East Asia Center 50th Anniversary Alumni Conference

Join the East Asia Center as we celebrate 50 years of East Asian Studies at the University of Virginia, Saturday April 18.

Featuring UVA graduates who are experts in their fields, including a special keynote address by former United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink, we will have panels exploring “Pacific Asia Beyond the American Century ” as well as “Buddhist Studies and Asian Humanities.”

Conference schedule

Friday, April 17, 2026 – Welcome Reception, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Colonnade Club Pavilion VII Solarium and Gardens

Saturday, April 18, 2026 – Panelist Breakfast, 8:30 – 9:45 a.m. Colonnade Club Solarium

Morning Panel 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Colonnade Club Solarium

Lunch/Keynote 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Afternoon panel 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. Colonnade Club Solarium

Sunday, April 19, 2026 – 12:00 – 3:00 p.m. Bring the family to Morven Farms

"Pacific Asia Beyond the American Century" Social Sciences Panel

Brantly Womack (chair); Len Schoppa (discussant)

Alumni Presenters:

Alice Ba (Emma Smith Morris Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware)

Ka Zeng (Professor of Political Science, University of Massachusetts Amherst)

Guan-Yi Leu (Assistant Professor in Department of Political Science and International Affairs, University of Mary Washington)

H. Steven Green (Associate Professor, Toyo University Faculty of Law)

Inhan Kim (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science & International Relations, Ewha Womans University)
 

Lunch keynote: 

Daniel Kritenbrink (Former United States Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs) 
 

"Buddhist Studies and Asian Humanities" Humanities Panel

Natasha Heller (chair)

Alumni Presenters:

Jessica Starling (Professor of Religious Studies, Lewis & Clark)

Gareth Fisher (Associate Professor, Department of Religion, Syracuse University)

Elena Pakhoutova (senior curator, Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art)

Yi-hsun Huang (Professor, Shanghai University)