This trip was a great experience that combined cultural and educational experiences. South Korea was my first choice for the Plus3 locations, and this trip has completely exceeded my expectations. Through our meeting I had a good understanding of what the trip would be like, and so I was not surprised with the fast moving environment. We were told that we would have less free time then the prior plus3 groups so I was prepared for that going into the trip. This also meant that I valued my free time and made sure that I did everything I wanted to. Through the process of making our pre-departure presentations I learned a lot about the culture and was able to recognize some of the things I learned about. For example, when we visited the palaces, I remembered learning about the floor heating systems. This kept me engaged when listening to our tour guide explain as I was able to ask questions using my prior knowledge. I think that our pre-departure meetings prepared us well for the trip and left me with little to no confusion or surprise about the activities. The biggest shock during the trip was seeing how different the culture is then America. The quiet on public transportation is a lot different and took some getting used to. I normally talk on subways and trains with my friends to pass the time by. It is also different how the subways have lines to enter and exit, and there is also a protective door so that no one can walk on the tracks. What made this trip exceed my expectations was how fun the activities were. When I normally travel with my family, we do not do a lot of activities and choose to relax, so I was a little scared going into this trip. However, I had no issue with this and was able to fully participate in every activity. Even when I felt tired, I still pushed myself because everything we did was such a unique experience that I did not want to miss out on.

This trip allowed me to reflect on the broader responsibilities of engineers in society. I have already been exposed to American culture in the context of engineering, but this trip allowed me to see a whole new culture. Visiting many organizations such as Hyundai, POSCO, POSTECH, TOPIS, Seoul City Hall, and Arisu Water allowed me to observe how engineering, ethics, education and culture come together in real-world situations. Through these experiences I was able to learn the importance of professional development, lifelong learning, social environments and multi-disciplinary teams which I can apply in the future as I continue to grow as an engineer. 

Engineers hold a great deal of ethical responsibility when it comes to society. This was clear on our visit to TOPIS as they valued public safety, sustainability and quality of life. What TOPIS does is completely unique in comparison to the United States. The ability for any citizen to view crashes and get live updates ensures that everyone is safe and aware of any situations on the road. The system of notifying people about tickets through their phone is also efficient because the police do not have to pull over people as often. This saves time and also lets them focus on more important issues. Another benefit to TOPIS is their focus on improving traffic flow by changing the timing of traffic lights. This is particularly important in a major city like Seoul where there are traffic lights on almost every street corner. On the other hand, having all of this information easily accessible on the internet can cause some ethical concerns. For example there can be issues with privacy, data collection, and public trust. That is why engineers working on the smart systems at TOPIS must be sure to balance these concerns in order to make citizens happy. Through this visit to TOPIS, I learned that engineering is not only about solving problems, but also understanding the consequences of implementing advanced technology and the importance of gaining public trust.

The first topic I want to talk about is educational breadth. As an electrical engineer, it is easy to focus on the technical subjects such as circuits or power systems. Through this Plus3 trip I have learned that to be a successful engineer, you must also understand environmental issues, economics, and cultural settings. You must also understand public policy and be willing to take feedback from the public and modify your design to their needs. The goal of an engineer is to help society progress, and in order to do so the public must be satisfied. Another important part of engineering is having the ability to communicate. During this trip we saw people of all different backgrounds come together to make systems we see in our daily lives. Seoul City Hall provided a good demonstration of this as they showed how engineering projects are closely tied to the government and urban development. This means that projects not only include engineers, but also policy makers, architects and business leaders. People from many different areas of the work force must come together to make solutions happen. Another visit that emphasized the importance of educational breadth was our visit to POSTECH. This university had a large focus on research that required knowledge from multiple disciplines. After seeing this environment, I felt encouraged to think beyond the boundaries of electrical engineering. In order for me to grow professionally, I must be open to learning from other disciplines and understand how to collaborate with them efficiently.

The next topic I want to talk about is the importance of lifelong learning and continuing education. Technology has been evolving rapidly, and engineers are at the forefront of this innovation. Engineers must be willing to continuously learn or they will be at risk of becoming outdated in the profession. As technology continues to change, we also must be willing to change and adapt with it. A big example of this is artificial intelligence. Instead of trying to fight it, engineers must learn how to work alongside it and implement it into their professional lives. During our visit to Hyundai Motor, I saw how the automotive industry is changing by implementing electric vehicles and smart manufacturing systems. The engineers working in this industry must adapt to these new technologies and design methods. This experience has taught me that what I learn in university will provide me with a foundation, but through my profession I will continue to develop new skills in order to understand rapidly changing technology. The engineers and researchers we met in South Korea demonstrated a commitment to innovation that highlights the importance of curiosity and adaptability in the field of engineering. 

The third topic I want to talk about is the social environment of professional life, which was a key theme that became clear on this trip. In many of the workplaces we visited, I noticed an emphasis on collaboration and efficiency. South Korea’s professional culture appeared to be focused on teamwork. This was clear when we visited POSTECH’s lab and saw how many students were in there at once working on the same projects. It was also visible when we saw the assembly lines at Hyundai Motor. All of the workers had to be efficient in order for the next worker to be able to complete their part of the car. This showed that technical expertise is important, but engineers must also be able to cooperate effectively with coworkers. Like the United States, South Korea values professionalism and collective responsibility when it comes to the social environment. 

The next topic I am going to discuss is functioning on multidisciplinary teams. Every organization we saw relied on experts from multiple disciplines working together to solve many different types of problems. At Hyundai Motors, the development of the electric vehicles required mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, software engineers, and many more. They also need other professionals like marketers to help promote the product. All of these people must come together in order to get the product ready for the public. This demonstrates that problems related to engineering cannot be solved alone, and rather, involves teamwork from many different disciplines. Alongside this, working on multidisciplinary teams requires a lot of understanding and flexibility.

Lastly, I would like to reflect upon what I have learned about cultural and engineering issues during this study abroad program. South Korea’s rapid technological development demonstrated how engineering can create innovations that shape economic growth. However, a big issue that all countries face is the problem of sustainability. This is something that I constantly hear talked about in the engineering world, and something that should be focused on anytime a product is made. South Korea does a great job of understanding sustainability which can be seen through their investment in public transportation, and laws prohibiting high emission vehicles. Visiting another country and seeing companies functioning there has also given me a broader perspective on how culture can affect priorities. For example, Seoul invests heavily in their transportation systems which makes sense because of how densely populated the city is. However, the United States focuses more on infrastructure as most citizens use cars. Understanding these differences helped me realize that engineering solutions must adapt to the cultural context of where that problem is taking place.

Overall, I would like to reiterate that this program is a fantastic experience that allowed me to get an insight on both the engineering and cultural aspects of South Korea. Through visiting many temples and organizations I have gained a new perspective on South Korea. This program has made me highly consider the possibility of studying abroad here again at some point.