Assistant Professor Part of New Research Group
Cathy Xuanxuan Wu
By Amy Matzke-Fawcett
What's the future of relations between the United States and Taiwan? A working group recently developed by the University of California, with a faculty member of Old Dominion University, aims to find out.
Cathy Xuanxuan Wu, assistant professor of political science in the Political Science and Geography Department and the Graduate Program in International Studies, has been selected as one of 10 inaugural scholars for the U.S.-Taiwan Next Generation Working Group at the UC-Berkley Institute of Asian Studies.
"I am honored to have been selected as an inaugural member of the Working Group and looking forward to working with a diverse group of scholars and practitioners," said Wu. "The experiences and mentorship offered by the Working Group will not only benefit my research on Cross-Taiwan Strait relations and US-China relations, but also develop my professional networks with the broader policy community."
The group consisting of 10 scholars, including Wu, from universities across the country will meet via Zoom next month, with planned meetings in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Taipei, Taiwan starting in 2021, depending on social distancing and travel restrictions due to COVID-19.
Along with networking, Wu said the organization will give her the chance to meet with policymakers, government officials, businesses, and opinion leaders from both countries. Participants will work with mentors for professional networking, and Wu plans to write a policy paper on the evolving attitudes of young Taiwanese towards mainland China and whether Beijing's latest measures, aimed at deepening cross-Strait integration, may attract young Taiwanese to mainland China. She will also use this opportunity to conduct preliminary research on Taiwan's position in the ongoing US-China competitions, one of her areas of research.
"Dr. Wu is an emerging voice in the study of the U.S. - China relations, and this is a wonderful opportunity for her to further her work in these important matters," said Jonathan Leib, chair of the Department of Political Science and Geography. " The fact that she was chosen for this project speaks highly of her, the Department of Political Science & Geography, the Graduate Program in International Studies, and Old Dominion University in general."