SIUE Engineering Students to Study in South Korea
Six mechanical engineering students and two faculty members from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will travel May 9-18 to Tongmyung University (TU) in Busan, South Korea for a Summer Capstone Design Camp.
At the camp, students will perform mechanical engineering capstone design projects, and learn skills in computer aided engineering (CAE) analysis, computer aided design (CAD) software and other manufacturing related topics, such as 3D printing.
Soondo Kweon, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and H. Felix Lee, professor and chair of industrial engineering at SIUE, will collaborate with several TU professors to offer CAE, CAD and manufacturing short courses, as well as supervise team activities. They will also present special lectures to all TU engineering students highlighting SIUE and the University’s mechanical engineering curriculum.
“The students will gain a lot of practical knowledge and will be exposed to a different country, culture and learning environment,” said Kweon. “
Dr. Lee and I will gain opportunities for international collaboration on capstone design projects using facilities available in both schools.”
In addition to working collaboratively on projects, participating students will attend lectures at TU, as well as tour the campus and local industry. This unique opportunity will provide students a life experience that will further enhance their education.
“I have never been out of the country,” said Justin Plattner, participant and senior mechanical engineering student at SIUE. “Aside from the technical knowledge and skills that will be learned during the classes, this experience will present an opportunity to learn how to interact and work with people of different cultural backgrounds.”
SIUE enacted a dual diploma program with TU in 2013 that offers South Korean students the opportunity to obtain a degree from both universities. It also provides for faculty exchange, summer programs and cooperative research.
Photo: (Top) Dr. Soondo Kweon, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, (Bottom) Dr. H. Felix Lee, professor and chair of industrial engineering
