Candidates for AAAFSC (Spring 2020-Spring 2022):

Chair: Tamara Bhalla

Tamara Bhalla is an associate professor in the Department of American studies. Her research and teaching interests focus on Asian American studies, South Asian diasporic and literary studies, and contemporary practices of reading. She is the chair of the South Asian section of the Association for Asian American studies and has held several leadership positions within that organization. She is also co-chair of the CAHSS Women’s Faculty Network and currently serving as the acting chair of her department. 

Vice-Chair: Jiaqi (Jackey) Gong

Jiaqi Gong is an assistant professor in the Department of Information Systems. His research and teaching interests focus on the convergence of human and artificial intelligence applied to smart and connected health, education, and workplace. He is the faculty mentor of three student organizations; Chinese Student Association, Chinese Student and Scholars Association, and Chinese Bible Study Fellowship. 

Secretary: Fan Yang

Fan Yang is an associate professor in the Department of Media and Communication Studies and the acting associate director of the Dresher Center for the Humanities (2019-2020). Her research and teaching interests include cultural studies and globalization, media and communication in modern and contemporary China, urbanism and urban communication, and visual culture. She is also a faculty affiliate in the Asian Studies program, and serves on the Global Studies Coordinating Committee. 

Members at large:

Aditya Desai

Aditya Desai is an adjunct lecturer in the English Department, and is advisor to the Cancer Awareness Society. His fiction and criticism about and within South Asian diaspora has been published in several literary magazines and journals. Off campus, he sits on the board of CityLit Project, the coordinating committee of Baltimore Asian Resistance in Solidarity, and editorial staff of Atticus Review.

Soonhee Lee, Ph.D. 

Soonhee Lee is a licensed psychologist and Assistant Director/Training at the Counseling Center. She provides mental health services to undergraduate and graduate students and oversees an APA-accredited doctoral internship in Health Services Psychology at the Center.  She values community engagement and mental health advocacy for underserved and underprivileged populations. Her research interests focus on evidence-based practice, brief therapy training for doctoral interns, and Korean-Americans’ ethnic socialization. She is a SCD (Standing Committee on Diversity) member of the Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies.

Shuyan Sun

Shuyan Sun is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology. As a board member of the AAAFSC since its founding, she is eager to continue her service to AAAFSC and work with all members to build a stronger community.