معرفی
Kristin Vekasi serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science and School of Policy & International Affairs at the University of Maine, where she also directs the International Affairs Program. Her academic home is within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Maine.
Professor Vekasi's research focuses on international political economy, with particular expertise in Northeast Asia. Her work examines the dynamics of political conflict, foreign direct investment, nationalism, and the geopolitics of supply chains. She has conducted extensive field research in China, Japan, and South Korea over many years.
Her notable publication Risk Management Strategies of Japanese Companies in China (Routledge, 2019) explores how Japanese multinational corporations navigate political risks in China. Her current research investigates how Japan, China, and the United States compete and cooperate in managing complex supply chains and infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia, with recent focus on raw materials essential for green energy transitions.
Scientific Recognition:
- 2019 National Asia Research Program Fellow (National Bureau of Asian Research)
- Member of Mansfield Foundation's US-Japan Network for the Future
- Academic Associate at Harvard University US-Japan Program (2021-2022)
- Visiting Research Fellow at University of Tokyo
- Fulbright Fellow at Tohoku University
Professor Vekasi received her PhD and MA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2014. Prior to joining the University of Maine, she taught at New College of Florida. She maintains active engagement with Asian academic institutions and policy networks, contributing to US-Japan-China scholarly dialogue. Her unique background growing up in national parks (including Glacier National Park in Montana and Acadia National Park in Maine) informs her perspective on international environmental and resource politics.
