Dr. Soo Hyeon (“Sue”) Kim is an assistant professor in the School of Information at Florida State University. Dr. Kim is an interdisciplinary, translational researcher at the nexus of Library and Information Science (LIS) and the Learning Sciences (LS). Her research aims to broaden children’s access to STEM learning opportunities by transforming public libraries and family interactions as facilitators for play- and maker-based STEM learning experiences. Dr. Kim’s research often employs community-engaged, asset-based, and participatory design methodologies and approaches. Previously, she was an associate professor (with tenure) at Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University Indianapolis. 

• Ph.D. in Learning, Design, and Technology; The Pennsylvania State University (PSU)
• M.S. in Industrial Design Engineering; Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
• B.S. in Industrial Design; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

youth and technology; informal STEM learning; learning in libraries; participatory design; intergenerational learning; maker education

Selected publications (please check out my website for full list):

• Kim, S. H., & Choi, G. W. (2025). Understanding information practices through video-based research: Opportunities and challenges of collecting researcher-generated and participant-generated video data. Library and Information Science Research (LISR), 47(3), 101366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2025.101366
• Kim, S. H., Yoon, A., & Park, J. (2025). Trends in STEM education: A review of publicly funded projects from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Library and Information Science Research (LISR), 47(3), 101368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2025.101368
• Kim, S. H., Choi, G. W., Choi, K., Copeland, A., D’Arpa, C., Evans, S., Lance, S., Lee, H. R., & Yoon, A. (2025). Public library-university partnerships in library and information science: Exploring the benefits, challenges, and strategies for community-engaged scholarship. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 95(4), 345-367. https://doi.org/10.1086/737071
• Kim, S. H., Choi, G. W., Kang, J. H., & Kasar, M. R. (2025). “I am an engineering person; I just don’t call it that”: Rural library professionals’ engineering identities-in-practice [Long paper]. In Rajala, A., Cortez, A., Hofmann, R., Jornet, A., Lotz-Sisitka, H., & Markauskaite, L. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 19th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS) 2025 (pp. 449–457). International Society of the Learning Sciences. https://doi.org/10.22318/icls2025.335570
• Kim, S. H., Choi, G. W., & Kang, J. H. (2025). Motivations, challenges, and funds of knowledge for children’s engineering learning at public libraries in rural communities (fundamental) [Long paper]. Proceedings of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference 2025. https://peer.asee.org/56978
• Choi, G. W., Kim, S. H., Lee, D., & Moon, J. (2024). Utilizing generative artificial intelligence for instructional design: Exploring strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. TechTrends, 68, 832–844. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-024-00967-w
• Kim, S. H., & Simpson, A. (2024). Parents’ epistemic support during home-based engineering design tasks. Educational Technology Research and Development, 72(1), 209–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-023-10322-0
• Kim, S. H., Jung, Y. J. &. Choi, G. W. (2023). Public and academic library makerspaces’ transition from physical to online settings during a pandemic. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 93(2), 155-180. https://doi.org/10.1086/723848 
• Kim, S. H., &. Zimmerman, H. T. (2023). Serendipitous collective creativity at family making programs at public libraries. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 48, 101283. 10.1016/j.tsc.2023.101283
• Kim, S. H., &. Zimmerman, H. T. (2021). Collaborative idea exchange and material tinkering influence families’ creative engineering practices and products at engineering programs in informal learning environments. Information and Learning Sciences,122(9/10), 585-609. https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-02-2020-0031
• Kim, S. H., &. Copeland, A. (2021). Toward context-relevant rural library makerspaces: Understanding the goals, approaches, and resources of small-town and rural libraries [Long paper]. In Toeppe K., Yan H., Chu S.K.W. (Eds.), Proceedings of the iConference 2021. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Vol. 12646, pp. 495–507). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71305-8_37 [Acceptance rate: 31%]

SELECTED EXTERNAL GRANTS:

• IMLS National Leadership Research in Service to Practice Grant (LG-260194-OLS-26). Mathematizing Public Library Storytimes (MPLS) through Integration of GenAI: Empowering Caregivers and Public Librarians to Develop Young
  Children’s Algebraic Reasoning. PI: Soo Hyeon Kim. Amount awarded: $497,065. Sep 2026 – Aug 2029.
• IMLS National Leadership Research in Service to Practice Grant (LG-252377-OLS). Family Makers: Online Engineering Program for Underserved Children and Caregivers at Rural Libraries. PI: Soo Hyeon Kim. Amount awarded: $499,941. Aug 2022 – Feb 2027. (*The grant was terminated and reinstated mid-project through no fault of the project team.)
• National Science Foundation (DRL 1759259). Collaborative Research: Engineering a Community-Family Partnership: Developing a Program Aimed at Making and Design Practices in Home Environments. Faculty Associate (Senior researcher): Soo Hyeon Kim. Amount awarded: $872,191. Jan 2020 – July 2022.

SELECTED INTERNAL GRANTS:

New Frontiers in the Arts and Humanities Research Grant. Indiana University. (2020). Empowering Rural Libraries as Sites for Youth Informal Learning through Making. PI: Soo Hyeon Kim. Jan 2020 – Dec 2021.