This Week: AAS New England Virtual Conference
Announcements
Monday, December 6, 2021 | 8:30am

Join the Harvard University Asia-related Centers (the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard Asia Center, Harvard-Yenching Institute, Korea Institute, Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, and Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies) for the New England AAS Conference on Monday, December 6, beginning at 8:30 a.m. EST.

Twenty panels featuring graduate student scholars include topics such as "Folklore, Ghosts, Monsters, and the Fantastical," "Assessing China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Strategic Evolution and the European Case," and "Thinking through the Asian Diaspora, Racial Oppression, and Intersectional Identity." See the full conference schedule here. Registration required.
Application deadline: January 5, 2022

The President’s Innovation Challenge (PIC) is an invitation to Harvard students and select alumni & affiliate-led ventures to propel their ideas forward. The PIC is also an opportunity to win a share of $510,000 in non-dilutive funding, made possible by a gift from the Bertarelli Foundation.
Throughout the six-month process, teams develop their ventures with robust support from the Harvard Innovation Labs.

Student ventures are placed in one of three tracks:
  • Social Impact Track
  • Health & Life Sciences Track
  • Open Track, for ventures that transcend categories
Summer 2022 Study Abroad Updates from Asia Centers
Please note the following decisions are tentative and will be subject to change in accordance with public health guidance and travel policies. Further updates will be listed as needed.
  • In response to travel restrictions, the Harvard Asia Center will consider funding undergraduate/graduate research grant applications that do not involve travel to international destinations rated Level 4 or Unknown for COVID-19 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please see the Harvard Travel Guidance website for up to date information. Applications for students who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 wishing to conduct research in countries rated Level 1, 2 or 3 will be considered.
  • The Harvard Summer School Study Abroad Program in Hong Kong will not be held in Summer 2022.
  • Harvard Taipei Academy (HTA), a new program replacing the former Harvard Beijing Academy, will be held in-person this summer.
  • The Reischauer Institute will continue to accept applications to fund summer research: thesis & summer science research for undergrads, language study, & internships.
  • Harvard Summer School in Kyoto is planned to be held in-person in Japan. Further decisions will be announced in January.
  • Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies (KCJS) has cancelled its Spring '22 semester, and a final decision has not yet been reached as to whether the summer '22 language intensive will take place as planned on the campus of Doshisha University.
  • Kansai Gaidai University's Summer Asian Studies initiatives will be held online in 2022.
  • Available programs include the ASP Home-Based Program (online ASP courses), the Online Summer Program during June and July, and the Intercultural Engagement Program (IEP), a student-led virtual initiative for Japanese and foreign students to learn about each other. To learn more about Kansai Gaidai's offerings, click here.
  • Students of the KGIP program may be invited to participate in the Kansai Gaidai Internship Program.
Harvard Events
Monday, December 6

Monday, 8:30am - 5:10pm
See full event schedule here.
Co-sponsored by the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard Asia Center, Harvard-Yenching Institute, Korea Institute, Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, and Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies.

Monday, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
James L. Schoff, Senior Associate, Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Moderator: Christina L. Davis, Director, Program on U.S.-Japan Relations; Professor of Government; Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University
Tuesday, December 7

Tuesday, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Speaker: Jisoo Kim, Korea Foundation Associate Professor of History, International Affairs, and East Asian Languages and Literatures, George Washington University
Chair: Victor Seow, Assistant Professor of the History of Science, Harvard University


Wednesday, December 8

Wednesday, 12:30pm - 2:00pm
Speaker: Cheng Li, Director, John L. Thornton China Center, Brookings Institution
Moderator/Discussant: Elizabeth J. Perry, Henry Rosovsky Professor of Government and Director of the Harvard-Yenching Institute, Harvard University
Thursday, December 9

Thursday, 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Youjia Li, Reischauer Institute Postdoctoral Fellow (Ph.D. Modern Japanese History, Northwestern University, 2021)
Moderator: Ian J. Miller, Professor of History and Faculty Dean, Cabot House, Harvard University
Reischauer Institute Japan Forum presentation.

Thursday, 8:30pm - 10:00pm
Speaker: Mengmeng Yang, Associate Research Professor, Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; HYI Visiting Scholar, 2021-22
Chair/discussant: C.-T. James Huang, Professor of Linguistics, Harvard University
Friday, December 10

Friday, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Speakers:
Hong Chun Zhang, Artist
Jerrica Li, Harvard College Class of ’22, founder, The Wave magazine, Harvard University
Sarah Laursen, Alan J. Dworsky Associate Curator of Chinese Art, Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, Harvard Art Museums

In her work, Kansas-based Chinese artist Hong Chun Zhang reimagines the world around her as enveloped in hair. In conversation with The Wave, Harvard’s Asian literary and arts magazine, Zhang will explore how her identity, the environment, and the dual pandemics are woven into her recent work.

Presented via Zoom
Grant & Publication Opportunities
Call for Submissions from Synergy: The Journal of Contemporary Asian Studies at University of Toronto, 2021-22 Online Issue
Deadline: Rolling

Synergy is an undergraduate academic journal housed at the Asian Institute of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto. Synergy seeks to publish the world’s premier undergraduate work pertaining to the study of contemporary Asia, specifically on the current political, historical, social, and/or economic developments in the Asia region. Synergy is currently listed with the Library and Archives Canada.
Korea Institute Undergraduate Summer Research Travel Grants
Deadline: Monday, February 7, 2022, 5pm EST

For AY21-22, due to COVID-19, all programs and opportunities are subject to change and/or cancellation. KI undergrad summer research support is for travel for research/fieldwork. All support related to travel is contingent upon Harvard guidelines and safety protocols. See following sites for up-to-date guidance: Harvard Travel Guidance and Harvard GSS COVID-19 travel advice.

Please see the Korea Institute undergraduate opportunities page for more grant and study abroad opportunities.
Below is a static list of academic and social resources.
Events by Institution
Asia Center Virtual Programs
Experience Harvard Asia Center programming through current and archived digital exhibitions, as well as podcast talk series and author conversations! Click to view virtual programs at the Asia Center.

Left: Still from 3D virtual exhibition "Harvard Asia Center Poster Art 2010-2020"
Student Groups
*Please be aware that student groups may have become inactive during our time off campus. If you are aware of any updates to a group on this list, please let us know by e-mailing naia_poyer@fas.harvard.edu.
Asian American Business Association
The Asian American Business Association (AABA) provides a forum for the promotion, understanding, and cross-cultural exchange of East Asian and Asian American business, social, academic, cultural, political, and community-related initiatives. Visit their website here.

Asian American Dance Troupe
For over twenty years, the Asian American Dance Troupe (AADT) has sought to spread an appreciation and awareness of Asian culture through the medium of dance. Our repertoire includes a diverse range of dance forms including traditional, ethnic minority, fusion, martial arts, modern, and hip hop. Membership open to all students in good standing currently enrolled in Harvard College. Visit their website here.

Asian American Studies Working Group is a space of interdisciplinary collaboration between faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates pursuing scholarships in Asian American and Pacific Islander (API) histories, experiences, and intellectual traditions. Its goals are to build scholarly community, explore major debates and developments in API Studies, and enrich the research pursued by its members across Harvard University. To contact the organizers, see when the group meets next, or to learn more, visit their webpage.

China Forum
Founded in 1998, Harvard College China Forum is currently the largest China-focused conference in the New England area and annually attracts audiences from all over North America. Every spring the forum invites influential business leaders, policy shapers, and leading scholars to Harvard to address current events in a wide range of topics relevant to the development of China today. Operating under the Harvard China Review framework, HCCF, together with the Harvard China Review, runs a series of sub-programs, including monthly seminars and an annual cultural exchange program in the summer. Visit their website here.

Gaongil (Harvard College Modern Korean Studies Society) 
A tight-knit organization that meets to discuss various economic, social, political, cultural issues related to modern Korea. As the Korean word "Gaongil" means "Middle-Path," the organization is committed to remaining nonpartisan while encouraging free, unhindered discussion. Anyone interested in joining Gaongil is welcome! No prior experience with Korean language or culture is needed; meetings are in English.
Fill out the interest form here to be included in their e-mail list.

Harvard Asian American Womxn's Association
The Asian American Womxn's Association recognizes the need for a unified, open community at Harvard concerned with the issues facing people of Asian descent in Western society. The purpose of the Asian American Womxn's Association is to address these needs by creating a collective voice and promoting the prominence and concerns of the Asian-American population, both within the community and without. Visit their Facebook page here.

Harvard Buddhist Community
The HDS Buddhist Community (HBC) is a nondenominational Buddhist group serving the Harvard and Cambridge communities throughout the school year. In addition to hosting weekly meditation sittings, HBC also organizes Buddhist film screenings and discussion groups, as well as the annual Buddhism & Race Conference. HBC generally meets weekly at the Harvard Divinity School.
To subscribe to the mailing list, or to inquire about events, e-mail hbcsangha@gmail.com; or visit their Facebook page here.
Harvard Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA)
Harvard CSSA is dedicated to the goal of promoting social, intellectual, and cultural activities of Chinese students and scholars at Harvard and for other interested members in the Harvard community. It facilitates communication among its members and acts as a liaison between itself and other organizations on campus. The group works to facilitate the exchange of information between China and the United States. Its activities include sponsoring and co-sponsoring social, intellectual, and cultural events, films, and seminars. The contact e-mail is harvardcssa@gmail.com. Visit their website here.

Harvard Taiwanese Culture Society
TCS is a student-run organization at Harvard College dedicated to promoting the culture and heritage of Taiwan and Taiwanese-Americans. From cultural events like making muaji to social events like karaoke to special events like their annual Winterfest: Taste of Taiwan, their goal is to enhance awareness of Taiwanese culture and provide a place for those interested in learning about Taiwan to meet. Visit their website here; or visit their Facebook page here.

Harvard Task Force for Asian American Progressive Advocacy and Studies (TAPAS)
The Task Force for Asian American Progressive Advocacy and Studies (TAPAS) is an advocacy organization of Harvard undergraduates aiming to support Asian American communities and stand in solidarity with progressive struggles. Visit their Facebook page for more info.

Harvard Vietnamese Association
The Harvard Vietnamese Association is dedicated to fostering an awareness of Vietnamese culture on campus and within the Greater Boston area, and promoting the interests of the Vietnamese student body at Harvard. Visit their website here, or like their Facebook page for regular updates--including a biweekly Vietnamese language table for native speakers and learners to enjoy each other's company and conversation!

Korea Caucus
The mission of Korea Caucus, a student-run organization at Harvard Kennedy School, is to actively raise the awareness of Korea within the KSG community by sharing the country's cultural heritage through social events, serving as a bridge and resource to non-Korean students who are interested in learning more about the country. They also aim to provide a forum to address key issues facing Korea and their implications for the rest of the world through activities and events. Visit their Facebook page.

Korean Association
The Korean Association leads the undergraduate Korean-American community's efforts to teach and learn about Korean culture and political issues. The KA additionally provides a social outlet for Korean-American students interested in meeting others with a shared heritage and interests. KA supports cultural groups including YISEI the magazine, the fan dance troupe Chunsa, and the Korean drumming group (poongmul pae) Han Ma Eum. Visit their website or follow their Facebook page.

Organization of Asian American Sisters in Service
OAASIS currently consists of 25 members committed to each other in three aspects: commitment in sisterhood, commitment in service, and commitment in exploring the diverse experiences of Asian and Asian American women. Visit their Facebook page at http://facebook.com/harvardoaasis. Direct any questions to oaasis.harvard@gmail.com. OAASIS welcomes students of all gender and ethnic identities.