Migon is a Ph.D. student in Material Science at Duke University. She grew up in a town in South Korea where a majority of the South Korean government research institutions were located. It was in her second year of high school when Migon found her interest in material science. A materials scientist had come to her high school to talk about the concept of a space elevator - an elevator that was made of unique materials that enabled people to go to space. This really had captured Migon’s interest and from then on, she decided that she wanted to study materials science. The fact that materials affect our everyday lives was what had really fascinated Migon.

Migon decided to pursue a Ph.D. because of the thought that, if she could get paid to do research, which she already enjoys doing, then why not? It was also then that she realized that she was passionate enough to pursue a Ph.D. Right now Migon is researching how additives and grain boundaries affect carrier density, conductivity, and carrier mobility. She says that this research contributes to a deep understanding of perovskite materials and supports renewable energy.

Advice:

1.) Putting in effort and time is the best way to build your career.

2.) Don’t be afraid of rejection. Achievements always come with failures and rejections. It's a matter of whether you keep trying until you achieve what you want.