Mason Korea welcomed nine new full-time faculty to campus for Spring 2023. This is part two in this series. Read part one here.
Ajiboye Babalola
What are you teaching at Mason Korea?
STAT 250- Introductory Statistics I; STAT 350- Introductory Statistics II; and MATH 203- Linear Algebra.
What is your favorite part of teaching?
Teaching is sort of my whole life. It means that I have information, skills, or a technique that is worth sharing, and statistics is the future because everyone is going into data.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
Being a researcher is something big that I am proud of, and the fact that I can link up with students on any and every level to impact knowledge is a huge accomplishment. Being part of Mason Korea based on profession is indeed a great accomplishment.
Coffee or tea?
Both have their times and seasons for me, so both (no sugar) should do.
What’s your favorite part about being in Korea so far?
I don't know where people in Mason Korea are from, but they certainly should be from a place of kindness. Every day, seeing people from Mason Korea is always my favorite part of being here.
Imen Hassairi
What are you teaching at Mason Korea?
MATH106 Quantitative Reasoning and MATH105 Precalculus.
What is your favorite part of teaching?
I love teaching mathematics to fresh minds who are eager to accomplish their learning outcomes and conquer the subject matter.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
Earning a PhD, publishing my own papers in high-ranking journals, and teaching at US universities. But I would say I am most proud of becoming part of the Mason community.
Coffee or tea?
Both! Morning coffee and afternoon tea are a must. You may notice how difficult my first day of fasting is without my morning coffee in the holy month of Ramadan.😊
What’s your favorite part about being in Korea so far?
Having just arrived from China, life is great without VPN. I also love the culture and safety that Korea offers.
Eunice Kim
What are you teaching at Mason Korea?
ENGH 100: Composition for Multilingual Writers.
What is your favorite part of teaching?
My favorite part of teaching is creating a community of growing scholars and being able to support our students' academic journeys. I also love being a part of someone's process of realization or understanding of new knowledge/ information.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am proud to look back to what was a dream of mine during my third year of my undergraduate career to living that dream today.
Coffee or tea?
Definitely coffee. But I love a good peppermint tea.
What’s your favorite part about being in Korea so far?
I like how there is a lot to explore, which I plan to do a lot of!
Carey McCormack
What are you teaching at Mason Korea?
HIST 125 Introduction to World History.
What is your favorite part of teaching?
The best part about teaching is when students find inspiration from the content they learn even if it isn't part of their degree plan. As a history professor, it is difficult to convince students that learning critical thinking and analytical skills will help them in their future careers in business or science, which is why it is so rewarding when they do find value in the content.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
I am most proud of receiving a high impact practices grant for a workshop I developed at my former university, called the paleo skills workshop. With sustaining grant funds each year, I was able to expand the workshop and continue to host the event and eventually making it interdisciplinary with the Archeology department. Last year, we had over 100 students attend on a Saturday for over 3 hours.
Coffee or tea?
Tea.
What’s your favorite part about being in Korea so far?
The best parts about Korea are the people and the food. Everyone is so nice and patient here and the food is exceptionally good, particularly the sweet large stuffed buns and the indoor barbequing.
Richard Prasad
What are you teaching at Mason Korea?
I am a new faculty member in the MK Way Program, the foundation intensive English program prior to commencing first-year studies at Mason Korea, part of the English for Academic Purposes Program. I am happy and proud to be a small part of the journey the MK Way students will be taking to their future studies at Mason Korea. It's an amazing privilege (and awesome responsibility) to be part of this!
What is your favorite part of teaching?
The main reason that I teach is for those moments when my students make me go "Wow!" As a language educator, these moments can range from small everyday situations, like for the effort they show in class, or their achievement in the work we do, to when my students can see, and feel, their progress and development, ultimately leading to their ownership of their English.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
I can point to past collaborations with colleagues, including on academic topics such as curriculum and course development projects, but also going beyond the classroom into finding ways to make an impact on the university community and society at large. I am looking forward to finding ways to contribute in these ways at Mason Korea.
Coffee or tea?
The only way I can really drink coffee is basically as a dessert (with milk and sugar please!). The same is true for teas – I have my favorites, for example Korean yuja-cha, but I am still a novice. I am attempting to be a bit more evolved in both these areas.
What’s your favorite part about being in Korea so far?
I am a long-time resident of Korea, having put down roots with my wife, and with this I have really come to appreciate what a great place Korea is to live. Korea has been a wonderful home, and I have watched it be transformed in so many ways over the years. I've received so many gifts from Korea, and it has changed who I am.
March 14, 2023
