Young Ji Kim

Young Ji Kim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). Her research focuses on team collaboration, collective intelligence, human-machine teaming, and neurodiversity in workplace settings. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Southern California (USC), an M.A. from USC, and a B.A. in Communication from Yonsei University. Prior to UCSB, she conducted postdoctoral research at the MIT Sloan School of Management's Center for Collective Intelligence.

Her work examines how team diversity, communication processes, and emerging technologies influence team dynamics and performance. Key areas include digital nudges for enhancing collective intelligence, multicultural globally dispersed teams, and the integration of AI in collaborative environments. She has been awarded top paper honors from the International Communication Association, National Communication Association, and Academy of Management, as well as a prestigious MURI grant from the Department of Defense (2021-2024).

Kim's research bridges communication science, organizational behavior, and technology, with applications in virtual teams, remote work, and the future of human-AI collaboration. She has published extensively on topics such as vocal synchrony in video conferencing, collective performance metrics, and the impact of visibility affordances on boundary work in teams.