Career Profile

  • 5 years working in tertiary education as a course coordinator, lecturer, and tutor in the areas of Mandarin Chinese language, English language, writing, Asian cultures, and Asian histories 

  • Master’s and Doctorate research in modern Chinese and Korean literatures, intellectual history, cultural studies, translation, and northeast China

  • Able to organise and analyse large amounts of data and adept at methods of critical discourse analysis

  • Language skills include Mandarin fluency and intermediate-level Korean

  • Experience translating Chinese and Korean into English from a variety of genres, such as fiction, poetry, music, legal documents, business reports, contracts, etc.

  • Excellent writing and editing skills, for example, edited three book-length projects in 2014 alone

  • Effective public speaker, demonstrated in conference and workshop presentations as well as seminar and lecture contribution 

  • Literate in digital technology and specialized software such as NVivo for qualitative analysis, QGIS for mapping, and Audacity for audio recording

  • Experience in leading and managing teams in work and academic settings (i.e. planning events and symposiums)

  • Experience on formal committees in key roles: postgraduate representative and secretary

Education

 

Doctor of Philosophy in Chinese Studies 

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (December 2015 – May 2020)

  • Thesis title: Intertextuality and Intellectual Exchange—Chinese and Korean Self-Knowledge Production in Manchukuo, 1935-1942

  • See video preface to PhD research (https://youtu.be/hsB5js6LP8A)

  • Supervisors: Yiyan Wang and Stephen Epstein

Master of Arts in Modern Chinese Literature 

Northeast Normal University, China (September 2011 – July 2015)

  • All courses and final thesis undertaken in Chinese

  • Thesis title (English): The Economics of Literature in Translation—How Americans View Mo Yan

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, specializing in Creative Writing 

Arizona State University, U.S.A. (August 2006 – May 2010)

  • Four semesters spent studying abroad: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (January – June 2007); Sichuan University, China (August – December 2008); Yonsei University, South Korea (March – June 2009); National University of Singapore, Singapore (August – December 2009)

  • Achievements: learned Mandarin, 3.28 GPA, completed history and culture modules about each study abroad location, wrote and performed full-length plays

Teaching Experience

 

Undergraduate Courses

2020 courses at University of Malta

Lecturer, Modern and Contemporary Chinese Literature

Lecturer, Reading and Translating Chinese

Tutor, Chinese 2 (beginner), Chinese 4 (intermediate), and Chinese 6 (advanced)


2019 and before

Guest Lecturer, Asian Histories and Cultures

School of Languages and Cultures, Victoria University of Wellington (August – October 2019)

  • Preparing and delivering 3 hour-long lectures in Korean history, namely “Pre-history to the Goryeo Dynasty,” “Early Joseon,” and “19th Century Joseon”

  • Making connections between pre-modern Korea and China and Japan  

Tutor, Asian Histories and Cultures 

School of Languages and Cultures, Victoria University of Wellington (July – November 2019 & July – November 2018)

  • Leading in-depth discussions around key concepts in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese history (i.e. the role of the emperor, the spread of the Chinese writing system, and the relationship between religions and ancient states)   

  • Planning and coordinating lesson activities, such as map-making, group presentations, and writing assignments  

  • Marking assessments (i.e. two short essay tests, essay prospectus, and final essay)  

Tutor, Intermediate Chinese

School of Languages and Cultures, Victoria University of Wellington (March – June 2018 & March – June 2016)

  • Giving instructions and responding to students in Mandarin during class

  • Planning practical activities with a focus on student engagement and interaction  

  • Sharing my personal experiences from living in China and studying Chinese 

  • Marking assessments, including oral and final exams 

Postgraduate Courses

Course Coordinator and Instructor, Academic Writing 

School of Education, Northeast Normal University, China (September 2014 – January 2015)

  • Teaching academic writing to international master’s and PhD students

  • Creating course syllabus based on content of Andrea A. Lunsford, Everyday Writer: 2nd Edition (Boston: Bedford Books, 2001).

  • Planning lessons on topics such as writing a thesis statement, making an argument, citations and bibliographies, and common grammatical issues for non-native English users

Course Coordinator and Instructor, Intermediate English 

School of Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, Northeast Normal University (September 2014 – January 2015)

  • Teaching topic-based English language skills to Chinese postgraduates 

  • Creating course syllabus modelled on textbooks used in my previous courses and teaching experiences (no set curriculum)

  • Developing students’ speaking skills through individual and group presentations, class discussions, and one-on-one assessments

  • Building students’ writing abilities through essay assignments, PowerPoint preparations, and extensive feedback on written tasks