Welcome! I am an Assistant Professor of Social Work at the Eastern Illinois University. I was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, School of Labor and Employment Relations. 

I am an interdisciplinary scholar with expertise in social policies that impact the low-wage labor market and worker welfare. Specifically, I investigate the roles and effects of social, macroeconomic, and workplace policies in alleviating structural barriers that low-income families with children face in the labor market. I am dedicated to enhancing the competitive labor market, securing desired work hours, and crafting policies to improve employment and economic security for workers’ well-being. My current research highlights the role of employers in addressing underemployment issues. 

I received my Ph.D., in Social Welfare from University of Pennsylvania, Master’s degree in Social Work from Columbia University and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Social Work from Stony Brook University, New York and University of Seoul, South Korea. Prior to seeking a doctorate, I gained research experience in the Center for Research on Fathers, Children and Family Well-Being at Columbia University and Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs(KIHASA).