New Professor to IST Program by Tiffany Hawk

Some professors want to focus on research. Others strive for tenure. But others like Dong-Hee Shin have the sole desire to teach undergraduates.

Shin, an assistant professor at Penn State Berks-Lehigh College, completed a Ph.D. program from Syracuse University in Information Sciences and Technology (IST) . It is his second semester teaching the IST program here.

Shin believes, “Being a professor is the best job in the world. I experienced industry jobs, and I know how hard and competitive it is. I like to teach and interact with undergraduate students.”

Shin teaches IST 402 and IST 420 this semester. IST 402 teaches students about emerging technologies and is a required course for IST majors. IST 420 is required by one of the three IST options, Integration and Application, and discusses the fundamentals of systems and enterprise integration.

When asked if IST 402 is an important class, Shin replied, “It is essential to know what technologies are emerging. It is more essential to know how technologies are evolving.”

Students here at Penn State have already made an impact on Shin. “I learned that students here are smart and intelligent. Students are very responsive and mature.”

Shin feels that the job market for his students is hopeful. “I believe the IST-related job market will be booming again in the next two years. And it is promising because many IT gurus have invested too much in infrastructure. Now they are realizing shortages. Industries will be filling the gaps between infrastructure and applications. IST graduates are the perfect candidates to fill these gaps.”

Shin taught at Syracuse University prior to Penn State . He also has worked with global information technology industries such as Samsung, LG EDS, and SK Telecom.

Shin said, “I chose Penn State because I liked the Reading area. It is close to big cities, has low living cost, and is in a less crowded area. In addition, I chose Penn State because of its big name. I was offered a job by Towson University near Baltimore , but I preferred Penn State because of the unique IST program.

“Weather-wise, I also like Reading . Syracuse , where I consider my hometown, is very harsh, cold, and snowy. To me, winter in Reading is like spring in Syracuse .”

Shin lives with his wife, Youn-Joo, and the two are expecting their first child.