After obtaining a PhD in physics in 2019, Eunsung Jekal became immersed in the patent technology and service industry. Like most science and engineering degree holders, Eunsung was only thinking about postdoc employment during the PhD program. However, at the time of graduation in 2019, COVID-19 began to spread around the world.
Eunsung returned home to South Korea to establish Jekal’s LAB, but during the pandemic quickly realized an education in management was crucial to the research lab’s success. An MIT Sloan Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership was the perfect fit.
“I focused on leadership and management classes because I thought my weakest part was the ability to manage the research lab,” Eunsung says. “Through the relevant classes, I learned more about how to set and execute long-term goals and skills from managing staff to managing customers.”
After ‘drinking from the firehose’ at MIT, Eunsung quickly realized an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation would also be of interest. “By taking a statistical approach to all the figures, I can clarify my reflections and plans. This was the most necessary part of what I learned at MIT.”
Creating a network of global colleagues was a bonus of attending the programs online. “I was able to get a lot of ideas by communicating with people of different ages in different fields around the world. In Mastering Design Thinking, five people teamed up to conduct a team project for about three months,” Eunsung recalls. “During the process, we met on Zoom at least twice a week and realized that even if the physical distance was far, we could be closer as colleagues.”
"I was able to get a lot of ideas by communicating with people of different ages in different fields around the world."
“I also keep in touch with my colleagues who I met in the MIT face-to-face Digital Learning Strategy class this summer. It is great motivation for me just to see them continue to challenge and achieve their goals,” Eunsung says.
Eunsung plans to visit Cambridge this fall for more classes and to continue to take advantage of the in person experience at MIT Sloan Executive Education. Eunsung hopes to someday earn an Advanced Certificate for Executives in Management, Innovation, and Technology (ACE) which is a certificate designed for business see the value of staying current with the latest thought leadership, management insights, and business expertise provided by the MIT.
“Online classes are as effective as face-to-face classes, but I'm sure there's no better environment than MIT to build a good network,” Eunsung says. “It's hard to find other ACE holders in South Korea, but I want to be an ACE holder as soon as possible, and I hope that it will be a good example. I hope more colleagues join me at MIT.”
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Eunsung Jekal with fellow classmates (and new connections).