Sung Mi-young, a professor of computer engineering at the University of Information Technology, is a proud female engineer at our university, inspiring many with outstanding research achievements as well as education and social activities. At the university, she served as the head of the Human Resources Development Institute, the head of the school affairs department and the president of the University of Information Technology, the president of the Korea Women Information Society and the president of the Korea Women's Engineering Association. Recently, she met Professor Sung Mi-young, who was appointed as a member of the Content Industry Promotion Committee under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, and conducted an interview to share her achievements in engineering with more students and her experience as a female engineer.

1. What made you interested in engineering? And tell me what the university and society was like when you first started your university career.

I had two significant 'reskilling' experiences. I majored in natural sciences 'food nutrition' in college and a minor in computational statistics and computational science. The reason why I chose Computational Science (a branch of computer science) as a minor was that when I was in my second year of college, the computer engineering department was first established at my university, and computer-related jobs were considered blue ocean at that time. In particular, my father's advice to "study computers" as an electrical engineer had a decisive influence.

In the year of graduation, Hyundai Engineering & Construction recruited about 30 female college graduates for the first time in Korea, of which about 10 were computer programmers and the rest were executive secretaries including Chairman Chung Ju-young. With the demands of the times and my father's advice, I made my first skill transition from food nutrition to computation. Through this, I was able to work as a first-generation software developer at Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Korea Electric Power Technology, and eventually became a professor of computer engineering. Given that I have a nutritionist license, I don't think I gave up food nutrition altogether at the time.

The second skill transition took place in 2017, when I was serving as dean of the Information Technology University of Incheon National University. Realizing the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, we established an "Artificial Intelligence Software Linked Major" at the University of Information Technology. This was the time when the artificial intelligence craze began to blow around the world, starting with the match between Lee Se-dol and AlphaGo. So, I changed my skills from 'operating system' to 'artificial intelligence' to run courses such as machine learning and artificial intelligence projects, which are essential AI courses. 2020년부터는 컴퓨터공학부에 ‘데이터사이언스’ 교과목을 신설하여 강의해왔습니다. I wanted to create conditions for our students to learn 'artificial intelligence' technology properly, and I have been trying to create an 'artificial intelligence' department (major) in our university for the past eight years or so. However, it remains the biggest regret to not achieve this and face retirement. It's late, but it would be great if our university members could agree to create an "artificial intelligence" department (major) even now.

I would like to recommend Incheon National University students to "never be afraid of 'skill conversion' that meets the needs of the times and one's own aspirations and constantly challenge them."

When I was in college, I was very politically unstable. It wasn't a very good atmosphere to study, with protests and rallies against the regime held frequently at almost all universities and school closures issued, allowing classes to be rarely held throughout the semester. I don't think students are actively involved in political issues like they used to be. I think this is due to the background of Korea's democratization and the wise and future-oriented attitude of students these days. I hope that your future living in a better world will be full of brighter future, achievement, and happiness.

2. What's the proudest moment or achievement you've ever had in college? As a female engineer, I think there must have been many challenges in the research and career development process, but I wonder what things were difficult and how you overcame those difficulties.

I look back on the past 31 years ahead of my retirement. I was appointed in 1993 when my university was a private university, became a municipal university the following year, moved to Songdo in 2009, and became a national university corporation in 2013. I am one of the few professors who have experienced both the turbulent transition of our university from a private university to a national university through a municipal university. Over the past 31 years, when I was in office, our university has continuously changed and grown proud. Like my university, I have devoted myself to education and research at two major inflection points, and I am very happy to retire with honor from the beautiful Songdo campus.

In 2006, Incheon National University hosted the second phase of the BK21 core project for the first time by the Department of Computer Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering. As the head of the core business team of ubiquitous entertainment in the computer engineering department, I ranked first among the core business groups in the first year's performance evaluation, and as a result, I was most honored to receive the Incheon National University Faculty Award for Special Achievement in 2008.

During the Jemulpo campus, there was no space for researchers, so I stayed with them in the professor's lab. Now that I think about it, I miss the friendly time with the students I spent with then. During the Songdo campus, I took on various positions such as the Director of Human Resources Development, the Director of School Affairs, and the Dean, and made many new attempts while carrying out my duties. The operation of the college's TA activity support program and the establishment of the Brownback Seminar are memorable. I would like to take this opportunity to express my special gratitude to the vice president at the time and the teacher of the School of Information Technology at the University of Information Technology for promoting the implementation of these programs.

Over the past five years, I have done a lot of volunteer work outside, such as serving as the president of the Korea Women Information Society and the president of the Korea Women Engineering Engineers Association. During President Biden's visit to Korea in May 2023, I was able to listen very closely to President Yoon Suk Yeol and President Biden's speech at Samsung Electronics' Pyeongtaek Campus, And the fact that I was able to attend the Independence Day event of the U.S. Embassy and chat with diplomats from all over the world remains a special memory. There was also a happy moment when I won the Minister of Science and Technology Award in the process of serving female intelligence and female engineers.

Over the past 31 years, school work has been a top priority, serving in various positions and volunteering, but the most meaningful and sustainable thing has been the seven-year presidency of the Incheon National University Professors' Mountain Club. More than 30 domestic and international hiking events were held, including 7 overseas hikes such as Annapurna in the Himalayas. Moreover, I think it is the 'most rewarding and best thing to do' because I can continue my professors' mountain club activities even after leaving office. I hope that our Incheon National University Professors' Mountain Men's Club, which is a decisive help in a happy and wise professional life, will expand and develop further. In addition, I would like to express my deep gratitude and support to the former and successor chairmen.

3. I understand that you have conducted a lot of research while working at the university, but please tell me the most memorable research you have conducted and if you have any memorable things or students in the process.

One of the most memorable studies is the "Development of Internet-based Real-Time Telecommunications Cooperative Care System Using Multimedia Database" project supported by the Information and Communication Research Promotion Agency. The findings were presented at the International Journal of Medical Informatics (IJMI) and IEEE Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (CBMS 2000) conferences. In particular, the experience of introducing CoMed (A Real-time Collaborative Medicine System) as a special lecture in the form of a lunch meeting in front of hundreds of doctors at the MD Anderson Cancer Center remains a heartbreaking memory.

Another impressive study is 'MuseSpace: A Touchable 3D Museum with Maximum Usage of Haptics', which was a key BK21 business task. The results of this study were presented at the ACM SIGGRAPH 2007 conference, where the student, who was a master's student at the time, performed the presentation excellently based on his outstanding research skills and English skills. In addition, this proud student, who I officiated at my wedding, earned two master's degrees through my initiative in a multi-degree program between our computer engineering department and California State University in the United States, San Bernardino (CSUSB).

My lab, MARVELAB (Multimedia Advanced Real Virtual Reality Laboratory), had a lot of excellent researchers. There was a student who completed an editor just two months after entering the lab. Currently, these students are active in leading domestic and foreign companies and financial sectors by showing their capabilities without regret. Because I was able to meet and guide such outstanding talents, I was very lucky to enjoy one of the three 君 songs, 'the joy of getting and educating the gifted of heaven.'

4. As a female engineer, do you have any thoughts on your own philosophy or research? What advice would you give to girls looking to enter the engineering field? Please share the challenges that female engineers may face and tips for overcoming them. What do you think is the role and importance of women in engineering? And if you have a desire for students who apply for engineering, what would it be?

Just a century ago, women's educational opportunities were extremely limited. Although gender balance has improved considerably in most areas now, engineering is still the area with the largest gender imbalance. The engineering sector, which includes AI and SW, is considered to have the smallest male-female wage gap worldwide and is considered a very promising area for women to enter. However, it should be noted that despite this wage equality, the participation rate of the actual female workforce remains significantly lower.

Twenty years have passed since the Act on the Promotion and Support of Female Scientists was enacted in 2002, but the gender imbalance in the engineering sector has still not been resolved. According to statistics, only 23.4% of college graduates are engineering, which is very low compared to medical (68.6%) or natural (52.2%). More worrisome is that the proportion of female engineering and technology personnel in industrial sites is only 14%, which is less than the proportion of female workers in the entire science and technology sector (21.8%).

There are old jokes about gender in the world: "male," "woman," and "technology women." This means that there are many stereotypes and prejudices about engineering women. Engineering industry sites complain that even if they want to hire female talent, they have no object to consider. The most fundamental problem is the lack of an absolute number of female engineers. What we need to work on is to get rid of the prejudice of "What kind of engineering is a woman" from home. In addition, changes should be made from the educational field, such as encouraging girls to choose science and engineering in high schools and actively encouraging universities to enter engineering fields.

Did you know that it was a female engineer who first invented a 3-pin plug that prevents children from getting electrocuted when they put their fingers in an outlet at home? In addition, the concrete median on the highway was also developed by female engineers. Women add diversity and creativity to the engineering field. The unique perspective of female engineers can contribute to the development of more inclusive and user-friendly technologies. In addition, successful female engineers can serve as role models for their junior female students and encourage more women to enter the field. Increasing gender diversity in engineering will lead to better innovation and problem solving, ultimately contributing to national development.

I sincerely support the decision of female students who chose engineering. Your journey ahead can be challenging and challenging at times, but your efforts will surely bear worthwhile fruits. Always be curious and maintain an attitude to learn new things. And always remember that you can make the world a better place with your knowledge and skills. I look forward to you being the main player to lead the innovation of the future.

5. If there is any project you are looking forward to among the research or plans you have, can you introduce it to me? Lastly, if you have any message you want to convey to our school students, please feel free to do so.

I have been working as a director at a cybersecurity company since September last year with the permission of the university's headquarters. Cybersecurity is becoming more important in the age of artificial intelligence. Already, cybercriminals are using artificial intelligence technology to cause cybercrime on an enormous scale. In early 2024, a financial firm in Hong Kong extorted millions of dollars through video conferencing that was cleverly manipulated using deepfake techniques. Artificial intelligence technology makes it easier to produce malicious code, and it also makes it easier to find passwords. After leaving school, I try to concentrate on the work of the company I work for. I plan to focus on developing AI-based cybersecurity systems, which are especially challenging and interesting areas. The goal is to develop automated security solutions that can use AI to detect and respond to threats in real time. Through this, we want to quickly respond to the evolution of cybercrime and contribute to building a safer digital environment.

Finally, I want to send a message to my beloved Incheon National University students. "Set your goals high, execute them meticulously, and when they don't work out, hold on by misgivings." Your path will not always be smooth. But don't be afraid of challenges and failures and keep trying and growing. Your possibilities are endless, and I trust you to make a big difference in the world. I wish you endless success and glory in the future.

ಮ Introducing Sung Mi-young, a professor of computer engineering

academic ability  1982 Bachelor of Science, Seoul National University

      1987 French INSA Lyon Department of Computer Engineering (Master of Engineering)

      1990 French INSA Lyon Department of Computer Engineering (Doctor of Engineering)

Career  1993~Currently, an assistant professor, an associate professor, and a professor at Incheon National University

      2024~Current member of the Content Industry Promotion Committee

      2022~2023 President of the Korea Women's Engineering Association

      2019~2020 President of the Korea Women Information Society

      2016~2018 Incheon National University President of Information Technology and Graduate School of Information Technology

      2012~2012 Director of Incheon National University's Faculty

      2008~2009 Director of Human Resources Development, Incheon National University

      2008~2009 Professor of Exchange at UC Berkeley

      2006~2008 2nd Stage BK21 Head of Ubiquitous Entertainment Core Business Team

      2001~2002 Professor of Exchange at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States

      1990~1993 Senior Researcher, Computer Research Group, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea

      1984~1985 KOPEC R&D Center Applied Computer Room Software Developer

      1982~1983 Software developer of computerized data room, Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd

a representative thesis

      ‘CoMed: A Real-time Collaborative Medicine System’, IJMI(ineternational Journal of Medical Informatics), Vol.57(2-3), pp117-126, Elsvier, July 2000

      a doctoral dissertation “Modelization of Mutimedia Documents including Tables, Calculable Data and Mathematical Formulae” Thesis of Doctorat: INSA(Institut National des Sciences Appliquées) de Lyon July 10, 1990 221 pages.

Research performance

      “Virtual Simulation for Entertainment using Genetic information”,(IJACSA) International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, Vol.11, No.10, 2020

      Intelligent Haptic Virtual Simulation for Suture Surgery, (IJACSA) International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications, Vol.11, No.2, 2020

      Performance improvement of haptic collision detection using subdivision surface and sphere clustering, PLoS ONE 12(9): e0184334, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal, pone.0184334, September 26, 2017

      Controlling  the Contact Levels of Detail for Fast and Precise Haptic Collision Detection, Frontiers of information Technology & Electronic Engineering, ISSN 2095-9184(print):ISSN 2095-9230(online), 2017 18(8):1117-1130, August 2017