About

I’m a mechanical engineer who experimentally investigates how forces shape living cells and tissues. A central theme of my work is how epithelial tissues or tumors are sculpted by collective cell migration in the context of a compliant extracellular matrix.
I aim to become a tenure-track faculty in Mechanical Engineering or Biomedical Engineering with a focus on the mechanobiology of cancer and women’s health.
Outside the lab, I enjoy knitting, reading, and exploring good food. If you’re interested in connecting or collaborating, please feel free to reach out. I’d love to hear from you!


Education

Jun. 2023 – present
Providence, RI, USA

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Mar. 2018 – Feb. 2023
Daejeon, Republic of Korea

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
Mar. 2016 – Feb. 2018
Daejeon, Republic of Korea

B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Sogang University
Summa Cum Laude
Advisor: Prof. Naksoo Kim
Mar. 2012 – Feb. 2016
Seoul, Republic of Korea

Teaching

Biomedical Engineering Design and Innovation I

Brown University
ENGN0930L/1930L
Co-instructor: Prof. Anubhav Tripathi
Sep. 2024 – Dec. 2024
Providence, RI, USA

Awards & Honors

Rising Stars in Mechanical Engineering, MIT (2025)
Hibbitt Postdoctoral Fellowship, Brown University (2023–2025)
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Fluid Mechanics, KAIST (Fall 2021)
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Fluid Mechanics, KAIST (Fall 2020)
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Capstone Design I, KAIST (Spring 2021)


Skills

3D Tissue Engineering: 3D cell culture, biocompatible hydrogel fabrication, 3D migration and cell-ECM interaction assays
Advanced Imaging & Quantification: 4D live-cell confocal microscopy, traction force microscopy, atomic force microscopy, image-based analysis workflows
Microfabrication & Experimental Design: Design and fabrication of microfluidic systems
Molecular & Cellular Analysis

Recent posts