Directory » DAE SEOK CHAI
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Dr. Dae Seok Chai is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Development in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University.
Within his three research interests—expatriation effectiveness, international HRD, and workforce development in postsecondary STEM education, Dr. Chai has been a proactive and passionate researcher with multiple refereed journal articles and book chapters. As an expert in workforce development and program evaluation, he has also been engaged in interdisciplinary collaborations with STEM scholars around the world, and he has secured multiple funding sources, including the National Science Foundation.
The quality of his research was recognized by the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) through its Early Career Scholar Award and Cutting Edge Award multiple times. He also received the Outstanding Assistant Professor Award from the University Council of Workforce Human Resource Education. The impacts of his research, teaching, and service were recognized with the Outstanding Alumni Award of the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Chai has taught courses in Foundations in Organizational Change Leadership, Organizational Culture and Globalization, Principles of HRD, Training and Development, Organization Development, and Statistics I & II. He has been invited as a guest lecturer and keynote speaker by diverse academic and professional organizations around the world (e.g., Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the U.S.). His consulting work spans a variety of industries (e.g., Hyundai Automobile, Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor, Korea Educational Development Institute, Korea Polytech) where he has designed training programs focused on change management and cultural diversity.
Dr. Chai is also a committed leader within the professional community. His service includes a term on the Board of Directors for AHRD, roles as program chair, proceedings editor, and track chair. His dedication to advancing the field of HRD is further underscored by his upcoming role as associate editor of Human Resource Development International, one of the field’s four major journals, beginning in September 2024. Dr. Chai also served as a program chair and proceedings editor (2020-2023) and a track chair (2015-2020) for the AHRD international conference.
Dr. Chai received a B.S.Ed. in Business Education from the University of Georgia, a M.Ed. in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University. During his academic training, he also obtained several certificates of a) Advanced Research Methods, b) GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources), c) College Teaching, d) Adult Education, and e) Educator Certificate.
Within his three research interests—expatriation effectiveness, international HRD, and workforce development in postsecondary STEM education, Dr. Chai has been a proactive and passionate researcher with multiple refereed journal articles and book chapters. As an expert in workforce development and program evaluation, he has also been engaged in interdisciplinary collaborations with STEM scholars around the world, and he has secured multiple funding sources, including the National Science Foundation.
The quality of his research was recognized by the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) through its Early Career Scholar Award and Cutting Edge Award multiple times. He also received the Outstanding Assistant Professor Award from the University Council of Workforce Human Resource Education. The impacts of his research, teaching, and service were recognized with the Outstanding Alumni Award of the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University.
Dr. Chai has taught courses in Foundations in Organizational Change Leadership, Organizational Culture and Globalization, Principles of HRD, Training and Development, Organization Development, and Statistics I & II. He has been invited as a guest lecturer and keynote speaker by diverse academic and professional organizations around the world (e.g., Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the U.S.). His consulting work spans a variety of industries (e.g., Hyundai Automobile, Korean Ministry of Employment and Labor, Korea Educational Development Institute, Korea Polytech) where he has designed training programs focused on change management and cultural diversity.
Dr. Chai is also a committed leader within the professional community. His service includes a term on the Board of Directors for AHRD, roles as program chair, proceedings editor, and track chair. His dedication to advancing the field of HRD is further underscored by his upcoming role as associate editor of Human Resource Development International, one of the field’s four major journals, beginning in September 2024. Dr. Chai also served as a program chair and proceedings editor (2020-2023) and a track chair (2015-2020) for the AHRD international conference.
Dr. Chai received a B.S.Ed. in Business Education from the University of Georgia, a M.Ed. in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from Texas A&M University. During his academic training, he also obtained several certificates of a) Advanced Research Methods, b) GPHR (Global Professional in Human Resources), c) College Teaching, d) Adult Education, and e) Educator Certificate.
Education
Ph.D., Human Resource Development, Texas A&M University (2016)
M.Ed., Human Resource Development, University of Minnesota (2008)
B.S., Business Education, University of Georgia (2006)
UNDERGRADAUTE RESEARCH
Student Name: Diana L Pérez Paredes
Community Engaged Learning project
Funding sources: AFS Student Impact Grant; Kay and Jerry Cox Undergraduate Research Scholars Program
Period: 2025-2026
Student Name: Yebin Cha
Community Engaged Learning project
Funding sources: AFS Student Impact Grant; Kay and Jerry Cox Undergraduate Research Scholars Program
Period: 2024-2025
COURSES TAUGHT
EHRD612. Training and Development in Human Resource Development
Overview of the process of planning, implementing and evaluating training and development in a variety of settings; includes conceptual tools needed to develop and design training
EHRD690. Theory of EHRD Research: STAT I
This course is designed to help graduate students learn the fundamentals of quantitative research design and data analyses in behavioral sciences. Students will learn about basic and intermediate statistical theories behind the technique, issues in research designs and analyses, and computational tools for the various analyses.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Highlighed Publications
Chai, D. S. (2025). Highly educated, new foreign workers’ acculturation stress and coping mechanism in a large Korean company. Human Resource Development Quarterly. Advance online publication. http://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21564
Chai, D. S., Kim, H. S., Kim, K., Ha, Y., Shin, S., & Yoon, S. W. (2025). Generative artificial intelligence in instructional system design. Human Resource Development Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843251320256
Park, S., Chai, D. S., Park, J. & Oh, J. (2024). Exploring opportunities for artificial intelligence in organization development. Human Resource Development Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843241273231
Journal Articles
Chai, D. S. (2025). Advancing the mission of HRDI—Reflections, progress, and possibilities. Human Resource Development International, 28(3), https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2025.2503105
Chai, D. S., & Park, S. (2025). Personal resources and career decision self-efficacy for postsecondary international students: The moderating role of cultural adjustment. Career Development Quarterly. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12381
Lee, S., Han, S., Park, S., & Chai, D. S. (2025). Authentic leadership and organizational sustainability: The moderated mediation of knowledge sharing and proactive personality. European Journal of Training Development. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-12-2024-0175
Nachmias, S., Chai, D. S., Manongsong, A. M., & Mustafa, M. (2025). Shaping tomorrow: Human Resource Development International at the forefront of change. Human Resource Development International, 28(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2024.2445965
Cao, V. T. H., Chai, D. S., Nguyen, L. P., Nguyen, H. T. H., Han, S., & Park, S. (2024). Learning organization on employee performance: The mediating role of job satisfaction in the Vietnamese context. The Learning Organization. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/TLO-09-2023-0177
Han, S., & Chai, D. S. (2024). Implementing social capital to optimize informal learning in postsecondary STEM education. New Directions in Adult and Continuing Education, 181, 63-73. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20522
Chai, D. S., & Park, S. (2022). The Increased use of virtual teams during the Covid-19 pandemic: Implications for psychological well-being. Human Resource Development International, 25(2), 199-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2022.2047250
Hamlin, R. G., Kang, H., Chai, D. S., & Kim, S. (2022). Deducing an emergent South Korean behavioural taxonomy of perceived managerial and leadership effectiveness. European Journal of Training and Development, 46(1/2), 41-69. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-04-2020-0069
Kim, S., Chai, D. S., Kim, J., Kim, S., & Song, Y. (2022). Between work conditions and job outcomes: Testing a nomological network of life satisfaction. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 17, 1407-1431. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-021-09971-1
Chai, D. S., Chae, C., & Lee, J. (2021). International students’ psychological capital in Japan: Moderated mediation of adjustment and engagement. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 59(1), 101-115. https://doi.org/10.1080/19496591.2021.1943417
Park, S., Jeong, S. H., & Chai, D. S. (2021). Remote e-workers’ well-being and career development in the era of COVID-19: Challenges, success factors, and the roles of HRD professional. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 23(3), 222-236. https://doi.org/10.1177/15234223211017849
Shuck, B., Kim, W., & Chai, D. S. (2021). The chicken and egg conundrum: Satisfaction or employee engagement and implications for HRD. New Horizon of Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 33(1), 4-24. https://doi.org/10.1002/nha3.20302
Yoon, S. W., Han, H., Han, S., & Chai, D. S. (2021). The power of ethics and standards when the scholarly system fails. Human Resource Development Review, 20(2), 136-142. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843211006795
Book Chapters
Chai, D. S., & Park, S. (2024). Cross-culture and HRD. In R. Tonette, M. L. Morris, R. Poell, & B. Shuck (Eds.), The 2024 Handbook of Human Resource Development.
Chai, D. S. (2022). Globalization impacting human resource development. In R. A. Swanson (Ed.), Foundation of human resource development (3rd ed., pp. 451-465). Berrett Koehler.
RESEARCH PROJECTS
NSF IUSE
Collaborative Research: Empowering STEM Education by Creating Benchmarking Models for GenAI Learning Assistants: 2025-2028, $225,043 (PI: N. Kim, Co-PI: D. S. Chai, K. Choi, N. Duffield, Y. Pi)
NSF IRES
IRES: US-Korea Mutual Advanced Studies Institutes and Beyond: Fusion of Generative AI and Mixed Mobility: 2025-2027, $450,000 (PI: K. Choi, Co-PI: D. S. Chai, Y. Chang)
NSF: RESCU-SM
Research Experience for Students: Cohort with Undergraduates through Structured Mentoring (RESCU-SM): 2024-2025, $249,300 (PI: C. B. Lee, Co-PI: D. S. Chai, C. Han)
EAHR Seed Grant
Student Consulting for Outreach, Partnership, and Engagement (SCOPE): 2025-2026, $9.979 (PI: D. S. Chai)
Faculty Aspiring Leadership Program: My Grad Journey Evaluation
Win-win-win Effects: Community Advancement through Reciprocal Education (WECARE)
$15,000 (CEHD, PI: D. S. Chai)
We aim to redesign an undergraduate course, EHRD374 (Organization Development, OD), in the HRD program to develop a community-engaged learning (CEL) course. The objectives are as follows:
1) To understand the needs of instructors, students, and community partners
2) To design an innovative CEL course
3) To implement the course collaboratively with community partners
4) To enhance the design and learning outcomes
This project aims to offer mutual benefits for students, the HRD program, and community partners, which is a win-win-win situation with broad impact. In the proposed project-based learning (PBL) CEL course, students can apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems and practice designing and implementing real-world organization development (OD) interventions for community partners. For the HRD program, the proposed course can be a pilot course for future PBL and CEL courses that include high-impact teaching strategies. Community partners will gain access to new and diverse perspectives and innovative ideas from students, which could lead to effective solutions for their organizational challenges.
We aim to redesign an undergraduate course, EHRD374 (Organization Development, OD), in the HRD program to develop a community-engaged learning (CEL) course. The objectives are as follows:
1) To understand the needs of instructors, students, and community partners
2) To design an innovative CEL course
3) To implement the course collaboratively with community partners
4) To enhance the design and learning outcomes
This project aims to offer mutual benefits for students, the HRD program, and community partners, which is a win-win-win situation with broad impact. In the proposed project-based learning (PBL) CEL course, students can apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems and practice designing and implementing real-world organization development (OD) interventions for community partners. For the HRD program, the proposed course can be a pilot course for future PBL and CEL courses that include high-impact teaching strategies. Community partners will gain access to new and diverse perspectives and innovative ideas from students, which could lead to effective solutions for their organizational challenges.
Generative AI and Teaching/Learning
AWARDS
Cutting Edge Award, Academy of Human Resource Development (2025)
Outstanding Alumni Award, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M University (2024)
Best Paper Award, Asian Academy of Human Resource Development Conference (2024)
Cutting Edge Award, Academy of Human Resource Development (2023)
Early Career Scholar Award, Academy of Human Resource Development (2022)
Outstanding Assistant Professor Award, University Council of Workforce Human Resource Education (2022)
Cutting Edge Award, Academy of Human Resource Development (2019)
EDITORSHIPS
Associate Editor, Human Resource Development International (2024-2027)
LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Fellow, Faculty Aspiring Leadership Program, Faculty Affairs, Texas A&M University (2025-2026)
Faculty Fellow, Center for Teaching Excellence, Texas A&M University (2023-2025)
Board of Directors, Academy of Human Resource Development (2023-2026)
Chair, International HRD SIG, Academy of Human Resource Development (2023~)