Dave was born in Taiwan, and grew up in Canada.  Dave’s professional training was focused on Engineering and Business Management – Ph.D. in Mechanical  Engineering from the University of Toronto, and Master of Business Administration from the Arizona State University.  He spent over 30 years in the Aerospace industry and traveled extensively for business, especially in Asia, which included a 3 year assignment in Singapore.  He is an ardent follower of global affairs.  He was fortunate to have experienced the first Quebec Separation Referendum in 1980, as well as a General Election in Singapore, in addition to numerous Canadian and American elections. ​

As a great power on both the regional and global levels, China’s foreign policy has unique impact on Northeast Asian affairs. What is Beijing seeking through its policy toward Northeast Asian states? What does it mean for the Sino-U.S. relationship? This presentation will provide an overview of these issues and shed light on the interests and challenges of China’s foreign policy in East Asia Area.  

​Bo Xu is an associate professor of Northeast Asian Studies College, Jilin University, China. He studied as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Iowa Political Science Department from 2015-2017. His current research focuses on Russia’s foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region, the Sino-Russian relationship and international politics in Northeast Asia. He has authored or co-authored several books published in Chinese and many articles in such academic journals as The Pacific Review, Northeast Asia Forum and the Journal of Contemporary Asia-Pacific Studies. 

​喻荣军, or Nick Yu, joins us this fall from the People’s Republic of China. His professional titles include: Artistic Director of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center, Artistic Director of the Shanghai International Comedy Festival, and Co-director of the Shanghai Performing Arts Group.
​
Yu has had over 60 of his original plays produced in China and abroad. He also works in film, TV, and radio. His writing has won him the Cao Yu Script Award and an Outstanding Social Achievement Awaird at the Cairo International Experimental Theatre Festival.

​Elise Pizzi is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa. Currently, she is teaching a graduate level course on Chinese Politics and an undergraduate course on Comparative Environmental Policy. Past courses she Elise taught at the University of Iowa concerned political violence and global development. She earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Colorado in 2015.