Hi, I’m Jungsun!

I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. I am advised by Aaron Bornstein in the Computational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. My research focuses on understanding how people learn and use various kinds of representations to plan, as well as how variable experience shapes our internal representation of the world. In Fall 2025, I will be joining Princeton Neuroscience Institute as a Postdoctoral Research Associate.

Outside of lab, I play violin and viola. I perform in orchestra concerts from time to time and lead an amateur chamber orchestra.

CV | Google Scholar | X | ORCID

Research Interests

• Reinforcement learning
• Cognitive graphs

Papers

Preprint

Yoo J, Bornstein AM. Temporal dynamics of model-based control reveal arbitration between multiple task representations.

Publications

Yoo J, Chrastil RE, Bornstein AM (2024). Cognitive graphs: Representational substrates for planning. Decision.

Yoo J, Zhou D, Bornstein AM (2024). Latent cause inference as an efficient and flexible learning rule for cognitive graphs. Cognitive Computational Neuroscience.

Schultz H, Yoo J, Meshi D, Heekeren HR (2022). Category-specific memory encoding in the medial temporal lobe and beyond: The role of reward. Learning and Memory 29 (10), 379-389.

Yoo J, Bornstein AM (2022). Two-stage task with increased state space complexity to assess online planning. Proceedings of the 5th Multidisciplinary Conference on Reinforcement Learning and Decision Making (RLDM 2022).

Yoo J, Jun T, Kim Y (2021). xECGNet: Fine-tuning attention map within convolutional neural network to improve detection and explainability of concurrent cardiac arrhythmias. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 208, 106281.

Yoo J, Min S, Lee S, Han S (2021). Neural correlates of episodic memory modulated by temporally delayed rewards. PLoS ONE 16(4): e0249290.

Honors and awards

• Indow Fellowship for Research Excellence (2024)
• Upper Bound Talent Bursary (2023)
• RLDM Student Travel Fellowship (2022)
• AI Week Talent Bursary (2022)
• UCI Graduate Dean’s Recruitment Fellowship (2020)
• Friends of the Pacific Rim Scholarship (2015)

Organizing

• UCI Cognitive Sciences Colloquium organization committee (2023-2024)

General writing

• Will Neurocriminology make Minority Report Real? (2017)
• On Determining whom to Kill: the Challenge of Moral Decision Making (2016)

Performance

• Ensemble Diary Moments (2024): Telemann Viola Concerto in G major, II. Allegro: viola soloist
• OC Philharmonic Orchestra (2024): Strauss Overture from Die Fledermaus, Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasia, John William’s Best Film Music: viola
• SKKU Orchestra 36th Fall concert (2022): Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasia, Dvorak, Symphony no.8 in G major, Op.88: viola
• Ensemble Gajavi (2021): Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla arr. for 4 violas: second viola
• Festival Ensemble Gaudium 13th concert (2019): Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet (2nd suite) ‘The Montagues and the Capulets’ Op.64, Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasia, Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique: viola
• Festival Ensemble Gaudium 12th concert (2019): Mendelssohn The Hebrides(Fingal’s Cave) Overture Op.26, Mahler Symphony No.1 in D major ‘Titan’: second violin
• SKKU Orchestra 32nd Fall concert (2018): Glinka Russlan and Ludmilla Overture, Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker Suite, Op 71, Dvořák Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World’: second violin
• SKKU Orchestra 29th Fall concert (2015): Tchaikovsky Marche Slave Op.31, Tchaikovsky The Swan Lake (suite from the ballet) Op. 20a, Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 in G minor ‘Winter Daydreams’ Op. 13: second violin
• SKKU Orchestra 28th Fall concert (2014): Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Ballet Suite, Op.71a, Tchaikovsky Symphony No.5 in E Minor, Op.64: second violin
• SKKU Orchestra 28th Spring concert (2014): Beethoven Egmont Overture, Op.84, Mozart Symphony No.40 in G Minor, K.550, Beethoven Symphony No.3, Op.55 “Eroica”: second violin
• SKKU Orchestra 27th Fall concert (2013): Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 Op.39, Beethoven Piano Concerto No.3 in c minor Op.37, Dvořák Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World’: second violin