Ceramics classes have always been a way for me to unwind and get lost in the process of creating something with my own two hands. Upon coming to Nanjing, I wanted to find a new studio and use the experience to branch out into the city. I was lucky enough to experience two sides of ceramics in Nanjing: DIY activities made for a one-time experience, and professional studios of students majoring in ceramics. This blog delves into my personal experiences with ceramics and the community in Nanjing as well as my plans to continue my involvement in the future.
Thursday, November 14, 2024
Creativity Through Ceramics
Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Meet The Fall 2024 Banwei
The Sumerians of Ancient Mesopotamia established the first well documented government in human history, as they systematically ruled over their city-states with kings and religious leaders. Over 4500 years later we see a world organized by government entities from top to bottom, and educational institutions are no exception. So, what does this look like at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center? This blog introduces how student governance works at the HNC and the current student leaders in office.
Orientation is a whirlwind of new information, but an exciting time as you get to know your classmates, professors, and staff. Halfway through orientation elections are held for the positions of 班委 (Bān wěi). This position roughly translates to class committee, which is made up of four members who act as student representatives that meet with the administration. Their main roles are the planning of student events, tackling of any student issues which may arise, and relaying crucial information from the administration to current students. The 班委 lead by example as pillars of the community, and take initiative in bringing together the community. It is a prestigious position that comes with advantages such as private meetings with guest speakers and visitors and having information on upcoming events well in advance.
The Voting Process
You can only run for the position if nominated, either self-nominated or nominated by another student in which one may accept or deny that nomination.
Each student who is nominated and wishes to run gets up to three minutes to deliver a speech to their classmates in either Mandarin or English (some choose both!).
Majority votes through an anonymous participant survey grants you office as 班委.
Elections are held bi-annually at the start of each semester, and multiple terms are allowed.
Meet Your Current 班委!
Female International Student Representative: 葛文娜 Gé wénnà (Gentle & Elegant) Savannah Glaves
Where are you from? Easton, Kansas
What are some of your interests? I tend to spend most of my time playing video games and doing puzzles. I also have a tendency to pursue random hobbies, like crocheting and coloring, but then drop them for extended periods of time before returning to them when I’m not bombarded by school activities. I also love to engage in popular culture from other cultures, with one of my main ones being Korean pop music—my MAIS thesis is actually about soft power and Chinese popular culture!
What Inspired you to run? I decided to run for banwei after seeing the community they helped create last year. They were able to create what felt like a family even while crossing cultural boundaries. I wanted to help in creating that community as well, as it made me feel like I had made some of the closest friends in my life. I also really like planning events that help us—especially the Americans—feel more at home, like Halloween and Christmas.
Which fictional character is most like you? I’d have to say one of the characters I resonate most with is Kirby, which seems pretty on par for me with my love for video games. If anyone knows anything about Kirby, he inhales pretty much everything and absorbs their knowledge to be able to use their abilities. I wouldn’t say I can do that exactly, but I do have an extremely good memory and absorb lots of knowledge. My classmates have also probably seen how much Kirby stuff I have: a hat, socks, sweater, hoodie, pajama pants, card holder. There’s probably some stuff I’m forgetting as well. I also tend to say one-worded phrases like “meh,” or “bwah” (that’s the top two lately) which have absolutely no meaning to them, which reminds me of Kirby’s “Poyo.”
Where are you from? I am from Changnin district in Shanghai
What are some of your interests? I have a series of interests such as: military, modeling, reading, and badminton. All in addition to what I am learning now at the HNC in International Relations.
What Inspired you to run? I was a monitor of my university in the past. Additionally I really enjoy helping others.
Which fictional character is most like you? Hathaway in Gundam
Female Chinese Student Representative: 刘柏松 Liú Bǎisōng (Cypress and Pine trees)
What are some of your interests? For me, I admire the pine trees with snow and ice, and also enjoy the smell of the cold wind in winter. I like paper books, not just for reading, but also the feeling of the materials. That brings me inner peace whenever I am frustrated. Going on adventures is also one of my favorite pursuits. This means trying new things and meeting new people.
Where are you from? I am from Quibdó, Colombia but have lived in New York City for a long time.
What are some of your interests? I love learning languages and art history, playing basketball and chess, and singing and dancing.
What Inspired you to run? I’ve always been very outgoing, and love being involved in my community. At first, I felt I might be stretching myself thin adding all these new responsibilities, but then I thought “Why not me” and so I wrote a speech and gave it my best shot. Plus it would be cool to call my mom afterwards and tell her I won an election. (She was ecstatic)
Which fictional character is most like you? Zoolander’s son from Zoolander 2.
Written by Carlos Vicente Sanchez Paz HNC Certificate + SAIS MAIR'26
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Having a Peanut Allergy in China
When I first became interested in studying abroad in China, I was not thinking about the practical side of my daily life. In the United States nut allergies are very common and restaurants typically do not use peanut oil or are specific about allergens on their menus. In China; however, this is not always the case. I have a peanut allergy, which impacts how I can go out and consume food in China. However, though my allergy is something I now have to think about in my daily life here, it is manageable with a few tricks. This week's blog explores some useful considerations to staying safe with allergies.
1. Know how to say your allergen correctly!
The Mandarin characters for peanut are 花生 [huā shēng] and to express my allergy I say “我对花生过敏.[wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn]” You can say “我对[insert allergen]过敏.” Make sure you are pronouncing this correctly and get the attention of your server or food seller and get acknowledgement that they have heard you. Some people also have a card they carry around with them which state their allergies in writing so they can show the server in case of communication or pronunciation issues.
2. Clearly advocate for yourself! and getThere are many times when I am extremely hungry or a friend offers me a snack, like a mooncake, and I just want to have it. However, if I cannot get clarification on my allergen, I refrain from trying the food/snack. It is better to be safe than sorry, and there are so many other safe foods to try. Be patient with yourself, and do not be afraid to speak up and ask for something else if the food in front of you does not feel safe.
If cross contamination is a big issue for you, make sure to ask if your food is being made in the same pan that has the food with the allergen. Especially check this if the restaurant says they also use the allergen in other foods they serve. If you are sharing food (like hot pot) with friends, be sure to let them know about your allergy and have utensils that are specifically used for the food you are eating. Sometimes people will use their chopsticks for multiple dishes, which causes cross-contamination.
Written by Hannah Bases MAIS'26
Monday, September 16, 2024
The Start of the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Let the fall 2024 semester begin! Hopkins-Nanjing Center students recently arrived on campus for orientation, and are already exploring all of the sights (and food) that Nanjing has to offer. There's nothing like the annual hike up Purple Mountain to start the semester off right!
Monday, July 15, 2024
Chinese Proficiency Admissions Requirement
The test questions are multiple-choice for both the listening and reading sections, and you can listen to every question twice. The STAMP is available in simplified Chinese only. If you are more familiar with traditional Chinese, that's ok! Just take your time and don't rush through it. Taking longer on the test won't have a negative impact on your results.
- The Chairman's Bao (articles with vocab lists, grammar structures and recordings)
- American Mandarin Society (Weekly newsletter with Chinese news and phrases, podcasts and other resources)
- Voice of America Chinese Podcast
- Sinocism Newsletter (weekly Chinese-US relations news in Chinese and English)
- Global Times (Chinese newspaper)
- CNKI Database for Chinese Academic Articles
To request the STAMP test, you will first need to start an application to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center and complete the Chinese proficiency test tab. You will then be prompted to choose from two proctoring options: in person for $15 or virtual proctoring for $40. Once you complete this section of the application, you will receive an email within 2 business days from nanjing@jhu.edu with testing instructions and a link to pay your testing fee.
Once you have completed the test, you will need to notify the HNC Washington Office by emailing nanjing@jhu.edu, after which you will be emailed your test results.
As you prepare to take the STAMP Chinese proficiency test, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Hopkins-Nanjing Center admissions office at nanjing@jhu.edu for assistance.
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
Energy, Resources and Environment (ERE) at HNC
Students at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center choose their coursework from several concentration areas, including Energy, Resources and Environment (ERE). ERE focused students take classes from Professor Roger Raufer, Resident Professor at the HNC who joined the faculty in 2014. He has more than four decades of engineering consulting experience and has been an advisor for the UN, USAID, and World Bank. This week's blog explores Professor Raufer's busy spring semester.
HNC’s Professor Roger Raufer had an especially busy Spring semester! He spent the first part of the semester in Europe, giving his annual lectures on environmental policy at the IFP School near Paris. He then went to Italy to present a Professional Skills Course (PSC) about emissions trading at the SAIS Europe campus in Bologna. This course had a special focus on China’s nascent emissions trading program. The course was funded by the Yeung Family Scholar Fund, a program designed to encourage innovative teaching related to China within SAIS.
From Bologna, Professor Raufer returned to the HNC to teach a compressed course entitled Economic Instruments for Pollution Control in the Spring-II semester. This is a full-semester course offered over eight weeks, addressing such topics as carbon taxes, emissions trading, and the controversial role of carbon offsets. Professor Raufer arranged two exceptional guest speakers: Mr. Li Shaoyi is a former senior UN official who retired from the UN Environment Programme in Paris and had an office adjacent to Professor Raufer at the UN Secretariat office in New York. Mr. Li spoke about trade issues and the role of the EU’s new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Next was Mr. David Fishman, an HNC 2014 alum who is a Shanghai-based Senior Manager at the Lantau Group, an energy advisory group. Mr. Fishman spoke about the role of Green Electricity Certificates (GECs) in China’s power sector transition, as well as his observations about the impact of the country’s carbon market (currently still limited to the power sector).
Professor Raufer also had an opportunity to provide a lecture about carbon mitigation strategies for Professor Bu Maoliang’s MBA course at Nanjing University’s School of Business. Professor Bu teaches ERE Economics in HNC’s ERE program, highlighting the shared-professor interactions between Nanjing University and HNC, which is especially valuable for both programs.
Finally, Professor Raufer is glad to report that the Fourth Edition of Springer’s Handbook of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation was recently published and contains an updated revision of his chapter on Emissions Trading. He is co-authored with – among others – Professor Carla Freeman, former HNC Co-Director and former head of the Foreign Policy Institute at SAIS; and Cory Combs, a SAIS alum and Associate Director of Energy at Trivium China.
Monday, June 24, 2024
HNC and SAIS Alum Brian Hart: A Career Studying China
HNC alumni thrive in various sectors related to US-China relations, including government, business, journalism, and think tanks, often carving out unique specialties within their organizations. Brian Hart has done just that at CSIS. In our latest alumni profile, Brian shares captivating insights from his time at the HNC and his focused career journey.
Brian Hart is a fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where his research concentrates on Chinese foreign policy, military modernization, and Taiwan security issues. Before his current role, Brian conducted research for the Project 2049 Institute, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, and Trivium China. He holds an HNC certificate and a master’s in international relations from SAIS, as well as a bachelor's degree in politics and international affairs from Wake Forest University.
How did you find yourself at the HNC?
I knew I wanted to go into a field focusing on China, which was clear from the work that I did as an undergrad––it was just a matter of finding the best program for me. I also wanted to spend time in China to improve my language skills and gain in-country experience, so SAIS and the HNC were at the top of my list from the beginning. Going in, I knew the HNC had a significant reputation within the China studies field, and it was the front-runner that luckily worked out for me. I was able to have an incredible experience in China and I still encourage a lot of current undergraduate students, whether at my alma mater or interns at CSIS, to apply to SAIS. It’s one of the best programs if you really want to research China.
Tell us about your work at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
At CSIS we have several different programs focused on China and I work on the China Power Project, which is geared toward researching the Chinese military, national security issues, foreign policy, and cross-strait relations. We dive deeper into security issues than some of our other programs, which focus more on economics, finance, or domestic Chinese politics. We have a good balance of issue areas between teams at CSIS and a lot of people working on China overall.
CSIS and think tanks in general are fantastic places to be. It's been a great opportunity early on in my career to learn from people who have decades of experience and are at the top of their field. In terms of studying China, it’s given me a lot of opportunities to carve out my own path. I also appreciate that think tanks give you a balance of research and public engagement. I get the chance to engage with different people from both the policy community and academia. CSIS exists at a cross-section of several different research spaces and I’ve enjoyed that. It’s one of the reasons I wanted to work at a think tank in general.
The work of the China Power Project feels connected to the Security, Strategy, and Statecraft focus area at SAIS. Was this always your interest?
My main area of study at SAIS was China studies, which involved a broad focus on China. In fact, when I was at the HNC, I was more interested in domestic Chinese politics, specifically institutional reforms and similar topics within the Chinese Communist Party. I did an independent study with Professor Qi Lingling where I examined various organization reforms going on within the political system in China, especially the evolution of “leading small groups” (领导小组). I dug into that while at SAIS and I have continued similar work at CSIS, shifting more towards security-focused research. This involves researching the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), its modernization, and Chinese security policy more generally. It’s been a shift over time, but certainly many of the classes that I took at SAIS were relevant and prepared me well. At SAIS DC, I took a course on the PLA, which was foundational to my understanding of the Chinese military before my more in-depth work at CSIS.
What is your favorite memory from your time at the Hopkins-Nanjing Center?
It’s not really a single memory, but I think some of my fondest memories are going out with friends to eat and hanging out at local restaurants, especially hole-in-the-wall places on Shanghai Road 上海路 near the HNC. Locals were often amused and excited about seeing so many foreigners in the neighborhood. I enjoyed the atmosphere of Nanjing and it stands out in my mind as one of the best Chinese cities that I've visited. So, getting to explore local spots, become a regular, and enjoy life in Nanjing really stands out as what I miss the most about my HNC experience.
What is one skill you gained from your time at the HNC? Are these skills you use every day at CSIS when analyzing China?
For me, it’s being able to read Chinese academic articles and having the vocabulary to analyze them. That ability is a valuable asset for me in terms of the work that I do at CSIS. As someone based in DC, I want to go beyond just talking to Americans about what is going on in China. We really try to stay engaged in reading what Chinese experts and officials themselves are saying. That’s something that relatively few people can do. There are a lot of people who can visit China and can get around speaking colloquial Chinese which is an important skill to have. But I think the ability to dig into policy and academic issues in Chinese is a whole different ball game. My studies at the HNC put me in a great position to do the kind of work that I'm doing now.
Pretty much every day I read some kind of Chinese language material, whether that's picking up articles on Xinhua or People's Daily that are relevant to major news stories or reading academic articles by Chinese scholars. At CSIS, we really want to ground our research in understanding China as best we can. That means reading what Chinese experts themselves are saying.
What advice would you give to current or future HNC students about the type of work you do?
I would say two things are relevant to anybody who wants to do this or any kind of work on China. One is to maintain your language skills. Once you leave China, it becomes much more challenging to keep your language skills fresh. There are always ways to practice though. Around Washington, DC and all over the country, there are language programs available in-person and remote, and I’ve utilized these. In fact, when I recently took refresher courses, it seemed like two-thirds of my small class was HNC alumni. Several were former classmates of mine, and we had no idea we would all be enrolling in the same course so that was a fun surprise.
The other one, I would say as you move through your career, carve out your area of China studies. China is a huge topic and I think it’s impossible to really be a strong expert on all issues. There’s just too much there: security, politics, trade, economics, etc. Find your niche and invest in that. It’s okay if you don’t come out of the HNC or SAIS knowing what it is exactly, but as you advance in your career, begin to carve it out.