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Dr. Youngsun Jang - Ph.D. Computer Science

What led you to pursue your Ph.D. at SDSU?

• I was working in South Korea when I decided to study in the U.S., driven by personal circumstances and a dream I wanted to pursue. While working at a national research institute in Korea, I witnessed AI innovations like Google DeepMind's AlphaGo, which inspired me to study this field in graduate school. The SDSU Computer Science Department had experts in this area, making it the optimal choice for me.

What was your experience at SDSU in the doctoral program?

• The department provided full support for all activities, from teaching assistant experience to presenting research at domestic and international conferences, ensuring that Ph.D. students could successfully settle into their careers post-graduation. Thanks to this, I gained critical experiences needed to establish myself in academia and build an excellent CV. Additionally, the lab environment allowed me to focus on both research and academics, which was extremely beneficial. Most importantly, the interactions with fellow students were a great stimulus for my personal growth.

What advice do you have for others considering graduate school?

• Graduate school is not an easy choice, as it requires sacrificing part of your business career and dedicating considerable material and human resources for an extended period. However, if you have academic curiosity and ambition, I believe that dedicating a few years to focused study and research in graduate school will bring you rewards that exceed the opportunity cost. Especially in the Computer Science field, where the pace of development is accelerating, maintaining your position in the industry without continuous research is challenging. Therefore, by acquiring cutting-edge skills and learning how to conduct research in graduate school, you can maintain your competitiveness in the long term.

What led you to your current position as an assistant professor at Muhlenberg College?

• Above all, it was my personal dedication to and passion for education. While studying for my Ph.D. at SDSU, I realized that I had a talent for making difficult concepts easy to understand for learners. I also discovered my desire to help students. This led me to pursue an academic job to build a career in both teaching and research. Muhlenberg college was the first to approach me and introduced themselves in a sincere way. I believe I was able to successfully secure my current position thanks to the support from the faculty members in the SDSU Computer Science Department during the job search process. I am deeply grateful to the professors and staff at SDSU.

It's Kindness Week at SDSU!

October 5 is 'Do Something Nice Day' and to celebrate, SDSU is spending the whole week honoring our graduate students, faculty and staff for being #JackRabbitNice.

What to look out for:

• Pictures and videos showcasing that our Graduate Students and Faculty/Staff are #JackRabbitNice. 
• As well as advice on being nice!

Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity for our Late-Stage Ph.D. Students and recent Graduates