Hyun-Seok (Edward) Cheon
Graduate Research Assistant
Communication and Design Lead
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Service to Community
Hyun-Seok (Edward) Cheon is a PhD candidate and Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Illinois Chicago and serves as Communications and Design Lead at the Great Cities Institute. His work focuses on translating research and community initiatives into accessible visual and digital communications that support public engagement and community partnership. At GCI, he contributes to projects that highlight neighborhood development, community research, and civic engagement across Chicago.
Edward’s academic research examines interorganizational collaboration in social service systems, particularly how professionals coordinate across organizational boundaries to support individuals experiencing serious mental illness. His dissertation employs qualitative methods using interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how case managers navigate fragmented service systems and promote continuity of care. His work draws on boundary spanning theory to understand how frontline practitioners bridge organizational, institutional, and professional boundaries within complex service systems.
Through both his research and professional practice, Edward is committed to bridging scholarship, community engagement, and applied communications to advance equitable and community-centered urban development.