After studying agricultural chemistry and biology at Seoul National University in South Korea, Junsik earned a PhD in plant biology at Cornell University. At Whitehead Institute, he studies epigenetic gene regulation — investigations that could lead to food crop plants better able to thrive in a changing climate. He pursues an array of activities to balance out the intensity of his scientific research. “Since childhood, I've been both a computer game nerd and a classical music enthusiast,” Junsik explains. “PC games are always part of my life to relieve stress and to train my reaction times. I'm getting old but am still passionate about reaching a better rank in competitive games. Another way I deal with stress: I fully enjoy our access to the piano in the Whitehead auditorium, where you can often hear people playing after work. Recently, I’ve also been doing DIY stuff, like doing simple plumbing fixes or car repairs: It felt ironic to hold a PhD but have no idea how to fix a broken tail light. Now, it feels really good when I succeed in a DIY project — it offers a bit of healing when my work at the lab bench isn’t going well.”