Virtual Summit Submission

University of Washington
Smart Cities South Korea

Biography

My name is Nicholas Babak, and I am currently pursuing a double major in Psychology and Law, Economics, and Public Policy (LEPP) at the University of Washington. During my time at UW, I plan to complete bachelor’s degrees in both fields and continue on to law school. Looking ahead, my long-term goal is to build a successful legal career and ultimately transition into a role with the FBI. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been able to pursue thanks to the Tyler Fellowship scholarship.

Project

Getting Smart in South Korea
During my travels abroad throughout parts of South Korea, I was able to have a distinct opportunity to experience the efforts being taken in Seoul, Sejong, and Busan to establish their vision of ‘Smart Cities.’ These cities are large-scale projects that are unified by the government and nation, as a means of blending technological innovations with the every-day lives of its citizens. Being that I am not a local of this country, I bring a unique perspective to this topic, for which I will use to interpret the key concepts of this program. Such concepts are smart infrastructure, climate resilience and sustainability, technocratic approach vs. technology-enhanced participatory approach, along with including my thoughts and experiences throughout parts of this country.