Dr. Thomas Yun Kim was an accomplished researcher and professor at Utah State University. In the fields of Sociology and Demography and Asian Studies, Dr. Thomas Yun Kim strived to secure funding for groundbreaking research, while also serving as an advisor to the United Nations, the US Agency for International Development, the Asian Development Bank, the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as the governments of the Philippines, Tanzania, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, Pakistan, Thailand, and the US to develop their population planning, social service, and education programs.

Dr. Kim’s career began from humble beginnings in a rural Korean village, through Seoul National University, the United Nations Demographic Training and Research Center in Bombay, India, and Princeton University. In 1963, Dr. Kim achieved his M.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he established a lifelong mentorship under Professor Dorothy Thomas (after whom he adopted the name Thomas). In 1966, Dr. Kim acquired his PhD from the Australian National University, followed by what would be an over 40-year affiliation with Utah State University.

Dr. Kim went on to spearhead the Yun Kim Population Research Laboratory at Utah State University, which seeks to continue his legacy of education and research in Sociology and Demography.