【FILA】FILA Business Analytics Seminar Update: From AI Innovations at Samsung to Networking with Alumni

Last month in Seoul, Professor U. Aytun Ozturk and his FILA seminar students experienced a remarkable day at the Samsung Innovation Museum, as part of their annual seminar trip. Students were captivated by the integration of AI technology into Samsung’s latest offerings and gained insight during a private tour into the various technologies that have propelled Samsung to the forefront of innovation.

Before the seminar began, students participated in two intensive boot camps designed to hone their skills in developing analysis models using Python, targeting real-world challenges. The subsequent trip to South Korea lasted three days filled with rich educational and networking activities. Highlights were Professor Ozturk’s lectures at Konkuk University, where discussions extended beyond the classroom to interact with leaders of Konkuk University’s International Affairs Office as well as with Konkuk University students during a campus tour.

A particularly memorable event was the dinner with former students of Professor Ozturk’s seminary. During the dinner, students were able to network with alumni pursuing advanced degrees or excelling in various professional fields, including positions at major companies like CJ ENM – a powerhouse in the South Korean entertainment industry – and Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment.

The trip marked the opening activity of this year’s Business Analytics Seminar, led by Professor Ozturk, who played a role in developing the curriculum for the FILA program. He strives to build strong ties between current students and former graduates. Notably, Ayame Nishiyama, an alumna of FILA’s inaugural class, returned to campus in fall 2023 from Romania to give a guest lecture in the “Principles of Business” course.

Professor Ozturk has held important academic positions and continues to play a central role at the International Center for Innovation and Industrial Logistics (www.iciil.net). Its latest project, supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI and culminating in 2022, has not only received distinctions at the TTRA APAC conference in December 2022 but also contributed to a publication in the Journal of Tourismology in December 2023.