Hi everyone! My name is Emma. I’m from Media, Pennsylvania, a town outside of Philadelphia, and I’m a Mechanical Engineering student at Pitt. Outside of class, I’m involved with SWE (the Society of Women Engineers), CHAARG (a workout club) and FORGE, a club that discusses worldwide current events concerning refugees. I also love going to college in a big city and try to take advantage of as many opportunities as I can, from plays to concerts to museums to restaurants. My favorite concert has been Peer Gynt with the Pittsburgh Symphony, my favorite art museum I’ve been to is the Frick, and my favorite restaurant is constantly changing but right now it’s a tie between Casbah in Shadyside and Five Guys right here in Oakland.

I applied for Plus3 Korea because of its focus on smart systems. Besides the fact that they’re one of the most innovative and interesting emerging technologies (I mean, who doesn’t want to try riding in a self driving car?), I was really interested in their controversial aspects as well – particularly concerning privacy. Smart technologies have the potential to improve the public’s safety, but a lot of people are concerned about the impact smart systems can have on their privacy.

Since South Korea is a country that has implemented smart systems into their daily lives, I am really interested to learn how they have balanced these innovative systems with people’s desire for privacy. As a future engineer, I think it is so important to consider the context in which technologies and products are being used. Another thing that attracted me to Plus3 was the mix of business and engineering students – in my future career, I’ll most likely be working with people in departments outside of engineering. Traveling and working on projects with people with different majors will help me explore outside of my engineering bubble as well.

In addition to all of the professional and academic opportunities this trip has, I’m so excited to meet people from a culture different from my own. I’ve been abroad before, through my high school’s French Exchange program during my junior year, and by far the most impactful and memorable moments were the ones I spent getting to know the other French students. I was able to make some really strong connections despite the communication barriers, and I hope I’ll have similar opportunities through our visits to places such as Hanyang University.

I chose Plus3 Korea primarily for its focus on smart systems, but throughout the pre-departure meetings I’m getting more excited to experience Korean culture as well. It’s a country that has transformed immensely over the past 50 years and doesn’t seem to be slowing down. I can’t wait to visit traditional sites like the Royal Palace as well as modern companies like Reebok or Adidas – and the countless snacks that Professor Yun has brought to our meetings have made me very eager to try the food as well.

I’m so grateful and excited to be a part of Plus3 Korea, and I’ll be counting down the days until May 4th!