I am investigating health effects of climate change, air pollution, and urban built environment. My early experience in serving as a student assistant for numerous government research projects of climate change and public health has cultivated my passion in research that can aid decision-makers in environmental health policy and urban planning. These policy-relevant research works include establishment of processes for applying indicators for food and environmental hazards in policy-making, improving real-time hospital surveillance systems, drawing national disease maps for top climate-related diseases, and developing forecasts of extreme weather for susceptive subgroups and built environment.
My primary research interest is to study the short-term health effects of ambient high temperature and air pollution with several facets such as health disparities and effectiveness of policy for reducing health risks. For example, I researched the effectiveness of heat wave warning systems in South Korea using sophisticated thermal stress indices based on satellite remote sensing data, large-scale mortality and hospitalization data, and a quasi-experimental research design.
I am also investigating how and by what conditions the green space affects various human health outcomes and modifies the relationship between air pollution and health outcomes. My current work investigates the relationships between local green space, human mobility patterns during COVID-19 pandemic, and mental health outcomes in urban and sub-urban regions in the US. Further, I am investigating Environmental Injustice of access to green space by socioeconomic status in the capital city in South Korea. My long-term goal is to understand the broad urban system of health, air pollution, climate change, and green space.