Hopkins-Nanjing Center Blog

The Hopkins-Nanjing Center (HNC) is a unique academic community where students with diverse interests converge, united by a shared focus on US-China relations. Below, students Alec Nash, Yan Manshu, and Wyatt Crooks share their paths at the HNC, individual passions, and multifaceted experiences in international relations. Also, be sure to check out last semester's student profiles . Alec Nash 亚历山大 MAIS '24 Concentration: International Economics Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia Undergraduate Institution: Emory University  Yan Manshu 严曼舒 HNC Certificate '24 Hometown: Nanjing, China Wyatt Crooks 康沃业 HNC Certificate + MAIR '25 Concentration: Governance, Politics, and Society Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina Undergraduate Institution: North Carolina State University Tell us about your background, how you became interested in China, and what led you to the HNC. Alec Nash Alec: During my undergraduate years at Emory University I studied international relations. At the tim...

Ever wonder if you can tour an electric vehicle factory in China? Three HNC students did their research and recently took a road trip to visit a NIO factory in neighboring Anhui province. China's EV market is massive and competitive, which makes China a fascinating place to experience this aspect of the green energy transition. Chris (right) and two classmates at the NIO Factory Experience Center On an overcast April morning, I arrived in Hefei, the capital city of Anhui province, with two classmates. Our destination was a NIO car factory which produces top-of-the-line electric vehicles. NIO has become famous in China and abroad for its unique battery-swapping, rather than charging, technology. NIO owners can pull into any of the nearly 2,500 battery swapping stations to receive a new battery pack and be on their way. This automated process lifts the car, removes the depleted battery, stores it in an underground vault, and replaces it with a fully charged battery. The whole process...