2024 CUAFA Annual Report
Dear CUAFA Members and Supporters,
As we look back on 2024, I'm filled with pride and gratitude for what we have achieved together. This year, we received an extraordinary $250,000 donation from an anonymous donor—an incredible milestone for a young organization like ours. Of this, $187,500 established our first endowment fund to secure CUAFA's future. With $40,000 raised from other efforts, we obtained a total of $100,000 for our current use fund. Thank you to all our generous donors for making this possible.
Our community programs—like the annual gala, back-to-school picnic, and Asian movie nights—continued to thrive, while new faculty development activities, including award lectures, fireside chats on AI, discussions with university and government officials about scientific integrity and safety, and a wellness survey, expanded our reach. We also became a founding chapter of The Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA), amplifying our collective voice.
Our members excelled in 2024, conducting cutting-edge research, earning prestigious awards, securing leadership positions, and being elected to national academies. These achievements bring immense honor to our university and community.
As my presidency comes to an end, I want to thank every member and the executive committee for their dedication. It has been an honor to serve, and I am confident that, under Dr. Anil Lalwani's leadership, CUAFA will achieve even greater heights.
I hope you enjoy reading the annual report. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and successful Year of the Snake.
With gratitude and best wishes,
Yiping W. Han, PhD
President, CUAFA
2024 Highlights
CUAFA Receives Generous Anonymous Donation of $250,000
CUAFA expresses heartfelt gratitude to the anonymous donor for their support and belief in our mission. This significant contribution will greatly enhance our initiatives and support our ongoing efforts to promote diversity, inclusion, and academic excellence within the CUAFA community.
CUAFA has become a founding chapter of the Federation of Asian Professor Associations (FAPA), partnering with 17 other associations to strengthen collaboration and representation among Asian faculty. Dr. Yiping Han has been appointed as co-chair of the Faculty Development Committee.
CUAFA proudly announced the 2024 recipients of the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award and the Young Investigator Award, honoring Dr. Mae M. Ngai and Dr. Yuan Yang, respectively, for their significant contributions to academia.
This webinar featured the 2023 and 2024 CUAFA Young Investigator Award recipients, Dr. Harris Wang and Dr. Yuan Yang, who explored key career development strategies for emerging scholars.
The event featured Executive Vice President Jeannette Wing and Vice President Naomi Schrag, who addressed pivotal issues in research policy and safety. Attendees were inspired by their insights into shaping research protocols and fostering a secure environment for academic inquiry, making it a memorable occasion for the CUAFA community.
Asad Ramzanali, Chief of Staff at the White House Office of Science and Technology, discussed how the U.S.-China relationship influences progress in research and innovation. Attendees participated in an insightful conversation about the future of global collaboration within the scientific community.
The event welcomed several newcomers, including new Columbia faculty members. We were delighted to have Dr. Ellie Hisama, Columbia Professor Emeritus of Music and current Dean and Professor at the University of Toronto, join us for the occasion.
Lu Zhang, Founder and Managing Partner of Fusion Fund, led engaging discussions on the role of AI in healthcare and infrastructure, providing attendees with valuable updates and insights into this transformative technology.
An exclusive book talk featured Dr. Mae M. Ngai, the recipient of the CUAFA 2024 Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award, discussing her acclaimed work, The Chinese Question. This groundbreaking book offers an in-depth exploration of the Chinese diaspora and its significant impact on global politics during the gold rush era.
The Third CUAFA Annual Gala Dinner was a resounding success, drawing nearly 140 friends, colleagues, students, parents, alumni, and sponsors—30% more than last year—to celebrate our extraordinary CUAFA community.
The event attracted approximately 80 attendees who enjoyed Chinese cuisine while watching the inspiring film Sight, featuring renowned eye surgeon Dr. Ming Wang, who participated in a panel discussion with Ophthalmology faculty.
Achievements and Awards
Shunichi Homma Honored with Japan's Order of the Sacred Treasure
Venkat Venkatasubramanian Receives AIChE’s Walker Award for Chemical Engineering Literature
Sheena Iyengar Wins 2024 SESP Scientific Impact Award
Uma Reddy Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
Dian Yang Awarded NIH High-Risk, High-Reward Grant
David Ho, Sankar Ghosh, and Kam Leong Honored as Inaugural Fellows of the Asian American Academy of Science and Engineering
Xiaodong Lin-Siegler Named Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Cognitive Science in Education
Yiping Han Elected President of the Anaerobe Society of the Americas
Timothy Cragin Wang Appointed Vice Chair for Academic Programs at Columbia’s Department of Medicine
Yiping Han Named President-Elect of Sino-Micro Group at ASM Microbe 2024
Anil Rustgi Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research
Garud Iyengar Appointed Avanessians Director of the Data Science Institute
X. Edward Guo Elected to the 2024 ORS Fellows
Anil Rustgi Receives AACR Award
Jingguang Chen and Jeannette M. Wing Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
A Sincere Thank You
to Our Generous Donors
$62,500
Anonymous
$20,000
Ms. Chun Li
$2,500
Li Lu Humanitarian Foundation, Walter & Shirley Wang Foundation, Hua Zhang
$1,500
Dr. Yiping W. Han
$1,000
Drs. Xiang-Dong Edward Guo and Lei Carol Liang, Dr. Lan Huang, Mr. Guyan Liu, Mr. John Jundong Liu, Mr. Zhengzhe Qu & Ms. Haiyan Zeng, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Xing Wang, Ms. Angela Wu, Dr. Zhiliang Ying
Up to $200
Dr. Stanley Chang and Mrs. Jean Wood Chang, Ms. Ashley Ruochen Hong, Dr. Tao Lu, Mr. Hongzhi Ren, Mr. Hanjing Tian and Mrs. Lili Lin, Mrs. Jianfen Xie and Dr. Kai Zhao, Ms. Yaoying Xu, Dr. Yan Yao and Mrs. Jie Zhang, Ms. Lan Yu
Mark Your Calendar
March 1, 2025: Join us for the CUAFA Annual Gala Dinner at Faculty House, where we’ll celebrate our achievements and strengthen our community.
June 21, 2025: Don't miss the CUAFA and AAEA joint summit at the Vagelos Education Center auditorium, featuring engaging sessions that aim to empower Asian American entrepreneurs and foster collaboration.
