Bio

Born in Korea and raised in East Africa, Melanie Hyo-In Han (she/her) moved from the U.S. to the U.K., where she recently completed Ph.D. in Creative Writing at the University of Surrey, funded by the Vice Chancellor’s Studentship Award. She is the author of Passing Notes in Secret (boats against the current, 2025), Abecedarian: Banff, Canada (kith books, 2025), My Dear Yeast (Milk & Cake Press, 2023), and Sandpaper Tongue, Parchment Lips (Finishing Line Press, 2021), as well as the translator of several collections of Spanish poetry (Hebel Ediciones).

As an award-winning poet, Han has received nominations for the Pushcart Prize and awards from “Boston in 100 Words,” The Lyric Magazine, The International Human Rights Art Movement, and elsewhere. She has been a judge for the Surrey 3 Minute Thesis Competition, 2025 and 2026 BMAF Creative Writing Awards, and the 2022 Sejong Writing Competition and has been awarded residencies/fellowships from The Society of Authors, Sundress Academy for the Arts, Gladstone’s Library, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Casa Uno, Then Try This, and Kees Eijrond Foundation.

She holds a B.A. in English, Spanish, and Linguistics, and an M.Ed. in Secondary English and Secondary Spanish from Gordon College, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing (Poetry and Translation) from Emerson College where she taught in the Writing Studies Program and served as an ELL Consultant.

As a Third Culture Kid (TCK), the inspiration behind her poetry comes from her own childhood experiences and an exploration of identity, belonging, and culture through the use of fragmented form and inclusion of multiple languages. She also writes nonfiction and does translation work between English, Spanish, and Korean.

Currently, Han is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Flora Fiction, the Two Languages Prize Editor at Gasher Press, and serves on the Board of Readers at Sundress Publications. During her free time, she enjoys visiting new countries and trying different ethnic foods with her partner.

If you want to say hi, feel free to send her an email at melanie.han@gordon.edu. To learn more about her professional experiences, you can take a look at her curriculum vitae.