Colleen Kim
Historian | Interdisciplinary Investigator
“Historical investigation reveals the many ways history is embedded in our modern, everyday experiences—from the words we use, to the food we eat, to the issues that occupy our workdays and news feeds.”
Work at HAI
At HAI, Colleen is a historian and writer. She works with a wide range of clients to investigate stories and topics in detail and depth. Her curiosity and love of learning drive her to follow the twists and turns of a story, pulling the together a complete narrative from disparate means of inquiry. She draws on her diverse interests and educational experiences to tackle research questions from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Colleen approaches her research thoughtfully and resourcefully to target the specific needs of each client. She specializes in food history and 20th-century material culture, but loves to learn about a diverse range of topics. At HAI, her work includes in-depth historical research, image acquisition, and book writing.
Her clients include:
- National Museum of Military Vehicles
- Pearson Education
- Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society
- Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Additional subject-matter expertise includes:
- The modern food industry
- Historic churches
- Emerging contaminants and environmental history
- Military contracts
- Asbestos and asbestos abatement
- Oil and gasoline sites
Path to HAI
Prior to joining HAI in 2018, Colleen worked as a research assistant for a distinguished Georgetown University history professor. In this capacity, she performed academic research on the Americanization of Europe in the 20th century. She also worked as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany for two years, teaching English language and American culture in German secondary schools. As a teacher, she enjoyed explaining to her students how the American past informs the American present and the role the United States plays in global affairs.
In 2018, Colleen graduated from Georgetown University with an MA in German and European Studies. During her studies, she specialized in 20th-century Germany history, food history, and material culture. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 2014, where her love of language in all its forms led her to pursue a BA in English Literature and Speech-Language-Hearing Science.