Haruna Minoura is a PhD candidate in Political Science at The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Her research focuses on foreign aid and public opinion, with particular attention to incorporating the perspectives of aid recipients and identifying ways to improve aid effectiveness. She is currently working on a dissertation project that examines how African aid recipients view donor countries and their aid projects, with a focus on Japan, the U.S. and China. Before starting the PhD program, she worked as a Japanese foreign service officer, where she developed a deep appreciation for the impact of people to people exchange programs. She is excited to connect with and learn from all the participants in this year’s Taiwan Research Academy.

Ariel Wang is a first year PhD student at The University of Texas at Dallas and was a scholarship recipient for the first year of Taiwan Academy. Her current study interests currently lie in the intersection of Taiwan’s identity and democracy. She has a bachelor’s degree in Financial Economics from Brigham Young University-Idaho and is studying for her Master’s of Science in International Political Economy concurrently with her PhD. She likes to help others and has interned at the International Rescue Committee and worked at a local food pantry. 

Shiu-Ting Ling is currently pursuing a daster’s degree in the Social Data Analytics and Research (SDAR) program at The University of Texas at Dallas. She holds a Master of Science in Health Behavior and Community Sciences from National Taiwan University and previously taught health education at a secondary school in Taiwan. Her research interests center on the intersection of public health, social behavior, and data analysis, with a particular focus on applying quantitative methods to examine health disparities and the social determinants of health. Through the SDAR program, she is actively strengthening her skills in data visualization and analytical techniques. With an academic background rooted in Taiwan, she is enthusiastic about joining this year’s Taiwan Research Academy and looks forward to learning from and engaging with fellow scholars.

Ashley is a graduate student at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, specializing in East Asian politics. She grew up in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Notre Dame. Prior to graduate studies, Ashley worked as a journalist in Taipei, reporting on the consumer and hospitality industries. Her research interests center on Taiwan’s soft power and US-Taiwan-China Relations.

Martín is an undergraduate senior who will be obtaining his Bachelors of Arts in Political Science on May 2026. He received his Associates of Arts in May 2023, with highest honors in research. He intends on pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations and a Juris Doctorate, with intentions of a career in the foreign service and American public office. His research interests include immigration reform, American politics, foreign policy, Latin America, and global human rights. For Taiwan Studies, he will be researching U.S.-Taiwan relations, with a specific focus on how the Trump-Vance administration would respond to a potential invasion of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China.

Janet Dotson is currently a master’s student studying Political Economy at the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science (TSE) at National Tsinghua University located in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Before pursuing studies within TSE, she completed a BBA in International Business with minors in Chinese Language and Culture and Asian Studies from Loyola University Chicago.

Janet’s journey and interest in Taiwan began right after graduating from her undergraduate program. Following her interests developed throughout high school and college, she was awarded a Huayu Enrichment Scholarship by Taiwan’s MOE and studied Mandarin for 10 months at NTU’s International Chinese Language Program (ICLP). During this time, she discovered her current master’s program and the opportunity to explore Taiwan’s unique role in the international system. She recognizes that in the age of a shifting global order, Asia is emerging as a focal point, and Taiwan—by nature of both its economic status and geography—exists as an extremely important player in this transition. Living and learning in Taiwan has deepened her understanding of Taiwan’s international position and domestic politics.

As for research, Janet’s current interests focus on the state of women’s representation in Taiwan and larger Northeast Asia. In terms of women’s formal political participation, Taiwan has proven successful in normalizing women’s presence in politics. As women around the world are beginning to see a “backlash” in the form of constrained rights and resurgence of imposed traditional gender roles, research on how to overcome barriers to women’s participation is increasingly important, and Taiwan can serve as an insightful case. She is additionally interested in Taiwan’s domestic political attitudes and how they relate to cross-strait tensions.

Janet is grateful for this opportunity with the Taiwan Research Academy and is looking forward to both expanding her knowledge on Taiwan and sharing her perspectives.

Shaoyi Lai is a dedicated Public Affairs Officer and a former Psychological Operations Officer, skilled at enhancing the military’s public image through innovative communications, including press releases, print materials, and digital resources.

He excels in building strong relationships with media professionals and social influencers to effectively communicate defense policies. In addition to his communication expertise, Shaoyi is highly knowledgeable in PRC’s Influence Operations and Operations in the Information Environment, leveraging his analytical and strategic skills to counter disinformation and shape public perception in complex geopolitical contexts. His insights into these fields reflect a deep understanding of the dynamic and evolving nature of modern information warfare.

Beyond his professional roles, Shaoyi enjoys exploring his creative side as an amateur website and graphic designer and occasionally dabbles in music, though he humbly acknowledges his limited talents.

My name is Evan Huang, and I’m from Taiwan. My academic background is rooted in journalism and political communication, with research interests focusing on information flow, public opinion, and the strategic use of narratives in contested political environments. In recent years, I’ve been involved in projects examining cross-strait relations, cognitive warfare, and how digital media shapes public perceptions during geopolitical crises. I’m especially interested in how democratic societies can strengthen resilience against disinformation and foreign information manipulation. I look forward to contributing to research that bridges empirical methods with real-world communication challenges.

I’m Ashari Gordan, a 4th year at Sam Houston State University with a major in Political Science and a minor in Legal Studies. I hope to gain connections and a new insight on Taiwanese role within the topic of International relations.

I am Yu Ting Chen, a master’s student at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, with research interests at the intersection of military strategy, cross-Strait relations, and maritime security. This summer, I am serving as a research intern at the American Enterprise Institute, contributing to the Coalition Defense of Taiwan program.

My current project focuses on how Taiwan can leverage emerging defense technologies—particularly unmanned systems and electronic warfare (EW)—to counter a potential Chinese amphibious invasion. Drawing on operational insights from Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression, this case study models a PLA beach landing on Taiwan’s southwestern coast and explores how Taiwan could delay, disrupt, and degrade invading forces through the deployment of layered drone warfare and counter-EW systems.

As part of this work, I am conducting in-depth research on UAVs, UGVs, AI-navigated drones, and fiber optic drones, with particular attention to their applicability in maritime and littoral environments. I am also examining how these technologies have been utilized in recent Ukrainian battlefield operations and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) military exercises.

In parallel, I am investigating Taiwan’s indigenous drone manufacturing capacity under the Taiwan Defense Industry Base Optimization Act (TEDIBOA) and related policy frameworks. This dual-track approach—integrating operational analysis and industrial capability assessment—aims to generate actionable recommendations for enhancing Taiwan’s asymmetric defense posture and overall resilience in the face of a high-intensity conflict scenario.

I am a senior at Western Michigan University who is studying international relations. My fields of study are international politics and U.S. diplomacy in East Asia and Europe. My planned research is on Taiwan’s role in international institutions, international diplomacy, and potential Taiwanese allies.

My name is Kuan-Kai Wang, and I am currently a master’s student in the Department of Political Science at Soochow University in Taipei.

My academic interests lie in political theory and transitional justice. My thesis is structured in two parts. The first part is theoretical, focusing on the role of emotions in periods of political transformation. While some scholars emphasize retributive emotions as a central driving force in transitional societies, I argue that these emotions are only one element within a broader spectrum of social emotions. My research seeks to explore alternative emotional dynamics beyond retribution, with a particular focus on the case of Taiwan.

The second part of my thesis adopts a more practical perspective. Specifically, I am examining how the goals and missions of transitional justice have evolved in Taiwan following the dissolution of the Transitional Justice Commission.

Looking ahead, I plan to continue researching topics related to transitional justice, human rights, and democratic theory. I hope to pursue a Ph.D. abroad to deepen my understanding and contribute further to these fields.

I am a senior in college, who is majoring in Political Science and minoring in East Asian Studies. I attend Illinois State University, and I have taken several classes about the cultural and political state of East Asia. I am eager to learn more, about Taiwan and eager to learn more about the research process.

I am currently a master’s student in Political Science at Waseda University in Japan.

My research interests have primarily focused on preventing civil war recurrence and post-conflict democratization. In particular, I am interested in how peace agreements that include power-sharing arrangements, as well as DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration) programs, affect the peace process. At the same time, through studying these topics, I have also developed a strong interest in cases of democratization that followed a different trajectory—specifically, those that experienced an apparently smooth and peaceful transition to democracy. The Taiwanese experience is one such case, and I consider it a highly valuable reference point. I am especially interested in understanding how ordinary citizens engaged in the democratization process and what impact their activities had on the outcome.

I look forward to deepening my understanding of Taiwan by exchanging ideas and insights with fellow researchers and students who are also interested in related topics. I am also excited about my upcoming trip to the United States, as it will be my first time visiting the country.

Anna is interested in applying big data methods, particularly corpus linguistics, to cross-strait information issues. A recent graduate of ICLP in Taiwan, she is also working towards Chinese-English translation competency.