No doubt, all of you Postechians who are reading this are cultivating your desire to become scientists. So, why did you choose this course of action? Is there a special explanation for it?

As a member of the Muenjae School of Undergraduate, I plan to choose Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) as my major this fall semester. To explain why I started to pursue CSE, I must travel back about a decade. When I was in the fourth grade of elementary school, I came across a programming lecture on the Internet that intrigued me immensely. This fascination led me to teach myself coding, study various resources, and undertake projects by myself. My desire to major in computer science was driven by my growing curiosity about the computer system itself as I studied more and more. As a result, I became a Postechian aspiring towards computer science. I used to believe this choice stemmed from my free will. However, upon reflection, I realized it was not true. When I began my coding journey, many specialists started to say we should introduce coding education to elementary school students. Documentaries featuring case studies from countries like the USA and UK aired, and numerous educational resources and services began to emerge domestically. The Ministry of Education began talking about incorporating coding into the updated curriculum. This social environment enabled me to continuously find suitable learning materials for my level, allowing my dream of studying computer science to flourish. Without it, I might have rapidly lost interest, chasing different dreams instead.

In fact, I am probably not the only one who experienced this. The decision of what degree to pursue between natural sciences, engineering, or liberal arts is often influenced by ideals of the society at the moment. These days, they are mostly focused on prestige or financial stability. Even after choosing a path in STEM, determining which particular field to study or which topic to research is inevitably affected by societal influences. Our desire for what to study is influenced by our own experience in society. Also, we cannot ignore the social needs. They sometimes appear as a form of government or corporate projects. Political decisions about where to focus investments also play a role. Scientists’ concerns about US President Trump’s impact on their field are understandable. Sometimes, as in the case of Korea’s 2023 R&D budget cuts, entire fields can be shaken. Moreover, as individuals, we need to ensure there are enough job opportunities in our chosen field to sustain ourselves. We are influenced by every aspect of society, including capitalism, economics, and national political decisions. And democracy is what allows us to freely discuss and debate these issues and make our own decisions.

Some say scientists do not have to be concerned about society. But before we are scientists, we are members of society. We are inevitably influenced by it. Therefore, to autonomously forge our futures, a comprehensive understanding of society is essential. We should be interested in events happening in our society. Analyzing the causes of phenomena is the best task we scientists can do, isn’t it? Let’s study and analyze our society, the root cause of the phenomenon that is our choice. And if society goes the wrong way, let’s voice our concerns!