Youngmoo Kim

Youngmoo Kim is Director of the ExCITe Center, an institute at Drexel University for transdisciplinary collaboration and learning, and Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering. His research group, the Music & Entertainment Technology Laboratory pursues AI for music, human-machine interfaces and robotics for expressive interaction, and STEAM education. He has also served as Resident Technologist for Opera Philadelphia and serves as an advisor for the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.

HIs 2019 TEDxPhiladelphia talk addressed the persistent digital divide and the lack of equity & inclusion in tech. He served on the National Academies report committee for “Branches from the Same Tree”, on the integration of the Humanities & Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education, and recently co-edited a special issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences focusing on creativity and collaboration. In 2018, Youngmoo co-organized the National Convening of Education Innovation Clusters in Philadelphia with Digital Promise and co-authored “Making Culture”, a national study of education makerspaces. He received Drexel's 2012 Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, took “Scientist of the Year” honors at the 2012 Philadelphia Geek Awards, and is a member of the Apple Distinguished Educator class of 2013. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the NAMM Foundation, among others.

Youngmoo received his Ph.D. from the MIT Media Lab and holds Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering and Music (Vocal Performance Practice) from Stanford University as well as Engineering and Music degrees from Swarthmore College. He has extensive experience in music performance, including 8 years as a member of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and currently sings with The Tonics, an a cappella ensemble in Philadelphia.