty and students.
Another aspect I want to improve is internationalization. After all, UIC is an international school but compared to other international schools outside Korea, I think we have room for improvement. For example, let’s talk about the number of students going to exchange student programs. The UIC students’ number is slightly bigger than other colleges in Yonsei but not substantially bigger. So I would like to encourage more students to engage in some form of international programs before they graduate.
Now that we’re touching upon the topic of the internationality of UIC, I’m curious if there are any plans to enhance the inclusivity and diversity within UIC because we’re seeing a much more diverse student body compared to, say, 15 years ago.
Yes, I think we have many things to do in terms of inclusivity. When I look at the statistics, we have students from nearly 70 different countries, and non-Korean students comprise around 20 percent of the entire student body—it’s a pretty big portion of students. Only when you respect such diversity can you have an inclusive relationship with other groups of students. That’s one of the reasons I want to increase my interaction with the student body. Right now, I’m planning to have a UIC luncheon event at the Yonsei Presidential Residence. Of course, I cannot invite all 3000 students—I’m thinking about inviting around 200 to 250 students, including student body leaders. This is a very good opportunity for students to connect with each other and pose tough questions to the President. We’ve tentatively set the date for May 31st. A couple of details are still being finalized, and we will announce it to the entire student body once everything is confirmed.
Recently UIC has created a graduate school, the Department of Innovation to be more precise, and we’re also excelling in research we recently had master’s graduates and we’re publishing papers in international journals and conferences. Are there any plans to further enhance UIC’s distinctive interdisciplinary research capabilities
I will ask my faculties, especially those on the tenure track, to dedicate more time and effort to the research. As you might know, they are already tied by a fairly big teaching burden. That’s why we need more faculty members. Only when we recruit more and reduce the heavy teaching burden of existing faculty members can they spend more time on their research pursuits. Also, I will try to make the decision-making process of hiring new faculties and promoting existing faculties more transparent. This will allow them to focus more on their research. When the promotion criteria are not transparent, they can feel very insecure about their future.
Another priority is the establishment of experimental laboratory facilities. Last year, in addition to the Department of Innovation, we set up the Department of Innovative Science and Technology, an extension of the ISE division that offers another master’s degree program. While I anticipate the enrollment of our first students
next spring, [keep in mind that] this is a science and technology program—we need new faculties and we need adequate lab infrastructure as well. We will utilize the spaces in the International Campus in Songdo to set up new labs.
After the COVID era, both international society and Korean society are grappling with numerous challenging issues, including conflicts among genders and generations, rapid industrial changes driven by the introduction of AI, an aging population, declining birth rates, and more. So, what do you think UIC’s role as a college is, on a national scale and international scale
UIC definitely has the advantage of tackling these problems powered by its international, interdisciplinary curriculum. With a diverse composition of students already experienced in how to work with others from different cultural backgrounds, we are in a very good position.
However, one area that I want to contribute to in this regard is to set up an alumni network. I was surprised to find that UIC currently doesn’t have an active alumni network—we do not know where our alumni are and we do not know their contact information. Establishing such a connection is a very important asset for both alumni and current students.
Moving on to more personal questions, how would you describe your leadership style
I want to be a leader who actually sets a good example—someone who can encourage other people to do their job. A leader cannot do everything alone—I believe that a good leader is someone who can actually make things happen with the help of other people. To get that kind of support, I strive to be more reliable and trustworthy. I’m trying to give that kind of trust to people around me.
To do so, I am also trying to give more authority to my staff, individual faculty members, major chairs, and division directors so that they can do their job without unnecessary interference. Once they make certain decisions, I make an effort to respect their judgment.
You joined Yonsei University as an undergraduate in 1983. What do you think is the most memorable moment from your undergraduate years
At that time, Korean society was very dynamic—somewhat a little bit chaotic—which I enjoyed. Politically speaking, that was a time of democratization where I saw many big changes. At the same time, economically speaking, we were in an era of fairly rapid economic growth. We didn’t have to worry about our job market situation, and we had more opportunities. Personally, I made very good friends back then, and some of those friends are still with me these days and helping my job as the dean of UIC. More personally, I got married to my wife [who I met on campus], and we called ourselves a “CC” or Campus Couple. Those kinds of things.
We still use the term CC Looking back to those days, do you have any regrets from that time
What can I say There are many, many of those small regrets. My GPA was not bad, but it could have been better. I didn’t do any club activities at the time, which is something I kind of regret now. I think I was too busy drinking and hanging out with my friends. But despite these small regrets, I’m pretty satisfied and happy with the campus life I had.
That brings us to our final question. You’ve mentioned that your term ends in January 2026. When that time arrives, how would you like UIC, and what legacy would you hope to leave behind as dean
During my term, my focus will be on establishing a long-term vision for UIC. I plan to assess the current situation of UIC and compare it to prestigious liberal arts colleges in the States and benchmark their system. Subsequently, I will outline a long-term timeline to narrow that gap [between UIC and these institutions]. Of course, I understand that achieving this goal will extend beyond my term, but I would like to make steady but incremental progress towards it.
Iwas surprised to find that UIC currently doesn’t have an active alumni network—we do not know where our alumni are and we do not know their contact information. Establishing such a connection is a very important asset for both alumni and current students.
Dean Doowon Lee delivering the keynote address at the February 2024 commencement ceremony.
Hello, I’m Tony Qian. I grew up in New York and moved to Boston for college, where I got my B.A. in literature from Harvard College. Then, I completed a J.D. at Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. in comparative literature at Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. I came to Korea about three years ago with my wife, Valerie, and I have two young kids, Lydia and Margaret. We came because I received a Fulbright scholarship, which was a good opportunity for us to move to Korea. We attend Galilee Baptist Church in the Sinchon Area. We’re very involved in the ministry there, and our faith is an important part of our lives. In my free time, I chase after my two girls, and I like to read, especially CS Lewis, one of my favorite authors. I also follow Yankees baseball since I grew up in New York.
Did you have a clear career goal at the start of your undergraduate studies at
I actually applied to Harvard as a biochem major because I attended a science high school. I went to Stuyvesant High School, best known as the high school next to the World Trade Center. I was a sophomore when 9/11 occurred, and it was an influential period of my life. When I entered college, I realized biochem wasn’t what I wanted to do. Science wasn’t my strength or my interest. I had a vague notion of going to med school, but it was more my parents’ dream. So, I decided to
concentrate on literature because I grew up loving to read, especially Tang poetry. Although I loved it, I had no idea what to do with it career-wise. I thought I could attend law school with a humanities major, which was a practical choice. So, I did my Bachelor’s in literature and then applied to law school afterward. While applying, I decided to go to grad school at the same time and I was fortunately accepted into both. It was perfect timing; Harvard had just started a joint program for a Ph.D. and J.D., and they paid for most of my law school tuition through this program.
I completed my law degree and internships but realized I didn’t want to practice law. I still loved academia and being a grad student. My advisor was Prof. Stephen Owen, a Tang Scholar I’d known since my undergrad days, and working with him reminded me of my childhood, when I read Tang poetry. I did my Ph.D. topic on law and literature. Prof. Owen recommended that I look at the legal rulings from the Tang Dynasty, so I compared them to Roman declamations as my comparative literature dissertation. After that, I taught at Tufts and Harvard as an adjunct, and then the opportunity opened to come to Korea as a Fulbright Scholar.
On the Roman side, students practicing for an eventual career in law practiced giving speeches on hypothetical legal cases. Many of these cases are quite far-fetched and weren’t legally very plausible, but that was the way for these students to practice their rhetorical skills, speak, and argue different sides of an issue. That genre was called declamations—comparing that to the Tang side, you have these judgments written in very polished and dense literary prose in response to certain hypothetical legal scenarios. I compare the different uses of rhetoric and ways to use narrative to make a legal case.
My Fulbright research was an extension of the Tang project. The legal judgment tradition began in the Tang but continued into the late imperial period. When I came to Korea, I wanted to compare that to Joseon legal practice as well as Joseon magistrates, who were also influenced by the same kind of literary culture as Chinese magistrates. They had to learn the same corpus of Confucian text and histories and I saw how that affected their decision-making, which allowed me to compare the differences between native legal culture in China with more of an imported legal culture and individualism.
Are you continuing that research or considering going a different route
I’m still working on the Fulbright Project. It’s my longterm project as well as my book manuscript. I’ve narrowed my focus to late imperial and Joseon marriage
cases. I look at different types of storytellers of marriage and how marriage is told in legal, literary, and historical sources. My approach is looking at marriage controversies in law. I just published an article about late Imperial China, specifically looking at the Ming dynasty’s legal collection and marriage cases. I wanted to expand that and put that kind of legal document in the context of the literati code.
Right now, I’m working on an article on the legal judgments that King Jeongjo wrote. For that, I’m looking at homicide cases and how the king ruled and used rhetoric and narratives to make his rulings. I also have other interests. One that extends beyond law and literature is looking at translations. At the turn of the 20th century, I want to examine how works from the West, like historical romances, detective fiction, and missionary novels, were translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. The translation process reveals this interaction between the various cultures.
How has been your transition from Seoul National University (SNU) to UIC
I applied for an appointment as a visiting scholar at the Seoul National University Asia Center, and that’s how I got into the SNU community. I taught a traditional Chinese literature course there for three semesters. As I transition here, I also teach the same courses. One focuses on the tales of the strange and fantastic, and the other on outlaws. There’s a law and literature element to how outlaws are depicted in East Asian literature. There’s a mix of international and Korean students at UIC and SNU. So that has stayed the same.
I’ve been impressed by my UIC students here. Some students are very committed and they read carefully, are willing to participate, and have good ideas. Some students comment on things that I’ve never even thought of myself. The only difference is that at SNU, I taught a much larger class. My class here is much smaller; one has 17, and one has eight, so it’s a much more intimate group. I can do more when the class is smaller, have deeper discussions, and get to know the students. I can have a roundtable and have more discussion-oriented classes which I’ve found to be much more rewarding.
Now that you are a faculty member for our Asian Studies (AS) major, what is your vision for AS in the future
I’m trained as a pre-modernist, and I hope to bring to the program a firm historical grounding for our students so they can understand contemporary East Asia. You can’t understand contemporary East Asia without a substantial historical understanding of traditional East Asia. For example, to understand contemporary Korea, you need to understand the whole history, Japan, and further back, Korea’s relationship with China and how Korea imported some Chinese culture and selectively used and adapted it. I hope students will come into the program knowing that there are many things going on in this region, many opportunities for growth, new directions, and exciting developments. How do we make sense of that instead of being carried away into a murky future How do all these developments arise out of the historical context and the profound cultural memory of people for centuries, and how is
that still part of the psychology of the people living here I hope that students can see that value.
How has your transition to life and work in Songdo at UIC been compared to your previous experience in Korea
The most challenging transition was when I first moved to Korea amid the pandemic. It was difficult; we barely went outdoors because of the restrictions. We relied on our church friends, even finding an apartment for us and helping us adjust. But now that we’re basically out of the pandemic, my kids have adjusted very well; they speak fluent Korean and talk to each other in Korean. I’m looking forward to learning Korean for my kids, and I look forward to learning more about the Songdo Community, building relationships, collaborating with my colleagues, and learning more about students, especially in the Asian studies program.
“I believe that my students possess significant potential to become adept quantitative risk managers.”
QRM PROFESSOR JEONG HOON JANG’S VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF RISK MANAGEMENT AND DATA INTEGRATION
Hello, I’m Jeong Hoon Jang. I am a new incoming assistant professor affiliated with the Quantitative Risk Management (QRM) major at the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) department of Underwood International College.
I was born and raised in South Korea, and my academic journey began at Daewon Foreign Language High School. After completing high school, I moved to the United States to pursue higher education at New York University. Initially, I was inclined towards studying finance, but gradually, I found my interest veering towards mathematical models and data handling. In the end, I decided to major in mathematics, statistics, and operations management.
During my undergraduate studies, my advisor suggested I pursue a Ph.D in statistics, which was growing at that time due to the increasing reliance on data in various fields. I took his advice and enrolled in a statistics Ph.D program at Emory University. During the five years I spent there, I conducted research in the field of statistics, and this experience further honed my skills and knowledge on the subject.
After graduating from Emory University in 2019, I was offered a position as an assistant professor at Indiana University School of Medicine. This teaching opportunity allowed me to venture into the field of health studies and medicine while leveraging my expertise in statistics. Here I worked in the Department of Biostatistics, and I had the chance to work with a variety of medical data generated from hospitals, including image and electronic health data, which was a rewarding experience. After working there for about two and a half years, I decided to return to my homeland, South Korea, and joined Yonsei UIC as an assistant professor in the QRM program, where I have been working for the past year and a half.
In statistics, my research focuses on methodological and collaborative aspects. In methodological research, I specialize in functional data analysis, a statistical field that addresses the challenge of analyzing data represented as functions, like EEG or medical image data, within finite samples. The goal is to develop efficient methods for drawing meaningful conclusions from these infinitedimensional functions. Collaborative research involves working across diverse fields, such as infectious diseases and health policies, and applying statistical methods to various real-world problems. My work at Indiana University centered on collaboration in infectious diseases, health policies, and rehabilitation. While at Yonsei, I concentrate on data analysis for public health. My publications mainly tackle complex data sets and contribute to statistical methods, particularly in the area of functional data analysis. This interdisciplinary approach extends to collaborative publications in medical fields, ranging from infectious diseases to kidney disease, and illustrates the impact of statistical methodologies on diverse health challenges.
I often deal with a plethora of complex data which combines electronic health records and medical image data from the same patients. Unlike traditional analyses focusing on one data type, my approach integrates data from multiple sources for meaningful interpretations. In my methodological work, I develop techniques, such as the “hybrid principal component analysis,” a unique dimension reduction method that simultaneously handles image data, multivariate data, and tensor data. This allows for a holistic analysis of heterogeneous data. As I continue to explore and expand, I want to improve the integration of data from various modes and formulate methods that effortlessly handle the complexity of diverse data forms for a more comprehensive understanding.
What are the real world implications of your research and how can you incorporate the principles of your research into your teaching
When collaborating with medical professionals, they prefer data that can be represented in simpler forms, but this becomes challenging with heterogeneous and high-dimensional data. My developed methods handle this issue by reducing dimensionality and enables medical professionals to visually understand disease classifications, which is vital for quick patient group identification crucial in scenarios where rapid decisions impact outcomes significantly. Currently, my focus in teaching is on regression analysis, specifically the foundational tools for regression performance. In the realm of functional data analysis, our methods are extensions of traditional approaches. They serve as the base for extending methods into more complex scenarios. When working with complex data objects, such as functional data, it’s important to have a strong understanding of traditional tools.
For QRM majors, I recognize the evolving industry landscape where professionals encounter not only traditional data but also highly dimensional and diverse datasets. For example, in industries like insurance, data spans various dimensions and working with such data requires a strong foundation. Therefore, my goal is to teach my students step by step, starting with traditional data objects and methods and then gradually introducing methods that can handle complex data types, to ensure they have a comprehensive toolkit for real-world applications.
As our first full-time QRM faculty member, how do you find the program so far and how do you plan on building up the program
I believe that my students possess significant potential to become adept quantitative risk managers. I would say four skills are key to being an effective quantitative risk manager. Firstly, students need coding proficiency for effective data handling. Secondly, a solid foundation in mathematics is essential to grasp the methodologies required for working with data. Thirdly, communication skills are vital, as translating data analyses into understandable insights for collaborators, such as clients, is integral. Lastly, a good understanding of the specific fields being worked in, whether economics, finance, or public health, is necessary.
My vision is to design the curriculum for the major in a way that allows students to excel in these four areas. I’ve taught a variety of courses and firmly believe that, with the right resources and additional professors, we can introduce more contemporary and challenging courses. Using this approach, we would focus on developing the essential skills required for students to become proficient quantitative risk managers ready to navigate the complexities of the real world. It’s necessary for students to understand the multidimensional nature of risk, especially in the context of climate change and natural disasters. Real-world events greatly highlight the need for statistical and quantitative analysis to model and address uncertainties effectively.
I feel the study of QRM will become more and more popular as time goes on. As I mentioned, the world is filled with uncertainties across various sectors such as business, insurance, finance, marketing, engineering, and physics. The current trend in modern statistics and science is geared towards systematically analyzing and predicting these uncertainties. Given the increasing demand in multiple sectors for professionals who can manage risks, the major is just going to become more and more popular.
Lisa Son is a Professor of Psychology at Barnard College, Columbia University and 2023 Shinhan Visiting Professor at Underwood International College, Yonsei University. She received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia University.
Q: Tell us about your academic background.
I’m Lisa, and I’m a Korean American born in Los Angeles but grew up mostly in a little town in New Jersey. I was a Psychology major at the University of Pennsylvania. I grew up loving psychology and I already knew different aspects of psychology. As a minority, I directed my interest to cultural psychology. I liked linguistics. I was interested in the brain—I was interested in people experiencing mental health challenges. We all have our little illnesses and anxieties, so I was interested in human behavior.
I also worked as a work-study student in a neuroscience lab—I did the surgeries for the intracranial tubes, gave the anesthesia, and handled rats really well. For all four years at Penn, I became really close with [the late] Robert Rescorla who was famous for the RescorlaWagner model on learning in animals—particularly in relation to reinforcement schedules. I learned so much from him, but I still didn’t know what research was.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue an academic career and how did you become interested in metacognition
When I was at Penn, I was having fun doing these surgeries and didn’t really think about the future. I was a pre-med, but I didn’t think about taking my MCATs to go to medical school. My grades were okay, but medical school was too expensive. When somebody told me about the loan forgiveness policy for Ph.D. holders, I decided to take my GREs. I applied for graduate schools, and eventually began studying as a Ph.D. student in Psychology at Columbia.
Originally, I was accepted by an animal researcher, but I didn’t want to work with rats, so I started working with a chimp researcher. As soon as I got there, I met Professor of Psychology Janet Metcalfe—my advisor—who had just arrived. She and Arthur Shimomura had coedited a book called Metacognition: Knowing about Knowing. When I visited Columbia as a college senior, Arthur gave me that book and said, “If you want to do human research, try reading this book because Janet Metcalf is coming to Columbia at the same time you are.” It was the spring of my senior year when I started reading it, and it was everything.
Q: Can you share with us some applicable key findings from your metacognition research
Metacognition, as said in the preview of [Metcalfe and Shimomura’s] book, is about knowing thyself. In two parts, metacognition is that you first have to monitor what you know about yourself to use it to control subsequent behavior. For example, if I’m sitting in class and I don’t understand what the teacher is saying, I just monitor. Then, I’d raise my hand and tell the teacher I don’t understand this. That’s control. Slowly, I started to understand that both the monitoring and the control components are very difficult
for different reasons. Sometimes, you don’t know what you don’t know—that’s one of the biggest problems in metacognition. And there’s something called overconfidence. All of these, over- or underconfidence is a breakdown in monitoring.
At first, when I learned about metacognition, I was really sad because I felt I didn’t know myself in the way that I thought the majority of people did. Being a minority was a big thing in my life, when I was not saying what I thought, not saying things out loud, and just being that obedient, quiet student. I certainly never raised my hand in classes. Even in graduate school, I was very quiet. And I loved this word “metacognition” and the concept that you must know yourself.
In the beginning of my research, I focused on monitoring and control—how accurate we are, and when and why overconfidence occurs.
One experiment I did early on with a colleague was featured on a KBS show while I was researching in Korea as a Fulbright US scholar. We replicated the experiment with high school students at Haneul Academy. The research showed that, for example, in the learning context, self-testing is more beneficial for long-term learning whereas for self-reading, you have the illusion that you’re doing great and just become overconfident.
Q: You have published two books. How did you shift to being a book author
After that KBS special, people started contacting me, saying, “Can you write a book on this ” Obviously, I said “No, I don’t write books.” I certainly didn’t put myself out there. I just did my research quietly and wrote papers. However, in Korea, I saw a lot more under-confidence during learning than overconfidence that I had seen in America. During my sabbatical here, I decided to write my first book [in Korean] on metacognition, which came out right at the peak of COVID. Many Korean parents read it because they wanted to know how to help their children learn how to learn. I was very happy because people started to realize that it’s not about forcing ourselves to remember information and more about making errors.
My second book “Impostor” came out [in Korean] at the beginning of 2022. For the record, I’m not a writer and certainly not fluent in Korean. This was a difficult task for me, but at the same time, I was using metacognition to reach a goal with many previous failures. Even writing one page involved failure, and I had to keep editing and get a lot of help from others. The reason I wrote “Impostor” so quickly was that after I wrote “Metacognition,” everybody assumed that I had great metacognition, which is not true. I’m still learning it and trying to improve myself. Like many other people, I have to hide my weaknesses, my failures, and I pretend to be happy and perfect, and smart and cool with everything.
Q: How did you become a UIC Shinhan Visiting Professor
I’ve always wanted to teach—even if it’s a sabbatical when I have to do a lot of research.
The Fulbright office is in Mapo district, and I’ve taught in different places that were very far away, so this time I wanted to teach somewhere close by. I had a friend of a friend who works at Yonsei. When this position came through, I was so happy. I learned that UIC is a college that offers English-speaking programs—which is more comfortable for me.
I also wanted a smaller section, where I envisioned getting more Korean students to talk and engage in a real-time discussion. When I prepared my syllabus, I called my seminar “Metacognitive Bias” and focused on the two biases that I did most of my research on— hindsight bias and impostor phenomenon.
Q: How has your experience been teaching the “Shinhan Seminar” at Yonsei UIC
I wanted to go through metacognitive bias in my seminar. On the first day, I realized that there were no psychology majors in my class—they didn’t know certain basics of the brain. So I was like, “Oh, I have to do a fast review,”—I did a review of psychology and cognitive psychology before getting to metacognition. It’s the teaching that I love. The students were wonderful. I made them write a little paper because I couldn’t really get the sense of how strong their English was. Their writing pieces turned out to be really creative and honest. Their English was perfect. It showed me they were curious and open.
“Students are a lot like us when we were young. We have all the stressors, but they have more stressors. It’s a different world—we can’t help them in many ways. What’s so great about metacognition because it’s not only about giving them the solution but also about helping them think of the solution.”
Last summer, I got the chance to explore the bustling spirit of Singapore through the Global Career Tour with fellow UIC-ers. Our itinerary included visits to Apple, Google, Grab, Hyundai Motors Group, Deloitte, and the United Overseas Bank, where we talked to Yonsei alumni and working professionals and absorbed their shared experiences while posing countless questions. While each visit was enlightening in its own right, two experiences left a lasting impression on me.
I was most looking forward to visiting Google. During our tour, we learned about the company’s unique work culture, including their 10x thinking process which propels innovation by tenfold, and their annual Objectives and Key Results planning. Additionally, we learned about Google’s commitment to its employees’ well-being. The synergy of a diverse and driven community together, along with a fun and engaging work environment, created an atmosphere unlike any other.
Our visit at Deloitte turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Initially unsure of how my own interests aligned with the company’s goals, I approached the visit with an open mind. Listening to the stories of career paths of established partners and their guiding values, as well as having casual conversations with junior employees about what brought them to Deloitte, I learned how people of different backgrounds, experiences, and interests came together to fulfill various roles within the company. As I shared my own interests and academic focus, they depicted ways I could fit into different roles. Overall it was a thoughtprovoking conversation that challenged my biases and broadened my mind of possibilities of a career that beyond borders and expectations.
By the end of the tour, I had learned about the visions of the different companies and what should go on a resume, how to write cover letters, and all things related to the hiring process. However, I had always had difficulties envisioning what came after all that. The trip opened my eyes to the vastness of the professional landscape, demonstrating the power of diverse perspectives, and the importance of aligning my skills and passions in practice. Ultimately, engaging with individuals who actively shaped innovation, strategy, and daily operations truly humanized the corporate experience for me. I was left with a new perspective on the collective efforts and human stories of passionate professionals that highlight the driving force behind these global companies.
Junhyeong Park, NSE (AI Concentration) ‘20
“In my experience during the Global Career Tour, I found that exploring Lunit Inc. offered me a profound understanding of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with biological research. Lunit developed the AI method to predict the possibility of cancer disease. As I’m actively engaged in AI and Deep Learning (DL) research, witnessing their innovative AI methodologies was fascinating. It made me set the research vision that I should deal with integration into real life during my research.”
The Global Career Tour (GCT) in Korea serves as a transformative experience for students at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), offering a firsthand glimpse into various industries and providing networking opportunities with alumni and professionals. In this interview, we sit down with three UIC students who participated in the GCT to hear about their experiences, insights gained, and advice for future participants.
“During the Global Career Tour in Korea, I visited various global companies and learned about each company’s characteristics, values, and jobs. Honestly, it is hard to meet the alumni who are working in the field. But, this GCT allowed me to communicate with them. For future participants, I recommend investigating the company, job descriptions, and the relation to your major in advance. If you participate in the tour considering what values the company pursues and your interests, you will have a more valuable experience.”
“Overall, I really enjoyed the Global Career Tour. I believe it was an invaluable experience to look at different companies in Korea, as well as the science field, and to learn more about the opportunities that are available to us as UIC students. For future participants, my advice would be to learn about the companies beforehand because it makes the experience more exciting and enables you to make the most out of the experience by asking thoughtful questions to our alumni.”
Helped students gain insights into top companies and trends in the Korean market.
Motivated students to aim higher and pursue ambitious career goals.
Fostered connections between academia and industry for UIC students.
Provided students with opportunities for professional growth and development.
The Information Interaction Design (IID) major’s bi-annual exhibition was held in the International Campus, Veritas B lobby from the 11th to 15th of December. The opening ceremony, held on the 11th, included professors, IID students, and guests.
Students taking IID major courses, which focus on project-based learning, created diverse design outcomes throughout the semester. The bi-annual exhibition is a chance to showcase these works to the Yonsei community, as well as visitors to our campus. The exhibition also serves as a chance
for IID students to network among themselves, with freshmen and sophomore students connecting with upper-class students about their work. The exhibition is also often visited by professionals from diverse fields.
This semester, 71 students from 6 different courses (Introduction to Information and Interaction Design, Basic Drawing 2, Color Design, Visual Systems, User Experience Research Methods, and Social Digital Innovation Projects) exhibited diverse pieces including User Experience (UX) design projects, visual design projects, drawings, and digital prototypes.
With state-of-the-art facilities and a team of dedicated researchers, Shin’s lab, led by Professor Jae Hun Shin, inquires into the intricate interactions between tumor and immune cells with a purpose of unraveling the mysteries of cancer metastasis and immune evasion. Beyond fundamental discoveries, their work holds promise for developing novel therapeutic interventions not only for cancer but also for inflammatory diseases, embodying a steadfast commitment to scientific excellence and innovation in the pursuit of improved patient outcomes.
#ISED
UIC Assistant Professor and Chair of Bio-Convergence, Jae Hun Shin, recipient of a prestigious laboratory grant from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Korea, has propelled forward the development of tumor immunology with a significant infusion of resources. With the NRF grant totaling 100 million won, Professor Shin has acquired a cutting-edge flow cytometry instrument equipped with a 96-well plate loader, facilitating high throughput screening and analysis of cellular dynamics at the single-cell level.
The lab has opened at Veritas B439 and B440, with a cell culture room at B401 at the International Songdo Campus as of 2023. Professor Shin noted that this is the first biology laboratory in the division of Integrated Science and Engineering in UIC. Under Professor Shin’s guidance, the lab currently hosts a cohort of 2 graduate students and 8 undergraduate students. Their research focuses on the cellto-cell interactions between tumor cells and immune cells to discover the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of metastasis and immune evasion in cancer cells. Based on new findings in basic research, the research team also aims to develop therapeutic applications for not only cancers but also other inflammatory diseases. Together, Professor Shin hopes the lab will be “an educational niche for scientific endeavor and creativity.”
On October 7, 2023, Yonsei University hosted the international event, “Riding the Waves of Change: Fostering ASEAN-ROK Reciprocal Exchange and its Implications for the Youth,” highlighting strengthening bonds between ASEAN countries and Korea. This significant initiative was a collective endeavor led by the Yonsei-Indonesia Association (YIA), the Vietnam Student Association at Yonsei, and the UIC Philippines Student Association in partnership with the Asian Studies (AS) Major.
Guided by AS Chair Professor Michael Hope, whose leadership was instrumental in organizing the event and delivering an insightful keynote speech on ASEAN-Korea relations, the occasion served as a testament to the exceptional efforts of faculty and students in promoting international dialogue. With support from the Asian Studies (AS) department at UIC, the initiative drew an impressive gathering of over 100 international
students from 28 countries, alongside diplomats, industry leaders, and investment specialists. The AS Major’s backing, especially financial support and organizational assistance from Professor Hope, was crucial in facilitating the vibrant discussions among participants.
Discussions at the event centered around deepening ASEAN-Korea ties, examining shifts in Korea’s demographics, and identifying avenues to enhance ASEAN student engagement through practical opportunities. The resounding success of “Riding the Waves of Change” featured UIC as a role model for how a liberal arts institution can cultivate a supportive environment for student-led initiatives, with its students driving these impressive endeavors.
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UIC Yonsei is approaching its 20th anniversary in 2025 Join us in celebrating two decades of academic excellence and innovation as we look forward to a year of special events and reflections on our remarkable journey.
Our College proudly congratulates alumni Yeni Gam (PSIR, ’19), Ryangwon Kim (ECON, ’20), and Soomin Oh (PSIR, ’17) on passing the Foreign Service Candidate Selection Exam, alongside Hyuntae Jang (ECON, ’18) for acing the Open Competitive Exam for Grade 5.
[What’s good about UIC?]
Yonsei UIC is a liberal arts college so you get to do whatever you want and decide what whatever is going to be good for you. Even if your parents tell you to be a civil servant or a diplomat, even when you start earlier, if you don’t have the motivation, you won’t be able to move on when you’re stuck and you might not be able to make decisions on your own. I think, through UIC experiences, you get to decide whatever is going to be good for you, whatever job you will take. Just try out everything you can have. There’s UIC Career Center, so just go ask about how to get internships from there.
Another thing I really liked about UIC when I was studying for the exam were actually the seminars and CCs. I think your UIC experiences can be cherished through seminars. I took all the history-related or gender studies with Professor Seunghei Hong. Those experience helped me think about different perspectives of history and how we view the current situation. So I would say take as many seminars as possible while you can.
[How did you overcome the challenging exam preparation months?]
The biggest difficulty was that this was an entire lonely process. I felt like I was left on an island alone. And I had no one—no seniors, no peers, no friends in where I studied. I had no one to ask about this exam. I had no one to give me advice, and that’s the biggest hardship for me. There were some days that I didn’t talk even a word and that was like our everyday life, so I think that was the biggest challenge for me. But during those hard days, my parents encouraged me and my friends gave me a lot of support. And that was a big help for me to undergo those periods.
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[Advice for future exam takers]
There’s a high chance I wouldn’t be able to make it even if I had tried my best because all the other students are very hardworking. Even if I had put in three, five, seven years, there’s a very high chance that I wouldn’t be able to get this job that I want. There’s honestly no perfect remedy for this. II kept going on because I had the belief that this job that would be satisfying—it will let me do the things that I want in life.
What I want to say to students who wish to study for this exam is that, it’s better to have a very high level of motivation and before studying for the exam, and it can take a long time. I started after my military service, so I had no idea of trying to study for the exam before that. There are some students who start from their freshman years, and that is also a good strategy—in terms of trying to finish an exam early in life. Having a high level of motivation would be very helpful for this kind of exam.
[How did the time spent at UIC help you achieve your dream of becoming a diplomat?]
The fact that there are many chances to interact with foreign students in UIC is a big advantage as an international student who does not have a foreign experience like me. We can have more interactions with foreign students, especially through team projects or even in dormitory experiences. I think those kinds of experiences gave me a lot of motivation to actually dream a dream of working as a diplomat, and that was a big advantage for me as a UIC student.
In February 2024, 280 UIC graduates from 16 majors gathered at Daewood Annex Hall in Sinchon Campus for their graduation. Once again, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to the great Class of February 2024. To our graduating Eagles, you’ve worked so hard. Now, it’s time to spread your wings and soar!
PHOTO COURTESY OF YONSEI UNIVERSITY
Underwood International College, Yonsei University
Seoul Campus: 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722 Republic of Korea
Tel: 02-2123-3942
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Tel: 032-749-3708
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Thank you for being part of our journey -UIC Newsletter Team
Join us at the 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF UNDERWOOD INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE Republic of Korea | March 2025
