GW-IU Undergraduate Research Exchange Program 2025-2026
Application Deadline: Friday, May 10th, 2025
The Institutes for Korean Studies at the George Washington University and Indiana University Bloomington invite undergraduate students to apply for the GW-IU Undergraduate Research Exchange Program. We are seeking to select students who are interested in conducting research about Korea. All students receive mentoring from faculty at the Institute for Korean Studies.
Selected students participate in research workshops during the fall and spring semesters, take part in a mini-conference, and present their papers at the annual GW-IU Korean Studies Undergraduate Research Exchange Conference in the spring semester. The conference alternates locations between Washington, D.C. and Bloomington, Indiana. This academic year’s conference will be held at Indiana University.
Benefits of the Program
Get close mentoring by faculty through monthly meetings
Produce a 15-20 page research paper on any Korea-related research topic such as politics, inter-Korean affairs, literature, film, K-pop, history, sociology, anthropology and more!
Participate in the annual GW-IU Korean Studies Exchange Conference to be held in Washington DC this academic year (expenses paid!)
Volunteer at the Institute for Korean Studies events
Earn 3 credits toward the fall 2025 or spring 2026 semester
Eligibility:
Undergraduates (juniors and seniors preferred)
Research proposal on any Korea related topic
Students must have a 3.75 GPA to apply
How to Apply:
IU students send an email to iks@iu.edu with a short personal statement explaining why you are interested in participating, your resume, and a one-page research proposal with the following information:
What is the title of your project?
Research questions: What questions will you be asking in your research?
Background information: Provide a list of potential sources.
Methods: How are you going to conduct your research? Using what data?
Significance: Why is your research important?
Current GW-IU Undergraduate Research Fellows
Elizabeth Choe
I am senior double majoring in International Studies & East Asian Languages and Cultures (Korean track). After I graduate, I plan to pursue a Masters in Management. My long-term goal is to apply my intercultural experiences and people-centered skills in a global, sustainability-minded company as an HR professional. Outside of academics, I enjoy traveling, exploring new cuisines, and spending time with my friends.
Project Title: Beyond Education: International Schools and Class Reproduction in South Korea
Research Interests: Culture, gender, comparative politics, education
Eva Collins-Abell
Eva Collins-Abell is a junior Cybersecurity and Global Policy major with minors in Korean and Intelligence Studies. Eva is passionate about the intersection of technology and policy, mostly in the Indo-Pacific region with a specific focus on Inter-Korean relations. Eva is currently working on projects with the Department of State such as research on Chinese space technology. Eva is also involved in several campus organizations such as the Intelligence and Security club, HLSG, Sigma Iota Rho, and is an HLS Student Ambassador. Outside of academics, Eva loves playing with her cat, Jupiter, learning languages, and reading world literature.
Project title: Hacking the Status Quo: South Korea’s Cybersecurity Posture Shift and Its Impact on Inter-Korean Policy
Research interests: cyber policy, international relations, intelligence and security studies, Inter-Korean relations
Dané Goosen
Dané Goosen is a junior studying Secondary English Education with a license addition in English as a New Language. She also has a minor in Korean. After graduation, she hopes to teach English as a New Language both domestically and internationally. During the school year, Dané works at a daycare and is a treasurer for Bloomington’s chapter of ISTA-AE. Beyond academics, she likes painting, traveling, and learning about other cultures.
Project Title: Impacts of Mass Media on English Language Acquisition for Korean Students
Research Interests: English education, language acquisition, media use, foreign language speaking anxiety
Hyunwook (Dennis) Lee
Hyunwook (Dennis) Lee is a junior majoring in Law and Public Policy at Indiana University Bloomington, with minors in International Relations and Economics. He serves as President of the Undergraduate Law Journal at IU, is actively involved in Indiana University Student Government, and has worked as an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant for a course on Comparative and International Policy. He has also gained professional experience working at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. Following graduation, he plans on pursuing a J.D. and a career at the intersection of law, foreign policy, and national security. Outside of academics, Hyunwook enjoys exploring new restaurants and traveling.
Project Title: North Korea Engagement Strategies Under South Korean Presidents: Security Implications for the Korean Peninsula
Research Interests: Foreign Policy, National Security, International Political Economy
Daisy Spalding
Daisy Spalding is a senior at Indiana University pursuing a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, an AS in Audio Engineering and Sound Production, and a minor in East Asian Languages (Korean). Presently, she is most interested in studying gender, the environment, and how they are represented in media. Originally drawn to film as an audio engineer hoping to work in film music production, she has since discovered a passion for the more analytical side of the medium. In her free time, Daisy loves to travel and read and hopes to move abroad post-graduation.
Project Title: By Women, For Women: Female Filmmakers and Coming-of-Age Narratives in South Korean Cinema
Research Interests: women in media, film studies, human-environment interactions
Past GW-IU Undergraduate Research Exchange Fellows
Michael Betar IV The Rise and Impact that Computer and Mobile Games Have Had on South Korea Both Socially and Economically.
Carina Geissler Fishing for (im)possibilities: A deep dive into image-ining Cheon Myeong-kwan’s Whale
Shruti Sivakumar Protesting the Patriarchy: South Korea’s 4B Feminist Activism
Jess Smith From Policy to Practice: Gender Bias and Inequality in South Korean Universities
Julia Beechler (Junior, Political Science and East Asian Languages and Cultures) "The South Korean Government and the Use of K-Pop as Soft Power"
Hannah Katinsky (Sophomore, Linguistics, Korean, Spanish, and Second Language Acquisition (minors)) "Noun Incorporation and the Korean Light Verb Construction"
Bella Packowski (Senior, East Asian Languages & Cultures (Korean), Political Science (minor)) "Stalinism's Role in Inspiring and Shaping North Korea's Juche Ideology"
Julianne Hatcher (Sophomore, International Studies, Environmental Sustainability) "Nuclear Energy in South Korea"
Yongxing Tang(Junior, Business (Finance and Marketing)) “Infinite Challenge - Societal Lessons Behind the Korean Reality Show"
Kaelyn Klatte, (Sophomore, International Law and Legal Institutions) “Pessimism: South Korean Youth’s Perceptions of the Likelihood of a Korean Reunification"
Lillian Rogers (Junior, International Studies) “K-pop and the Sewol Ferry Tragedy: Protest and Activism in K-Pop"
Alex Vensel (Junior, East Asian Languages and Cultures, Management and Human Organization) “Organized Chaos: Fanchants and the Accessibility of K-pop to International Fans"
Haleigh Nightenhesler (Senior, East Asian Studies) “From Kimchi to Airplanes" BTS and Anti-Hallyu in China in 2020 and 2021"
Dakotah Meadows (Senior, English, East Asian Languages and Cultures) “Domestic Materiality in 1970's Korean Short Stories"
Toby Huter (Senior, English, East Asian Languages and Cultures) “Traditional Symbols in K-pop Music Videos"
Veronica Coffey(Junior, International Studies and East Asian Languages and Cultures) "Understanding the Influence of Kim Jiyoung Born 1982 in the Time of #MeToo”
Natalya Cohen(Senior, East Asian Languages and Cultures and International Studies) “Rural Migrant Worker Advocacy and Organization in South Korea”
Tony George(Senior, Media and East Asian Languages and Cultures) “LGBTQ+ K-Pop Fans and Gender Performance of K-Pop Idol Celebrities"
Katherine Lawrence (Senior, East Asian Languages and Cultures) “Marketing Tradition: Globalization of Korean Cuisine and Preservation of 'hansik' as a Symbol of Korean Culture, Heritage, and Identity in the 21st Century"
Toby Huter (Sophomore, East Asian Languages and Cultures) “The Transformative Effect ofHallyuon Korean History”
Caitlyn Ranieri (Junior, East Asian Languages and Cultures and International Studies) “A Shift in Reunification Sentiment”
Callie Rhoades (Senior, East Asian Languages and Cultures) “Perfectly Imperfect Koreans:The Return of Superman’s Park Family and Multicultural Representations in South Korean Media”
Summer Snyder (Sophomore, Political Science and East Asian Languages and Cultures) “The Developmental State of North Korea and Its Reluctant Marketization”
Yvonne Thomason (Senior, Biochemistry and East Asian Languages and Cultures) “TheSampoGeneration: Socioeconomic Contributions and Repercussions”
Paola Flores(Senior, International Studies) "The Marginalization of Elderly Women in 21st Century Korea"
Emily Gibson(Senior, East Asian Languages and Cultures and International Studies) "North Korean Perspectives on Democracy, Human Rights and Capitalism: The State vs. Migrants"
Chaewon Lee(Junior, East Asian Languages and Cultures and International studies) "Perceptions and Dimensions of Peace: The Divergent Discourse of Inter-Korean Peace between Hankyoreh and Chosun Ilbo in South Korea"
Lucas Maurer(Junior, East Asian Languages and Cultures) "Identifying Phonological Patterns Underlying Korean Orthography Revision"
Margaret Suh(Senior, Political Science and International Studies) "South Korea's Energy Choice and Climate Diplomacy"
