Find Academic Supervisors

Dr. Doris Chang is a Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University’s Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in East Asian History from The Ohio State University and specializes in Taiwan’s political and social dynamics. Her research bridges global and local perspectives, focusing on human rights, gender policies, and women’s leadership in the Asia-Pacific. She has authored a book, Women’s Movements in Twentieth-Century Taiwan , and contributes to international conferences and publications. Dr. Chang’s work examines Taiwan’s legal, social, and cultural transformations, including LGBTQ+ rights, UN gender policies, and comparative democratic governance. Her research spans historical analyses (e.g., women’s status shifts since 1920) to contemporary issues (e.g., same-sex marriage legalization). She also explores leadership figures like Chen Chu and contrasts historical national identity narratives through figures like Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Hsiu-lien Lu. Her publications reflect interdisciplinary approaches, combining political science, gender studies, and historical analysis. Grants and service roles (not detailed here) further her academic contributions. No specific awards or lab affiliations are noted in available materials.

• Taiwan in comparative global perspectives
• Human Rights
• Workers’ Rights
• +6 more

Linghui Han is an Assistant Professor of Economics and Business at Westmont College, holding PhDs from George Mason University and Peking University. Her research focuses on the political economy of development, economic history, and the Chinese economy, with particular emphasis on institutions, culture/religion, and demography. Previously, she served for 12 years in the Ministry of Finance of China and held an associate research position at Tsinghua University’s National Institute for Fiscal Studies. She also held a part-time economist role at the IMF Beijing Office. Dr. Han’s work explores the origins of the rule of law in industrial organization and examines how social norms—including cultural and religious factors—shape institutions across societal levels (states, firms, families). Her future research will link geography, culture/religion, family institutions, formal institutions, and demographic patterns to explain development trajectories. She maintains active collaborations in the field of political economy and development studies. Her academic contributions span fiscal policy analysis, institutional reform, and historical economic frameworks. Her research has addressed topics ranging from China’s fiscal decentralization challenges to the impact of aging populations on developed economies. She currently resides at Westmont College’s Department of Economics and Business, engaging in both teaching and research activities.

• Political Economy of Development
• Economic History
• Chinese Economy
• +5 more

Samah Selim is Professor of Arabic Language and Literature in the Department of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures (AMESALL) at Rutgers University's School of Arts and Sciences, specializing in modern Arabic literary traditions and translation politics across colonial and postcolonial contexts. Education: B.A. in English Literature, Barnard College (1986) Ph.D. in Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures, Columbia University (1997) Her research interrogates narrative genres in Egyptian and Levantine literature through frameworks of comparative fiction theory and translation politics, with particular focus on novelistic forms and their sociopolitical implications. Current projects include a literary biography of Lebanese novelist Niqula al-Haddad and translation of Ghalib Halasa's Sultana , extending her longstanding investigation into Arabic literary modernity. Professor Selim's publications reveal consistent engagement with translation as cultural mediation, examining how colonial power dynamics shaped Arabic literary production through works like Popular Fiction, Translation and the Nahda in Egypt (2019) which analyzes early 20th-century novel translations. Scientific Awards: Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation (2009) University of Arkansas Translation of Arabic Literature Award (2012) National Endowment for the Arts Translation Grant (2018) She has held teaching appointments at Columbia University, Princeton University, University of Aix-en-Provence, and American University in Cairo while directing translation-focused research initiatives including the Berlin-based program Europe in the Middle East; the Middle East in Europe . Her NEA grant specifically supports ongoing literary translation work central to her scholarly practice.

• Modern Arabic Literature
• Translation Studies
• Narrative Theory
• +3 more

Jiyul Kim is a Visiting Instructor in the Department of History at Oberlin College, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences. He has taught at Oberlin since 2012 and previously served in the U.S. Army for nearly 30 years (1981–2009), including roles in Germany, Korea, and Japan. His final Army position was as Professor of National Security and Director of Asian Studies at the U.S. Army War College, where he developed curricula integrating history and culture. Kim holds a BA in anthropology and biology from the University of Pennsylvania (1981), an MA in Asian studies from Harvard University (1991), and ABD status in history and East Asian languages from Harvard (2004). His research focuses on East Asian history, the Cold War, U.S. foreign policy, and the role of war in human civilization. He emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, blending military strategy, cultural analysis, and historical case studies. His courses include HIST 393 (history and U.S. national security policy), HIST 392 (theory and history of war), and HIST 343 (war’s impact on the American nation). He collaborates with Sheila Miyoshi Jager on a forthcoming Cambridge University Press book, The Korean War: A New History , and has published extensively on topics like North Korea’s role in the Vietnam War and strategic cultures in the Asia-Pacific. Kim’s work bridges academic research and real-world military experience, with notable publications in journals like the Wilson Quarterly and contributions to international academic seminars. His teaching integrates historical analysis with contemporary policy debates, reflecting his dual background in academia and the military.

• East Asian History
• Cold War Studies
• Military History
• +3 more

Andrew Macomber is an Assistant Professor of East Asian Religions at Oberlin College, affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of East Asian Studies and Religion. His research focuses on intersections of Buddhism, medicine, and the body in premodern Japan. He holds a PhD from Columbia University (2019) and has conducted extensive archival research in Japan, supported by grants from the Japan Foundation and Takeda Science Foundation. Education: PhD, Columbia University (2019); MPhil (2014), MA (2013), BA (2010) His research explores Buddhist responses to disease and ritual healing in medieval Japan, including his monograph Cadaverous: Treating Corpse-Disease and the Demonic Patient in Medieval Japanese Buddhism . He co-edited Buddhist Healing in Medieval China and Japan (2020) and has published in leading journals like the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies . Recent work includes analysis of corpse-vector diseases, aromatic substances in religious practice, and moxibustion rituals. Publications span 2019–2025, emphasizing medieval Japanese medical and religious practices. His 2025 grant supports a book on postmortem contagion and ritual immunity. He presents widely, including at conferences like the 2024 Zombie Apocalypse Medicine Meeting and international venues like the University of Venice. Awards: Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Subvention Grant (2025) Teaching includes courses on Japanese religion, Buddhist healing, and East Asian religious rituals. He has been affiliated with Nagoya University’s Research Center for Cultural Heritage and Texts and contributed to projects at Kyōu Shooku library in Osaka.

• Buddhist Rituals
• Premodern Japanese Medicine
• Religious Studies in East Asia
• +3 more

Peipei Qiu is a Professor and Chair of Chinese and Japanese at Vassar College, holding the Louise Boyd Dale and Alfred Lichtenstein Chair. She has been affiliated with Vassar since 1994. Her academic journey includes a BA and MA from Peking University (北京大学), and M.Phil and PhD from Columbia University. Research interests span Japanese and Chinese literature, Daoist philosophy, and women’s studies in East Asian contexts. She is renowned for her groundbreaking work on Chinese “comfort women,” particularly her co-authored book Chinese Comfort Women: Testimonies from Imperial Japan’s Sex Slaves . Key articles include analyses of Japanese poetry’s Daoist influences and studies on survivor testimonies of wartime atrocities. Her work bridges literary studies with historical memory, emphasizing transnational perspectives on gender and trauma. Professor Qiu has collaborated with scholars like Su Zhiliang and Chen Lifei, and her research has been featured in media such as Wall Street Journal and BBC. She advocates for historical accountability and the preservation of marginalized voices.

• Japanese Literature
• Comparative Literature (Japanese/Chinese)
• Daoist Philosophy
• +4 more

Elizabeth Ann Oyler is an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests focus on Japan, encompassing areas such as cultural studies and East Asian history. She currently holds no listed awards or grants, and her academic contributions are not detailed in the provided information.

• Japan Studies
• Cultural Studies
• East Asian History

Norma M. Field is the Robert S. Ingersoll Distinguished Service Professor in Japanese Studies at the University of Chicago, affiliated with the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations. Her work focuses on Japanese literature, cultural studies, and modern Japanese history, contributing to interdisciplinary scholarship in the humanities. Though no specific educational background is detailed here, her role as a distinguished professor underscores her expertise in Japanese Studies. Research interests likely align with her academic specialization, emphasizing language, culture, and historical contexts. No articles or awards are listed in the provided text, but her position suggests significant contributions to her field. Her academic profile includes no documented student advisees or grants in this context.

• Japanese Studies
• East Asian Literature
• Cultural Studies
• +2 more

Andrew Schonebaum is an Associate Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at the University of Maryland, College Park. His research focuses on vernacular entertainments, medical texts, and popular knowledge in early modern China, with an emphasis on the intersections between literature, science, and daily life. He holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and a B.A. from Brown University. His major works include Novel Medicine: Healing, Literature and Popular Knowledge in Early Modern China and edited volumes like Approaches to Teaching The Story of the Stone and Approaches to Teaching The Plum in the Golden Vase . He is currently completing Observing the Unseen: Curiosity and Common Knowledge in Late Imperial China , exploring how early modern Chinese literate and semi-literate communities understood their natural world through epistemic and entertainment texts. His research spans medical humanities, translation studies, and material culture, with a particular interest in how fictional narratives conveyed practical knowledge. He has pioneered open-source pedagogical tools, such as Introduction to Classical Chinese , and collaborates across disciplines to advance understanding of Chinese literary and cultural history. His recent scholarship examines the global reception of classical Chinese novels, the role of curiosity in pre-modern knowledge systems, and the materiality of literary production. His work bridges literary analysis with interdisciplinary approaches, offering fresh insights into early modern China’s intellectual and social landscapes.

• Chinese Literature
• Medical History
• East Asian Studies
• +5 more

Brian Bernards is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California’s College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, with dual appointments in East Asian Languages and Cultures and Comparative Literature. His research redefines inter-Asian cultural dynamics through literary and cinematic analysis. PhD in Asian Languages & Cultures (UCLA, 2011) Specializes in Southeast Asian media and Sinophone/postcolonial studies Research focuses on translingual exchanges between East and Southeast Asia, challenging East-West paradigms through analysis of migration narratives, cultural hybridity, and postcolonial resistance in literature and film. Key geographic interests include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan. Notable publications examine Sinophone cinema across borders, flash fiction in Singapore, and anti-colonial literary strategies in Burma and Thailand. His work reveals patterns in inter-Asian cultural dialogue and marginalized identity formation. Awarded prestigious fellowships including: Asian Cultural Council Individual Fellowship ($28,480) SSRC InterAsia Junior Scholarship ($30,000) Mellon Foundation Sawyer Seminar funding ($175,000) Recipient of USC’s top teaching honors, including the Dornsife General Education Teaching Award.

• Southeast Asian literature and cinema
• Sinophone studies
• postcolonial studies
• +5 more

David Bialock is an Associate Professor in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on premodern Japanese literature, classical poetry, ecocriticism, and the intersection of music with medieval Japanese literature and ritual. He holds a B.A. in Classical Greek and French from the University of Michigan (no specific year stated), an M.A. and Ph.D. in East Asian Languages and Cultures from Columbia University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University (1996–1997). His research explores themes such as the Tale of the Heike , medieval Japanese mythology, and environmental humanities, often situating Japanese literature within broader interdisciplinary frameworks. He has published extensively on topics including biwa music’s role in narrative, literary reception history, and ecological criticism. Awards: Japan Foundation Fellowship (2003–2004), Andrew Mellon Post-doctoral Fellowship (1996–1997), and a Fulbright-Hays Grant (1992–1993). Bialock has led the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures at USC (2011–2014) and contributed to major projects like the Cambridge History of Japanese Literature . His work bridges literary analysis with cultural, environmental, and religious dimensions of medieval Japan.

• Premodern Japanese Literature
• Classical Japanese Poetry
• Ecocriticism
• +3 more

Dr. Scott Levi is Professor and Chair of the History Department at Ohio State University. A specialist in early modern Central Asian social and economic history, his work bridges Islamic, Russian, and global comparative studies. He authored several books, including 'The Bukharan Crisis' (2020) and 'Caravans: Indian Merchants on the Silk Road' (Penguin, 2015). His research examines commerce, diaspora networks, and empire dynamics across Asia. He edited the 'Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian Commercial History' and co-authored 'Islamic Central Asia: An Anthology of Sources'. Recognized for teaching excellence, he received the OSU Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2011.

• Social and Economic History
• Islamic History
• Russian and East European History
• +3 more

Roles & Affiliations: Tenured Associate Professor at Thunderbird School of Global Management (ASU), former Senior Associate Dean (2022–23) and Associate Dean (2021–22). President of the International Public Management Network (IPMN, 2023). Serves on boards of Refugees International, Partners for Development, and others. TED Fellow, Fulbright Specialist, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. Education: Ph.D., M.A., and M.S. in Political Science and Agricultural Economics from UC Berkeley; M.P.A. in Economics/Public Policy from Princeton University; B.A. in Economics/Political Science from UC Berkeley. Research Focus: Foreign aid dependency, post-conflict development, governance in Cambodia, and China's global resource strategies. Explores how aid undermines democratic institutions and distorts economic incentives in developing nations. Author of seminal works like Aid Dependence in Cambodia and Viral Sovereignty . Awards & Recognition: TED Fellow (2012), Fulbright Specialist, Young Global Leader (2012), and multiple board certifications in governance (NACD). Public Work: Documentaries include The End/Beginning: Cambodia (2011). Advised Cambodia’s first private equity fund and held UNDP roles in East Timor. Active in policy advocacy through think tanks and NGOs. Key Projects: Investigates Khmer Rouge era impacts, critiques donor-driven governance failures, and promotes nationally owned development strategies. Advocates for tax systems to reduce aid dependency.

• Asian Studies
• Comparative Politics
• Global Political Economy
• +8 more

Dr. Mark DeStephano serves as Chair & Professor of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures and Director of the Asian Studies Program at Saint Peter’s University. He holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University and has been a faculty member since 1995. His interdisciplinary research bridges Medieval European literature, Hispanic-American studies, and East Asian cultural history. Education: B.A. in Philosophy and Spanish, Fordham University Four theology degrees from Regis College (University of Toronto) M.A. and Ph.D. in Romance Languages & Literatures, Harvard University His research explores intersections between literature, identity, and power across cultures. Notable areas include Chinese national memory, Spanish Golden Age narratives, and the role of race/gender in Asian and Latino communities. He has authored four books and presented at major conferences like the United Nations High Commission and Northeast Popular Culture Association. Awards: George F. Johnson Teaching Excellence Award (2008) National Scholar Recognition from China’s Government Dr. DeStephano advises the Japanese Anime Manga Club and has pioneered academic programs like the Asian Studies and Latin American & Latino Studies initiatives at Saint Peter’s. His teaching spans Spanish, French, and Greek language courses, with a focus on culturally immersive pedagogy.

• Medieval European Literature
• Spanish Golden-Age Literature
• Hispanic-American Literature and Politics
• +3 more

Patrick Thomsen is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the University of Auckland's School of Māori Studies and Pacific Studies. He holds a PhD from the University of Washington, an MA from Seoul National University, and a BA from the University of Auckland. His research focuses on social norms, intersectional minorities, and decolonization, particularly LGBTQ+ rights in the Pacific and Korea. Key achievements include being the first Samoan to earn Seoul National University's Salutatorian honor and the first Samoan/New Zealander in the Jackson School's PhD program. He has received multiple prestigious fellowships, including the Lisa Brown Fellow and Sochon Fellowship. Notable publications address Pacific LGBTQ+ advocacy, educational inequity, and Korean historical narratives. His work critiques Western-centric human rights frameworks and colonial legacies. Currently advising on decolonial research and teaching courses on Pacific identities.

• Gender and Sexuality Studies
• Pacific Island Studies
• Human Rights
• +3 more