Education

• BS, Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea, 1997
• MS, Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2002
• PhD, Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, 2004
• MS, Clinical Investigation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 2007

Research Interests

• Biophotonics/Biomedical optics
• Understanding light propagation in biological tissue
• Optical diagnosis and imaging of early cancer
• Enhanced backscattering (or coherent backscattering) for tissue diagnosis
• Tissue/cell characterization using light scattering spectroscopy
• Spectroscopic imaging system/microscopy
• Endoscopically compatible fiber optics probes
• Low-coherence interferometry for cancer imaging
• Cancer screening and chemoprevention
• Cancer epidemiology

Publications

Awards

• Optica Fellow, 2026
• Showalter Faculty Scholar, Ralph W. and Grace M. Showalter Research Trust, 2022
• University Faculty Scholar, Purdue University, 2021
• Technology Accelerator Challenge (1st Prize), National Institute of Health (NIH), 2020
• Virtual Lab Director, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, 2020
• US Air Force Research Lab Faculty Fellowship Award, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), 2020
• US Air Force Research Lab Faculty Fellowship Award, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), 2019
• US Air Force Research Lab Faculty Fellowship Award, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), 2016
• International Scholar Award, Kyung Hee University, 2014,2015
• Faculty of the Year Award, Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Association, 2012
• Willis A. Tacker Prize for Outstanding Teaching in Biomedical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, 2012
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Cancer Education and Career development Program, 2005
• Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, Prevent Cancer Foundation, 2004