Each year, IKS hosts the annual George Washington-Indiana University Undergraduate Research Exchange Program. Through this program, students spend an academic year conducting research on an original project related to Korea. In addition to 3 credits for either the fall or spring semesters, students receive valuable 1-on-1 faculty mentoring through the course of their project which will culminate in an original 15-20 page research project that students have the opportunity to present at a mini-conference each spring.
During March 28th and 29th, IKS will take faculty and staff members along with our four FA24/Sp25 GW-IU Undergraduate Research Fellows to Washington D.C. for this year’s conference at George Washington University.
Our FA24/SP25 Fellows and their project titles are as follows:
Michael Betar IV
Project Title: The Rise and Impact that Computer and Mobile Games Have Had on South Korea Both Socially and Economically.
Research interests: video games and society, game distribution, game development
Bio: Michael Betar IV is a Game Design Major at Indiana University’s Game Design Program with the Media School. He is also studying Virtual Reality with the Luddy School of Informatics for his Minor. Michael is focused on Game Production and Team Management and is a co-lead (“Crow-Lead”) of his independent game studio, Cozy Crow Studios, where he will release his Senior Capstone game, Decomposition, with this Spring. Although his background focuses on the development and distribution of video games, he is interested in studying how games are perceived and their impact on society. Outside of academics and game development, Michael works with videography for his personal YouTube channel.
Carina Geissler
Project Title: Fishing for (im)possibilities: A deep dive into image-ining Cheon Myeong-kwan’s Whale
Research Interests: visual arts, literary studies, cross-disciplinary studies
Bio: Carina Geissler is an undergraduate student at The Ohio State University working towards dual degrees in Korean studies and fine arts with a minor in art history. Carina has a wide array of academic interests and is drawn to multidisciplinary research that aims to bring together the esoteric wisdoms of various fields. In her current research, Carina works to bridge the gap between academic literary scholarship and visual art. Carina would like to thank her project faculty advisor, Assistant Professor Dr. Hayana Kim of the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at OSU, for exceptional feedback, encouragement, and advocacy.
Shruti Sivakumar
Project Title: Protesting the Patriarchy: South Korea’s 4B Feminist Activism
Research Interests: culture, gender, and the environment in South and East Asian countries.
Bio: Shruti Sivakumar is a senior majoring in International Studies at Indiana University – Bloomington, with minors in Business, Korean, and Public and Environmental Affairs. She works three jobs as a Paging Assistant at the Lilly Library, a TA for an introductory Human Resources course, and a Research Assistant for the Institute for Korean Studies. Following graduation, she plans on getting her Masters in Public Administration and working in international program management or development. Outside of school, Shruti enjoys learning new cultures, traveling, and hanging out with her roommates.
Jess Smith
Project Title: From Policy to Practice: Gender Bias and Inequality in South Korean Universities
Research Interests: HR development, global businesses, gender in the workplace
Bio: Jess Smith is a 21st Century Scholar and first-gen student from Northern Indiana. She is currently a senior majoring in International Studies with minors in East Asian Languages and Cultures (Korean) and Human Resources Management. After Jess graduates, she hopes to work in an innovative and sustainable corporation, with plans to work abroad as a Global HR professional. Jess loves learning new languages, appreciating different cultures, and she has some experience with both Spanish and Korean. In her free time, Jess loves to read, paint, and try new things.
We congratulate our 24/25 Research Fellows for all their hard work and we wish them a successful conference in a few weeks!
IKS is also now accepting applications for scholars for the FA25/SP26 Academic Year. Interested students should refer to the flyer below or visit our website to find out more information and how to apply.
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