Growing up along the Texas Gulf Coast initiated her interest in the space program (though she was born a year and a day late for the first Apollo Moon landing).

[1] After considering a move out to the Western United States, Hwang chose to return to the Texas Gulf Coast, where she would be closer to her sisters, brother, and new nephew.

[5] Initially, she worked as a scientist in the Sensors Group under Dr. Antony Jeevarajan, researching and developing oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH sensing techniques for monitoring the health of cell cultures that would be grown on the Space Shuttle or station.

[1][5] As of 2011, Hwang is working with the Integrated Science & Engineering (ISE) Group at Wyle's Houston office as Exercise Physiology and Countermeasures Project Manager.

[3][4] During the mission, Hwang took part in a telemedicine simulation in which two fellow crew members, directed remotely by a doctor in Houston, used an ultrasound machine to diagnose a supposed kidney stone.