Department Head, Professor
Biography
Dr. Junehee Kwon is a professor and the Department Head for Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). She joined the UTK in August 2022. Previously, Junehee was a professor and graduate program director in the Department of Hospitality Management at Kansas State University and an assistant/associate professor and the director of the didactic program in dietetics in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Texas Woman’s University. She was conferred Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Human Nutrition in 1991 from Seoul National University, Korea, and Master’s and PhD degrees in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management from Iowa State University in 1995 and 1999, respectively.
Before joining the academia, Junehee worked as an administrative dietitian (foodservice management) for an acute care hospital in Seoul, Korea, assistant manager at an Iowa State University residence hall, and night and weekend manager for the Iowa State Memorial Union. At Kansas State University, she taught various courses, including principles of food production management, cost controls in hospitality operations, financial management, advanced hospitality strategic management, and grantsmanship and publication.
Junehee researched various food and beverage management topics, including food safety, food allergy, sustainability, and consumer behaviors, and published over 50 articles in multiple journals. She is passionate about mentoring graduate students and faculty for research and grantsmanship. Junehee and her team have received federal and private grants totaling over $4.4 million. Her previously funded projects include developing food safety training for foodservice staff, volunteers at faith-based organizations, and consumers; developing a food allergy curriculum for hospitality management and dietetics programs; and evaluating school foodservice reimbursement procedures. Currently, she leads two federal grants developing sustainability education in hospitality and retail management programs and resources for local beef producers and their customers.