Advancing International Trade Research and Finding Community
Sojun Park, a postdoctoral fellow at MIT's Center for International Studies (CIS), has delved deeper into international trade research and the global governance of intellectual property during his time at MIT. His work, influenced by the CIS's interdisciplinary environment, has allowed him to tackle topics at the intersection of economics, political science, and technology, including the spread of AI technologies.
Thriving in an Interdisciplinary Environment
Park joined MIT with the aim of conducting interdisciplinary research and was drawn to the collaborative nature of the CIS, which brings together scholars from various fields such as political science, economics, and business. During his fellowship, he published significant research and continued work on his upcoming book, "From Privilege to Prosperity: Knowledge Diffusion and the Global Governance of Intellectual Property." A key theme of his research looks at how large firms can share technologies with smaller organizations in developing countries under the right institutional conditions.
Mentorship and Community
Park found the MIT community supportive and intellectually stimulating. He benefited from mentorship and collaborative opportunities, including leading undergraduates in building a new dataset on green technology trade. These experiences echoed his early academic pursuit in South Korea and solidified his passion for both research and teaching.
Journey to Academia
Raised in Seoul, Park pursued international studies and economics at Korea University, later completing graduate studies in political science at Princeton through a Fulbright Fellowship. His dissertation centered on global intellectual property governance, especially during periods of trade conflict and vaccine debates.
Park’s teaching engagements, both as a teaching assistant in the U.S. and at MIT, emphasized interactive, collaborative learning—an approach he aims to carry forward in his academic career.
New Horizons
Having accepted a faculty position at the National University of Singapore, Park reflects on his experiences at MIT. He plans to foster interactive and engaging learning environments in his future teaching roles, drawing on the communication and research skills honed at CIS.
Park’s story illustrates the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration and community in shaping international trade research and nurturing future academic leaders.
For more details, see the original article by Danna Lorch at MIT News.
