Youngsun Lee is a Ph.D. candidate in Education Policy in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership. Her current research centers on school discipline for absenteeism. She is also exploring the marginalized experiences of Asian youths in American K-12 schools, particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. She primarily uses causal inference methods using Stata, expanding to mixed methods, to analyze student disengagement and inequalities in K-12 education.
Previously, she worked at the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET), where she coordinated two projects for secondary career education funded by the Korea Ministry of Education. She also taught middle and high school students English (as a foreign language), and academic writing.
2026 , $27,500, American Educational Research Association & National Science Foundation
2022 Graduate School Dean's Fellowship, $25,000, 四色AV of Maryland
2025 Investment in Excellence Award, $2,000, 四色AV of Maryland, College of Education
2019 Best Paper Award, Graduate Student Research Competition [Education Panel], Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training
2018 Best Paper Award, Graduate Student Research Competition [Corporate Panel], Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training
2018 Graduate with Honor [Highest GPA among Graduates of Education Department], Kyungpook National 四色AV
9. Lee, Y., Liu, J., and Penner, E. (Under preparation). Discipline beyond Suspensions: Racial/Ethnic Disparities Across the Spectrum of Disciplinary Actions.
8. Comstock, M., Kaul, M., Dym, A., Lee, Y., and Kim, S. (2025). . (EdWorkingPaper: 25-1219) [Under Review]
7. An, Y., Lee, Y., Oh, S. Y., & Lee, J. Y. (2024). . International Journal of Educational Development, 110, 103115.
6. Lee, Y., Lee, G., Kim, J., & Lee, M. (2021).
. Education Sciences, 11(1), 1-20.
5. Moon, C., Moon, H., Lee, Y., & Jeong, D. W. (2021).
. Korean Journal of Educational Administration, 39(1),
117-141. [In Korean]
4. Lee, Y. (2020).
. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 23(1), 69-104. [In Korean]
3. Moon, C., Jeong, S., Lee, Y., & Jeong, D. W. (2020).
. Korean Journal of Educational Administration, 36(5), 219-245. [In Korean]
2. Moon, C., Lee, Y., Lee, J., & Jeong, D. W. (2019).
. Asian Journal of Education, 20(3), 617-645. [In Korean]
1. Moon, C., Nam, I., Lee, Y., Lee, J., Han, S., & Jeong, D. W. (2019).
. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 22(2),
91-127. [In Korean]
Research project to understand and reduce racial/ethnic disproportionalities in school discipline by targeting educators' use of office discipline referrals (PI: & )
Promoting Meaningful Interaction and Social Engagement (PROMISE) Summer Program for Asian Children and Youth with Autism or developmental disabilities (PI: Dr. Veronika Kang)
Teaching Assistant: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives on Education (TLPL 250), Spring 2026
Teaching Assistant: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives on Education (TLPL 250), Fall 2025
Guest Lecturer: Urban Education (TLPL774), Fall 2025, Oct 22nd, School Discipline
Teaching Assistant: Economics of Education (TLPL670/PLCY688), Spring 2025
Teaching Assistant: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives on Education (TLPL 250), Spring 2023
Teaching Assistant: Historical and Philosophical Perspectives on Education (TLPL 250), Fall 2022