The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022, an event introducing cutting-edge technology and IT (Information Technology) products, was held in Las Vegas this January. For this year’s event, ten startups that were founded by SNU faculty or alumni, or that utilize technology created at SNU participated. This year marks SNU’s second appearance at the event, following its participation in 2020. While CES has garnered much attention from the public due to the increasing influence of IT in our everyday lives, this year’s show was notable for its hidden figures, a newly established cadre of student supporters.
SNU x CES Outdoor Advertising in Times Square
Student supporters and the SNU R&D Foundation
The support of the SNU R&D Foundation, which creates opportunities for investment in technology, was a major contributor to the success of this year’s event. The SNU R&D Foundation facilitates the entrepreneurship activities of the SNU community, supporting the expansion of SNU’s intellectual property and helping connect the university with other enterprises. For the show, the Foundation assisted the participating companies by setting up a dedicated venue for them and helping to promote the event.
This year, the Foundation further assisted the participating companies by recruiting seven undergraduate student supporters. Upon being matched with their respective companies, the student supporters received training and went on to promote the products and technologies on-site. The companies were enthusiastic in commending the help their supporters provided.
The SNU Students Supporters in CES
A precious opportunity to advance career plans
Diligently studying the respective technologies in advance, the supporters were able to excel in their role of introducing spectators to the new products. After being matched up with Awexome Ray, a company specializing in the development of air filtering solutions, Jiwon Kim (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) studied the technical terminology and also prepared responses for the potential inquiries of prospective investors. Suji Baik (College of Liberal Studies), supporter for Gwanak Analog, also studied material on deep-learning-based vocal synthesis, the company’s core technology.
The student supporter is introducing the new products
The supporters also had opportunities during the show to visit other booths and meet important industry figures, and these networking experiences were plentiful and invaluable for the student supporters. Baik received advice on her career from an AI software company staff she got to know during the event. Kim was offered an internship at Aniai, a kitchen automation startup. For Kim, her most memorable encounter was meeting Marc Raibert, the founder of Boston Dynamics, a pioneer in robotics, her field of interest.
For Baik, the event was an opportunity to plan her career path. Seeing the exciting developments in mobility technology, she aspires for a career in the autonomous driving industry and is currently studying artificial intelligence, preparing for a competition in deep-learning technology. Junsu Jang (Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering), supporter for Bazbiomedic, a drug delivery technology company, participated in order to get a glimpse of how engineering, his major field, is applied to shaping future industries. After witnessing the changing technological trends at the show, he is currently working on developing ideas for a new business.
SNU plans to recruit another group of student supporters this fall to participate in next year's event. For companies, the CES opens doors to the global market and investors. For supporters, the event allows students to explore technology trends and meet new people, ultimately enabling them to advance their career paths. If you are also interested in new technology and industries of the future, why not come and join the scene?
Source: https://www.snu.ac.kr/snunow/snu_story?md=v&bbsidx=136605
Written by Jaeyong lee, SNU English Editor, moonn6pence@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Professor Travis Smith, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, tlsmith@snu.ac.kr