Jion Yi

Proudest Moment: Joining the Newbook Digital Texts Project and realizing my passion in research with Dr. Walter Andrews as my mentor

Thesis: Bitnation: Reimagination of the State-Citizen Relationship and Technological Optimism

I was 13 when I left my hometown in South Korea and immigrated to the US. Understanding very little English and speaking even less, I could not imagine how achieved and proud I would feel after five years at University of Washington. Pursuing double degrees was no easy decision, but I was able to thrive thanks to the faculty and staff members at University of Washington who encouraged me to continue interdisciplinary learning and research.

Thanks to Dr. Walter Andrews, whom I met as an undergraduate researcher at UW, I stepped into the interdisciplinary path where I was able to combine my interests in international human rights and technologies. After graduation, I will be starting my first job as a Security Analyst in Chicago. After building more skills and experiences in the private sector, I hope to come back to the academia as a researcher in usable security and privacy tools and continue Dr. Andrews' legacy in interdisciplinary research.

As I move forward to the new city and the new chapter of my life, I will remember the excitement, fear, and courage I felt as a 13-year-old whose life started anew. I would like to thank my parents who made my education possible, all my friends who supported me through thick and thin, and UW faculty and staff members gave me countless valuable lessons.