Competition
This page displays specific information regarding the formal competitions Joonyong Choi participated in during high school. However, it DOES NOT include all competitions since this page is dedicated to competitions with sufficient files, images, and information. To see the list or information of all competitions that Joonyong Choi won awards, please see the resume attached on the “Home” page or the “Honors & Awards” page.
Korea Science & Engineering Fair (KSEF) International Sector
The Korea Science & Engineering Fair (KSEF) International in 2022 is an international competition in which students from all countries can participate. For this competition, I wrote a research paper titled “Gradient-based Neural Model Prediction Control for Continuous-Time Control of Quadrotors,” which proposes a new deep-learning-based control model for quadrotors using gradient-based neural model prediction. The model I proposed enables quadrotors to move more efficiently and effectively by using optimization methods and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). The quadrotor’s trajectory and routes were accurately measured through multiple simulation trials, leading the quadrotor to the exact destination set prior to the simulation. Eventually, after presenting my research to approved professors and experts of the KSEF committee, I won a Silver Award in this international competition. Through this competition, I gained firsthand experience in conducting a formal simulation and writing a formal research paper about it. I believe this experience I attained would serve as a stepping stone since research is very important for a prospective electrical engineer.
JA Korea - Samsung Entrepreneur’s Playground Festival 2021
The JA Korea-Samsung Entrepreneurship Playground Festival is a national competition sponsored by the JA-Korea and Samsung partnership. It is a year-long program in which experts and professionals lecture students about developing a business model. More than 200 teams participated, with at least two people on each team. Among them, about ten teams, including my team, became finalists. For this competition, my friend Ryan and I developed a business model of “Veggie Fin,” an alternative shark fin for vegans. First, we searched for a specific socioeconomic problem to target and solve. After a month of online and offline research, we found that overfishing is a significant issue that harms marine lives and ecosystems. A major example we found was that more than thousands of sharks were thrown into the ocean with their fins cut for shark fin cuisines. As a result, Ryan and I decided to develop a vegan shark fin, Veggie Fin, using plant-based ingredients and mushrooms to reduce the unnecessary overfishing of sharks. We created Veggie Fin after several months of experiments and finally produced a Veggie Fin meal kit and soup. This business model benefits vegans by creating an alternative option for luxury food and reducing overfishing in the oceans, eventually contributing to marine environment protection. On the final competition day, I presented the business model and prototype products as the team's official leader and eventually received the Finalist Award.
The 4th National Youth 4.3 Incident English Speech Contest
The 4th 4.3 English Speech Contest is a national English speech contest discussing the April 3rd incident in Jeju, South Korea, from April 1948 to September 1954. The incident was a violent suppression and massacre of civilians by South Korean soldiers, which resulted in enormous casualties and significant political and social repercussions during the post-World War Ⅱ period in Korea. The objective of this competition is to inform foreigners about the April 3rd incident. For this competition, I compared and contrasted the stories of the survivors of the incident and the famous story of Anne Frank during World War Ⅱ during my speech. I first explained the tragic story of Anne Frank and her life during World War Ⅱ and compared it to the stories of the survivors of the 4.3 Incident. Then, I mentioned the stories of young children who evacuated to a small cave during the incident. By the end, I noted the similarities between the causes of these two tragic events in different places. Still, I indicated that the 4.3 Incident is not gaining much recognition as Anne Frank. My speech was very touching and appealing to the audience because I brought up a story that foreigners can easily empathize with. Eventually, after delivering this touching speech, I received the Governor of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Award and a 500,000 KRW grant.
The 17th Korea Scholars Conference for Youth (KSCY) 2022
The 17th Korea Scholar’s Conference for Youth (KSCY) in 2022 is a national competition that includes various research fields, such as mathematics, computer science, and social sciences. For this competition, I signed up for the mathematics field as my research topic. My research was “Pi Approximation Using Series Including Central Binomial Coefficient,” which suggests a new approach to pi approximation using series including the Central Binomial Coefficient and the calculation of time complexity. These sets of series were created through modifications using multiple mathematical methods such as Stirling approximation. However, the research also introduces some unexpected outcomes of the series, including roots and logarithms in the results. Furthermore, the calculation of time complexity for each of the series measures the time required for a computer to generate these series in a certain finite range. Based on this mathematical research regarding algebra and combinatorics, I eventually won an Excellent Youth Scholars Award (Natural Sciences: Mathematics) for this competition.
Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) Math Mania Conference
The Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) is an association established in 2009 containing six different international schools worldwide, including schools in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. AISA aims to develop global citizens through athletic, academic, and multicultural encounters and seeks to bring together students living in East Asia to compete and exchange ideas through member school engagement. Among the various AISA competitions, I participated in the school representative team for the Math Mania competition. The Math Mania competition tested students’ abilities to solve and troubleshoot various mathematical problems. The competition was composed of multiple sections, including group tests, individual tests, and poster projects. After three days of competition, our school’s team eventually won 3rd place. Through this experience, I had fun competing and interacting with students from different schools or countries with similar passions and mathematics skills. Also, through this experience, I was able to grow further as a prospective engineer as I challenged myself with complex math problems throughout the competition.
Immerse Education Essay Competition 2023 (16-18, Engineering)
The Immerse Education Essay Competition 2023 is an international essay competition aimed to promote students to write creative essays regarding different topics of various fields, including engineering, computer science, economics, business management, earth science, and many more. I selected the engineering field for this competition, which was the field of my interest. For engineering, I wrote an essay regarding the topic “How would you demonstrate the difference between Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR)?” Specifically, in the introduction, I started with a fascinating imagination of a future where people would use AR and VR ubiquitously in their daily lives. I hypothesized how technology would alter industries, including advertisement, games, and entertainment. Then, by the end of the essay, I explained the current strategies of Big Tech firms such as Apple and Meta. Moreover, I compared and contrasted their different strategies and focus. As a result of this creative and fascinating essay, I won the Scholarship Award.
Humanities Project
The National Humanities Project Proposal Contest is a national competition aimed at selecting appropriate, feasible proposals that could significantly contribute to solving socioeconomic issues in Korea. The range of socioeconomic problems could be basically from any field, including business, finance, family support, poverty, wealth gaps, etc. For this competition, I proposed a business model for solving the rising issue of generational conflicts in South Korea. The main objective of the business is to develop interesting stories based on the true experiences of the seniors (elderly) by hiring authors or aspiring writers. The authors or aspiring writers would listen to the stories of the experiences of the seniors and organize the stories to introduce them to the wide public. Since the seniors are people who overcame many difficulties and challenges during the process of rapid development in South Korea, their precious experiences could serve as a great asset for the younger generations, eventually leading to the mitigation of generational conflicts by forming a bond between different generations. By proposing this business model in the contest, I received the 3rd place award and a 500,000 KRW grant from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
