Young Scholars

Young Scholar:
Kuan-Wu Chen

Kuan-Wu Chen is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science at the University of South Carolina. His research focuses on populism, comparative authoritarianism, and the relationship between criminal justice policies and democratic governance. Kuan-Wu’s dissertation, Popular Justice or Populist Justice? Penal Populism and Its Impact on Democracy, investigates how political leaders use rhetorical framing in criminal justice to justify repressive measures. He is the recipient of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Fellowship and the Taiwanese Overseas Pioneers Grant.

Young Scholar:
Aimee Rhodes

AAimee Rhodes is a 2024 Boren Fellow and recent graduate of the University of Central Florida, where she majored in International and Global Studies with minors in Asian Studies and Spanish. Aimee's research focuses on Taiwan's diplomatic strategies and international relations. During her internship with the U.S. State Department, she conducted research on Chinese media and translated critical policy documents. Upon completing her studies in Taiwan, Aimee plans to pursue a career as an East Asian Policy Analyst, using her skills in language and cultural research to inform U.S. policy.

Young Scholar:
Jiachen Shi

Jiachen Shi is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at Tulane University, with a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Liverpool. His research focuses on U.S.-China relations, political economy, and the comparative politics of the U.S. and China. Jiachen’s work has been featured in outlets such as The Diplomat and National Interest. His upcoming journal article, “Paradoxical Impact of Population Aging on China’s Military Spending,” will be published in China Information. His research also touches on the broader implications of demographic changes for China’s national security strategy.

Young Scholar:
Shu-An Tsai

Shu-An Tsai is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas at Austin. She earned her Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo and specializes in voting behavior, political communication, and democratization in East Asia and the U.S. Her interdisciplinary approach combines insights from political science, psychology, and communication studies to examine how media and political institutions shape voter attitudes. Dr. Tsai has also developed expertise in programming with R and Python for data analysis in political research.

Young Scholar:
Ariel Wang

Ariel Wang is a Ph.D. student in Political Science at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she focuses on cross-Strait relations and political polarization in Taiwan. She earned her B.S. in Financial Economics from Brigham Young University-Idaho. Ariel's research investigates the political cleavages in Taiwan, particularly the ways in which identity politics and generational divides influence Taiwan’s electoral landscape. She plans to contribute to academic and policy discussions on the future of Taiwan's democracy and its relations with China.