Can you describe your current role and responsibilities, and share some of your experiences with teaching? 

I am an assistant professor at the Korea University Sejong Campus, College of Public Policy. I have taught courses such as Introduction to Public Administration, Social Science Research Methods, and Behavioral Public Administration. At the KU Graduate School of Public Administration (KU GSPA), I teach the theoretical foundations of public administration to MPA and doctoral students. Students at KU GSPA are mostly central government employees at the Sejong Government Complex. I enjoy discussing key PA topics with these public managers, as they come into my class with a great amount of practical insights about government practices. 

From Ph.D. to Assistant Professor, how did you navigate the transition and what did you learn along the way?

My transition from a Ph.D. student to an assistant professor has been smooth, thanks in large part to Dr. Resh and my work with CLEAR. While research remains my top priority, I've come to realize the value of teaching in shaping my research and gaining new insights. KU is one of the most research-oriented institutes in Korea, and therefore, assistant professors are much more incentivized for research compared to teaching. But the more I teach, the more I realize that it isn't just part of my duties. I learn a lot from preparing and delivering my courses, and gain research insights from my students as well, even from undergraduate freshmen and sophomores. So, I think teaching and research should not be considered in isolation. I try to control my intrinsic motives for teaching and contribute much more time towards research, but I'm still learning how to find the optimal balance. 

What interesting or notable projects have you recently undertaken or are currently immersed in? 

Currently, I'm excited about several projects in the works. I'm collaborating with Dr, Resh and the CLEAR team to examine the impact of government shutdowns on personnel in the U.S. federal government. The project will result in a series of papers focusing on the supply and demand sides of the public sector labor market. To expand this project to the Korean labor market, I am collaborating with the Ministry of Personnel Management and the Ministry of Economy and Finance for data sharing of job postings for open positions and quasi-public organizations. Alongside this, I am studying non-regular public employees and the quasi-public personnel system in Korea. Additionally, I am working on a multiyear project with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to develop a ministry-wide job type/position/rank classification scheme. These projects have me eager to explore the intersection of research and practice in public administration.

Could you provide an overview of your current position and key responsibilities? 

I serve as a Community Engagement Fellow at OES, where I integrate principles from community-based participatory action research into ongoing evaluations. Drawing from scholarship in organizational behavior and critical race theory, I use qualitative and mixed methods to explore intersectional experiences by examining how systems reproduce inequity. My goal is to center the voices and lived expertise of communities navigating social and institutional power asymmetries.

How did your doctoral research prepare you for your current role, and which specific skills or knowledge areas have proven to be most valuable in your daily work?

My doctoral research gave me the needed range of methodological skills to help support a wide and ever-changing set of evaluations. In particular, the emphasis in my doctoral studies on equity analyses has proven an invaluable asset in my current role. 

Could you share some details about the most compelling projects you've worked on recently or are currently engaged in? 

I am currently launching a series of community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) pilot evaluations. The portfolio of CBPAR pilots includes topics such as (1) criminal justice reform, (2) tribal government access to American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, (3) federal procurement studies, and (4) home energy assistance programs. These projects align with my academic and research background, allowing me to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world issues and drive positive change.