My name is Sooyoun. I am a daughter of Korean immigrants born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, currently living on the ancestral homelands of the Cowlitz and Lower Columbia Valley peoples. I am a Prevention Science doctoral student studying the development, implementation, and evaluation of prevention programs to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities. My research interests focus on the use of culturally-grounded preventative health programs and interventions, specifically those which center on connection to place and traditional food. When I'm not sitting at my desk, I try to spend the rest of my time doing things that bring me joy, with the people I love, some of which include practicing yoga, gardening, and cooking.
Because I love stories, here's a little story about how I came to this work.
My dad named me after 'water lotus', to remind me where I come from and the significance of blooming from murky waters. I was nourished by my grandmother's and mother's cooking. One of the first things I learned from my family was that food is the language of love and togetherness. Food carries stories and holds deep memories, across generations, time, and space. Long before I ever understood the importance of culture, language, and traditional food as protective factors for health, I was taught how to honor them by my family members. From my struggles to embrace my identity and all that came before me in a country we were not from, emerged a desire to work toward health, healing, and well-being. This work is largely shaped by my own journey to finding belonging, acceptance, and home. I continue to find healing in the continuous process of connecting and reconnecting with my identity, culture, and language. My own sense of home was sparked through the realization of two things: that we belong to each other, and that we belong to the land. Through learning about how to create reciprocal relationships with place from Indigenous friends and teachers, I reflect on how we can create a future in which all people can can be healthy and whole, feel fully accepted as they are, and to be deeply connected to this land.
My approach to all the work I am part of is shaped by deep curiosity, humility, and relationships. I am a strong believer in the power of interdisciplinary collaborations to transform communities and make positive change. In research, I primarily utilize qualitative methods, including arts-based methods, and community-based participatory research to create, uplift, and share stories that honor people in their entirety.
B.A. Sociology, Gonzaga University, 2018
M.S. Prevention Science, Washington State University, 2024
Ph.D Prevention Science, Washington State University, in process
Other pursuits of knowledge that continue to shape me...
200 hr Hatha/Vinyasa Flow Yoga Teacher Training Certification, 2024
Master Gardener Certification, Washington State University, in process