Dr. Younsung Kim's research lies in collaborative governance and self-regulatory policy tools designed to address today’s complex environmental and sustainability challenges. Focusing on the private sector’s role in environmental governance, she has investigated such topics as whether Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) are effective, why some companies are more receptive to regulatory environmental policy, and which type of firms would be most likely to form cross-sector partnerships for sustainability solutions. Her recent research interests cover sustainable packages and waste management and recycling policy.

In 2016, her co-authored research article “Business as a Collaborative Partner: Understanding Firms’ Sociopolitical Support for Policy Formation” received the Best Article Award from the Public and Nonprofit Management Division of the Academy of Management.

Prior to her career in academia, Dr. Kim worked for the Ministry of Environment in South Korea as Deputy Director of the Public Information Office and also served on the World Bank’s Carbon Finance Assist Team. Recently, she served as an external reviewer of the US EPA’s Pathfinder Innovation Projects, as well as the Korean Institute of Public Finance’s the Korean Particulate Pollution Control Policy Analysis.