Professional Scope
I am Professor and Chair of Sociology, and Director of the Institute for Asian Studies (IAS). As a sociologist, my research centers on status attainment, such as education, work, and family, and its associations to health and well-being over the life course, concerning people in the US as well as those in Korea. I published several books, including two edited volumes, Korean Families Yesterday and Today (2020, University of Michigan Press), and Redefining Multicultural Families in South Korea: Reflections and Future Directions (2022, Rutgers University Press). My other work has appeared in a number of journals, including Journal of Korean Studies, Society and Mental Health, Sociological Perspectives, Medical Care, and Advances in Life Course Research. My current research includes projects looking at: (1) family structures and well-being of younger generations; and (2) multifaceted aspects of education in contemporary Korea.
As Director of IAS, my work is centered on three primary areas: (1) providing educational opportunities for students, faculty, and the broader community through a series of guest lectures and public programs; (2) supporting affiliated faculty and students whose academic interests and scholarship focus on Asia and Asian and Asian American Studies; and (3) collaborating with community partners to increase the visibility of and awareness of Asian and Asian American cultures and their contributions to our broader community. PSU is home to a large and diverse community of Asian and Asian American students, and IAS is the only unit at the university dedicated specifically to promoting knowledge and understanding of Asia and Asian and Asian American Studies. I am honored to play an important role in serving our students and the broader community through my directorship of IAS.
How I Can Help
- Provide support to students interested in Sociology or Asian and Asian American Studies with lectures and networking opportunities, a scholarship, and community engagement opportunities
- Provide informal mentoring opportunities by connecting with our affiliate faculty members
Global and Cultural Engagement
- Languages Spoken: English, Korean (birth language)
- Global Experience: I maintain a wide range of networks with scholars of Sociology and Asian and Asian American Studies nationally and globally