How can we ensure inclusive and equitable developmental conditions for each and every child to thrive? This is the overarching question that my research seeks to address. Deeply rooted in my personal and practice experiences, my research has focused on two areas of inquiry: (1) understanding and explaining social inequalities as manifested in children’s social and emotional development and well-being outcomes, and (2) building an evidence base for universal preventive interventions that are effective, sustainable, and equity-enhancing.

   My current research projects are centered around school-based universal social and emotional learning (SEL) for both students and educators. I am currently leading a research lab called SELASIA+, which stands for “SEL for Adults and Students In Asia and beyond” (https://www.selasia.org/). We are actively working on various projects in Hong Kong, mainland China, South Korea, and California, USA, including scale development and validation, program development and evaluation, survey and interview research, and secondary data analysis.

   I joined the University of Hong Kong in 2022 as an Assistant Professor of the Department of Social Work and Social Administration. I earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Welfare at Seoul National University, and completed a PhD in Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley.