Dr. Jim Larson’s first visit to the sunshine state was long overdue. During his visit, Larson spoke to Dr. Steve McDowell’s media legalities class about his experience with technology, accidental professorship and Korea.

Living in Korea for the last 22 years, Larson explained his first encounter with the country was through the Peace Corps. Facing naval officer school during the Vietnam War, Larson opted to join the Peace Corps and found himself with Group K16 flying to Seoul, Korea in 1971. “I imagined a war torn, barren, cold country,” he admitted. His ideas were quickly pushed aside during the two years he taught English at Kyungwon University. “The Korean culture is great,” he shared. “The Korean people are very passionate.”

After returning to the States he enrolled in Stanford University’s Ph.D. program, where he met John Mayo, now of FSU. After completing his Ph.D. work, Larson went on to teach for 15 years at University of Texas, Austin and University of Washington. In 1985 he was selected to complete Fulbright Scholars work at Yonsei University in Seoul, an opportunity that sparked his Korean research that continues today. He spoke to the class about Korea’s past and present technology, the impact of military–based governments and the shift from an agricultural society to Korea’s modern information society

Today, Larson is the Chair of the Department of Technology and Society at SUNY Korea and a visiting professor in the same department at SUNY Stony Brook in New York state. Also the author of five books, Larson’s work can be found on his website and Amazon. He closed his talk encouraging students to travel to Korea and experience the beautiful country with a booming technology sector.

Larson’s visit to FSU was sponsored by the Shepard and Ruth K. Broad lecture series in the College of Social Science and Public Policy, and was part of the Center for Global Engagement’s Engage Your World series.  His Broad lecture on Thursday, February 12 was entitled, “Digital Divide and Disruption in Korea.”