MUNJUNG

PhD Candidate @ UVA
Applying and developing AI to understand how science and technology evolve.

About

Munjung Kim

Hi! I'm MJ (Munjung Kim), a PhD candidate in Data Science at University of Virginia, advised by Professor Ahn.

My research focuses on using and developing advanced AI and machine learning techniques to understand innovation in science and technology. These days, I'm also interested in exploring how large language models can be enhanced and understood through the lens of collective intelligence.

Before joining the PhD program, I completed my undergraduate studies in Physics at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in Korea.

Machine Learning Large Language Models Science of Science

Projects & Papers

Murmuration of Scientists

The Murmuration of Scientists

Scientists shift their research interests—or "move" the space of knowledge—sparking new ideas and novel methodologies. Drawing inspiration from the boids model of collective animal behaviors, we characterize individual research movements using simple rules: alignment, cohesion, and separation.

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Disruptive AI

The Potential Impact of Disruptive AI Innovations on U.S. Occupations

We calculate the disruption index of 3,237 U.S. AI patents (2015-2022) and link them to job tasks to distinguish between "consolidating" AI innovations that reinforce existing structures and "disruptive" AI innovations that alter them.

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Quantifying Disruptiveness

Quantifying Disruptiveness using Neural Embedding Method

We propose a new, continuous measure of disruptiveness based on a neural embedding framework that better distinguishes disruptive works, such as Nobel Prize-winning papers, from others.

Read Paper → Blog →

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Topic Diversity

Quantifying Topic Diversity and Disparity

Using neural embedding methods, we show that topic disparity is negatively associated with citation count, indicating that less conventional research tends to receive fewer citations than conventional research.

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News

Apr 2026 🎉 Paper published in Science Advances.
Aug 2025 Transferred to University of Virginia.
Jan 2025 Delivered an invited talk at SNU and KISTI.
Dec 2024 Delivered an invited talk at KDI School and KAIST STP.
Jun – Aug 2024 Completed an internship at Nokia Bell Labs.
Jul 2023 Gave a poster presentation at IC2S2.
Jul 2023 Gave an oral presentation at NetSci 2023.
Jun 2023 Joined Santa Fe Institute Complex Systems Summer School.

Education

University of Virginia

Ph.D. in Data Science

August 2025 – Present

Indiana University

Ph.D. in Informatics (transferred with advisor)

August 2022 – July 2025

Pohang University of Science and Technology

B.S. in Physics

Feb 2017 – Dec 2021