1 NEWSLETTER Volume 1, Issue 1 March 1, 2007 THE CHINA INSTITUTE Director’s Message: Dear Members and Friends of and went to China to con- Highlights: the China Institute, duct his research study on Welcome to the Chi- e-government. Dr. Chao CSUN Faculty and 3-9 nese New Year of the Pig and Chen, Dr. Mingfang Li, and Student Experiences in China another issue of our newslet- Angela Lew spent consider- ter. The Year of the Dog was able time in China for con- Chinese Visiting Schol- 10-19 extremely busy, productive, ferences and collaborative ars at CSUN and successful for the China projects with Chinese Institute, as we developed scholars. In fact, Dr. Li more friendship, understand- spent his entire sabbatical Cultural/Academic 10 Exchanges ing, collaboration and ex- leave in China, exploring Dr. Justine Su, Director change with Chinese educa- further opportunities for The China Institute at CSUN tional institutions. collaboration with col- ditions in China’s health sys- Chinese Delegations to 21 In the summer of 2006, leagues from Peking Uni- CSUN tems in Guangzhou and CSUN’s education delegation versity, Tsinghua Univer- Shanghai. From our Office of led by Dr. Mack Johnson, our sity, Xian Jiaotong Univer- Admissions and Records, Associate Vice President for sity, and Jilin University. Chinese Visiting Schol- 22 Carol McAllister, Assistant ars’ Name List International Program, visited Dr. Li also delivered Director for International Stu- our sister universities in speeches at Samsung Eco- dent Evaluation, visited Shanghai, Suzhou, and Nan- nomic Research Institute China twice last year, attend- CSUN Delegations & 23 jing. The delegation also in- China, Peking University, ing educational fairs in Bei- Scholars’ Visits to cluded Mrs. Gail Johnson, Dr. Nanjing University of Sci- China jing and Shanghai and re- William Jennings, Dean of the ence and Technology, and cruiting good students for College of Business and Eco- Zhejiang University. Mean- CSUN Mentors for 23 CSUN. In addition, Dr. Ellise Chinese Scholars/ nomics, Dr. Penny Jennings, while, Dr. Zhong-Guo Zhou Trumbull from our Dept. of Students to CSUN Associate Vice President for from our Dept. of Finance Educational Psychology and Faculty Affairs, Dr. Justine Su, taught “Investment Analysis Counseling visited China as a New Exchange Agree- 20,24- Director of the China Institute, and Portfolio Management” member of the People to Peo- ment /Memoranda 25 and Jeannie Chen. They con- in English to students at ple Education Delegation, solidated the newly devel- Shanghai Normal Univer- and Dr. Patty Born from our Awards & Grants 26-27 oped 2+2 program with sity. It was the first time Dept. of Finance, Real Estate, Shanghai Normal University, that a CSUN faculty taught a and Insurance visited Shang- renewed friendship with full course in English to hai Normal University to dis- Art, Music and 19 Suzhou Sports Commission, Chinese students. Dr. cuss the prospect of future Entertainment explored collaboration with Weimin Sun and Dr. Taka- collaboration. In fact, Dr. Hohai University and Nanjing shi Yagisawa from our De- Born will plan to spend her University of Science and partment of Philosophy also Lecture Series 28 sabbatical at SNU in the fall of Technology, and met Shang- went to Shanghai Normal 2007, teaching and organiz- hai Government Training University and conducted ing international conferences Center officials as well as new seminars for faculty and with Chinese scholars. visiting scholars to CSUN. In students there. Last October, our addition, Dr. Su attended a From our Dept. of faculty in the Department of major gathering at the Shang- Health Sciences, Drs. Louis Biology, Drs. Peter Edmunds hai Overseas Chinese Friend- Rubino and Ellen McFad- and Robert Carpenter, took ship Association and visited den visited Guangzhou first steps to establish marine Kunming Medical University, early in the year to conduct biology ties with Taiwan which is in the process of de- evaluation studies with our scholars, developing collabo- veloping a formal MOU with former trainees from the rative research to compare CSUN. Guangzhou public health the corals reefs of Moorea Many other faculty organizations. Later in the and Taiwan. The first stage of and administrators from summer, Dr. Rubino re- their collaboration was sup- CSUN visited China last year. turned to China with an- ported with planning funds Dr. Jeff Zhang received China other group of graduate from NSF, and on Sept 27th Institute Development Grant students to investigate con- (Continued on page 2) THE CHINA INSTITUTE Page1 1 2 (ContinuedContinued from from page page 1 1) and students from People’s Univer- dent Nabil Abu-Ghazalehfor and Deb- five scientists from CSUN and UCSB visited sity in Beijing and 31 faculty and stu- bie Swarens from Pierce College, Dr. Taiwan for a fact-finding visit lasting 8 dents from Shanghai Normal Univer- Yvonne Chan, Director of Vaughn Next days. This short visit was intended to be sity attended well-organized summer Century Learning Center, Mark Sim- an opportunity to review the research in- camps at CSUN. Never before had mons, Assistant Principal for James frastructure in Taiwan, to meet with Tai- we hosted so many Chinese students Monroe High School, Brian Bauer, Ex- wanese scholars, and visit the coral reef on our campus at one time, and both ecutive Director of Granada Hills Char- communities off the southern shore of the programs were a great success. In ter High School, for welcoming our island. An additional objective was to addition to formal workshops on education delegations from China, Jim attend the third meeting in Hinshu of the campus, the students participated in Overman, Executive Producer of NBC group of scientists working towards the some happy gatherings with Ameri- Studio, Fred Johnson, General Manager goal of establishing a Coral Reef Environ- can students, and visited quite a few of KCSN, City Manager Mike Sedell mental Observatory Network, which is a social, educational, economic, and and Senior Planner Tom Preece of the high-tech program that intends to install cultural places in our local areas and City of Simi Valley, Jorge Mier, Client web-accessible sensors for environmental in other parts of the U.S. Another Services Manage of Build Work Source monitoring on coral reefs in Taiwan, unforgettable gathering at CSUN last Center, Bonnie Teaford, Director of Moorea and Australia. Overall, CSUN fac- summer was the reunion of the first Burbank Public Works, and Zulma ulty were impressed with the opportuni- group of Chinese students who stud- Mesa, Human Resources Director of the ties for collaborative research and their ied at CSUN in the 1980s. Thirty- Hallmark Lighting Company, for their superb and gracious hosts! They hope this seven of our proud alumni returned warm hospitality and thoughtful plan- visit will herald many others and initiate to CSUN for the reunion. They are ning for our scholars’ visit to their or- an exchange program that strengthens now successful professors, lawyers, ganizations. marine biology research and education in scientists, engineers, artists, teach- The “Boar” is the last one of both Taiwan and the United States. Al- ers, businessmen, entrepreneurs and the 12 animal signs, as it represents the ready they are planning their next visit to proud parents living and working in seeds passing severe winter in husks, Taiwan, this time a delegation of graduate different parts of the U.S. They came very appropriate for our cold winter students that intends to complete modest back to express their deep gratitude this year. Another interpretation goes research projects, and they are working and appreciation for the educational as the center of everything, or rich con- towards hosting Taiwanese colleagues in training and heartfelt tender care that fidence. The boar is also a sign of pros- California. they received 25 years ago from the perity. Interestingly, these meanings We also had great exchange pro- CSUN faculty, especially from Drs. seem to describe the exact qualities of grams in the theatre area. Early in the Paul Chow and T.P. Lin, who were the the amazing pig in the most recent holi- spring, national first-class actress Liu Gui- founding directors of the China Insti- day movie, “Charlotte’s Web.” In fact, juan and her colleagues from Tianjin tute. I took some of our Chinese visiting Youth Beijing Opera Troupe came to Finally, we are now working scholars to watch this movie during the CSUN and offered a most interesting and more closely with the local commu- holiday, for good luck in the year of the insightful workshop on Beijing Opera with nity in our China programs. I would pig. I am confident that the Chinese exquisite demonstrations. Then Shanghai like to express our special thanks to New Year will be a “spectacular” one Theatre Academy Beijing Opera Troupe Councilman Greig Smith and Mr. for the China Institute, as Charlotte has visited CSUN in October and staged Matt Myerhoff for making wonderful spelled out in this charming American “Colorful Traditional Opera” to an enthu- arrangements for our Chinese schol- movie! siastic and packed audience. Meanwhile, ars to visit the L.A. City Hall, Super- Sean Hill and Patric McInnis, our Chinese vising Judge Michael Hoff for gra- Justine Zhixin Su, Ph.D. government scholarship students to the ciously receiving our scholars at the Professor and Director Center Theatre Academy in Beijing, suc- Van Nuys Superior Court, Vice Presi- The China Institute cessfully completed their studies in China and returned to CSUN. They shared their unforgettable experiences with other stu- dents during the International Education Week. At the same time, two more CSUN students received the prestigious Chinese Government Scholarship Council Awards to study in China for the 2006-2007 Aca- demic Year. Kimberly Moultrie is study- ing language and culture in Tianjin For- eign Language University, and Danny Galimberti is studying international busi- ness and mandarin at the Shanghai Univer- sity of Finance and Economics.