Health Innovation Lab (HIL)

About

• Health Innovation Lab is co-directed by Dr. Sukhun Kang, Dr. Sandra Barbosu, and Dr. Sungyong Chang.
• The Health Innovation Lab serves as an integrated environment for research in the area of strategy and management with focus on the healthcare sectors. We explore the intricate ways in which technology influences innovation, aiming to identify the key drivers and obstacles to technology adoption and its effects on individuals, firms, and our society. We also investigate the broader implications of technology and innovation, with an emphasis on how technology alters firm strategy and behavior.

What I Look For

• I am usually looking for research assistants to help me on ongoing research projects, especially those with data analytics skills (e.g., Stata, R, Python) and those who are highly capable of using AI agents (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, Antigravity, Cursor). Econometric training including exposure to quasi-experimental research designs is also preferred.
• If you are interested, please email me at sukhunkang@ucsb.edu with a short introduction and attach your resume/CV with an indication of your proficiency with the tools mentioned above.

Current Members

Sandra Barbosu, PhD

Dr. Sandra Barbosu is a researcher and policy analyst specializing in the economics of science and health innovation. She holds a PhD in Strategic Management from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and has worked across academia, philanthropic funding, and science policy. She is currently associate director of ITIF’s Center for Life Sciences Innovation and an adjunct professor in the Technology Management and Innovation Department at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering.

Sungyong Chang, PhD

Dr. Sungyong Chang is an assistant professor of Management and Organizations at SC Johnson Graduate School of Management – Cornell University. He earned a Ph.D. in Management from Columbia University. His research interests lie in the areas of entrepreneurship and strategy, grand challenges, and computational social science. He examines how technology shapes industries, influences firm strategy, and creates opportunities for innovation. In the healthcare sector, he examines how technological advancements help entrepreneurial firms address critical challenges, improve patient outcomes, and expand access to life-saving treatments. In cultural industries, he studies how technology transforms creative markets, enabling individuals to develop their talents, reach broader audiences, and navigate industry complexities.

Seongho Hwang

Seongho Hwang is a PhD student in Technology Management at UC Santa Barbara. He holds a Master’s in Economics from the Barcelona School of Economics and a Master’s in Development Policy from the Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy and Management. His research focuses on the dynamics of innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly how innovative firms start and grow, as well as the factors shaping venture capital investment decisions in startups.

Masoom Suchdeo

Masoom is a PhD student in Technology management at UCSB. Prior to arriving at UCSB, he was a predoctoral researcher at Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley where he used ethnography and field experimentation to study gender and remote work. Masoom is currently studying interdisciplinary innovation in emergent technologies, identifying mechanisms that lead to scientific and technological breakthroughs.

Minji (MJ) Lee

MJ Lee is a PhD student in the Management and Organizations department at the SC Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Chungnam National University and a Master’s degree in Strategy and International Management from Seoul National University. Her research focuses on the diffusion of new technologies and business practices, primarily in the pharmaceutical industry.

Aaron Tang

Aaron is a fourth-year Statistics and Data Science student. His research interest is mainly focused on machine learning, but he is also really interested in leveraging data to inform the entertainment industry. After graduation, he hopes to further his education in data science and continue honing his skills. Outside of school, he loves spending time with family and friends.

Anishkumar (Anish) Senthil

Anish is a fourth-year student double majoring in Statistics and Data Science and Applied Mathematics. His research interests center on machine learning and predictive modeling, and he hopes to explore their applications in healthcare and biotechnology. After graduating, he plans to pursue a related master’s degree and explore a career in machine learning.

Yuhao (Rex) Li

Rex is a third-year student at UCSB studying Statistics and Data Science alongside Economics. His research interests include machine learning and its applications in finance and healthcare, particularly how predictive models can support better decision-making. After graduation, he hopes to pursue graduate studies in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Outside of school, he enjoys soccer and spending time with family and friends.

Nicole Zar

Nicole is a fourth-year student at UC Santa Barbara studying Biopsychology and Technology Management. Her research interests include healthcare innovation, biotechnology, technology adoption, and the commercialization of new medical technologies. She is particularly interested in how early-stage research evolves into technologies and treatments with real-world impact, as well as the business and strategic decisions that shape which innovations successfully reach patients. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career at the intersection of science and business, particularly in biotechnology or health technology.

Lab Alumni

• Fan Ye (UCSB, Actuarial Science and Economics, 2026), Research Assistant, Harvard Medical School
• Janice Jiang (UCSB, Actuarial Science, 2026), MS in Biostatistics, Harvard University
• Sean Wang (UCSB, Statistics and Data Science, 2026), Data Scientist, Applied Materials
• Ivan Lin (UCSB, Economics, 2026), Project Engineer, Leed Electric Inc.
• Kuan-I (Brian) Lu (UCSB, Actuarial Science, 2025), Research Associate, MIT MS in Business Analytics
• Pramukh Shankar (UCSB, Data Science and Economics, 2025), NYU Tandon School of Engineering MS in Applied Urban Sciences & Informatics
• Carter Kulm (UCSB, Data Science, 2025), UT Austin MS in Data Science
• Amy Ji (UCSB, Data Science and Economics, 2025), IQVIA
• Pranav Hegde (UCSB, Mathematics, 2025), Capital Group