Songyee Yoon PhD ’00, an entrepreneur, innovator, investor, and leader in AI and the gaming industry, has been appointed as a School of Engineering visiting innovation scholar for the 2023-24 academic 12 months.
Yoon, who’s as a member of the MIT Corporation, serves as president and chief strategic officer of NCSOFT, a world leader in game publishing and digital entertainment. Under her leadership, NCSOFT has expanded to incorporate locations in seven countries on three continents. She played a pivotal role in founding the NCSOFT AI Center, a state-of-the-art AI research facility that has helped the corporate develop and integrate the newest AI and machine learning technologies into their products.
In 2021, Yoon founded Chamaeleon, an early-stage enterprise capital firm. As a managing partner on the firm, Yoon focuses on consumer software, content and media, and deep and frontier tech. She particularly supports entrepreneurs working on the intersection of AI, entertainment, and social platforms.
As a visiting innovation scholar, Yoon will engage in quite a lot of activities with faculty, students, and staff across MIT’s School of Engineering. She’s going to provide guidance to the dean of engineering on strategic initiatives, cutting-edge programs, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem inside the school.
“I’m each humbled and excited to embark on my journey as an innovation scholar, where I’ll champion entrepreneurship and empower female engineers to flourish inside diverse profession paths,” says Yoon.
A central theme throughout Yoon’s profession and plenty of philanthropic pursuits has been a passion for promoting inclusivity and supporting future leaders.
“As technology continues to remodel our world, there may be a growing need for inclusive innovation. Throughout my profession, I’ve seen firsthand how amplifying all voices fosters more creativity and adds richness to constructing,” adds Yoon. “I’m honored to assist the School of Engineering bridge the gap between inspiration and realization, and nurture the subsequent generation of trailblazing leaders who will shape the world with their brilliance.”
Yoon received a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and a PhD in computational neuroscience from MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. She also received a juris doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law and is a graduate of the Stanford University Executive Program.
After receiving her PhD, Yoon worked at McKinsey and Co., then served as vice chairman of communications intelligence at wireless service provider SK Telecom, where she used AI technologies to develop a wise, personalized data services platform. In 2008, she joined NCSOFT.
As a member of the MIT Corporation, Yoon has served on several visiting committees at MIT and is the present chair of the Governance and Nominations Committee. She serves on plenty of advisory boards. She is an inaugural member of the Advisory Council of Stanford University’s Human-Centered AI Center and a board of trustees of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Yoon is chair and founding father of the NCSOFT Cultural Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes corporate social responsibility and supports the socially disadvantaged. In an effort to support working parents, Yoon personally oversaw the event of the “Laughing Peanut,” a 400-child daycare facility situated on the NCSOFT R&D center, and “Projectory,” for nurturing and fostering creativity.
Yoon has received plenty of awards and accolades for her contributions to technology and business. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea, was named certainly one of the 50 Women to Watch in Business by The Wall Street Journal, and was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
“Dr. Yoon is a real visionary. Her extensive experience in AI technologies, coupled along with her passion for supporting entrepreneurs and championing diversity in engineering, make her a really perfect fit as visiting innovation scholar,” says Anantha Chandrakasan, dean of the MIT School of Engineering and the Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “The college, students, and staff within the School of Engineering will all profit from her expertise and vision.”
