Joonmo Kang

Joonmo Kang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at the University of Kansas and Co-Director of the Toni Johnson Scholars Program. He holds a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis (2009), an M.A. in Social Welfare from Seoul National University (2012), and a Ph.D. in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis (2022). His research focuses on climate justice, disaster resilience, ecosocial work, and ethnographic methods, with particular attention to marginalized communities in urban settings like Seoul's jjokbang-chon informal housing neighborhoods.

His work bridges environmental studies and social work practice, emphasizing the need for systemic interventions addressing climate vulnerability and social inequality. Notable publications include analyses of disaster subcultures in jjokbang-chon, critiques of 'disposable social work,' and frameworks for integrating human rights into just transition policies.

Dr. Kang has received multiple prestigious awards, including the Korean American Social Work Educators Association Dissertation Proposal Award (2021) and the Brown School International Dissertation Award ($7,000). His research has been supported by grants from the Korea Safety Health Environment Foundation and the McDonnell International Academy.

His advising and grants portfolio reflects a commitment to interdisciplinary projects linking environmental justice with social policy. He contributes to initiatives like the Toni Johnson Scholars Program, fostering diversity in social work education. Current research trends show a focus on aging populations' climate vulnerability and APIDA community disaster preparedness strategies.