Inspiring Encounters from the Field

In March 2024, the School of Transdisciplinary Innovations(SNUTI) embarked on an ambitious journey with the slogan "Creating Free Dreams Together, Bold Challenges for a Future." Established to drive educational innovation, SNUTI aims to foster transdisciplinary inquiry, critical and creative thinking, and deep discussions. The school plans to nurture convergent talents who will create new social values through majors such as Digital Healthcare, Integrative Data Science, Sustainable Technology, Intelligent Semiconductors System, and Innovative Pharmaceutical Sciences. On June 23, about 100 first-year students from the SNUTI visited Silicon Valley in the U.S. during their summer vacation to engage with companies and innovators shaping the future. The eight-day 'SNUTI to Silicon Valley' program included institutional visits, alumni lectures, student discussions, and presentations. Forty supporters, including SNUTI faculty and students from other departments, also joined to share fresh lessons from the field.

Participants of the 2024 Summer SNUTI to Silicon Valley Program

Authentic Voices of Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs

The program offered several opportunities to interact with mentors who had ventured into Silicon Valley. On June 24, Kim Taeyong, CEO of the startup company EO Studio, took the stage. He attempted to start a business in his twenties and visited Silicon Valley, where he met numerous entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and investors, and he now shares the inspiration he gained through his media platform. Silicon Valley’s remarkable innovation is rooted in its optimistic atmosphere, where challenges are embraced and failures are encouraged, and in the culture of people sharing ideas and willingly helping each other. Successful startups commonly identify good opportunities in advance based on future imagination and present new standards to the public. Kim advised students to think about the purpose and essence of their business rather than chasing trends, to reflect clearly on their failures and turn them into meaningful experiences. In the following Q&A session, there was active discussion about the startup environments in Korea and the U.S., ways to identify good ideas, and processes for receiving practical help. Supporter student Kim Mingyu (Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, '21) shared his impressions, saying, "I was impressed by the emphasis on enhancing one's own value, and I felt it was important to start with what you can do well and accumulate various experiences."

Kim Taeyong presenting (left), students engaging in Q&A (right)

On the evening of June 26, we heard the business story of Cho Sungmoon, CEO of ChartMetric. An alumnus of our College of Engineering, Cho completed his MBA in the U.S. and settled in Silicon Valley, where he currently runs his company while also engaging in startup investment and serving as an outside director at SM Entertainment. He shared how he found a life in the U.S. that aligns with important values such as "Finance, Fitness, and Freedom." He highlighted the advantages of Silicon Valley, including minimal unnecessary consumption during the startup process, employees receiving treatment that matches their abilities, and flexible use of vacations. Regarding ChartMetric, he explained that the company tracks numerous indicators on streaming platforms and social media, providing meaningful data to businesses and artists. Their goal is to provide insights that help contextualize phenomena and guide future actions. On the operational side, they strive to create a company where "there is no need to pretend to be working," and all employees receive stock options to foster a sense of ownership and responsibility. The late-night meeting with Cho Sungmoon offered students rich inspiration and challenges for their careers.

Cho Sungmoon's lecture (left), Q&A session filled with enthusiasm (right)

Exciting Company Visits: Moments That Sparked Dreams

On June 25 and 26, the program included company visits. On the first morning, about half of the participants visited Genentech in South San Francisco. Founded in 1976 by biotechnologist Herbert Boyer and venture capitalist Robert A. Swanson, Genentech is now a subsidiary of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche and continues to focus heavily on research and development. Students were guided around the company campus by local staff, where they saw photos of patients treated with Genentech's products on the exterior walls, hinting at the sense of mission the employees must feel.

There was also a Q&A session with Korean employees, mainly scientists involved in basic research, clinical research, and therapeutic development. They introduced Genentech's active communication and collaboration in research, as well as its prolific publication of papers. Additionally, programs that serve the local community and events where employees meet patients directly provide strong motivation. Regarding ethical concerns about animal testing, they explained that it is conducted minimally and only when absolutely necessary, following strict principles. In response to questions about the impact of AI on drug development, they mentioned that improved AI prediction algorithms are enhancing research productivity. Students gained valuable advice on the specific research process and career preparation. Kim Yoonsung (SNUTI, '24) remarked, "Meeting with the doctors brought me a step closer to my dreams, and I realized the importance of persistently researching for the one percent chance."

Genentech campus tour

The next day, students visited various institutions, including Google, Amazon, and Meta. In small groups, they toured workspaces and welfare facilities with mentors and discussed company life. Jung Taehee (Department of Computer Science, '12), who previously worked at Google Korea and now works with the Waymo team, mentioned receiving support for various in-house clubs and community activities. He humorously added that during the remote work period of COVID-19, he almost forgot his Korean.

Google campus tour

The School of Transdisciplinary Innovations aims not only to help students build academic expertise on campus but also to foster creative futures through diverse educational methods. We hope the 'SNUTI to Silicon Valley' program provided students with new perspectives and helped clarify their thoughts on the quintessential Silicon Valley question, "What's your impact on the world?" The program is also scheduled for the upcoming winter vacation in January 2025.

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Written by Student Reporter Hayoung Choi(Department of Linguistics),
harongeee@snu.ac.kr
Translated by Chaewon Kim(Department of English Language and Literature)