about me

A bit more about who I am and how I got here.

Hi, I’m Hyun Seo, and most people call me Emily. I’m a biomedical engineer drawn to problems where imaging, machine learning, and real clinical need meet. What keeps me motivated is the gap between a method that works in a paper and a device a patient can actually use, and I like living in that gap.

I grew up speaking Korean and English, studied Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science at Johns Hopkins, and stayed on for my master’s and now my PhD. Along the way I’ve worked across the full stack of medical devices: optics and hardware, signal processing, machine learning, and the human side of whether people will actually adopt a technology.

Education

2026 – Present
Ph.D.
Biomedical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University
Advisor: Nicholas Durr · Computational Biophotonics Lab
2025 – 2026
M.S.E.
Biomedical Engineering
Johns Hopkins University
2021 – 2025
B.S.
Biomedical Engineering & Computer Science
Johns Hopkins University
GPA 3.90/4.00 · Tau Beta Pi · Alpha Eta Mu Beta

Honors & awards

  • KASF Scholarship Award (2025)
  • Hopkins New Venture Challenge, 1st Place, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship Challenge Award (2024)
  • VentureWell E-Team Program and Undergraduate Catalyst Award (2024)
  • NIH DEBUT Challenge, Honorable Mention (2024)
  • Tau Beta Pi and Alpha Eta Mu Beta engineering honor societies

When I’m not working

I play volleyball and soccer, love cafe hopping, binge too many Netflix shows, and cook Korean food. I’m always happy to talk about computational imaging, robust medical AI, or turning research into devices that reach patients. Feel free to reach out.