About | Soyeon Yi Website

About Soyeon Yi

Career Highlight

Soyeon yi's Career Highlight

Biz.Dev.

Demonstrated exceptional performance as a BD leader at tech start-ups, leveraging her diverse background. Details

M.B.A

Led her to pursue an MBA, recognizing the importance of integrating business acumen into her skill set. Details

Astronaut

Broke barriers in space exploration, contributed significantly to international collaboration,
and inspired next-generation. Details

Eng. Ph.D.

Excelled in multidisciplinary research in Biosystems, based on her B.S. in mechanical
engineering and M.S. in bio-MEMS. Details

EXCEPTIONAL QUALIFICATION
Unlike other engineering Ph. D.s, Dr. Soyeon Yi has

Experience developing industrial participation and collaboration strategies through working with many international industry leaders for collaboration research/project
Analytic skills and effective decision-making process acquired from the extensive experience in multi-disciplinary research and technology
Experience with proactive team building for industry and government engagement while trained as an astronaut working among multiple worldwide space-related industries, the Korean government, the Russian military and the Russian government.
Strong working-together attitude as demonstrated while a successful researcher and astronaut in large-scale national project
Excellent communication skills demonstrated by the more than 500 lectures/presentations given around the world, and by hosting a daily radio show in Korea
Familiarity with the STEM industry through training and performance as national astronaut and Korea’s STEM ambassador
Track record of being self-motivated throughout her career
Ability to work independently, and to thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure situations

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

Dr. Yi received her Bachelor(2001) of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Master(2002) of Science in Mechanical Engineering and her Ph.D.(2008) in BioSystems from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). Her Ph.D. thesis is “DNA Separation Chips Using Temporal Asymmetric Ratchet Effect in NonUniform E-Fields”.

After her spaceflight, continuing her pursuit of knowledge, Dr. Yi earned an MBA with a focus on Technology and Global Leadership from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, in 2014.

Eng. Ph.D.

Dr. Yi excelled in multidisciplinary research during her Ph.D. program, building on the knowledge and expertise gained through her B.S. in mechanical engineering and M.S. in bio-MEMS research.

• Academic Foundation: Built a strong foundation with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and furthered her knowledge with a master’s degree in bio-MEMS research, delving into the intersection of mechanical engineering and bio-microelectromechanical systems.

• Research Excellence:
• Conducted pioneering research in the bio-MEMS field at the Digital Nanolocomotion Center, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), pushing the boundaries of knowledge and technology.
• Published 7 papers in peer-reviewed journals during the Ph.D. program, solidifying her expertise and contributing valuable insights to the academic community.

• Innovation and Collaboration:
• Led a multidisciplinary team in the research project ‘Realization of Bio-inspired Digital Nanoactuators,’ showcasing adept collaboration skills across diverse disciplines.
• Presented research findings at top-tier conferences, highlighting the innovative contributions to the bio-MEMS field.
• As the chief graduate student, efficiently managed lab work and clean-room activities during the final year of the Ph.D. program, demonstrating leadership and organizational skills.

• International Experience: Participated in an exchange program as a visiting research scholar at the University of California Berkeley (Berkeley Sensor & Actuator Center, Bioengineering Dep.), broadening her perspective and enriching her research experience.
• Teaching Assistant Contributions: Taught several courses as a teaching assistant, receiving positive feedback for effectively communicating complex concepts to undergraduate and graduate students.

Astronaut

Dr. Yi's journey as an astronaut, researcher, and advocate not only broke barriers in space exploration but also contributed significantly to international collaboration and inspired the next generation.

• Historic Selection: Made history as South Korea's first and only astronaut, selected as one of the final two candidates in December 2006 from a pool of 36,000 contestants vying for the title of South Korea’s First Astronaut.
• Participation in Korean Astronaut Program: Actively participated in the first Korean astronaut program initiated by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology (MEST), representing South Korea on the international space station.
• Cosmonaut Training: Underwent intensive cosmonaut training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Starcity, Russia (Mar. 2007 – Apr. 2008), and at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, U.S.A. (Jan 2008).
• Space Mission: Successfully flew to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Russian spacecraft Soyuz TMA11/12, conducting 18 scientific experiments assigned by MEST in April 2008.

• Scientific Contributions as a Senior Researcher

- Microgravity Research: Supported the analysis of experimental results and contributed to papers on experiments conducted in microgravity during her space flight.

- International Collaboration: Collaborated with international space agencies on joint research projects, fostering global cooperation in space exploration.
- Space Science Research: Conducted research on space science projects through various ground tests, showcasing a dedication to advancing space science after her space flight

• Public Outreach and Advocacy:
- Extensive Speaking Engagements: Engaged in over 500 talks and presentations worldwide, inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers by sharing her experiences and insights.
- Science and Technology Ambassador: Actively promoted Korea's science and technology activities through various media channels and at international conferences and events, embodying the role of a STEM ambassador.

M.B.A.

With over 10 years of experience in the research and development field, Dr. Yi recognized the importance of integrating business acumen into her skill set. This led her to pursue an MBA.

• MBA Completion: Successfully completed the MBA program at U.C. Berkeley, Haas Business School with a focus on technology and global leadership, acquiring essential strategic management skills to complement her technical expertise.

• Business Strategy Internship: Demonstrated practical application of strategic leadership skills as a business strategy intern, where she actively contributed to strategy planning and the development of new business under the guidance of the VP of corporate strategy.

• Social Engagement and Community Contributions:
- Girls STEM Education Advocate: Volunteered as a speaker at a Girls STEM education event, sharing insights and inspiring young minds to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
- Community Museum Board Membership: Served as a student board member for a community museum, actively contributing to community development initiatives and fostering collaboration between academia and local communities.
- Engineering School Course Participation: Engaged in an Engineering school course designed to instill a business mindset in college engineering students, promoting a holistic approach to problem-solving.

• Networking and Collaborations:
- In-class Interaction: Actively engaged with classmates from diverse majors and backgrounds to build a robust professional network, leveraging the wealth of experiences and insights they provided.
- Executive MBA Program Involvement: Participated in executive MBA program courses and events, fostering meaningful connections with key industry players. This initiative expanded her network and established her credibility within the business community.

Biz. Dev.

Leveraging a diverse background with an engineering Ph.D. and an MBA, Dr. Yi has been demonstrating exceptional performance as a Business Development Leader at tech start-ups.

• Problem Finding Expertise: Utilized a unique blend of technical acumen and business insight to excel in problem identification, allowing for strategic solutions that addressed critical issues faced by clients.

• Customer-Centric Approach: Demonstrated an innate ability to understand and empathize with customer cultures and situations, facilitating effective communication and fostering long-term relationships.

• Negotiation Success: Successfully negotiated substantial contracts, contributing to a remarkable J

-curve in just two years, showcasing prowess in deal-making and revenue growth at Studio XID

• Innovative Business Development: Implemented cutting-edge business development strategies that resulted in the triumphant launch of a B2B business, featuring a new product and enterprise plan subscription at Studio XID.

• Strategic Planning Excellence: Developed and implemented strategic plans with a deep understanding of customer cultures and situations, resulting in increased customer engagement with high-profile companies.

• Communication Skills: Effectively communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, bridging the gap between engineering and business perspectives.

• Strategic Partnerships: Established and nurtured partnerships with potential collaborators, significantly expanding the company's global reach and market presence. Identified and pursued lucrative business development opportunities with one of the largest healthcare companies in the U.S. through collaborative research projects and pilot testing. Currently exploring avenues for these opportunities to evolve into strategic partnerships, anticipating larger-scale product usage and market expansion at Noul.

• Leadership Skills: Led cross-functional teams through the successful execution of critical projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and fostering a collaborative work environment.