Ian Yum

Global Challenge: Accessible and Sustainable Infrastructure

Bio:

Ian is a Junior at NYU Tandon studying Electrical Engineering with a minor in Integrated Design & Media, with an interest in hardware engineering and audio technology. Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Mississauga, Canada and Seattle, Washington, Ian brings a global perspective to his academic and extracurricular pursuits.

At NYU, Ian is currently on the Executive Board for the NYU Theta Tau professional engineering fraternity, as well as the IEEE chapter at NYU. He is also involved in the Vertically Integrated Projects Immersive Live Sound and Rogue Aerospace. Ian has been working as a teaching assistant for the Department of General Engineering where he leads recitation sections and works in the Open-Lab as well. He has also worked as a Research Assistant as part of the Undergraduate Summer Research Program where he co-authored a manuscript for a project researching theoretical efficiency limits of indoor solar. Ian has gained a lot of leadership and technical skills through these experiences and hopes to carry them into his career in industry post-graduation. Long-term, he is drawn to working on technology that become part of people’s lives at scale, engineering that shows up in products that people rely on and shape how they live.

Ian studied abroad at the Politecnico di Milano during the Spring 2026 semester. Here he was immersed in Italian culture and student life, and learned what it was like to navigate academics, professional life, and social life in a country and continent he had never been in before. This experience pushed him to adapt quickly to unfamiliar systems and expectations, from different academic structures and teaching styles to new social and professional norms. Studying abroad grew Ian’s skills in communication, independence, and navigating change.

Being part of GLASS gave Ian a more global perspective on the challenges he hopes to work on, while also helping him better understand his own strengths and how to apply them across different kinds of problems. Through GLASS, he has been able to pursue academic, professional, and global opportunities, from research to studying abroad, that have shaped both his technical skills and his broader worldview. Among the UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, and SDG 9, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, resonate with him most, as they align closely with his skill set and the work he is most passionate about pursuing. Going forward, Ian hopes to apply his skills globally by working alongside people from different countries and backgrounds, and by seeking out opportunities to live and work in different places.

In his free time, you can find Ian at the rock climbing gym, going on hikes, or going out to enjoy live music. He is also part of a rock band where you can see him preforming around the Seattle area or recording in the studio with his friends.