Dr. Su Yeong Kim is a Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin. She serves as an Editor for the Journal of Research on Adolescence and is a former editor of Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. A prominent figure in the psychological study of immigrant families in the United States, Dr. Kim is also a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Association for Psychological Science, among others. She is credited with 160+ published articles and has received funding from prestigious institutions including the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Russell Sage Foundation, and Spencer Foundation.

Dr. Kim’s research focuses on child development in immigrant families and the cultural processes that shape their academic, psychological, and health outcomes– particularly among Chinese and Mexican-American youth. Notably, she has pioneered work on language brokering, highlighting it as both a bilingual strength and a potential psychological stressor. From her research, Dr. Kim developed a tripartite framework on bilingualism in immigrant contexts.

Dr.Kim is a mentor to undergraduate and graduate students, guiding them through rigorous research and training, which has led them to earn national-level recognition through awards, admission to prestigious doctoral and professional programs, and a co-authoring opportunity on her publications.

Dr. Kim is recognized by the American Psychological Association for Distinguished Career Contributions to Research Award (Division 45), earned national recognition for the major contributions of her work on family diversity, and gained membership in the Provost’s Distinguished Leadership Service Academy at UT Austin. Beyond academia, she developed an after-school community-based program in language brokering for middle school students, in partnership with Del Valle ISD.