Sue Hyeon Paek
Faculty
Associate Professor
- College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
- Psychological Sciences, School of
Education
- Ph.D. – University of Georgia, USA
- M.Ed. – University of Georgia, USA
- M.A. – Seoul National University, South Korea
- B.A. – Seoul National University of Education, South Korea
Professional Experience & Affiliations
Dr. Sue Hyeon Paek,Ìýan Associate Professor at the University of Northern ºÚÁÏÉçÇø, received a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and an MEd in Quantitative Methodology. As an emerging scholar, she received awardsÌý°ù±ð³¦´Ç²µ²Ô¾±³ú¾±²Ô²µÌýherÌýcontribution to research on creativity and gifted education such as the Barron Award at the APAÌýDivision 10. She has served on the editorial board of Thinking Skills and Creativity and the executive committee of the APA Division 10Ìýas the secretary and the chair of the Microgrant Committee. SheÌýparticipatedÌýin several federal and local grant applications on a wide range of research topics, such asÌýSTEM education, environmental education, and creative problem-solving.ÌýÌý
Dr. Paek has served as an associate editor forÌýThinking Skills and CreativityÌýand as a member of the editorial board for theÌýCreativity Research Journal.
With 8 years of K–12 and 10 years of postsecondary teaching experience, Dr. Paek has developed a versatile and student-centered approach across face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats. At UNC, she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in creative education, advanced measurement, meta-analysis, and educational psychology. Grounded in situated learning, her teaching emphasizes real-world contexts and authentic activities, bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Research Expertise & Interests
Dr.Ìý±Ê²¹±ð°ì’sÌýresearch interests are driven by inquiry intoÌýinforming and improvingÌýevidence-based practicesÌýinÌýcreativityÌýidentification and developmentÌýwith an aim to promote the growth and education of individuals with diverse learning needs. She hasÌýfocused on assessing creativity and what environmental factorsÌýsystematicallycontribute to shapingÌýitsÌýoptimalÌýdevelopment.ÌýMore specifically,ÌýsheÌýhasÌýexamined:Ìýa) howÌýto integrate multiple aspects of creativity in formal andÌýinformal assessment to accuratelyÌýidentifyÌýcreative potential, b)ÌýhowÌýenvironmental factors, including how people believe about creativity (implicit theory), affectcreativity identification, andÌýc)Ìýhow research improves informed decisions that contribute to reducing gapsÌýin academic and creative success.These lines of research have resulted in peer-reviewedÌýpublications in field-leading journals,Ìýandnumerousconference presentations at local and national venues.Ìý
Publications
ºÚÁÏÉçÇø
View more of Dr. Paek’s work on .
Paek, S. H. (2025) Identifying Creative Potential in Students: Addressing Misconceptions, Inclusivity, and Technological Advancements, Creativity Research Journal, 37 (2), 269-274. [2023 Impact factor: 2.5]
*I am invited as a contributing author for the special issue of Creativity Research Journal titled “Generation C: A New Generation of Creativity Research Stars in the New Millennium.” in partnership with the International Society for the Study of Creativity and Innovation that is devoted to spotlighting 21 emerging leaders in creativity research.
Paek, S. H., Katz-Buonincontro, J., Park, H. J., †Osuagwu, O., & Hurwich, T. (2025). How might creative problem-solving be related to prosocial motivation? An exploratory pilot study. Learning and Individual Differences, 118, 102606. [2023 Impact factor: 3.8]
Paek, S. H. & Kim, M. (2024). Characteristics Explaining Students’ Creative Behaviors in South Korea Using Random Forest. Asia Pacific Education Review. [2023 Impact factor: 2.3]
Sumners, S. E., Paek, S. H. & Cramond, B. (2024). Are creativity tests vulnerable to coaching? Creativity Research Journal. [2023 Impact factor: 2.5]