Social Sciences: Joshua Jung '26
Major(s) and minor(s)
B.A. in Anthropology
Minor in Music
Pronouns
He/Him
Hometown
Buffalo, NY; currently in Sejong, South Korea
Areas of interest/focus in research
Cultural anthropology
- Digital anthropology
Ethnomusicology
Popular music analysis
Labs / departments / offsite programs where research was conducted
“Neo-Cru R&B: Youth of Anemoia” synopsis:
// The sound of a city once dictated genre. But the physical notion of the “city” has digitized, birthing spatiotemporally independent music scenes such as “Neo-Cru R&B.” In “Neo-Cru R&B: Youth of Anemoia”, illustrating how digital spaces mirror the function of cities in creating genre, producer sej (Joshua Jung) explores how a particular R&B scene manifests post-pandemic lamentations coupling the simultaneous desires to feel alone yet wanted and to exist in a golden past in the clouded present. In collaboration with 2x EMMY-nominated Cantera Studio (cr: Vox, Sony Music), the documentary features emerging R&B artists Avenoir and Pino alongside the producers behind the sound, such as Ammar Junedi (Ariana Grande, TYuS) and Isaiah Kaleo (Chase Shakur, 4batz). //
In producing my documentary "Neo-Cru R&B: Youth of Anemoia", I conducted one year’s worth of hybrid ethnography across online communities, Rochester, NY, and Toronto, ON. Advised under the departments of Anthropology (Reichman, Osburg), Religion & Classics (Marshall), and Music (Covach).
About me...
Hey! My name is Joshua (‘26), and I’m majoring in Anthropology and minoring in Music. I was primarily raised in Buffalo, NY, but have been moving between neighborhoods in South Korea since 2018. I currently live in Sejong, South Korea.
My journey to define “home” since childhood primed my interest in cultural anthropology. For the past two years, I’ve been conducting research along the intersections of physical/digital urbanism and popular music culture.
How has your experience as a researcher influenced your career objectives?
My experience as a researcher has taught me that one’s extracurricular interests are not mutually exclusive with their academic interests. Studying cultural anthropology has trained me to scrutinize my involvement in the backend music industry. I’ve had the privilege of leveraging six years' worth of production experience to richly inform my research; conversely, my scholarly training has refined my artistry, fine-tuning a meticulous approach to production, distribution, and networking.
Campus organizations, programs, activities, clubs, awards/distinctions
Awards & distinctions:
- 2025 UNC Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program Finalist
- 2025 Barbara J. Burger iZone Make-it-Happen Grant Recipient
- 2024 Schwartz Discover Grant Recipient
- 2024 Arthur Satz Grant Recipient
- 2024 Dorothy D. Schimmel Memorial Writing Award Recipient
- 2024 Meliora Scholarship Recipient
- 2023 Undergraduate Writing Colloquium 1st Prize - Humanities Division
- Dean’s List (all semesters)
On-campus organizations:
- Agape Christian Fellowship (men’s upperclassmen Bible study leader)
- Rochester Producers & Musicians (co-founder, co-president)
- Rettner Media Lab digital media technician
Fun Fact: when I'm not doing research you can usually find me...
At the Rettner Media Lab, Rettner Video Studio, or Rettner Audio Studios (I love Rettner Hall)
Areas where I may be particularly helpful
- Humanistic social science research (fieldwork strategies, creative direction, grant/fellowship information)
- Grant/fellowship writing
- Scholarly writing and standard practices
What advice do you have for prospective or new researchers?
1) If you’re also into the arts, don’t be afraid to re-examine your passions from a scholarly lens, despite the lack of local spotlight on humanities research. You’d be surprised at how many research questions can unfold from your seemingly unscholarly interests!
2) Get tight with your home department - professors and peers alike. They're your home base from which you venture into academia. Especially for the humanities/humanistic social sciences, connections are (often) key.
Email me at: jjung24@u.rochester.edu