Stony Brook University SUNY Korea

  English Proficiency in Korea More than half of the world’s population have one of ten languages as their native tongue. English, with about 400 million native speakers, is the third, after Chinese (1.3 billion) and Spanish (485 million). However, if we include people who speak English as a second language, the estimates of English-speaking populations range from between 1.5 billion to 2.0 billion. This makes English the most spoken language worldwide.  English is also the most influential language, dominating the fields of science, technology, medicine, business, art, etc. There are many reasons why English has become a universal language. The British empire, colonizing close to a quarter of the world’s population, had a significant role in spreading the English language, particularly in Asia and Africa. The emergence of the United States of America as a world power after World War II is another important reason. Technological and scientific development mostly originating in the US and some other English-speaking countries made English the dominant language of science and technology. This economic and technological power has also led to the spreading of English through news, entertainment, and social media.  As a result, English language proficiency can substantially enhance people’s career prospects, academic pursuits, cultural experiences, access to information, and ability to connect with people globally. Since the economic development of countries increasingly relies on information and global presence, for the foreseeable future English will remain the dominant global “lingua franca” (a language used by people with different native languages to communicate with each other. The EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI) is the most common index used  to rank countries for English proficiency  It is produced annually by EF Education First, an international education company. The EF EPI 2023 edition was calculated using test data from 2.1 million test takers in 2022. The test takers were self-selected from 113 countries and territories. Countries’ English proficiencies are categorized as very high (12 countries), high (18 countries), moderate (33 countries), low (27 countries), and very low (23 countries).  The report finds that per capita, gross national income and innovation all correlate positively with English proficiency. Overall, Europe has the highest proficiency in English while the Middle East averages the lowest. While people in Engineering and Information Technology rank highest, on the average most industries have levels of English lower than they would need to work optimally (Moderate Proficiency or higher). Men’s English proficiency has outpaced women’s for the first time this year in Asia, driven by India and Thailand, with gender gaps of 21 and 32 points respectively. Expectedly, adults in their 20’s and 30’s remain the best English speakers in Asia. The top five countries, with scores between 625 and 661, are Northern European countries, except for Singapore (ranked 2nd with a score of 642, after the Netherlands with a score of 661). With a score of 525 South Korea ranked in 49th place in this survey, which is considered moderate proficiency. This represents a 13-spot drop from the previous ranking of 36th place in 2022. China and Japan also experienced declines of 20 and 7 spots respectively, ranking 82nd and 87th. Korean learners of the English language face many challenges in acquiring the language on a proficient level, even though English is introduced to children at an early age and many private programs teach English as extracurricular programs. Unfortunately, however, only a minority master the language on a proficient conversational level. The reasons seem to stem from cultural and social differences, the significant differences between the two languages: Korean and English, and the Korean Educational System. The EF-EPI report makes several recommendations for government and educational authorities to improve English proficiency. They include: • Consider the hours available in the curriculum and the proficiency level achievable for each major educational milestone. • Ensure that English is taught only by people who speak the language well • Adjust entrance and exit exams so that they evaluate communicative English skills. • Include English in the training for all new teachers. • Re-train English teachers in communicative teaching methods if they were initially trained using other methods • Assess the English skills of all public servants and provide training as necessary • Provide English language instruction in job centers and unemployment reduction programs. • Give adults access to lifelong learning programs. • Ensure that government-funded adult language courses are long enough and intensive enough for learners to meet their goals. • Develop standardized micro-credentials that certify course quality and improve skill portability. • Allow TV shows and movies to be shown in their original language, with subtitles rather than dubbing. Click here to read the article.

Angora goats at Van Hasselt Farm in the Karoo of South Africa. Photo courtesy of Frances Van Hasselt.   When Lorenza Wong took on responsibility for the Textile Development and Marketing capstone course, she rewrote it from scratch. Before this year, students had learned about luxury Italian fabrics, working with mills to spin silk and cotton fibers. “As much as I love Italian fabrics, I just feel like it had been done,” says Wong, adjunct assistant professor. Students told her they wanted to learn about sustainable textiles—and she realized they needed to start to understand farming. She wrote a brand new course that focused on craftsmanship, working with artisans, and forging a sustainable livelihood. Click here to read the original article.

  As anyone who attends FIT can tell you, the college is not exclusively about Fashion Design. There are many creative fields that all support the fashion world, and many of these talents are fostered here. As red carpet season comes to a close, we bring your attention to some of the FIT alumni whose work—styling, hosting, and yes, designing—has pleased audiences at this year’s awards shows.  Click here to read the original article.

  Four students from the Department of Computer Science at SUNY Korea achieved three meaningful awards in the three biggest Hacks competitions at Stony Brook University in New York. These include “Best Sustainability Hack” in SBU Hopper Hacks 2024, “Best Social Impact” in SBUHacks VI, and “Best Integration of Customer Segmentation Utilizing AI” in Softheon Hack@CEWIT. These events were held online from January 29 to February 4, February 9 to February 11, and March 1 to March 3, 2024, respectively, at Stony Brook University. Biniam Markos, Eunwoo Choi, Ulukbek Aitmatov, and Younwoo Ki from SUNY Korea won the  “Best Sustainability Hack” as one team in SBU Hopper Hacks 2024. Hopper Hacks is a hackathon centered around social good, lasting 24 hours, and open to all students at Stony Brook University. SUNY Korea CS students were also awarded in the same competition in 2022. The same team also won the “Best Social Impact” in SBUHacks VI. SBUHacks extends over 48 hours, encouraging limitless creativity. During SBUHacks, students are tasked with pushing their boundaries and pursuing projects aligned with their interests. Additionally, Biniam Markos, Eunwoo Choi and Younwoo Ki from SUNY Korea, along with Alissa Burich, majoring in Business Management from SBU in New York, won “Best Integration of Customer Segmentation Utilizing AI” in Softheon Hack@CEWIT 2024, which is the second-place prize in this competition. Notably, SUNY Korea students have been consistently recognized in this competition, with another group securing the highest award last year. At Softheon Hack@CEWIT, participating students can develop software and automation solutions tailored for health insurers and governmental health agencies.   Written by Student Reporter, Hyeonha Hwang (hyeonha.hwang@stonybrook.edu)

Stony Brook student Vignesh Subramanian ‘24 founded One More Option, which hosted the rally at Stony Brook University for suicide awareness and prevention. Photos by John Griffin.   The struggle of young adults with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges becomes more prominent with each passing year. For Vignesh Subramanian ‘24, a senior biology and psychology double major, the battle hit close to home after witnessing peers’ struggles with suicidal thoughts and experiencing the trauma of losing a loved a one to suicide. On February 23, student leaders from seven colleges across Long Island rallied at Stony Brook University for suicide awareness and prevention. Subramanian said he was thrilled to lead an event in which student leaders, county and state lawmakers, and university administrators came together in a show of unity behind efforts to enact a statewide student suicide prevention law. Click here to read the original article.   

  Undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs at Stony Brook University continue to showcase their work on a global scale. Although final award announcements will come through later this spring, with more than 85 applicants for the 2024-2025 cycle, there is no sign of slowing down. In December, the Graduate School’s External Fellowships unit held an “I Hit Submit!” celebration for those who had submitted their fellowship applications. The event featured a few student speakers who spoke about their fellowship experiences at the undergraduate and graduate level.   Click here to read the original article. 

Sophomore Eddie Smink got the win for the Seawolves in their 5-2 victory over LSU on February 23.   For the Stony Brook University baseball team, Baton Rouge is a home away from home. The Seawolves, on a southern swing through Texas and Louisiana, defeated No. 2/3 Louisiana State University — the reigning NCAA national champions — 5-2 on Friday, February 23, at LSU’s Alex Box Stadium, with all nine starters in the lineup reaching base safely. Click here to read the original article

  SUNY Korea opened its door and welcomed 174 energetic students for the New Student Welcome Week (NSWW). The week, from February 16th to the 22nd, started with warm welcomes and introductions, providing a perfect platform for the new students to get to know each other and more about the campus life. From icebreakers activities to campus tours, and fun activities prepared by the upper classmates, students were able to make the most out of it. The week also included information sessions, allowing students to familiarize themselves with their professors, academic resources, and support services. The highlight of the NSWW was the Convocation Ceremony, a special moment marking the official entry of the Spring 2024 Freshmen into the SUNY Korea family. President Arthur H. Lee warmly welcomed students from 8 different countries, emphasizing, “As a member of this family you became an ambassador to the outside world.”   The ceremony was graced by the presence of Dr. Carl Lejuez, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs of Stony Brook University, who expressed gratitude to the students for choosing SUNY Korea. He highlighted, “We are shaped & improved by the students who choose to spend their educational career here, and the faculty who teach and produce scholarship and research. Welcome to a new semester of discovery.”   Welcome aboard, class of 2028! May you have a wonderful first semester at SUNY Korea.   Click here to watch the NSWW highlights

Cristina Ng Ng, Margarita Ng Ng, Papa Oppong, Valeria Watson, Deborah Won, and Anthony Oyer, on the set of TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.   In celebration of Fashion Month and fashion education, NBC’s TODAY with Hoda & Jenna has partnered exclusively with FIT on a new, weeklong series: Hoda and Jenna’s “Design the Look.” This marks the first time the show has collaborated with a college on a special series. The segments will appear on the show the week of February 19, which airs between 10 and 11 am. Click here to read the original article

  While some students spent the weekend resting or preparing to watch the Super Bowl, others were armed with caffeine and laptops to compete in the sixth annual SBUHacks, a 48-hour “invention marathon.” Click here to read the original article

Suvino, far left, with the rest of the production design team: Brandon Tonner-Connolly, production designer; Tafv Sampson, set decorator; Sierra Revis, assistant art director; Sun Roller Galloway, art department coordinator; Matt Hyland, art director; and Zed Hamblin di Menno, set decoration buyer.   Work by an alumna for the F/X show Reservation Dogs won a prestigious Art Directors Guild Award. Stacy Suvino, Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design ’08 (now called Spatial Experience Design), acted as a set decoration buyer on a team headed up by production designer Brandon Tonner-Connolly in the category Half Hour Single-Camera series.   Click here to read the original article  

  To help provide a glimpse of higher education and the job market that awaits them, Stony Brook University is reaching out to college-bound high schoolers through an innovative outreach program in an effort to highlight the opportunities expected to exist in the energy workforce in the coming years. The program grew from an initiative designed to provide local high school teachers the fundamentals of offshore wind technology. Click here to read the original article

  Thomas R. Sexton ’79, PhD and Margherita (Terry) Sexton ’85, MS ’88 share a long history with Stony Brook University. Both obtained degrees from Stony Brook — graduating from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences — their children attended the university, and Tom helped shape the College of Business into what it is today. They met as undergraduates at St. John’s University, and in 1977, Tom was hired at Stony Brook for a research associate position in the W. Averell Harriman College for Urban and Policy Sciences. He began teaching, and never left. “I’ve been teaching at Stony Brook for 47 years now, and they can’t get rid of me!” Click here to read the original article. 

  On Friday, February 2nd, a total of 192 students and their family members participated in the Admitted Students Day hosted at the IGC Small Theater. This event was specifically crafted to introduce incoming students to SUNY Korea and our campus, offering a comprehensive overview of our academic programs, campus facilities, and the vibrant community we have cultivated. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to engage in enlightening sessions, explore our state-of-the-art facilities, and connect with current students, gaining valuable insights into the dynamic student life at SUNY Korea. Notably, incoming students had the chance to meet their future classmates, fostering connections and establishing a sense of belonging within our campus community. The Admitted Students Day served as an invigorating start to the upcoming Spring semester. The welcoming and informative atmosphere provided students with the confidence and enthusiasm needed for their imminent academic journey at SUNY Korea. From February 16th to the 22nd, newly admitted freshmen will participate in the New Student Welcome Week, receiving guidance through a week of orientation activities and concluding with the Spring 2024 Convocation on February 22nd.  

Picture 1: Collect face mask waste.  Picture 2: Collect plastic waste.  Picture 3: Convert face mask waste into 3D printer filaments for making reusable face mask frame.  Picture 4: Make plastic waste into antimicrobial nanofiber filter with advanced nonwoven technology.  Picture 5: 3D printed face mask frame with the nanofiber filter incorporated.  Picture 6: Comprehensive evaluation of the performance of the 3D-printed face mask prototypes.   The worst of the pandemic may be largely over, but the waste from everyone’s face masks isn’t. Now three Textile Development and Marketing faculty members—assistant chair Ajoy Sarkar and assistant professors Huipu Gao and Imran Islam—working with FIT students, have received a $75,000 P3 (People, Prosperity, Planet) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant to try to solve that problem by developing one-of-a-kind reusable, antiviral face masks made from plastic waste. Click here to read the original article