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SXSK Vol. 6 — April 26, 2026

Editor’s Note The Texas Global Alumni Summit ended on a strong note, and the connections continue to grow. UT’s first global alumni event was successfully held here in Seoul from April 16 to 18. This issue takes a closer look at the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit and

Publisher's Letter

Vol. 6 [Publisher's Letter] A Successful Alumni Event and the Road Ahead

The inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit has successfully come to a close. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the alumni who contributed their time and effort to make this event possible. More than 140 alumni from 19 countries participated in the Summit, along with representatives from

UTAKA News

Vol. 6 [UTAKA News] Leadership Transition in UTAKA’s PR Team

* The PR Committee’s function of the University of Texas at Austin Korea Alumni Association (UTAKA) has been moved under the Membership Development Committee. * Chaewon "Joanne" Kim (ILA ’17), who served as the inaugural PR Committee Chair, concluded her term on April 18 following the close of the

UTAKA News

Vol. 6 [UTAKA News] John Kim (PGE '05) Hosts IBA Spring Dinner in Seoul

* John Kim (PGE ’05), President of the University of Texas at Austin Korea Alumni Association and an IBA member, hosted the International Board of Advisors (IBA) dinner on April 15, the evening before the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit began in Seoul. * All 22 IBA members gathered in Korea on

Alumni News

Vol. 6 [Alumni News] Dr. Youngmok Yun (ME '17)'s AI Robot Startup, Contoro Works with Coupang

Coupang announced on April 14 (local time) that it has invested in Contoro, an AI robotics startup based in Austin, Texas. It is also exploring the possibility of a pilot deployment at its logistics hubs in Korea. (ET News) Founder: Dr. Youngmok Yun (ME ’17) * Contoro’s CEO, Youngmok Yun

UT Member Interview

Vol. 6 [UT Member Interview]🎤Fiona Mazurenko (MPAff ’09), UT Director of Global Initiatives and Alumni Relations

🎤 Can you tell us about your role as director of global initiatives and alumni relations, and what the office’s core mission is? I am honored to serve as Director of Global Initiatives and Alumni Relations at The University of Texas at Austin, within Texas Global. My team contributes to

UT Stories

Vol. 6 [UT Stories] Day 1: Gala Dinner of the Inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit in Seoul

* On the evening of Thursday, April 16, the gala dinner for the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit was held at The Westin Josun Seoul. * Participants began arriving at 5:30 p.m. to pick up their pre-registered name badges and joined a reception featuring light finger foods, wine, and

UT Stories

Vol. 6 [UT Stories] Day 2: Plenary Sessions of the Inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit in Seoul

* On April 17, plenary sessions—the second day of the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit—were held at The Westin Josun Seoul. * An early morning breakfast offered additional opportunities for networking. * The first plenary session, “Dean’s Roundtable: Innovation Across Borders,” brought together Dr. Sonia Feigenbaum and the deans of

UT Stories

Vol. 6 [UT Stories] Post-Event Reception of the Inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit in Seoul

* On the evening of April 17, a chimaek (fried chicken and beer) dinner was held at Banpo Hangang Park in Seoul as the closing gathering following the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit. * Walking into Sebitseom, beautifully illuminated along the Han River, guests arrived at the after-party reception venue. * Hosted

UT Stories

Vol. 6 [UT Stories] The Dells Make Another $750M Gift to UT

The milestone: * Michael and Susan Dell have become UT Austin's first-ever billion-dollar donors, with a new $750 million commitment announced this week. (Fortune) * The gift ranks among the largest philanthropic contributions ever made to a U.S. university. (UT News) What's being built: * Two

Texas News

Vol. 6 [Texas News] Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation Establishes New Houston Hub to Expand K-Food Exports

Opening Overview: * Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) have opened a new branch in Houston, Texas, to strengthen K-food exports across the Americas. The office officially launched on the 22nd (local time). * The opening ceremony was

Texas News

Vol. 6 [Texas News] Boba Place, Coco's Cafe on Guadalupe St Closes

The closure: * Coco's Cafe, widely regarded as Austin's first boba tea shop, will shut down its store on Guadalupe St. on May 10 after more than 25 years in operation. (Chron, culturemap austin) * The North Austin location at 8557 Research Blvd. will remain open. (Chron, culturemap

edition

SXSK Vol. 5 — April 15, 2026

Editor’s Note Alternating Between Two Worlds At the inaugural Texas Global Alumni Summit taking place this week, two worlds will meet: Texas and the global stage on one hand, and Korea on the other. This issue of SXSK explores that point of intersection—where seemingly distinct worlds come into

Publisher's Letter

Vol. 5 [Publisher's Letter]

Recently, the Netflix series Ready or Not: Texas has been gaining modest popularity. The series begins with restaurants and streets in Dallas, where I lived until last year, and even dedicates an entire final episode to visiting Austin, home to my alma mater. While it was refreshing to see familiar

UTAKA News

Vol. 5 [UTAKA News] Social Committee Welcomes New Members

* Young Joon Lee (ECE '20), Dana Jeon (MPA '23), Dagyeong Kwak (MPA '25) joined the social committee of UTAKA (University of Texas at Austin Korea Alumni Association) as of April, 2026. * Our alumni leadership structure is available on the “Organization” page under the top “About” menu on

UTAKA News

Vol. 5 [UTAKA News] First Thursday Gathering in April

* On April 02, our alumni community gathered in Gangnam, Seoul for the April First Thursday event. * Co-hosted by Sun Kyu Park (CS ’03) and Dong Uk "Dean" Lee (iMPA ’19), the evening was made especially meaningful by the presence of many first-time attendees. * Everyone quickly felt

Alumni News

Vol. 5 [Alumni News] Scholarship Established in Memory of UT Student Savitha Shanmugasundaram

* Savitha Shanmugasundaram (MIS & ECON '26), a 21-year-old UT Austin senior, was shot and killed on March 1 in a mass shooting on the West 6th Street in Austin. A month after her passing, those closest to her have come together to establish an endowed scholarship in

UT Member Interview

Vol. 5 [UT Member Interview] 🎤Chaewon "Joanne" Kim (ILA ’17) Part 2 of 2

This is Part 2 of the alumni interview with Chaewon "Joanne" Kim (ILA ’17), composed of questions designed to help us get to know her better on a professional level. Below is the English translation of the original Korean text. 🎤 Could you briefly share what you are currently

UT Stories

Vol. 5 [UT Stories] UT Austin Presses Ahead with Tower and Battle Hall Restorations

* Several campus construction efforts advanced this spring, with two major projects underway at the Main Building and Tower and at Battle Hall. * The Main Building and Tower restoration is slated for completion in summer 2027. The exterior is currently wrapped in scaffolding, which UT covered with a fabric overlay in

UT Stories

Vol. 5 [UT Stories] Moody College of Communication Announces Three New Minors

* UT Austin's Moody College of Communication announced in March that it will offer three new minors — digital game industries, advertising, and radio-television-film (RTF) — starting fall 2026, open to all students regardless of major. * Senior Associate Dean Cassandre Giguere Alvarado explained that advertising and RTF are Moody&

UT Stories

Vol. 5 [UT Stories] Jackson School of Geosciences Expands AI Integration Through New Hires and Coursework

* UT Austin's Jackson School of Geosciences is working to weave artificial intelligence more deeply into its academic programs, with new faculty and undergraduate courses set to roll out this fall. * Two newly appointed assistant professors in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences — Dapeng Feng and Fa Li

Texas News

Vol. 5 [Texas News] SK Signet and City of Plano, Texas Strengthen Partnership Around North American EV Charging Infrastructure

The visit * On April 2, Plano Mayor John Muns and city officials traveled to SK Signet's headquarters and R&D center in Korea. * The delegation toured key facilities including the ultra-fast charger design and validation lines, an EMC chamber, and a vehicle simulator — directly assessing the

Texas News

Vol. 5 [Texas News] Samsung SDI Battery Lawsuit Heads to U.S. Supreme Court — Jurisdiction at the Center

What happened * Texas residents who suffered fire and burn injuries from products containing Samsung SDI batteries filed a damages lawsuit against Samsung SDI. * The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the case, ruling that Texas courts lack jurisdiction over Samsung SDI, a Korean company, because it did not directly distribute

Texas News

Vol. 5 [Texas News] Texas Market Entry Mission (TMEM) Opens Recruitment for Korean Companies

* Texas Market Entry Mission (TMEM), a seven-day program visiting four key Texas cities — Dallas, Austin, Taylor, and Houston — is now accepting applicants from Korean companies exploring U.S. expansion. * Designed for C-suite and senior executive-level participants, with a cap of around 30 attendees; spots are filling quickly

Texas News

Vol. 5 [Texas News] Texas SNAP Ban on Sodas and Candy: Health Experts Raise Concerns Over Low-Income Diabetics and Hypoglycemics

The policy * As of April 1, Texas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (henceforth SNAP, also known as food stamps) recipients can no longer use benefits to purchase sweetened beverages or candy. * The restriction stems from Senate Bill 379, authored by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston), aimed at reducing consumption of foods