Biography

Annemari Ferreira is an Assistant Professor and Director of Liberal Arts at SolBridge and holds a Research Fellowship at the Africa Open Institute for Music, Research and Innovation at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Her research and teaching interests concern the politics of the interpersonal. Taking a trans-disciplinary approach to the interpretation and mediation of communication, her work explores the meaning-making that occurs in, and stems from, 'in-between' spaces of verbal and non-verbal expression.

Annemari’s research engages with early medieval literatures that provide rich source material for the study of politically-rooted cultural discourse. She is particularly interested in the role of dialogue in skaldic verse-making and the concomitant construction and development of skaldic diplomacy. New research projects include the study of political critique in Korean Manhwa, political jouissance, solar-punk approaches to decoloniality in East Asian Literature, and the reception history of Viking Age literatures in East Asian Literature.

Biography

Andrew Shimunek teaches courses on the history of the Silk Road, writing, and culture at SolBridge. His research spans the languages, cultures, and history of early, medieval, and modern Silk Road (Central Eurasia), especially Serbi- Mongolic (Hsien-pei / Xianbei and Mongolic), Old Turkic, Manchu-Tungusic (Jurchen and Manchu), Puyo-Koguryoic, Middle Chinese, Old Chinese, and Koreanic (韓 Han) languages and linguistics.

Andrew is engaged in interdisciplinary approaches to the history of the Silk Road — in particular, the Serbi (Hsien-pei / Xianbei) states, the Avar (Jou-jan / Rouran) Empire, the early Türk Empires, the Liao Kitan Empire, the Jurchen Chin (Jin) Empire, the Mongol Empire, other civilizations of the Silk Road, and their ethnolinguistic interactions with neighboring regions — including China and Korea — throughout history. He is currently writing a history of the Jou-jan (Rouran) Avar Empire of Mongolia and the Silk Road.

Biography

Born in Singapore but a British by nationality, Lik-Ren Tai holds a Ph.D. from the School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds, UK. Having received nearly nine years of formal education and three years of working experience in the UK as well as a year in Germany as an Erasmus scholar, he has gained specialities in organic synthesis, analytical, polymer, medicinal, protein and peptides as well as other areas including biochemistry, cell biology and material science. His doctoral research focused on the design, synthesis and evaluation of novel self-assembling peptide molecules as bio-nanomaterials in the form of hydrogels for production of improved and well-defined matrices for in vitro tissue engineering. Also, through an industrial collaboration, research efforts were made via an organic synthetic approach to cancer treatment entailing the use of a cyclic peptide as a vehicle for selective delivery of vascular damaging agents to solid tumours.

Despite his background as a scientist, Professor Tai possesses a strong interest in East Asian cultures and languages. He took up the challenge in 2012, relocating to Asia-Pacific for training, work and travelling in various countries including South Korea, Japan and Australia. During his time in Australia, he explored a business idea of serving soft serve ice cream products of Asian flavours such as black sesame and green tea in the tourism hub of Gold Coast.

Biography

SungKyu Lim is the Student Counsellor at SolBridge International School of Business. He completed a degree in psychology at Texas A&M and obtained a Master’s in clinical psychology-based counselling from the Chungnam National University. While completing his Master’s, he focused on international students in Daejeon and their behavioral inhibition systems, hardiness and subjective well-being. Since 2022 he has been concentrating on international student happiness.

Biography

Nimisha Singh is an Assistant Professor and Writing Center Coordinator at SolBridge International School of Business, Woosong University. In 2019, she graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her research expertise is in oncology, cell and molecular biology, genetics, and biotechnology. She has taught at academic institutions for 15 years, tutoring and lecturing in the fields of Science and English. She has a firm belief in empowering younger generations with knowledge and skills that can help them face the next chapters of their lives.

Biography

Professor Lundquist studies the psychological differences between people from collective cultures vs individualistic cultures. With a particular interest in how individuals from each culture relates to the other in the workplace. With additional research in Human Sexuality, and Psychopathy.

Professor Lundquist studied Behavioral Science in his undergraduate studies. Focusing on Sociology, Cultural Anthropology, Social Work, and an emphasis on Psychology. He received a Master of Social Work, gaining licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Prior to teaching in Korea, professor Lundquist worked as a psychotherapist in Denver, Colorado. His background included forensic counseling with sex-offenders, and other criminal offenders. He received additional training for working with psychopaths from Robert D. Hare, the foremost expert on psychopathy. Additionally, he worked providing marriage and family counseling, and working with mood disordered clients.

Biography

James Quinn is a 10-year veteran English teacher who began teaching at Woosong University in 2011. A 2010 graduate of Webster University in St Louis, Missouri, James has a MA in Teaching English as a Second Language combined with a TEFL Certificate. Currently the Director of English Development at SolBridge International School of Business, James oversees SolBridge English development programs and student English testing, he also teaches Business Communications and English development courses. James was also named Woosong University Teacher of the Year in 2012 and again in 2015. In his free time, he enjoys hiking Korean mountains throughout the country and trying different kind of Korean cuisine.

Biography

Daniel Corks is a well-rounded academic with a diverse set of interests and knowledge areas. His academic specialization is instructed second language learning, in addition to having a background in applied linguistics and computer science. Professionally, he is a regular presenter at conferences focusing on linguistics and pedagogy. His extra-curricular activities include assisting with the SolBridge Debate Society and as a journalist researching and writing about human rights issues in South Korea.

Biography

South African born Johan Reiners is an Assistant Professor at Woosong University, SolBridge International School of Business. He completed his undergraduate studies in Theology and his graduate studies in Applied Theology and Counseling Therapy. He earned his graduate degrees with distinction and is currently a Ph.D. candidate researching the field of autoethnography. Not only is he a passionate reader, but also an author and co-author of fifteen books and various other publications. As an educator, Johan served on the faculty and board of the Christian Reformed Theological Seminary (affiliated with the University of Zululand) until 2005. Since coming to Korea, he has held lecturing positions at the Hankuk University for Foreign Studies, Hyupsung University’s Graduate School of Theology - presenting courses in psychology, theology, and English, and the Catholic University of Korea before joining Woosong University in September 2019. In South Africa, Johan was also involved in the performing arts with the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra and Durban Symphony Choir, and, as a freelance broadcaster, he presented various arts and music programs for the national and regional radio stations.

Biography

Ines Mzali is an Assistant Professor and the Academic and Career Track Coordinator at SolBridge. She has been teaching in South Korea since 2014. A firm believer in the power of education, she naturally made teaching her profession after earning her Ph.D. in English Studies from the University of Montreal, Canada. Her Ph.D. focused on concepts of resistance and negotiation in African Literature. With her background in literary studies and passion for languages and the cultural diversity they reflect, she strives to convey the power of language, communication, and critical thinking to her students.

Her teaching experience includes teaching language and liberal arts classes such as literature, history, and creative writing. Her professional interests include teaching, researching language, literature, and culture, and helping students grow.