Young Generation Forum Alumni Program in the Americas YGF Alumni Americas Representative Benjamin Lee, PhD July 8, 2014

Goal of YGF Alumni Program

YGF Alumni in Americas North America has 428 YGF alumni – That’s 1/3 of all 1,285 alumni over 12 years – Canada has 93 alumni – USA has 334 alumni – How many are still connected to the network?

YGF Alumni Activities 35% of North American YGF alumni – Join KSEA in the USA Korean-American Scientists & Engineers Association – Join AKCSE in Canada Association of Korean-Canadian Scientists & Engineers – YGF alumni reunion at KSEA or AKCSE events like…

YGF Alumni Activities

Alumni Representative Background Benjamin Lee – 2 nd generation – YGF 2003 alumni – Ygnite 2006-present alumni – KSEA organizer 2009-present – Currently research scientist at software startup – Fellow YGF 2003 alumni still in touch Bo Kyung Jung (Korea), PhD, Samsung in Korea Jungsook Yang (Korea), PhD, NetApp in Silicon Valley Sungyong In (US), Patent Lawyer in Washington D.C. Rebeca Hwang (US), PhD, CEO of YouNoodle in San Francisco

Future YGF Alumni Plans What made YGF alumni networking difficult? – No formal alumni organization until now – Lack of funds for official meeting – Can only attend YGF once – Students move after graduation – Contact information changes – Grow older and get busier

Future YGF Alumni Plans Immediate Plan – Facebook group per YGF year and one for all years – Local reunion dinners in major cities Seoul is an ideal place to reunion when someone visits – Recover lost contacts through fellow alumni

Future YGF Alumni Plans Medium-Sized Ideas – Allow repeat YGF attendance Once during undergrad and again in graduate school – Meet at UKC, CKC, EKC (European) meetings KOFST host reunion session (KUSCO with NSF interns) KOFST provide travel support for Korean YGF alumni – Expand participation to South America such as Argentina and Brazil

Future YGF Alumni Plans Big Idea Proposals – Sponsor official YGF reunions in each country Each science society (like KSEA or AKCSE) submits proposal for special funds set aside by KOFST Country alumni representative organizes Technically themed – Hold another YGF but for successful working professional alumni ages Like universities hold for 5, 10, 15 year reunions Provide less travel support

End Thank you!