University of North Texas 
Professor Hae Jin Gam receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for international fashion research
Award supports international collaboration on sustainability, AI and the future of fashion design education in South Korea
Hae Jin Gam, Ph.D., professor of Fashion Design
Funded by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board,
the award will support Gam’s research and teaching in South Korea from August through
December 2026.
Her project, “Shaping the Future of Fashion Education: Sustainability, Technology,
and AI in a Global U.S.–Korea Collaboration,” explores how sustainability, artificial
intelligence and global economic shifts are transforming fashion design education.
Gam will collaborate with faculty at Kyung Hee University and Seoul National University
in Seoul, South Korea, to examine curriculum models, develop new teaching strategies
and pilot design modules that integrate sustainable practices with emerging technologies.
Through curriculum mapping, faculty exchange and classroom engagement, the project
aims to identify strengths and gaps in current programs while preparing students for
a rapidly evolving, globally connected design industry.
Gam joined UNT in 2018 and brings both academic and industry experience to her work.
Before entering academia, she worked as a fashion designer in South Korea. She later
taught for 11 years at Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois.
Her research focuses on sustainability in the apparel and textile industry, consumer
behavior related to eco-friendly purchasing, creative and functional apparel product
development, and the scholarship of teaching and learning.
Gam holds a doctorate in human environmental sciences from Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater, Oklahoma, a master’s degree in clothing and textiles from Chung-Ang University,
Seoul, South Korea, and a bachelor’s degree in computer sciences from Seoul Women’s
University. She also completed computer-aided knitting training with Stoll GmbH in
Reutlingen, Germany.
Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is one of the world’s most competitive international exchange programs, supporting faculty, researchers and professionals in teaching and research abroad while fostering global collaboration.
In the U.S., the Institute of International Education implements the Fulbright U.S. Student and U.S. Scholar Programs on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit https://fulbrightprogram.org.