Dr. Chung works on space- and ground-based UV/optical instrumentation and technology, the interstellar/circumgalactic/intergalactic medium (ISM/CGM/IGM), galaxy evolution, and galaxy kinematics. Dr. Chung specializes in instrument design, optical design, performance budget management, and systems engineering. He is particularly interested in high-sensitivity instruments that can detect the faintest gaseous structures in the universe. Dr. Chung is the Project Scientist, Instrument Lead, and Optics Lead of Aspera, a NASA Astrophysics Pioneers Mission for the detection and mapping of the warm–hot phase circumgalactic medium in nearby galaxy halos, scheduled for launch in 2026. He is also a scientist for SHIMCO, a NASA Astrophysics sounding rocket mission to characterize the formation and destruction of nearby molecular hydrogen clouds, scheduled for launch in 2027. Previously, Dr. Chung worked on FIREBall-2, a NASA balloon-borne telescope designed to detect redshifted UV emission lines from the circumgalactic medium. Dr. Chung is also actively involved in the concept development of new NASA space missions at all scales—from CubeSats and SmallSats to Small/Medium Explorers and beyond- as a PI or Co-I.