Sophia (Hyung Ji) was born and raised in South Korea before moving with her family to Chandler, Arizona at the age of 12. Fascinated by chemical reactivity and molecular interactions in living organisms, she pursued undergraduate studies at Arizona State University where she earned her B.S. degree in Chemistry and a minor in Biological Sciences while conducting research at the chemistry/biology interface with the Biegasiewicz lab. Inspired by these experiences, she decided to pursue her Ph.D. at Emory University and is interested in continuing to research in the broadly defined field of chemoenzymatic synthesis. During her free time, she likes to binge-watch movies/TV shows, try popular local food places, and take pictures of nature.

ACS Organic Chemistry Undergraduate Award, 2023

ASU Dean’s List, 2019 – 2023