Stony Brook University Faculty of Sciences and Humanities

    We are pleased to congratulate Professor Mary Gregg, who teaches Philosophy, on being selected as one of the winners of the Irene H. Chayes New Voices Award. This award, presented by the American Society for Aesthetics, recognizes emerging voices in the field of aesthetics. For more information, please refer to the link HERE.       The ASA is delighted to announce award winners for 2025!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Outstanding Monograph Prize: Kathleen Higgins for Aesthetics in Grief and Mourning: Philosophical Reflections on Coping with Loss (Oxford University Press, 2024)  Selma Jeanne Cohen Research Prize: Kate Mattingly for Shaping Dance Canons: Criticism, Aesthetics, and Equity (University of Press Florida, 2023) Honorable Mentions for the 2025 SJC award: Serouj Aprahamian and Megan Nicely Somaesthetics Research Prize: Stefano Marino for "Pragmatist Aesthetics, Ethics of Taste, and Feminism" in Somapower: Somaesthetics Reads Politics (Brill, 2024) New Voices (for 83rd annual meeting): Juan Carlos Gonzalez and Mary Gregg      

    ABSTRACT How should we understand the relation between the viewer and the object of a depiction in the context of a visual joke? In an attempt to understand some of the implications of Michel-Rolph Trouillot’s ‘Observer’- ‘Native’ relation, I’ll argue that the harm the ‘Observer’ commits against a subject (taken as ‘Native’) is made all the more damaging when someone takes themselves to be a passive ‘Observer’ rather than a participatory observer. This harm, I’ll attempt to show, can be committed by either of two separable roles: the role of the creator of the visual representation (depictor) and the role of perpetuator of the visual representation (the viewer). By creating and purveying a false category with which to pick out and make sense of the subject, the depiction does damage to its viewer not by instructing them about what to recognize but how to interpret and treat what they recognize.   For more details, you can read the full paper HERE.  

    [Hankyung Essay] Constitutional Amendment for a Great Nation Korean politics is in a crisis. The checks and balances have collapsed, and dialogue and compromise have disappeared. Following the president, the prime minister who acted as the president’s proxy was also impeached. Many argue that the issue lies in the imperial presidential system. But is that really the case? How did the United States become the world’s leading superpower? What is the core principle of the U.S. presidential system, and where does the power of American democracy come from? About 250 years ago, the Founding Fathers of the United States created the world’s first federal system and presidential system to form their constitution. What they disliked most was the British monarchy. Therefore, when they created the constitution, they made sure to divide the national power between the president and Congress to prevent the president from exercising power like a king. They also set up a system of checks and balances between the president and Congress. Political scientist Charles Jones, in his book , explains that the principle of checks and balances is naturally realized through the regular elections held every two years in the U.S. Every two years, the American people either empower the president further or give the opposition party more power in Congress to better check the president. Additionally, if the president performs well, the people can give them another four years; if not, they can change the president in four years. Through regular elections every two years, the American people evaluate and judge both the president and Congress, minimizing the harm of an imperial presidency. Because elections are held every two years, political parties focus more on healthy policy debates, driven by the constant fear of losing support from the people. Last week, the Heonjeonghoe (Association of Former Members of the National Assembly) suggested that the current political crisis presents an ideal opportunity for constitutional reform and proposed a single-point constitutional amendment. The proposed changes, including a 4-year presidential term with the possibility of re-election, a dual presidency with a vice president, and a bicameral legislature, all seem promising. The most important reform should be to establish a regular two-year election cycle in Korea. Both the president and the National Assembly should be held accountable every two years through elections. This would ensure that true national power comes from the people. Recently, the issue of the unclear legal authority of the acting president led to confusion during the impeachment process. In the United States, if the president is unable to perform their duties, power is transferred in a clear order: to the vice president, then the Speaker of the House, the President of the Senate, and finally the Secretary of State. About a decade ago, Goldman Sachs predicted that by 2050, South Korea would become the second wealthiest country in the world, after the United States. Through a favorable constitutional amendment, I hope that Korea too can aspire to become a great nation and eventually produce respected, successful presidents like Abraham Lincoln or Franklin D. Roosevelt. May the new year, 2025, be the year that South Korea takes its first steps toward becoming a great nation.   Click here to read the article.  

  [Hankyung Essay] The True Meaning of Christmas Former U.S. President Barack Obama emphasized cultural and religious diversity by greeting people with "Happy Holidays!" instead of "Merry Christmas!" during the Christmas season. Following this, many people in American society began to use "Happy Holidays!" as a more inclusive Christmas greeting. In contrast, Donald Trump who appeared in such an atmosphere, he boldly declared "Merry Christmas!" in public, saying, "It’s Christmas, so of course we should say 'Merry Christmas.'" This became an opportunity for Trump to gain great popularity among American conservatives. The true meaning of Christmas is service and love. Jesus came to this world not to be served, but to serve. While washing the feet of His disciples, a task traditionally performed by servants, Jesus said, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another."   On the day of the first snowfall this year, a special music concert, the Sejin Music Concert, was held at the Sejong Center. This concert, inspired by the movie ‘Harmony’, is a performance where inmates from the Ministry of Justice’s correctional facilities promise their change through a choir performance and cheer on their re-socialization process. When the youth under protection, whom I meet and mentor every Wednesday, appeared on stage and received a great round of applause as they sang, tears of deep emotion flowed. In our society, approximately 55,000 teenagers go through juvenile protection trials each year. Most of these children are not properly cared for at home. Many of them return to their homes, but are easily exposed again to environments that lead them back to crime. However, children who receive protection and care at the Juvenile Rehabilitation Support Centers show a significant decrease in recidivism rates, with the rate dropping by more than half. Therefore, it is essential for our society to show warm interest and love for these centers, to help these children grow into healthy and responsible members of society.  There was a TV program called ‘Finding Dad’, which depicted the journey of children seeking their fathers who had come to Korea to work. The scenes where the children were reunited with their fathers after years apart in the unfamiliar land of Korea were deeply moving. However, it is estimated that around 20,000 children, known as "Kopino" (children of Korean fathers), have been abandoned by their Korean fathers in the Philippines. Last month, an organization called Messenger International, which supports the education and living expenses of these Kopino children, invited around 10 of them to Korea. The goal was to allow them to experience happiness and create lasting memories in Korea, as well as to inspire them to dream bigger. One student, who received help from Messenger International and went on to study at university, recently passed the Philippine Bar Exam, bringing exciting news.   If we pay a little more attention, we can see children who need love and support. There are also foreign workers and students who are in Korea as strangers. I hope this Christmas season brings warmth and kindness to orphans and strangers around us. Merry Christmas!   Click here to read the article.

  The Theologian in the Attic: Jonathan Edwards and American Culture  by Donald C. Bellomy:   Introduction The presentation explores the legacy of Jonathan Edwards, a major figure in American religious thought, and his relevance to American culture. It references the idea from The Madwoman in the Attic, suggesting that Edwards, like other forgotten figures, has been rediscovered at critical moments.   American Culture and Jonathan Edwards Two approaches to American cultural studies: 1920s: American exceptionalism. 1940s-50s and beyond: America as a global cultural influencer. The presentation follows the latter approach.   Jonathan Edwards' Influence Over Time 18th Century: A precocious child who became a revival preacher, failed pastor, and theological giant. By 1800, dismissed by some as irrelevant (Ezra Stiles). 19th Century: Retrofitting Edwards Interest in his work due to theological debates and the rise of free will discussions. The Second Great Awakening shifted religious focus toward family-oriented love rather than Edwards’s intense divine love. Literary critiques (e.g., Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mark Twain) depicted his theology as harsh and frightening. 20th Century: American Studies and Theological Reassessment Vernon Parrington (1927): Criticized Edwards as an outdated, un-American figure. Perry Miller (1930s-60s): Reframed Edwards as a bridge to modern thought, leading to renewed scholarly interest. Modern Theological Engagement Princeton scholars and evangelicals reassessing Edwards’ theological insights. Questions of whether Edwards was "right" rather than just historically significant.   Open Questions The role of an interventionist God in Edwards’ theology. His experiences with the Holy Spirit. His absence in non-evangelical historical studies of the Great Awakening.   Conclusion Calls for a "real" engagement with Edwards' scholarship. Suggests Edwards’ theology connects with Transcendentalists and William James. Ends with a reflection on the necessity of verbalizing spiritual experiences.   For more details, please refer to the attachment.

  [Hankyung Essay] Education that Balances Happiness and Competitiveness Two weeks ago, there was a closing ceremony for the Global Citizenship University, a collaboration between the State University of New York (SUNY) in Korea and the Incheon Lifelong Education Center. The participants ranged from their 20s to their 70s. Their level of knowledge was high, and their enthusiasm was remarkable, as they asked questions and engaged in discussions based on actual university-level content during class. The participants gave similar feedback. “Maybe it’s because it’s an American university, but there’s something different about it. The professor constantly asked questions and encouraged us to speak, which made us keep thinking. By debating with people who had different opinions, I was able to broaden my perspective.” Last week, there was also a Commencement ceremony for students at SUNY Korea. Most of our students are from the engineering and business schools. After graduation, many of them will enter global companies such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon, as well as Korean corporations. I recalled when they first entered. Many students from regular high schools in Korea face significant challenges during their first semester. This is mainly because all classes are conducted in English, but an even greater challenge is that they are too accustomed to passive learning methods from middle and high school. Korean students are not used to freely discussing and presenting new ideas or differing opinions in class. In contrast, international students actively participate in presentations and debates and thoroughly enjoy the class itself. After studying diligently for four years at university, Korean students gain the confidence and ability to discuss and compete in their fields in English, no matter where they go in the world. I heard that many engineering and science students from Seoul National University repeat their studies or take a second attempt to enter medical school. Something is wrong. There is a great demand for talented individuals in engineering and technology fields, but most of the top students aim for medical school. I’m confused about when this started, and whether it’s something that our society has created.   People often say that if you want to understand why America is the world’s leading power, you should visit American universities. But I want to recommend visiting an American elementary school. In the U.S., children are encouraged from an early age to express their thoughts freely in class, fostering creativity naturally. During vacations, children eagerly await the start of school. In a happy school environment, they run, play, study, and discover what suits them, along with their dreams for the future.   Korean parents are suffering from the immense cost of private education. This is due to the educational culture that fuels competitive comparisons through rankings. In such an environment, individual dreams and creativity cannot flourish. Schools in Korea should also allow students to freely express their dreams and creativity. Even though Korea introduced the first social media platform, Cyworld, it lost its market to later platforms like Facebook and Instagram. I wonder if the reason for the short lifespan of Korean SNS is due to a culture that, trapped in a narrow domestic market, fails to dream of a broader, global future.   Click here to read the article.  

    [Hankyung Essay] Lessons from the U.S. Presidential System There is something admirable in American politics: the regularity of elections every two years. The U.S. has a four-year presidential term. Two years after a presidential election, congressional elections are held. The American people use these elections to assess the president's performance over the past two years, deciding whether to give power to the opposition or the ruling party in Congress. Then, another two years later, the presidential election takes place, where the American people decide whether to give the president another chance or elect a new president. With elections every two years, political parties in the U.S. immediately focus on policy battles for the next election after the current one. This regular cycle of elections effectively implements the principle of checks and balances. What about South Korea? Congressional elections are held every four years, and presidential elections every five years, so the cycles don’t align. Sometimes, the public must vote within just one year, and other times, they must wait for four years. As a result, when the opposition party is a minority, South Korea sometimes experiences abnormal legislative activities like physical clashes in the National Assembly or protests outside the legislature. When the opposition party is the majority, it often blocks government budgets or abuses impeachment procedures to disrupt governance. Last week, South Korea went through significant turmoil and crisis. President Yoon Suk Yeol entrusted his future to the ruling party, and ruling party leader Han Dong Hoon proposed suspending the president’s duties and promoting an orderly resignation. This presents a golden opportunity to advance Korean democracy. During the democratization movement in 1987, people were so excited about the direct election of the president that no one paid attention to aligning the election cycles. Without much thought, the three major Mr. Kim politicians who wanted to be a president at the time agreed to establish a five-year single-term presidency. Despite rapid economic growth, Korean democracy has remained unstable, and one of the main reasons we have been unable to address long-term national challenges like educational reform and pension reform is this issue. I hope that the National Assembly takes this opportunity to make a one-point constitutional amendment to establish a four-year presidential term with re-election. It would be ideal to hold the presidential election alongside the nationwide local elections on June 3, 2026. If an early presidential election is held on June 3, 2025, the five-year single term should be the last, and a constitutional amendment should be made to implement a four-year presidential term with re-election starting in 2030, in order to align the election cycles. This will allow the people to evaluate and judge the government through elections every two years, enabling them to choose their leaders." In 1762, French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote in his that “the people are free rulers only when they vote; once voting is over, they become slaves.” The Founding Fathers of the United States, who designed the first presidential system in 1787, created the federal constitution in a way that ensured regular elections every two years, thus overcoming this issue. South Korea also needs a constitutional amendment to fully realize the sovereignty of the people.   Click here to read the article.

          [Hankyung Essay] Ways to Prevent Population Collapse A few days ago, Elon Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) that, based on the current birth rate, South Korea will face population collapse in three generations. I appreciate Musk for raising awareness about the population decline, which many of us have been indifferent to. One interesting proposal from Donald Trump during the recent U.S. presidential election was to strictly control illegal immigrants crossing the border, but to offer permanent residency to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges or graduate schools. What a clever idea. By stopping potentially harmful illegal immigration and instead offering green cards to educated and wealthy foreign graduates, smart and affluent people from around the world would flock to the U.S. Why do so many people around the world want to live in the U.S.? There are many benefits to U.S. permanent residency. Green card holders enjoy almost all the social benefits of U.S. citizens, except for the right to vote. They can receive free public education, pay more affordable college tuition (over 60% less than international students), and also receive financial aid and housing subsidies. After graduation, they can work without a visa, and if they are unemployed, they can receive unemployment benefits as well. If they give birth in the U.S., the child automatically becomes a U.S. citizen due to the Territorial principle. This is why, despite a declining birth rate, the U.S. has less concern about population issues. We should consider similar policies in South Korea. By attracting foreign students who love Korea, we could solve the problem of population decline and labor shortages, and even revitalize disappearing regional universities. More importantly, we could bring in bright minds to fill the shortage of graduate school researchers and make Korea a global leader in science and technology. So, what if Korea temporarily adopts the Territorial principle? Recently, a friend who runs an automobile parts company in the Namdong Industrial Complex in Incheon told me that the wife of a foreign employee had to return to her home country to give birth. Foreign employees cannot register the birth of their child in Korea, and it is legally complicated, so they return to their home countries to give birth. What if, like in the U.S., we allowed foreign parents to register their child’s birth in Korea, and the child could choose South Korean citizenship or dual citizenship when they graduate from elementary school or fulfill military service? This year, Incheon’s birth rate increase was the highest in the country, with an 8.3% rise. It seems that policies such as the “100 million won Plus I-Dream" and housing support for newlyweds implemented by Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok are showing results. It would be worthwhile for the Korean government to consider integrating these effective birth rate-boosting policies from Incheon into a nationwide strategy.   Click here to read the article.  

  Abstract A syn-rift, up to 250 m thick, fluvial sandstone unit of Aptian age (Marizal Formation, Tucano Basin, northeastern Brazil) preserves the deposits of an axial fluvial system and contemporary tributaries. These deposits exhibit characteristic variations in composition, grain size, and paleocurrents, indicating different sources for each system. There is a systematic downstream increase in the tributary contribution to the axial system along the basin axis. This sediment mixture model is established based on extensive paleocurrent data in conjunction with macroscopic, microscopic, and detrital zircon provenance data. The spatial distribution of diagenetic patterns and reservoir permo-porosity properties were compared to the paleogeographic model. The comparison revealed that the increase in lithic fragments brought by a main tributary led to a reduction in intergranular porosity and permeability of axial system deposits downstream, following a change in pebble and sand composition. Our findings highlight that the relative amount of bedload brought by tributaries plays a crucial role in the composition and diagenetic evolution of fluvial reservoirs. Spatial variations in sandstone composition at specific stratigraphic intervals are expected due to the intricate patterns of mixture and preservation of axial and transverse river deposits within fault-bounded basins. For more details, you can read the full paper HERE.

  This article delves into the use of clothing and textiles in the works of Korean American artists Lanhei Kim Park, Nam June Paik, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and Yong Soon Min, who settled in the United States after the Japanese colonial period, from the vantage point of cultural translation. Unlike the cultural translation practiced by foreign visitors to Joseon since the late 19th century, these Korean artists, who immigrated to the United States, encountered modernization, colonialism, imperialism, racism, and postcolonialism, which they interpreted through intercultural differences and compatibility. Through their art, they act as cultural translators, embedding their voices into their creative work. Lanhei Kim Park, for instance, experienced racialized femininity directed toward Asian women by Americans, and responded to the xenoracial gaze of the other by adjusting the translatability of cheongsam, photography, and books as combined media. Nam June Paik, as a Korean American, conveys his multilayered identity using digital montages of ethnographic data and traditional Korean garments. Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, as an “exile,” explores the untranslatability of her status and experience of displacement through semiotic and linguistic experimentation, expressed in her performance and design works. Yong Soon Min maximizes the communicative potential of T-shirts to raise awareness of the “comfort women” issue globally and connects global diaspora networks through activist art. Through these means, Korean American artists experiment with the translatability or untranslatability of clothing and textiles and explore historical issues of modernization, colonialism, imperialism, decolonization, and feminism within multilateral relationships among Korea, the United States, and Japan. For more details, you can read the full paper HERE.

  [HanKyung Essay] A Song to Sing Again: "Our Wish" The State University of New York (SUNY) Korea is the first American university established on Korean territory. Students graduate with the same degree as those from the New York campus in the U.S. Currently, students from over 40 countries are studying at SUNY Korea. Why would these students choose to study in South Korea, a land that is constantly threatened by North Korean provocations and nuclear threats? The biggest reason is the Korean Wave (Hallyu). The soft power of Korea has grown significantly. These students were fascinated by K-pop, Korean movies and dramas, as well as Korean culture and food, which led them to come to Korea to study. When professors from the New York campus first visited Korea, they were amazed as they toured the international city of Songdo in Incheon, where the university campus is located, calling it a "futuristic city." They also visited Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul and expressed their enjoyment of seeing Korea’s past. Interestingly, there is one place that all of them want to visit: the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). This is because, in their eyes, the DMZ represents the current state of Korea, the only divided nation on earth. Last week, Minister of Unification Kim Yung Ho gave a special lecture at SUNY Korea. Pastor Lim Hyeon Soo, who had been unjustly detained in North Korea while conducting humanitarian aid activities, also attended as a panelist. Many in the audience who had only seen North Korea through TV broadcasts were shocked by the stories shared. Through Pastor Lim’s vivid personal experience, the audience learned about the dire human rights situation, severe economic hardships, and food shortages in North Korea. He also mentioned that many young North Korean students watch South Korean dramas and, longing for the freedom and prosperity of South Korea, there are many cases of them defecting to North Korea. This semester, two Russian students are enrolled in my class. There may be various reasons behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but from the perspective of these students, it appears to be rooted in the misguided desires and greed of the country’s leaders. Most Russians and Ukrainians, they believe, would prefer to stop the war and live safely and peacefully. The North Korean regime has also declared that it no longer seeks reunification. This, too, seems to stem from the leaders’ desire to extend their dictatorial regime, rather than the will of the North Korean people. I asked students who oppose Korean reunification why they hold that view. The most common reason they cited was the economic burden of reunification costs. Recently, I had an opportunity to talk to a German from East Germany. He shared that, after Germany’s reunification, both West and East Germans experienced significant economic difficulties for about 15 years, and there was widespread dissatisfaction. However, he mentioned that since the 2010s, with many good job opportunities increasing and living conditions improving in East Germany, more people have actually started to prefer living in East Germany. South Korea’s economic growth rate has been declining since the 2000s. Will the next generation in South Korea be able to experience the same remarkable economic growth that our generation enjoyed? We all want ultimate peace on the Korean Peninsula and dream of shared economic prosperity. If so, there is only one answer: a unified Korea.   Click here to read the article.  

    [Hankyung Essay] Trump, It Might Actually Be a Good Thing   I ran into Professor Mark Ivan from the FIT Fashion Design Department in the elevator. He said he was feeling down about Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidential election. He expressed concerns that women, LGBTQ people, and minorities in the U.S. might face discrimination under his leadership. On the anniversary of my father's passing, relatives were worried that South Korea might have to contribute ten times more to the cost of the U.S. military presence in Korea. At a university alumni gathering, senior alumni also said they couldn’t understand how someone like Trump could become president. The uncertainty caused by Trump is worrying the world. But in reality, Trump is, at his core, a businessman. He is not an idealist but a pragmatist. If something benefits the U.S., he will meet and make deals, regardless of previous principles. So, there's no need to worry too much. We can use our diplomatic power and negotiation skills to give and take. For example, if we are asked to increase our contribution to the cost of U.S. troops stationed in Korea, we could suggest ways in which we, as allies, can contribute more. We might even push for permission to establish our own nuclear fuel reprocessing facility. During Trump's first term, there were many extreme campaign promises, but once he became president, most of them were either not implemented or were carried out in a more moderate direction. For instance, despite his campaign promise, he did not carry out large-scale deportations of illegal immigrants because many difficult industries in the U.S., such as agriculture, rely on undocumented workers. Trump sees China as a major threat. Tariffs are likely to be focused on Chinese imports. This will give us, as competitors to China in the U.S. market, a relative advantage. Also, our companies that have invested in building semiconductor and battery factories in the U.S. are worried that Trump's administration might eliminate electric vehicle tax credits (subsidies) based on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). However, since the U.S. is a federal system, state governments cannot be ignored. Moreover, the U.S. will have midterm elections in two years. Considering the economic benefits that state governments and their residents are receiving from factory establishments, it does not seem easy to completely eliminate these subsidies. A few months ago, a report by the Heritage Foundation stated that to respond to China's growing naval power, the U.S. should work with South Korea to produce more warships. Perhaps that’s why, after Trump was elected, he requested cooperation with South Korea's shipbuilding industry during his first call with our president. As a result, the South Korean shipbuilding and defense industries are expected to boom. Soon, as Trump promised, when the U.S. begins extracting huge amounts of shale gas, international oil prices are likely to drop, which will help South Korea save on fuel costs. The second term of Trump might not necessarily be bad for us. In fact, the Trump era could be an opportunity for us to move toward a wealthier South Korea.   Click here to read the article.  

      [HanKyung Essay] The Reasons Trump Won   The day before the U.S. presidential election, I ran into Angela in the hallway of the classroom. Angela was a student in my class last semester and a passionate supporter of the Democratic Party, particularly on progressive issues such as the environment, women's rights, and abortion. I asked, "Angela! I bet you're supporting Harris, right?" She shook her head and replied, "Harris keeps changing her stance, so I can't trust her. I'd rather go with Trump." U.S. citizens, even if they are in Korea, can vote by absentee ballot. I had expected Angela, being a fervent Democrat, to vote by mail from Korea, but this time she chose to abstain from voting. Given this situation, the election results showed that Republican candidate Donald Trump won by a large margin over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Despite many celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift publicly supporting Harris, it didn’t make a difference. The most important factor in the election was, above all, the economy. Inflation in the U.S. had risen dramatically compared to four years ago. Even African Americans, who traditionally support the Democratic Party, saw their living costs soar due to high inflation, causing them to shift 10% of their support from Harris to Trump. In this election, U.S. voters said the second most important issue after the economy was immigration policy. Even among low-income Democratic supporters, there was significant anger over the Democratic government's provision of free cell phones and housing to undocumented immigrants. Hispanic voters, who had previously benefited from the lenient border policies of the Democratic administration, started to shift their support to Trump, calling for an end to illegal immigration. The number of Hispanic voters supporting Harris dropped by about 15% compared to when Joe Biden was running four years ago. The issue of abortion, where Harris had previously held an advantage, did not significantly influence the election results. In the TV debates, Trump defended himself relatively well by stating that he wasn’t against women's right to abortion but believed that each state should decide the issue for itself. The candidate's image is extremely important in an election. As Angela mentioned, Harris's inconsistency on various policy stances led to a drop in the support of young voters, who were disappointed by her shifting positions. Young Democratic voters, like Angela, chose to abstain from voting, which caused their support to decrease by about 6% compared to four years ago. Americans want a wealthy and strong America. Despite his many flaws, Trump was able to create a strong image with his slogan, "Make America Great Again" (MAGA). His image of raising his fist and fighting, even while bleeding from a bullet wound, left a strong impression. Everyone already knew that Trump was the first U.S. president to be convicted and that he was erratic and unpredictable. In the midst of uncertain international circumstances, Americans preferred Trump's strong and powerful image over Harris's weaker one.   Click here to read the article.  

Nerve Signal Transferring Mechanism and Mathematical Modeling of Artificial Biological System Design   Abstract Our investigation demonstrates the necessity of mathematical modeling and design methodologies for nerve signals in the creation of artificial arms. Nerve impulses vary widely in speed; for example, unmyelinated nerves transmit impulses at around one mile per hour, while myelinated nerves conduct impulses at around 200 miles per hour. The electrical signals originating from the brain, such as those measured by electroencephalography, are translated into chemical reactions in each organ to produce energy. In this paper, we describe the mechanism by which nerve signals are transferred to various organs, not just the brain or spinal cord, as these signals account for the measured amounts of physical force—i.e., energy—as nerve signals. Since these frequency signals follow no fixed pattern, we consider wavelength and amplitude over a particular time frame. Our simulation results begin with the mechanical distinction that occurs throughout the entire process of nerve signal transmission in the artificial arm as an artificial biological system, and show numerical approaches and algebraic equations as a matrix in mathematical modeling. As a result, the mathematical modeling of nerve signals accurately reflects actual human nerve signals. These chemical changes, involving K (potassium), Na (sodium), and Cl (chloride), are linked to muscle states as they are converted into electrical signals. Investigating and identifying the neurotransmitter signal transmission system through theoretical approaches, mechanical analysis, and mathematical modeling reveals a strong relationship between mathematical simulation and algebraic matrix analysis. For more details, you can read the full paper HERE.

    [HanKyung Essay] U.S. Presidential Election 2024, Like American Football           At a chair’s meeting last month, when the topic of the U.S. presidential election came up, American professors stationed at the New York campus indirectly criticized Republican candidate Donald Trump by saying, "We can't go back to the past." New York is traditionally a blue state that supports the Democratic Party, so more people in New York support Kamala Harris. The United States is a federal country composed of 50 states. In the U.S. presidential election, the candidate who receives the most votes in each state wins all of that state's electoral votes. As a result, there have been two instances since the 2000s where a candidate who won the popular vote nationwide did not become president due to losing in the Electoral College. Understanding the U.S. presidential election is as difficult as understanding American football. However, once you understand the complex rules, methods, tactics, and strategies, watching a football game becomes more enjoyable, and the same applies to the U.S. presidential election. In the U.S. election, there are states that you must pay close attention to. These are the battleground or swing states—seven states that are hard to predict in terms of who will win. In particular, winning in the three Rust Belt states—Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin—seems to be crucial for determining the overall outcome of this election. Polls released by American media often show a difference of more than 5% depending on the polling agency. Therefore, it is advisable to refer to the "RealClearPolitics" data, which aggregates results from major polling organizations. Over the past three months, I have checked the battleground state poll results every week, and Harris has never led Trump by more than 1%. Despite this, most American media outlets have reported that Harris has a higher chance of winning in recent months. Apart from Fox News, most major U.S. broadcasters and newspapers tend to be progressive and Democratic-leaning, which has resulted in favorable coverage for Harris. However, I have been disappointed to see many Korean broadcasters and media outlets directly echoing these reports. It is worth noting that during October, Trump was ahead by a narrow margin within the margin of error in all battleground states. Finally, an important aspect to focus on is the "Shy Trump" supporters. Trump is currently facing multiple criminal charges and is perceived to have significant personal flaws, so even among conservative voters, many dislike him. As a result, while they may not openly criticize or support Trump, due to issues like the economy and illegal immigration, there is a hidden group of voters—estimated to be around 2-3%—who will secretly vote for Trump in the election. In the last two presidential elections, Trump's actual vote share was at least 2-3% higher than the polling results predicted. Therefore, if the polls in battleground states are extremely close, it seems more likely that Trump could win. Who will win this time?   Click here to read the article.