After obtaining Bachelor's degree in mathematics at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Sungyeon moved to Switzerland to pursue her Masters' degree in mathematics at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

For her Master's, Sungyeon analysed brain networks through the lens of topological data analysis (TDA), and she further honed the TDA skills in materials science through a research internship at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). 

During her PhD in physics at ANU, Sungyeon focused on investigating the emergence of topological entities in two-dimension, accompanied by non-equilibrium dynamics, along a geometric quench process. 

Sungyeon's academic background lies in mathematics and physics, with a deep interest in pattern formation—whether structural or behavioural—through the lens of self-organisation in complex adaptive systems. Driven by a fascination with universality and its ability to transcend the specific details of individual components or agents, her work seeks to illuminate how complex collective phenomena, such as perception, resilience, and creativity, emerge from the interactions within dynamic systems. 

Her research focuses particularly on the use of topology as a tool for understanding such systems. By identifying characteristic structures that act as signatures of dynamical properties, Sungyeon explores how topological methods can reveal hidden patterns and flows within complex environments. She is especially interested in extending the application of topological analysis to study the flow of energy and information, across diverse domains including group dynamics and music composition.