Su Yeong Kim

Su Yeong Kim, Professor of Family Sciences and Human Development at University of Texas at Austin

Su Yeong Kim is a South Korean–American professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She is recognized for her research on immigrant families, child development, bilingualism, and the cultural processes that shape academic, psychological, and health outcomes in ethnic minority youth in the United States.

Kim serves as an Editor for the Journal of Research on Adolescence and is a former Editor of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. She is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Association for Psychological Science (APS).

Early life and education

Su Yeong Kim was born in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea, in the 1970s. Her family immigrated to Southern California when she was a child. Her parents, who had limited formal education, ran a dry-cleaning business where Kim and her siblings worked after school. These early experiences of balancing school and work, alongside life as an immigrant in the U.S., shaped the direction of her future research.

Kim initially studied business at the University of Southern California before switching to psychology. She earned her PhD in Human Development at the University of California, Davis, where she focused on Asian American families.

Academic career

Su Yeong Kim joined the University of Texas at Austin as a faculty member in Human Development and Family Sciences, where she has served for nearly two decades. She has authored over 170 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation. Her contributions include developing a tripartite framework of bilingualism in immigrant contexts and pioneering studies on language brokering, the act of children translating for their immigrant parents, highlighting its dual role as both a strength and a potential stressor.

Research contributions

Su Yeong Kim’s research emphasizes cultural processes in immigrant-origin families, particularly among Chinese American and Mexican American youth. Key themes include:

• Bilingualism and language brokering
• Family dynamics and academic outcomes
• Health disparities in immigrant families

Her work has contributed to expanding mainstream developmental psychology to include diverse ethnic minority populations.

Mentorship

As a professor, Su Yeong Kim mentors undergraduate and graduate students through intensive research training. Many of her mentees have gone on to earn national awards, gain admission to prestigious doctoral programs, and co-author publications under her guidance.

Awards and recognition

Su Yeong Kim’s scholarship has earned her multiple honors, including:

• APA Division 45 Distinguished Career Contributions to Research Award
• Membership in the Provost’s Distinguished Leadership Service Academy at the University of Texas at Austin
• National recognition for her contributions to understanding family diversity

Community engagement

Beyond academia, Su Yeong Kim developed a community-based after-school language brokering program in partnership with Del Valle Independent School District. The initiative engages middle school students while also offering University of Texas undergraduates hands-on teaching and mentoring experience.

Public engagement

Beyond her academic publications, Dr. Su Yeong Kim also writes for a general audience. She contributes to Psychology Today through her blog, where she discusses parenting, immigrant family experiences, adolescent development, and cross-cultural issues.

Personal values

Su Yeong Kim identifies persistence, reliability, and advocacy as her guiding values. She is committed to mentoring the next generation of scholars, particularly those from underrepresented communities.

Selected publications

Su Yeong Kim has authored and co-authored more than 170 journal articles and book chapters, including studies on:

• Ethnic identity and protective factors in African American and Asian American youth
• The role of language brokering in immigrant families
• Cultural influences on adolescent development

Legacy and impact

Through her decades of research, teaching, and mentorship, Su Yeong Kim has become a leading figure in the study of immigrant families in the United States. Her work bridges academic research with community impact, advancing understanding of resilience, diversity, and cultural processes in child development.

See also

• Human Development and Family Sciences
• Asian American Psychology
• Immigrant Family Research