The Weatherhead East Asian Institute congratulates faculty member Qin Gao, Maurice V. Russell Professor of Social Policy and Social Work Practice and Associate Dean for Doctoral Education at the School of Social Work, on being appointed the Acting Director of the Asian American Initiative (AAI) at Columbia University.
Led by Julian Clarence Levi Professor of Social Sciences Jennifer Lee, the AAI launched in 2024 with the goal of establishing an interdisciplinary research institute that will become a major hub for Asian American Studies. AAI is guided by a philosophy of Data, Narrative, and Action (DNA). Leading with data and research, AAI aims to reshape public and policy perceptions of Asian Americans and make the narratives of Asian Americans central to our understanding of America.
As both the intellectual leader and executive for the Initiative, Dr. Gao will work with students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders and community members to advance the Asian American Initiative’s mission, which is to:
- Promote evidence-based research on the study of Asian Americans;
- Raise awareness of Asian Americans in the U.S. national narrative;
- Change the public and policy framework in which the public views Asian Americans;
- Forge a strong sense of belonging, confidence, and pride.
“It is my great honor to serve as the Acting Director of the Asian American Initiative at Columbia University. I strongly believe in the mission of this important—and groundbreaking—initiative,” said Dr. Gao, “and I am eager to work jointly with many on and off campus to broaden its reach and amplify its impact.”
Dr. Gao brings to her new role longstanding experience in researching poverty, inequality, social policy, and population well-being both in China and among Asian Americans. She serves on the Advisory Council of AmplifyAAPI, the largest and most representative public opinion panel of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities. In 2022, Dr. Gao led the landmark “State of Chinese Americans” survey, a yearlong inquiry into critical health, economic, and sociopolitical conditions of the Chinese American community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. At present she also oversees “Covid-19 Governance and Impacts: China from Comparative Perspectives,” a lecture series funded by the Henry Luce Foundation that explores the pandemic’s legacy across Asia.
Learn more about the Asian American Initiative at Columbia University here.
