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First, tell us a little about yourself. 
I am Ja Young Kim, a new lecturer at the Department of Public Administration. I got my Ph.D. in Metropolitan Planning, Policy, and Design at the University of Utah last year and was a Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Planning and Public Affairs at School the University of Iowa. I hold a Master of City Planning from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Architecture from Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. My research interests include transportation justice in relation to marginalized populations, such as older adults and people with disabilities, age-friendly communities, and health and well-being at the intersection of urban design and planning.

Why did you choose to study urban public administration?
I am formally trained as an architect in South Korea. After practicing in the private sector, I found myself stimulated and challenged with urban issues as a complex of social, economic, political, and environmental disciplines.

What do you enjoy most about teaching?
What I like most about teaching is interacting with the students. I am always inspired by new ideas and perspectives they bring to the classroom and excited to have the opportunities to help them expand their knowledge, insight, and skills.

What do you hope your students gain from your courses?
As an educator, my goal is to help students develop knowledge and skills that are oriented toward practice. I strongly advocate for community-based and project-based learning in real-world settings, as they provide students with opportunities to be more relevant, effective, and engaged across diverse communities and spaces.

What did you do before pursuing a career in academia, and why did you decide to pursue teaching instead?
Prior to pursuing a Ph.D., I worked as an architect, urban designer, planner, and researcher in Seoul, Berkeley, and San Francisco. Thanks to teaching opportunities that I had, I found that I really have a passion for creating better places into practice through teaching and research.

When you’re not teaching, what do you enjoy doing?
I do enjoy traveling. I love wandering around bustling cities, and I also love exploring the great outdoors. No matter how small, I am always planning my next travel.

Do you have any fun facts that others may not know about you?
I once got a cast on my leg from jumping rope, and I never tried doing it again.