Huijoo Shon

Dissertation research (in progress)

Typologies and conditions of shared infrastructure and practices in informal settlements
Identifying invisible streets and pedestrian accessibility in African cities
Energy infrastructure and the moderation of climate impacts on water access

Research projects

2025-present. Detecting mobile home park change and climate hazard exposure: a computer-vision approach
2025-present. Characterizing and evaluating shared infrastructure in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Supported by Habitat for Humanity International.
2024-2025. Residential vulnerability, climate anomalies and child health in 32 sub-Saharan African countries: Focusing on water, sanitation, housing, and energy from a climate justice perspective. World Vision Korea (Grant for Graduate Student, PI).
2023-2024. Reconceiving community-driven development as spatial practice in the realm of environmental justice: The case of grassroots movements in the Global South, Research report on the Global Seed Grant program and grassroot organizations. The Korea Safety Health Environment (SHE) Foundation (Contract, Principal Researcher).
2022-2023. Residential environment and its geographical patterns in small and medium cities in East African countries (Kenya and Ethiopia), Taejae Research Foundation of City Research Inst., KOR (Graduate Grant, Principal Researcher).
2022-2023. Community development toward climate justice and health equity: A case study of vulnerable settlements in Ethiopia and Kenya. Field research in Ethiopia and Kenya, Seoul National University (Graduate Grant, Principal Researcher).
2020-2022. Effects of Social Progress Credit (SPC) on Performance of Social Enterprises. Center for Social value Enhancement Studies (CSES), KOR (Contract, Research Assistant).
2021-2022. Improving social value measurement of social enterprises using big data. Economic Research Institute, Seoul National University (Contract, Research Assistant).
2021. A Study on Children Health and Settlement Environment in 26 sub-Saharan African Countries: An Urbanicity and Residential Characteristics. Korea Safety Health Environment (SHE) Foundation (Graduate Grant, Principal Researcher).

Field projects

2025-2026, Kenya, Collaboration project

Documenting and mapping shared infrastructure in water, sanitation, and energy sectors, in collaboration with CfK Africa, Habitat international Kenya, CBOs (Kibera, Mathare, and Mukuru, Nairobi county)

2024-present, Kenya, Collaboration project

Documenting and mapping spatio-temporal practices of Community-Based Organizations (CBO) in urban area, in collaboration with Huruma Town Youth Group and multiple CBOs (Mathare subcounty, Nairobi county)

2024, Uganda, Collaboration work

Planning research and innovation projects on energy, climate adaptation, and health, in collaboration with Western Uganda FBO (Faith-Based Organization) Network (Kyenjojo district, Western Region)

Fieldwork and discussion for citizen science and community-based participatory research on environment and health, in collaboration with Pamagara R&D organization (Kitgum district, Northern Region)

2022-2023, Ethiopia and Kenya

Community development toward climate justice and health equity: A case study of vulnerable settlements in Ethiopia and Kenya, in collaboration with ORDA Ethiopia and multiple CBOs, supported by Seoul National University and Bahir Dar University.

2022-2023, Kenya and Ethiopia

Geographies of residential environment in small and medium cities in East Africa: Toward sustainable urban Africa with adequate Infrastructures, supported by Taejae Research Foundation (City Research Inst.) and Seoul National University.