Master's in Structural Engineering

I am originally from South Korea, where I graduated from KAIST with a B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Subsequently, I received a Master’s degree in Architecture (M.Arch) from the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), a terminal degree in architectural design. At that time, I believed my academic journey was complete and I was eager to pursue a career as an architect. Over more than ten years in Boston, I worked diligently and achieved my dream - earning my architecture license in Massachusetts, advancing to the position of Project Architect specializing in high-rise buildings, and obtaining my green card.

During my professional experience, I became increasingly aware of the importance of embodied carbon in sustainability and the crucial role of structural design. Last year, I led a research team in the Embodied Carbon Reduction Competition and was honored with a prize. Still, I was frustrated by the limited impact I could make on sustainable building design as an architect. This experience motivated me to transition my career back to engineering to approach embodied carbon more quantitatively, as architects typically measure it qualitatively. Although it required a lot of courage to leave behind what I loved and excelled in, I recognized it was time for a new challenge.

Since last year, I have immersed myself in learning structural engineering and academic research methodology, which are distinctly different from those used in industry research. I am also inspired by the many disciplines and researchers working on climate change together and am grateful to be part of a supportive community. I plan to continue engaging in interdisciplinary research that can enhance the environmental impact within the built environment.