Jungwoo Chun

Jungwoo Chun, a graduate of the doctoral program at the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP), holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy and Planning. His dissertation involved investigating clusters of intermediaries that support community ownership of solar energy projects in the United States. He has extensive research, teaching, and professional experience across multiple dimensions of climate change and sustainability, with a particular focus on climate justice and resilience.

At the MIT SIC, he currently leads several research projects on cybersecurity for critical urban infrastructure; community-owned, community-centered renewable energy initiatives—such as solar and battery energy storage facilities, microgrids, and geothermal energy networks; and efforts to reform state-level siting and permitting policies for clean energy projects, all focused on advancing public interest technology (PIT). He is also leading a partnership with colleagues in India to examine clinical education in the Indian context, with the goal of accelerating a just energy transition.

At MIT DUSP, he co-directs the MIT Cybersecurity Clinic, where he leads client recruitment and oversees student team engagement with communities seeking to combat growing cybersecurity threats. The Clinic (11.074/11.274) has been so successful that now there is a Consortium of University-based Cybersecurity Clinics modeled on the MIT Clinic (https://cybersecurityclinics.org/). He also co-founded and co-directs the MIT Renewable Energy Clinic (11.092/11.592) and leads the community engagement with local communities, including developers, community organizations, advocacy groups, local governments, and state agencies. Since Fall 2019, the two Clinics together have trained and certified over 250 students across the MIT campus.

He has served as a graduate instructor for several DUSP courses, including 11.601 Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning and 11.255 Negotiation and Dispute Resolution in the Public Sector, and as a co-instructor for 11.382 Water Diplomacy: The Science, Policy, and Politics of Managing Shared Resources. He continues to explore ways to improve pedagogical strategies and techniques, including integrating online learning tools with in-person instruction. For several years, he has been a content developer and graduate instructor for online courses offered by MIT xPRO and edX/MITx, which have attracted more than 15,000 learners worldwide.