Week 9
1. Photo of the week: What impressed you to take it, select and write about this photo?
Last week, from Wednesday to Saturday, I went to Arizona with my lab mates for a 3-night, 4-day conference at Arizona State University. Since it was my first time visiting another university in the U.S. besides UNLV, I was very excited. Additionally, as an engineering student, this was my first experience attending an international conference, so I was curious about the atmosphere and how it might differ from conferences in Korea. Although I found it somewhat challenging to understand due to the many specialized terms used during poster presentations and seminars, it was a rewarding experience, which I’ve shared in the attached photo.
2. New person (outside of DASL) that you met? How did you or the person initiate the encounter, what made the encounter challenging or easy, and how did it help you?
Although I didn’t have enough time to meet new people due to the conference activities, I was able to spend extended time with my lab members. I feel like I’ve grown closer to them than before, and I’m satisfied with that alone.
3. What institutional or American/Vegas cultural insight did you learn this week?
On Ethan’s birthday, I learned again about the “shotgun” culture with beer cans, where people drink a beer in one go. In Korea, it's common for friends to down a bottle of soju on birthdays, so I found it interesting to see a similar tradition exists in the U.S.
4. What did you learn about yourself?
Observing the robotics conference at Arizona State University, I was reminded of just how many students are truly dedicated to their work. Many of the participants were likely around my age or even younger, and seeing them present impressive and successful projects made me think back to my own efforts at the start of this year. It felt inspiring, almost like a call to participate actively in the next conference myself.
5. What is the status of your technical projects and what skills did you learn?
After visiting Korea and attending the conference over the past two weeks, I felt some ambiguity in the project’s direction. This week, I plan to talk with Zahir, who was initially involved in the project with me, to clarify our objectives. Once we’ve established a clearer path, I’ll continue progressing on the project.