We’re excited to welcome Dr. Jungeum Kim to the Stat Pack Community this semester as an Assistant Professor! Each new addition to our community brings fresh perspectives and stories, and we’re excited for you to get to know her. To help with introductions, we asked Dr. Kim to share a little about her journey, her interests, and what she’s looking forward to in the year ahead—here’s what she had to say.

Professional Background

Could you tell us a little about your academic and professional background? I was a Principal Researcher at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where I worked with Professor Veronika Rockova. I received my Ph.D. degree from Purdue University under the supervision of Dr. Xiao Wang, and I obtained my Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from Seoul National University under the supervision of Dr. Hee-seok Oh.

What brought you to NC State, and what drew you to this department/program in particular?
I was drawn to the department because of the people. I noticed that faculty here take time to support and listen to others. It felt like a genuinely friendly and collaborative research environment.

What courses will you be teaching, and what areas of research or scholarship are you most passionate about?
I am teaching the introduction of statistical machine learning, ST 563. I am interested in bridging statistical principles with cutting-edge advancements in machine learning and AI. So far, I’ve focused on the AI side—particularly on uncertainty quantification in AI models. I continue to be deeply excited about this topic.

Are there particular projects or collaborations you’re excited to start here?
When focusing on the statistics side, I am interested in  integrating AI-synthesized data to help statistical inference and decision making. In a sense, ChatGPT is like a “prior”—a form of accumulated wisdom gathered over many years and across cultures.  As a statistician, I do not want to miss this utility. I believe there’s a great deal of potential we can tap into. I am happy to explore this topic with people here who are also interested in it-!

Teaching & Mentorship

What’s your teaching philosophy, or what do you hope students will take away from your classes? I aim to help students grow in creativity, critical thinking, and communication—skills that I believe are essential in the era of AI. Rather than making them worry about giving the “correct” answer I might be expecting, I want to encourage them to be bold in embarking on their own intellectual adventures. I think of the metaphor of the elephant—some students may begin by exploring just the trunk, the tail, or the ear, and I think that’s perfectly fine. My goal is to support them as they piece together those parts and ultimately come to see the whole elephant, together.

How do you like to engage with students, both inside and outside the classroom? I’m a big fan of active learning, where students engage through discussion, idea sharing, and exploring questions that matter to them—potentially through real-world data problems like Kaggle. After each class, I also ask students to complete a short reflection sheet. It helps them process what they’ve learned and opens up a chance for connection by asking follow-up questions or sharing thoughts.

Personal & Community

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Any hobbies, interests, or fun facts to share? Hiking, camping, reading, napping. Recently I bought bouldering shoes to cling to the wall.

Have you lived in this area before? If not, what are you looking forward to exploring in the community? I haven’t lived in this area before, but I’m already enjoying it a lot. I want to eat Howling Cow ice cream every day. It is so tasty. I recently visited the State Farmers Market for the first time, and the vegetables were fresh and full of flavor. I also took part in a departmental outing to the coast, which made me appreciate that I now live within driving distance of some truly beautiful beaches. Next on my list is to discover great hiking trails and campsites nearby.

Looking Ahead

What are you most looking forward to in your first year here? I look forward to seeing my students genuinely enjoy the learning process and grow in their ability to learn new things. I’m also looking forward to many opportunities for collaboration—with both faculty and students in the department and across the university. Most of all, I hope to deepen and refine my research direction—coloring more with my own perspective and scholarly style.

How do you hope to contribute to the growth and culture of our community?
I believe that the rise of AI offers a fresh perspective on important problems in statistics. I hope to contribute by helping bring AI insights into well-established statistical frameworks.  I want to work to integrate innovation into our academic community in a meaningful way.