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Hi!

I'm Sunny.

Thank you for visiting my website.

 

​I've developed my career in the field of digital education over the years. I thrive in innovative environments where technology and education collide, and especially love solving technical problems and limitations with creative solutions. I have rich experience in building digital education products from scratch to launch.​

 

I graduated with a Ph.D. in music education from New York University. My doctoral research was conducted in Helsinki, Finland, where I examined the topic of classical piano students' professional identity development from improvisation practices.​

 

After years of first-hand work experience in applying research to practice, my post-PhD research interest now lies in the interdisciplinary sector of healthcare and design promoting digital inclusion. If you are interested in working together on a meaningful project, please feel free to contact me.

CV

  • Google Scholar profile
  • ORCID profile
  • Instagram

01

Education

New York University (2023)
Ph.D.: music education

New York University (2022)
Master of phil.: music education

New York University (2017)
Master of arts: music education

University of Toronto (2009)
Bachelor of science: life sciences

+expertise:
The Royal Conservatory of Music (Canada)
Associate diploma: piano performance (ARCT) 

02

Professional experience

Clefer

VP of operations, USA / NETHERLANDS (2022-2023)

Head of product, USA (2020-2022)​

  • Oversee operations while managing a team of 10+

  • Resolve technical limitations with creative solutions to fit the needs for the product, while regularly communicating with stakeholders

  • Executed app release from conception to launch

  • Inventor of 2 US patents

​

Yousician

Education designer, USA / FINLAND (2018-2019)

  • Re-designed product’s digital learning curriculum catered towards complete beginner to novice level learners

  • Transformed vague ideas and concepts into actionable content tasks, while working in an agile environment with cross-team members

​

Steinway & Sons

Popular music recording artist, NYC, USA (2016-2018)

  • Composer and performer of popular music songs as original solo piano renditions, exclusively found in the Steinway & Sons' digital app 'Spirio'

  • Out of over 10,000 songs available in the Steinway 'Spirio' app, my music is ranked as the most searched selection

​

Artistic Pi

Founder, NYC, USA (2016-2018)

  • Developed partnerships with NYC-based organizations and corporations to engage in creative music edtech projects (Microsoft, Steinway & Sons, United Nations, Novalia, NYU, New York Public Library to name a few)

​

Contemporary piano artist, Toronto, CANADA (2012-2015)

  • Performed piano concerts for elderly residents at over 200 retirement/nursing homes in the Greater Toronto Area

​​

Korean Senior Citizens Society of Toronto

Volunteer English instructor, Toronto, CANADA (2010-2011)

  • Taught useful English phrases and words to Korean senior citizens that they would be able to use in commonly visited places (medical clinics, banks, grocery stores, public transportation, apartment landlord office)

​

i-to-i

Overseas volunteer, rural town, MALAYSIA (2007)

  • Volunteered at a non-profit shelter that housed HIV+ individuals in a rural area in Malaysia

03

Research allocations and grants

NYU MusEdLab, United States

Graduate researcher (2016-2023)

  • MPAP Doctoral Research & Travel Grant (2023)

  • NYU Doctoral Research & Travel Grant (2022)

  • Global Summer Learning Scholarship (NYU Florence, Italy) (2019)

  • NYU Prototyping Fund (2017)

  • Graduate Education Scholarship for North Americans (2016)

​

University of Bergen, Norway

PhD fellow, Bergen Summer Research School (2021)

04

Language

  • English (primary, fluent)

  • Korean (mother tongue, fluent)

  • French (limited working proficiency)

05

Conference presentations

Choi, S. (2020, July). Motivation and engagement behind music learning in a digital environment. Poster presented at the MISTEC 2020: Music in Schools and Teacher Education (Remote)

 

Choi, S. (2019, June). Music listeners in the 21st-century: how they’re changing the role of music in everyday life. Spoken paper presented at the Association of Popular Music in Education, (New York City, USA)

 

Choi, S. (2017, April). Components contributing to development in the field of improvisation: artistic piano interpretation of Lean On. Paper presented at the meeting of the 25th European Association for Music in Schools Conference / 6th European International Society for Music Education Regional Conference, (Salzburg, Austria)

 

​Choi, S. (2017, June). Collaborative Improvisation Workshop using Popular Music and Online Technologies. Workshop presented at Digital Technology in Arts Education, (Bergen, Norway)

06

Talks

2020: NYU Virtual EdTech Product & Media Panel (remote, USA)

2018: Steinway & Sons Oslo (Oslo, Norway)

2017: Carnegie Hall: Weill Music Institute (NYC, USA)

2017: NYU: IMPACT - Summer Intensive Workshop (NYC, USA)

2016: Montclair State University (Montclair, USA)

2016: NYU: Designing Technologies & Experiences for Music (NYC, USA)

2016: Korea University (Seoul, South Korea)

07

Awards

  • Award: Certificate of excellence, New York University (2016)

  • Award: Asian Pacific American Heritage Award (2016)

  • Award: Certification of appreciation, California State Board of Equalization (2014)

08

Service

  • Peer-reviewer (field: education & educational research, music)

  • Adjudicator, Steinway & Sons Piano Competition, NYC, USA (2018)

  • Adjudicator, Steinway & Sons Piano Competition, NYC, USA (2019)

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