April 21, 2023
Meghan O'Toole
Professors, students to research abroad in Asian American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month
To promote a greater understanding of Asia, two professors from Lake Forest College, Assistant Professor and Chair of Asian Studies Ying Wu and Assistant Professor of Finance Dimitra Papadovasilaki, will be leading a research trip to Taiwan with six students.
May marks the beginning of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the contributions and achievements of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States.
In Taiwan, Wu and Papadovasilaki will conduct their independent research project, “Overcoming Financial Shocks. Is Emotional Intelligence the Answer? A case study in Taiwan.” The project is funded by ASIANetwork, a consortium of over 150 North American colleges, as part of the organization's efforts to promote education about Asia within the liberal arts.
The students joining them are Nathan Barnes ’24, Mariam Hovhannisyan ’24, Capri Michelle Kalvelage ’25, Thomas Mayiga ’25, Ava Pulaski ’24, and Jia Zheng ’25.
“We are excited to offer this opportunity to our students to learn more about Taiwan and its people,” Wu said. “We hope that this trip will broaden their perspectives and deepen their understanding of Asia.”
The trip to Taiwan is scheduled for ten days in May.
“My hope is that I will gain a better understanding of how Taiwanese culture has shaped the citizens’ emotional intelligence, and in turn their desire for financial risk,” Pulaski said. “By eating Taiwanese food, drinking their water, and walking on their soil, I am going to indulge into Taiwan’s way of life and also develop my analytical skills.”