Hyeri “Mel” Yang is an education specialist with ten years of experience advancing transversal skills development, education policy, and international research across Northern America, Latin America, the Caribbean, South Korea, and Hong Kong. She is also a former elementary school teacher under South Korea’s Ministry of Education and a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Michigan.

Currently at the Inter-American Development Bank, Mel designs and engages in education initiatives that integrate AI and digital technologies to foster socio-emotional learning and 21st-century skills. Her work focuses on expanding access to inclusive, quality learning opportunities that equip students for a rapidly changing world. Skilled in building partnerships, mobilizing resources, and adapting strategies to diverse contexts, Mel is passionate about reimagining education systems that empower all learners to thrive in the age of AI.

• LinkedIn

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Education

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, United States (GPA: 4.0/4.0) M.A., Educational Studies—Design and Technologies for Learning Across Culture and Context. 2022.

• Fulbright Scholar, U.S. Department of State

Daegu National University of  Education, South Korea (GPA: 3.59/4.0) B.E., Elementary Education 2017.

Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Exchange Program (fully aided by Daegu National University of Education) 2015.

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Selected Honors and Awards

• Fulbright Scholarship, Fulbright Korea ($80,000) 2022.   
• Educational Studies Master’s Scholarship, University of Michigan ($30,000)  2022.    
• RISE Research Award Honorable Mention, Association for Psychological Science. 2023
• Bobbe and Jon Bridge Award for Engaged Scholarship, University of Michigan ($1,000). 2022
• National Student Scholarships, Korean Student Aid Foundation ($120,000) 2017.

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Selected Academic & Community Services

• Reviewer, The American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting. Served on the review panel for the Special Interest Group on Informal Learning Environments (2023)
• Guest speaker,  The United States Embassy Seoul, South Korea. Invited twice as a panelist to speak about Fulbright scholarship and U.S. graduate admissions to prospective Korean students (2021)
• Seminar speaker, 2021 professional teacher training for future education, Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education, South Korea. Delivered a 6-part seminar series on AI education and Ed-tech integration in K–12 classrooms for professional teacher training programs.
• Director, Multicultural & Gender equity department, Su-Seong elementary school, Daegu, South Korea. Led school-wide initiatives promoting multicultural and gender awareness, including annual events such as a multicultural fair and gender equity week. Developed and implemented policies aligned with national diversity and inclusion education goals. (2020)