Ronald C. Po

Dr Ronald C. Po is an Associate Professor in the Department of International History at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he also serves as Programme Director for the LSE-PKU Double Degree MSc International Affairs. His research specializes in maritime history, Qing China, and global interactions, with ongoing projects like 'The North China Sea: A History'. Educated at Universität Heidelberg (D.Phil.) and Hong Kong Baptist University (M.Phil., BA), he previously held positions at McGill University, University of Chicago, and Kyoto University.

His research examines coastal governance, port cities, cartography, and commodity exchanges in early modern Asia. Current interests include maritime religiosity, fisheries diplomacy, and the cultural history of shark fins, supported by grants like the LSE Research and Impact Support Fund (£20,000). Publications span peer-reviewed journals (Modern Asian Studies, English Historical Review) and award-winning books such as The Blue Frontier (Cambridge UP, 2018) and Shaping the Blue Dragon (Liverpool UP, 2024).

Recent articles explore cartographic artifacts, Qing offshore territories, and maritime spirituality, reflecting a consistent focus on China's negotiated relationship with oceanic spaces from the 16th to 20th centuries. Key themes include imperial adaptation, trans-regional networks, and the interplay of power/knowledge in maritime frontiers.

Awards and fellowships:

• Fellow, Royal Historical Society (2019)
• Research Fellow, International Institute for Asian Studies (2021)
• APC-CCK Visiting Scholar, CUHK (2022)
• ICAS Book Prize accolades (2019, 2023)

He supervises PhD students researching commodity environmental history (Ziquan Zhou) and colonial migration (Zhen Hao Liew). Grant support includes Daiwa Foundation funding for maritime religiosity projects and STICERD awards for monograph development. He directs conferences like 'Taiwan Studies in Transition' (2024) and collaborates with institutions globally, including Leiden University and Hong Kong PolyU.