Welcome!

Across cultures, people differ in whom they call “us,” how they treat strangers, and what makes them happy. I study why.

I’m a social psychologist who takes an ecological and evolutionary approach to this question. I explore how physical and social environments, from disease, scarcity, and mortality to living near family, may give rise to these cultural differences. I test these ideas across cultures using large-scale archival data, surveys, and experiments.

I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology from UC Irvine in 2026 with Dr. Oliver Sng, and my B.A. and M.A. from Yonsei University with Dr. Eunkook Mark Suh.

Outside of research, I love spending time in nature, going wildlife watching, and rewatching my favorite movies and nature documentaries.

I’m currently on the job market.

Education

Ph.D. in Psychology (UC Irvine; 2020 - 2026)
M.A. in Psychology (Yonsei University; 2016 - 2018)
B.A. in Psychology (Yonsei University; 2012 - 2016)