SXSK Vol. 7 — May 17, 2026

Editor’s Note

Currents of Change The broader theme connecting this issue’s stories is change—within our alumni community, our university, and Texas itself. In some ways, this may sound almost self-evident. After all, the very idea of “news” has always been tied to what is new, while what remains unchanged rarely becomes a headline. Still, we continue to observe shifts and transitions closely, carefully selecting the developments we believe matter most to our alumni and readers. In Korean, the visual difference between the words nam (남) and nim (님) is only a single dot. Yet the meanings they carry diverge sharply depending on whether that small mark is present: one refers to someone outside one’s circle, while the other conveys closeness, familiarity, and respect. Thinking about how such a small distinction can reshape meaning so profoundly offers another way of looking at change itself—and at the differences that emerge through it. First, in the Publisher’s Note, we look at the direction our alumni association hopes to take as it moves toward becoming an even stronger community after successfully closing the major chapter of the Texas Global Alumni Summit. As part of that effort, we also introduce this year’s General Alumni Meeting and year-end concert. In UTAKA News, we share plans to expand both the UTAKA Running Crew and the UTAKA Golf Team. The section also features interviews with the alumni leading each team. In Alumni News, we cover a major investment secured by the startup founded by Dr. Gary Ong, who previously worked at UT as a visiting graduate researcher and postdoctoral researcher. In UT Member Interview, we feature an interview with Soojin Park (GOV ’21), who now leads the newly reorganized PR organization under our association’s Membership Development Committee. In UT Stories, we report on the scaling back of our university’s student fashion show and the relocation of two May study abroad programs operated by Texas Global. Finally, in Texas News, we cover signs of transformation within AI-related manufacturing involving Apple, Nvidia, and Corning, as well as the growing scale of investment now projected to address Texas’ water crisis.
—Ji Hyun Ahn / Editor-in-Chief / GER ’21

Publisher’s Letter

John Kim (PGE ’05), Publisher of SXSK and President of the University of Texas at Austin Korea Alumni Association reflects on the closing of the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit and the year-and-a-half journey of preparation behind it, while sharing his thoughts on the direction of the alumni association moving forward. With a vision of growing beyond a mere interest group into a community built on shared memories, and deepening alumni members’ sense of belonging and solidarity, he announces that the association will host its regular General Alumni Reunion on October 2, followed by the Longhorn Alumni Concert on December 4, led by world-renowned soprano and fellow alumna, Dr. Hanna Lee.
→ Read the full letter

UTAKA News

🗞️ UTAKA Running Crew Expands: Interviews with the Crew Leader and Training Director
The UTAKA Running Crew is preparing to expand and is currently welcoming new members. Crew Leader Byungjoon Min (ECON ’14) and Training Director Sam M. Chung (UTIMCO), Director at Petra Capital Management, emphasized that the group prioritizes consistency and the enjoyment of running together over performance or experience level, adding that even complete beginners are welcome to join comfortably. The crew is also aiming to participate in the running division of the Alumni Cup later this year.
→ Read more

🗞️ Interview with UTAKA Golf Team Captain Heejun Kim (ECE ’15)
UTAKA Golf Team captain Heejun Kim (ECE ’15) shared the team’s strengths and plans for the year ahead. As the inaugural champions of the Alumni Cup golf division, the team’s primary goal this year is to successfully defend its title at the year-end tournament. During the summer, the team is also considering organizing casual indoor screen golf gatherings.
→ Read more

🗞️ May First Thursday Gathering Held
UTAKA’s First Thursday gathering returned once again this May. The regular meetup, held on May 7 in Yeouido, Seoul, drew strong alumni participation and became an enjoyable evening of networking and conversation.
→ Read more

Alumni News

🗞️ UT Startup Celadyne Technologies Receives $250,000 Seed Investment for Hydrogen Membrane Technology
Celadyne Technologies, a materials and energy startup founded by Dr. Gary Ong — who previously worked at UT as a graduate researcher and postdoctoral researcher — and launched out of the Cockrell School of Engineering, has secured $250,000 from the UT Seed Fund. The company plans to use the investment to expand hydrogen applications across the defense, transportation, and industrial sectors while strengthening the domestic U.S. hydrogen supply chain through its two membrane products, Dura and Electra, which are designed to improve a core component used in hydrogen devices.
→ Read more

UT Member Interview

🗞️🎤Soojin Park (GOV '21) Part 1 of 2
Soojin Park (GOV ’21), Vice Chair of UTAKA’s Membership Development Committee and the new lead of its PR organization, shares an honest look into her daily life as a working professional who plans each day with a planner, as well as the story of how she unexpectedly found her way into the alumni association after returning to Korea and wanting to stay connected to Texas. From memories of spending time at the PCL during her student years to quiet days at home with her cat, the interview offers a personal glimpse into Soojin's life and perspective. Known for making even first-time conversations feel like reconnecting with an old friend, she also reflects on community, belonging, and the value of staying connected through UTAKA.
→ Read more

UT Stories

🗞️ UT Textiles and Apparel Program Scales Back Flagship Fashion Show
UT’s Capstone Collection Fashion Show, a long-running tradition dating back to 1970, concluded its current format with this year’s April 26 event. As the program restructures its curriculum away from design-centered studio practice and toward industry-oriented technical training, next year’s show is expected to shrink significantly from roughly 70 looks to around 20. The shift has prompted growing concern among students and faculty over the loss of creative opportunities and the narrowing of the program’s original design focus.
→ Read more

🗞️ Two May Study Abroad Programs Moved Amid Iran Conflict
Following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, UT relocated two May Term study abroad programs to Rabat, Morocco, and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, respectively. Travel to Jordan was fully suspended, while an appeal to keep the Istanbul program in place was denied, ultimately forcing both programs to change direction. Students and faculty are now navigating the practical realities of sudden shifts in living arrangements, revised course plans, and adaptation to entirely new cultural environments.
→ Read more

Texas News

🗞️ Apple Begins Discussions With Intel and Samsung on U.S. Chip Production to Reduce Reliance on TSMC
After relying almost exclusively on TSMC for nearly a decade to manufacture its core chips, Apple has reportedly entered discussions with Intel and Samsung Electronics for potential U.S.-based production as AI-driven chip shortages, geopolitical risk, and pressure for domestic manufacturing converge. For Samsung Electronics, the talks represent a potential opportunity to regain Apple foundry business for the first time since 2015. However, the decisive factor is expected to be whether Samsung can achieve stable yields for its next-generation process technology at its Taylor, Texas facility.
→ Read more

🗞️ Mass Shooting in Carrollton Koreatown
On the morning of May 5, a shooting at K Town Plaza — a major Korean commercial hub in Carrollton, Texas — left two people dead at the scene and three others hospitalized for treatment. The suspect, a Korean man who operated a restaurant within the same plaza, was later taken into custody. Authorities are currently investigating the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, with business-related financial conflict reportedly emerging as a possible motive.
→ Read more

🗞️ Nvidia and Corning Announce Joint Manufacturing Expansion in Texas and North Carolina
Nvidia and Corning have announced plans to build three new facilities dedicated to optical and glass technologies for AI manufacturing across Texas and North Carolina, a move expected to create more than 3,000 jobs. The partnership — involving Nvidia, which is already expanding its Austin footprint, and Corning, which operates manufacturing facilities in West Austin — reflects a broader industry push to strengthen domestic semiconductor and AI production capacity within the United States.
→ Read more

🗞️ Texas Water Crisis Raises Need for Nearly $174 Billion in Investment
According to state government analysis, Texas will need to invest approximately $174 billion over the next 50 years to prevent a worsening water shortage crisis — more than double the estimate made just four years ago. Driven by the combined pressures of climate change and rapid population and industrial growth, the crisis is expected to ripple across the energy, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors, while also creating major new opportunities in water treatment technology and AI-driven water management industries.
→ Read more

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