3rd Saturday Lecture: The Chinese-American Experience: Contributions to U.S. Academia

This panel features three Chinese-American scholars from San Diego State University. Each of them has served, or is currently serving, as a department chair at SDSU. They will be presenting their research contributions in their respective professions, especially in the science fields. Additionally, they will be discussing their personal experiences working as a minority in the U.S. academia. Collectively, they represent the many Chinese American scholars who are working in the U.S. higher education and making extraordinary contributions to our country and the world.

Panelists: 

Dr. Chris Mi, Professor and Chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and Fellow of Society of Automotive Engineers

Chris Mi is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Director of the US DOE-funded GATE Center for Electric Drive Transportation at SDSU. He was previously a professor at the University of Michigan, Dearborn from 2001 to 2015. He received the B.S. and M.S. degrees from Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an, China, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, all in electrical engineering. Previously he was an Electrical Engineer with General Electric Canada Inc. He has conducted research in electric and hybrid vehicles in the past 30 years. He has published over 300 papers and deliver numerous keynote speeches at various international conferences. He is the recipient of the “Distinguished Teaching Award” and “Distinguished Research Award” of the University of Michigan Dearborn. Best Paper Awards from IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics and the IEEE Power Electronics Emerging Technology Award.

Dr. Ping Lu, Professor and Chair, Department of Aerospace Engineering

Ping Lu received his Ph.D. degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University Michigan, and B.S. degree from then Beijing Institute of Aeronautics (now Beihang University).  He was a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Iowa State University from 1990-2016. Since 2016 he has been a Professor and the Chair of Aerospace Engineering Department at San Diego State University. Dr. Lu’s research expertise is in advanced guidance and control of spacecraft and rockets. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), a recipient of the AIAA Mechanics and Control of Flight Award, a recipient of NASA Johnson Space Center Director’s Innovation Group Achievement Award, and the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics.

Dr. Sam Shen, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, and former Department Chair

Samuel S. P. Shen is Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Statistics at San Diego State University, and Visiting Research Mathematician at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. Formerly, he was McCalla Professor of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at the University of Alberta, Canada, and President of the Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society. He has held visiting positions at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, and the University of Tokyo. Shen holds a B.Sc. degree in Engineering Mechanics from East China Engineering Institute, and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Applied Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Moderator: 

Dr. Mei Zhong, Faculty and Head, International Studies Minor, College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts; School of Journalism and Media Studies

Mei Zhong ( Ph.D. 1996, Kent State University, OH), is associate professor in the School of Journalism and Media Studies, San Diego State University, CA. She also serves as the advisor for the International Studies Minor in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts. She taught at Iowa State University, IA (1997-1999) and at Doane College, NE (1996-1997). She has served as vice president (2000-2001) and president (2001-2002) of the Association for Chinese Communication Studies, an affiliated organization of the National Communication Association in the United States. She has been involved in promoting international education for over 20 years; currently serve as faculty coordinator for several education exchange program between SDSU and Chinese universities.

Her research interests are in media and culture, cross-cultural interpersonal communication, with a focus on Chinese and Asian cultures and communication. She teaches courses in media and culture and international studies. She has published in academic books and journals such as the International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Howard Journal of Communications, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, Communication Studies, Journal of Intercultural Communication Studies, etc.

Please register@https://SDSU.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kfuiqrj0rGNMewb9MMRmXQ0QR9seQynF3