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Evan Finley, Duke Director
Class of 2023, Duke University International Comparative Studies & Chinese Major Evan Finley is a junior Robertson Scholar at Duke. His political interests range from the intricacies of US-China business relations to the conflict over Taiwan. At Duke, Evan is an International Comparative Studies and Mandarin double major, concentrating on how the interplay of Chinese and Western economic systems contextualizes the global order. Evan has spent time in China working, teaching, and learning. These experiences instilled in Evan a sense of globalism and a desire to further connect our two worlds. |
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Daqi (Jen) Chen, UNC Director
Class of 2023, UNC-Chapel Hill Statistics & Computer Science Major Originally from Shanghai, China, Jen is a current junior at UNC majoring in Statistics and Computer Science. Fascinated by foreign policy and international affairs, Jen has taken courses beyond her major to explore these fields, focusing on U.S. foreign conflicts, political structures comparisons, and global healthcare management. She hopes to further develop her global perspective as she began an internship at the United Nations, working on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a Statistician. During her free time, Jen enjoys making origami models, doing yoga, and making coffee. |
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Alice Chen, Duke Deputy Director
Class of 2023, Duke University Public Policy Major Alice is a junior majoring in Public Policy. She was born and raised in Nanjing, China and moved to the US when she was 14. Through her experiences living with different host families, she grew increasingly interested in cross-cultural exchange and communication. She is interested in US-China relations in general, and specifically she is interested in social justice issues. |
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Carlos Hua, Duke Deputy Director
Class of 2023, Duke University Political Science Major; Economics Minor Carlos Hua is a junior at Duke University, with a major in political science and a minor in economics. He is an enthusiast in international politics, U.S.-China relations, Chinese political institutions, and immigration studies. He wishes to explore the idea of citizenship and national consciousness. He is also passionate about music and theater, currently involved in the Duke Chinese Theater. He attended CLS in 2020 and served as the Duke Logistics Chair in 2021’s virtual summit. He is more than excited to serve as the Duke Deputy Director this year and looking forward to work with this amazing team. |
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Peng Xu, UNC Deputy Director
Class of 2022, UNC-Chapel Hill Computer Science & Neuroscience Major; Astronomy Minor Having spent his first 20 years witnessing the fast development of China, Peng is dedicated to bringing a real and vivid picture of current Chinese society. He is eager to uncover the emerging voices of China's Generation Z, especially focusing on topics such as feminism/LGBTQ+ identities/ACG/pop-culture. During his free time, Peng enjoys playing jiu-jitsu, swimming, dancing and trying good food. |
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Daniel Tan, Logistics Chair
Class of 2023, Duke University Public Policy & Computer Science Major Daniel is a junior year student at Duke. He is studying Public Policy and Computer Science. Born in Chengdu and raised in Beijing, China, he is passionate about both Chinese culture and American society. Because of this reason, Daniel is a part of Duke East Asian Nexus and KSAC on campus. Since high school, he has participated in various activities and conferences on US-China relations. |
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Spencer Reeves, Fundraising Chair
Class of 2022, Duke Kunshan University At age 18, Spencer moved to China to pursue his studies as a member of the inaugural undergraduate class at Duke Kunshan University. Now in his fourth year there, his interests in China’s changing political role in the world and efficient transportation have developed alongside his Mandarin skills. Spencer has spent the past year studying at Duke University, where he is a cyber policy research assistant in the Sanford School of Public Policy. In his free time, Spencer enjoys hiking, biking, and exploring new places. |
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Gexing (Aaron) Li, Fundraising Chair
Class of 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill Business & Mathematics Major Aaron is a sophomore student at UNC majoring in Business and Mathematics. Born in China and raised in Canada and New Zealand, Aaron’s multi-cultural experiences have inspired him to explore more about the dynamic relationships across different countries. Specifically, Aaron is interested in US-China ties in the business field, placing a strong focus on key topics such as the trade war. |
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Leslie Li, Publicity Chair
Class of 2023, Duke University Political Science & History Major Grew up in Nanjing, China, Leslie is interested in the role of law in the protection of minority rights and educational equity across countries. She enjoys exploring how US-China relations evolved by engaging with different local communities. Last summer, she conducted field study for an oral history project in the village of Guangxi, China. She also worked for the Jesuit Refugee Service in South Africa to explain health and education policies to new migrants. She is a real foodie and a guitar beginner. |
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Aimee Yan, Publicity Chair
Class of 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill Public Policy Major Aimee is a sophomore at UNC studying the intersections of Public Policy and Social and Economic Justice. As a first-generation Chinese American, Aimee developed a passion for studying foreign policy, cultural imperialism, and Sino-American relations. Specifically, Aimee is interested in exploring China’s rise as a global power and the protection of human rights and democracy internationally. In her free time, you can find Aimee reading, trying new foods, and traveling. |
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Shuning Xin, Graphic Designer
Class of 2022, UNC-Chapel Hill Advertising & Public Relations Major Shuning is a senior at UNC majoring in Advertising and Public Relations. Having spent time studying in different countries(US, China, France), she realized the importance of understanding and embracing the difference and would like to resolve the asymmetry of information between the US and China. During her free time, she likes to take photographs and edit videos. |
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Violet Evans, Treasurer
Class of 2023, UNC-Chapel Hill Biostatistics Major Violet is a junior at UNC majoring in Biostatistics with a double minor in Mathematics and Chinese. She is interested in applying quantitative methods to issues at the cross section of public health, demographics, and culture. Violet is specifically interested in learning more about China’s growing influence and emerging economic growth, and wants to explore a global perspective within the clinical data science field. In her free time, she might be found running, trying new foods with friends, or petting a cat. |
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Alicia Gong, Logistics Member
Class of 2024, Duke University Political Science Major Alicia is currently a sophomore student at Duke. She was born and raised in Chengdu, China, and moved to the US to attend high school in Minnesota when she was 14. She is interested in U.S.-China cultural exchange, immigration and gender studies. Other than CLS, Alicia interned for a Lebanon-based refugee rights NGO in the past summer and is now involving in Kenan Institute for Ethic’s SuWA project helping resettled refugee women. In her free time, Alicia enjoys visiting art museums and reading comics the most. |
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Susan Lin, Logistics Member
Class of 2024, Duke Kunshan University Political Economy Major A born and raised New Yorker, Susan is currently a sophomore at Duke Kunshan University studying Political Economy with a concentration in economics. She discovered her passion for international affairs and foreign policy during her gap year abroad in Ecuador and has carried it into her university experiences with a specific interest in the history, politics, and economics of China-World engagement. This past half year, she has spent time researching the complex interactions between Central European refugees that fled to China during WWII and the broader Shanghai community there. During her free time, Susan enjoys writing, playing volleyball or practicing muay thai, and spending time with friends. |
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Samantha Tsang, Logistics Member
Class of 2022, Duke Kunshan University Global China Studies Major Samantha Tsang is a senior majoring in Global China Studies with a concentration in Political Science. As a Chinese American, Samantha has always held an interest in China. This interest deepened when she took a family trip to China for the first time in her early teens and felt strongly that her engagement with the country was just beginning. During her time at Duke Kunshan, Samantha came to understand firsthand that intercultural communication is vital to promoting understanding and cooperation within US-China relations. In the summer after her freshman year, Samantha furthered her Chinese language and cultural studies in Taipei and Taoyuan, Taiwan. Samantha is interested in how US-China relations have impacted pandemic response efforts and Asian-American affairs and enjoys traveling and trying new recipes in her free time. |
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Justin Zhang, Logistics Member
Class of 2023, Duke University Political Science & Philosophy Major Justin is a junior at Duke University majoring in political science and philosophy. He grew up in Shenzhen, a burgeoning city that was just an unremarkable fishing village four decades ago. He is interested in Chinese politics, particularly in how the state manages to gauge preferences of its citizens under an authoritarian framework. He is also interested in US-China relations, which will be if not already the most significant bilateral relations in the world. Outside of his academic interests, Justin enjoys fishing and watching documentaries. |
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Hyo In Park, Logistics Member
Class of 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill Business Administration & Statistics Major Having lived in China and the US, Hyo In has experienced both countries from the unique standpoint of a foreign national. In the contemporary world where globalized interconnectedness between nations is a normality, Hyo In remains attentive to the political atmosphere that Sino-US relations will set for the decades to come. After serving in the Republic of Korea army as a sergeant, Hyo In has further developed an interest in efforts to disarm Thucydides' trap, peacefully and diplomatically. |
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Brooke Chow, Logistics Member
Class of 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill Brooke is a sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill interested in computer science, economics, and public policy. She is looking to create social and economic impact in the community and is involved in impact consulting and educational equity advocacy. Through CLS, she is examining the technological policy relations between the US and China. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and rock climbing. |
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Haiyi Liu, Fundraising Member
Class of 2023, Duke Kunshan University Behave Psychology Major Haiyi is a junior at Duke Kunshan University, with a major in Behavior Science Psychology track. Born in China, Qingdao, Haiyi has experienced the great achievements in China over the past 20 years. She is interested in US-China relations, especially the interactions of governments and trade. During her free time, she enjoys playing violin, the draughts and watching comedies. |
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Stella Wang, Fundraising Member
Class of 2022, Duke Kunshan University Political Economy Major Born in Taiwan and raised in Southern China, Stella grew up back and forth across the strait and is currently attending Duke Kunshan University as an inaugural class member. As a student of Political Economy with Political Science, she is interested in the US-Taiwan-China triangular relations and wish to explore in how US’s policy toward Taiwan has influenced the cross-strait relations. She is currently visiting at Duke and in her free time, Stella enjoys exploring new places and having cross-cultural conversation. |
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Noah Naspinski, Fundraising Member
Class of 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill Global Studies Major; Chinese Minor Noah is a sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Global Studies with a minor in Chinese. Since the beginning of his Mandarin studies in high school, Noah has had an interest in and passion for Chinese culture, language, politics, and arts, as well as Sino-American relations. Specifically, Noah is interested in China’s dominance as a leading world power, as well as the complex business interactions between American and Chinese companies. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, going to new coffee shops, and trying new foods. |
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Yining (Iris) Liu, Fundraising Member
Class of 2025, UNC-Chapel Hill Public Policy Major Iris is a freshman at UNC majoring in public policy. Having experience in debating about health policies and exploring public health sectors, she is specifically interested in the cooperation between China and US for reaching health and sustainable goals. In her free time, she likes equestrian, dancing, and playing electric guitar. |
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Nikolas Dutmers, Publicity Member
Class of 2024, Duke Kunshan University Global China Studies Major Nikolas is a senior at Duke Kunshan University majoring in Global China Studies with a track in Political Science. Coming from a military family, Nikolas has always held a keen interest in international relations, which has led him to understand the importance of US-China ties. In particular, Nikolas is interested in how the US’ and China’s actions throughout the Middle East have affected the relationship between the two nations, and what consequences their actions in this region may have for the wider world. Aside from his interest in international relations, Nikolas also enjoys improving his Chinese, travelling, running and eating new foods. |
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Ryan McNamara, Publicity Member
Class of 2022, Duke University Economics Major; Environmental Science & Chinese Minor Ryan is interested in climate change policy and international relations. Having begun studying Chinese as a freshman, he is particularly interested in how US-China relations impact global efforts and agreements to combat climate change. Ryan is studying Economics with minors in Environmental Science and Chinese. |
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Cole Walker, Publicity Member
Class of 2023, Duke University Public Policy & Chinese Major Cole is a junior at Duke double majoring in Public Policy and Chinese. He’s taken numerous Chinese language courses, participated in an exchange program in China and the virtual version of the Critical Language Scholarship in Taiwan, and contributed to research on China’s current affairs. In the short term, he hopes to foster more engagement on topics related to China among black youth. In the long term, he plans to join the US Foreign Service and use his Chinese proficiency to strengthen American diplomatic engagement throughout Asia, with a focus on issues overlapping economics, energy, and the environment. |
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Xuehan Wang, Publicity Member
Class of 2021, UNC-Chapel Hill Economics & Information Science Major Xuehan is currently a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Economics and Information Science. Having experience studying in different countries and living in multiple cities with unique social environments, she is especially passionate about the mutual impact between public policies and the correspondent economic environment for both China and America. Joining the community that focuses on information systems at SILS, she also devotes herself to explore Sino-American relations in cyberspace. During her free time, Xuehan enjoys hiking, painting, and spending time with friends. |
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Xinrui (Ellen) Liu, Publicity Member
Class of 2025, UNC-Chapel Hill Economics Major Xinrui is a freshman at UNC majoring in Economics. Growing up entirely in the special economic zone Shenzhen, she is interested in mobility, city development, startups, utilitarianism, and cultural integration. As an active New Media influencer and observer, Xinrui is passionate about China's Gen Z consumer behavior, Chinese film industry, and China-US ties in these two areas. In her free time, she is a foodie, debater, and cinephile. |
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Kate Bryan, Publicity Member
Class of 2024, UNC-Chapel Hill Mandarin Chinese & Computer Science Major Kate is a sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill studying Mandarin Chinese and computer science. She is interested in using the skills obtained from this coursework to help Mandarin Chinese-speaking immigrants adapt to life in the United States. Through CLS, she plans to learn more about Chinese and American policy in relation to technology usage and Chinese dialects. In her free time, she enjoys playing the tenor saxophone and reading. |
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Roariker (Rory) Swenson, Publicity Member
Class of 2025, UNC-Chapel Hill Global Studies Major; Chinese & Russian Culture Minor Rory Is a Freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Global Studies with a double minor in Chinese and Russian culture. Last year while traveling on a gap year he found his love for learning about different cultures and languages. After university Rory plans to work in East Asia through foreign service or international business. CLS offers Rory a chance to bring Chinese and American students together, and continue the process of mutual understanding and growth between nations. |
