Past Events

March 7, 2026 | University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) 

The Nevada Chapter of the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA) held its Inaugural Meeting and 2026 Nevada Interdisciplinary Research Symposium on March 7, 2026, at the Science & Engineering Building (SEB) Auditorium at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). 

The event marked a historic milestone for the Korean-American science and engineering community in Nevada, bringing together 31 participants (25 KSEA members), including faculty members, researchers, students, and community leaders. The gathering celebrated the establishment of the KSEA Nevada Chapter, which will officially be formed in 2026 to foster a strong professional network of scientists, engineers, faculty, and students across the state. 

The chapter aims to connect Nevada’s Korean-American STEM community with the broader KSEA network and to promote collaboration among institutions within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). 

Building a Community of Scientists and Engineers in Nevada 

Inaugural Meeting Organizing Committee: Drs. Mira Han, Mingon, Kang, Junyong Kang (UNLV), Dr. Jeongwon Park (UNR), Dr. Yeongkwon Son (DRI), Dr. Hokwon Cho (UNLV, Chair) 

Nevada is home to a rapidly growing Korean-American community and an expanding innovation ecosystem. With major research universities such as the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), Desert Research Institute (DRI), and Nevada State University (NSU), along with community colleges and research institutions across NSHE, the state offers a strong foundation for scientific collaboration and talent development. 

The KSEA Nevada Chapter will serve as a regional hub for networking, mentoring, interdisciplinary research collaboration, and professional development, connecting scholars, students, and industry professionals throughout Nevada and the broader KSEA community. 

Congratulatory Messages from KSEA Leaders 

The inaugural meeting featured congratulatory messages from distinguished KSEA leaders who shared insights on the organization’s mission and encouraged the development of the Nevada Chapter. Guest speakers included: 

• Dr. Ohbong Kwon (CUNY City Tech) 

• Dr. Deok-Ho Kim (Johns Hopkins University) 

• Dr. Clara Kim (Boehringer Ingelheim, KSEA Young Generation Director) 

The speakers highlighted KSEA’s global role in advancing science and engineering, supporting next-generation leaders, and promoting collaboration between academia and industry. They also expressed strong support for the Nevada Chapter’s future contributions to the national KSEA network. 

Interdisciplinary Research Symposium 

The 2026 Nevada Interdisciplinary Research Symposium featured research presentations from faculty and community leaders across multiple disciplines. Highlights included: 

• Mingon Kang (UNLV) – Trustworthy AI for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research 

• Youngjin Cho (UNLV) – Effect-Wise Inference for Smoothing Spline ANOVA on Tensor-Product Sobolev Space 

• Ji Yoo and Tina Lee (UNLV / NIHAN / 93x95NV) – Community and Student Pipeline to Nevada Healthcare 

• Sungju Moon (Nevada State University) – The Case for Undergraduate Research at a Teaching-Focused University 

A featured talk by Professor Jeongwon Park (University of Nevada, Reno) explored “Why Interdisciplinary Research is Shaping the Future of Science and Engineering.” The presentation highlighted how emerging challenges—such as AI-driven automation, precision healthcare, and sustainable infrastructure—require cross-disciplinary collaboration to accelerate innovation and maximize societal impact.