CSUB offering first faculty-led trip to South Korea

Engineering students will get chance to explore water, energy facilities

By California State University, Bakersfield

November 13^th, 2025

A new faculty-led study abroad program will give engineering majors the opportunity to learn firsthand how another country manages its water and energy systems.

California State University, Bakersfield is offering its first faculty-led trip to South Korea next summer, from July 26 to Aug. 8 Assistant Professor of Engineering Dr. Gyeong Sung Kim will lead the program, which will include visits to the cities of Seoul, Daejeon and Jeonju. Applications to attend are being accepted through Dec. 30.

The trip will primarily consist of visits to some of the key energy and water treatment facilities in the country, including the world’s largest tidal power plant, a floating solar installation, an artificial intelligence-driven water treatment plant and Lotte World Tower, the sixth tallest building in the world.

Participating students will also be able to experience South Korean food and culture on the trip, including a tour of the historic Gyeongbokung Palace, one of Seoul’s biggest attractions.

“I feel very proud that we can now offer a meaningful study abroad program to our engineering students,” said Dr. Kim. “This is an opportunity for them to is learn how to connect what they study in school to full-scale engineering facilities and operations so that they don’t just know the theories — they understand how they can be applied to real infrastructure.”

The program was made possible through a partnership with the Korean Water Resources Corporation, better known as K-water. Through the partnership, the state-owned company is providing access to some of its facilities and providing free lodging to reduce costs for students.

Dr. Kim previously worked at K-water for nearly 20 years before joining CSUB and knew that if engineering students were able to access some of its facilities, it would be a great learning experience for them. Dr. Kim approached K-water early last year to begin conversations about collaborating on the program.

“Many of the facilities they operate normally are not open to the public,” he said. “I kept making the case that this would directly benefit student education and, over time, they agreed. That let to us forming a partnership.”

One of the students who has applied for the program is Matthew Montes, who is majoring in computer engineering but also hopes to double major in mechanical engineering. He first learned about the program after seeing a poster about it in the Student Union.

“I applied for the trip because I'm interested in new experiences and venturing out into the world,” he said. “What I'm planning to get out of this experience is a way for me to get out of my personal bubble and to try out new things, which in return would help me prepare for the future If I were to do something related to this, to at least know what to expect.”

Montes said he is especially interested in learning about how these facilities use artificial intelligence to function and what impacts that has had on them.

“I’d like to get an idea on how machinery that controls the water source functions with AI, as AI tends to make mistakes from time to time,” he said. “This made me think of how the procedures would go when the system makes a mistake and causes a failure.”

Dr. Kim believes this program comes at a crucial juncture when the nature of engineering work is changing rapidly due to AI and global climate change.

“This program is especially critical now because we are living in a society where AI and climate change are normal,” he said. “If our students can directly see how facilities are already applying advanced AI, I think their perspective will expand significantly.”

Montes is grateful that CSUB offers study abroad opportunities like this for students and hopes he will be selected for the program.

“I feel excited that CSUB offers these trips as a learning experience because it offers a real idea of how things can be implemented without later in the future wondering ‘how can something like this be possible?’” he said.