Profiles of SEEDers - Harvard SEED for Social Innovation

Profiles of SEEDers
Lin Le, M.S. Candidate in China Studies at University of Washington
He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in China Studies in the Henry M. Jackson
School of International Studies in the University of Washington. His academic interest lies
in China’s political economy and foreign relations. Currently his research focuses on the
Tibet Question and China’s industrialization, urbanization and migrant workers. In 2011 He
got his Bachelor Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Shanghai International Studies
University (SISU). His was actively engaged in producing a 30-min documentary The Life of
Homosexual College Students in Shanghai; he was an intern in China Daily Shenzhen
Bureau, produced and edited more than 20 newsletters; he had volunteer experiences
with local NGOs and social work stations in the earthquake area in Mianyang Sichuan,
Shenzhen and Kolkata India; he also acted in the SISU-version Vagina Monologue which is
adapted from Eve Ensler’s original piece.
Xinghuo Leng, Undergraduate Student, Political theory, Party School of Beijing
Xinghuo is interested in civil society, grass-root governance and democratization. As a
volunteer of Eagle Plan of China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, he facilitated
Community-driven Development project at county level for almost one year. He also
worked as a volunteer to market and fund for Unconstrained Art L.t.d, a social enterprise
committed to fair trade. He will join labor NGO to server migrant worker.
Xinxin Liu, M.S. Candidate of Public Policy at University of Chicago
Graduated from DePauw University, my research interested focused on social policy and
corporate social responsibility. I care about environmental policy: I attended COP17 with
professor in 2009, and worked for China Youth Delegation for COP19 and Rio+20; I care
about international issues: I was International student ambassador at DePauw, President
of Model UN, Co-founder and Student Congress Representative of DePauw China
Connection. And I care about everything that could help improve civic social
responsibility: I interned at Chengdu Bird Watching Society, an NGO focused on
biodiversity and wetland protection, and China Central Television Station (CCTV) Social
News Department, in which I assisted in Weekly Quality Report program. Right now I am
working on a framework project devoted to providing a strategic policy initiative for
corporations in China regarding issues about Corporate Social Responsibility.
Qiaoyi Zhuang, Graduated from Syracuse University Maxwell School
Qiaoyi Zhuang enrolled in International Relation Master Program in 2010, after she finished her
Bachelor in Nanjing University, majored in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. She actively
volunteered in many organizations, such as wokai, Wildlife Conservation Society, and American
cultural exchange program CIEE, etc. Her experiences in undergrad gave her a new perspective in
understand civil society and NGO, which lead her to choose International Development and NGO
management as her concentrations. She also obtained the certificate for the advance study of
conflict resolution. To increase her understanding about her major, she had three interesting
internships, including the internship in UN ECOSOC secretary, American Enterprise Institute, and
Asia Society US China Center. In these internships, she has developed skills in writing, social media
and program coordinating and also increased understanding about issues involving international
education, gender, Chinese environmental crisis, advocacy etc.
Liyun Zhang, M.S. Candidate of Non-Profit Management at Northeastern University
Liyun Zhang is a graduate student of Northeastern University, and currently pursuing
Master’s degree in Non-Profit Management with a concentration in Human Service. Liyun
Zhang used to work at HPP, a Denmark NGO group, both as a promotion manager at Yunnan
Institute of Development, and as a HIV preventive officer at HOPE office. More than two
years working experiences of helping others not only make her understand the importance
of NGO as an indispensable force in society’s civilization progress, but also reinforce her
wish of devoting into NGO development in her future’s career.
Zhou Fang, Graduate Fellow at Cornell Institute of Public Affairs
Zhou Fang had her undergraduate degree of Human Resource Management in Renmin
University of China. Zhou has volunteered in different foundations and worked in regions
like Sichuan earthquake area and Delhi India. In 2010, she co-founded” Global Sustainable
Leaders Forum” in Beijing. In 2011, she successively interned in China Foundation Center
and US Foundation Center, coordinating the cooperation project between these two
parties. Zhou has attended” Rio +20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable
Development” as the Youth delegate. Zhou hopes to build and strengthen Public-PrivatePartnership in China. Through the resource integration, she wants to increase the operation
efficiency of the public sector and at the same time help private companies to take more
social responsibilities.
Zhenlin Li, Majoring in Chemistry and Political Science in University of Illinois
Zhenglin has seen many times personally, how money and power works in the society as he
grows up. Questions like these always baffle him: How were the inequalities created? Do
the “privileged” ones, most born after eighties, understand the life of a lower income
person in society? He joined Straittalk last year, the organization aims at bringing young
people together and produce some creative ways to solve the cross Strait issue. He learned
that the cross Strait issue is vital toward China’s future, and can impose changes to our
current society. Yet another way is social innovation: through education, volunteering,
philanthropy, etc. Which is why he joins SEED, hoping to meet people with same passion,
and making a greater impact on our society.
Dunyang Li, M.S. Candidate of Public Administration at NYU
Dunyang Li is pursuing a Master of Public Administration at NYU Wagner School of Public
Service, specializing in economic development and nonprofit management. He is
enthusiastic about pursuing a career that helps public and private organizations operate
more effectively and create more social impact by means of strategic planning, capacity
building, and performance evaluation. He graduated from Shanghai International Studies
University with a major in International Affairs. After graduating in 2011, he worked for
iJoin Social Innovation Consulting Fellowship, where he reengineered work processes,
designed organizational structure, and composed job descriptions for a local nonprofit in
Beijing. Most recently, he worked in a pro bono consulting project in New Orleans with
NYU Stern Business School, where he advised procurement and on-boarding processes for
Louisiana School Recovery District.
Xintao Li, Freshman at Bates College
Xintao Li will be a freshman at Bates College this fall. While in High school, she co-founded the Youth
Citizenship Association, a student run organization that aims to propagate youth citizenship among
students at her school. She is currently putting in place of the “7 hours” program, which calls for
teens to co-design action plans for down to earth problems they are concerned about by organizing
online discussion, finishing community-based research and brainstorming in 7 hours and living up
with words within the time settled. Based on accumulation of potential market and marketing
research, she plans to set up a philanthropic website with e-commerce function attached for youths
in the future. In detail, users can do shopping on e-commerce platforms we cooperate with by using
“e-money” collected via participating in Micro-philanthropy online. Furthermore, a consulting firm
behind the scene will take the stage after maturation of the web, providing youth social ventures in
China with consultancy service.
Rui Huang, Ph.D. Candidate of Ophthalmology in Medical Collage of Sun Yat-Sen University
Rui Huang, MD, is now studying for PhD degree of Ophthalmology in Medical Collage of Sun
Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center. Supported by Oversea Study Program of
Guangzhou Elite Project, she has been working as an exchange student in Schepens Eye
Research Institute, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. The Hippocratic Oath would be an
excellent motto for her in her struggle of study. For almost nine years, she has been
devoted much of her time and energy to serve as an leader and volunteer in Red-Cross
program to help people in rural area by providing advanced health care knowledge and
necessary drugs. Recently, she has been concerned about the children with poor vision in
remote and depressed village in China and would like to do something for them.
Xiaolei Duan, Consultant, Legal Vice-Presidency, the World Bank
Eight years of experience in improving the status of people with disabilities in China at policy level.
She was deeply involved in legislation and public policy design for people with disabilities on
education, employment, rehabilitation, accessibility, rights protection, social security, and cultural
and sports activities. She participated in negotiations and implementation of the Convention on the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She has worked closely with UN bodies and international
organizations, and has been widely exposed to rights-based concepts and practices of the
international disability movement. She is also knowledgeable in public health, social development,
governance, civil society, human rights, and public-private-nonprofit partnership. She holds a
Master in International Development Policy from Duke University and a Master in Public
Administration from Tsinghua University. She plans to establish an intermediary organization in
China in a couple of years for grassroots NGOs ’ capacity development.
Xirui Wang, Graduated from Aalto University in Finland
I was a truly left-home child during my early childhood. Since my mother left for Shenzhen for work,
in order to pay her enormous health bill. When I was at the age of 12, I helped my mother as a
psychologist to carry out counseling for children from single parent families. I often roleplay the
younger kid, for promoting understanding and communication between parents and children. That
was my first civil engagement experience. In the year 2008, when working as volunteer of
psychological crisis intervention in the Sichuan earthquake, I got the chance to experience such
great soreness closely, and recognized the limitations of the man. I became increasingly aware of
that, only the gospel of Jesus Christ with messages of “Faith Hope Love” is the ultimate comfort for
the earthquake victims. After graduation early this year, with major in communication and
networking, I am trying to find a way to utilize emerging technologies and the open source
methodology for the public welfare projects in China. The planned project is to establish a platform
which has the mechanism similar to a C2C e-commerce website.
Xiang Rong
Xiang Rong, LL.M, currently interning with the Law Library of Congress as a Foreign Law
Research Consultant mainly responsible for the legal requests from the U.S. Congress,
executive agencies and the Supreme Court with regard to legislation of mainland China,
Hong Kong and Taiwan. Previously worked for the China Legal Aid Foundation in a volunteer
program co-organized with Ford Foundation for 2 years, rendering pro bono service for the
poor and teenagers in relation to criminal and civil cases. I am focused on how to take
advantage of new media to develop civics and legal education, as well as to promote the
knowledge of rule of law and its enforcement amid grassroot-level groups in China.
Haixin Wang, Georgetown University
I come from Ningbo, Zhejiang and currently study at Georgetown University. My
undergraduate background is Russian and Finance (double majors). I went to St.
Petersburg, Russia as an exchange student in my sophomore and went to UCSD in the
subsequent summer. I played the piano and the flute in Wenqin Orchestra at Zhejiang
University and also in the Wind Ensemble of Georgetown University. Love travelling and
communicating with people from diversified backgrounds. Really looking forward to seeing
you all in Aug.!
Yuan Cheng, Master in Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University
He holds a Bachelor degree in Environmental Science in Zhejiang University, with a honors
minor in Cultural China Leadership Program. He is currently the president of China
Philanthropy Leadership Initiative which is a student organization registered at Indiana
University. His main interest lies in nonprofit management and capacity building, program
evaluation, and common pool resources management. He has done several surveys and
internships in various nonprofit organizations in China, including SEE, Global Village of
Beijing, CBIK, NPI, and Cherished Dream Education Foundation. He has also spent one year
in rural area of China for projects related with rural development. He is really devoted to
building a platform for more accountable and effective philanthropy in China.
Xun Ji, Majoring in social sciences and comparative education at UCLA.
Born with muscular dystrophy, I was raised up by my grandparents when my parents had to
work in the remote areas. I spent several years without parents’ care and then moved to
their workplaces- construction sites. I completed my primary education in the rural area,
struggling with school bullies and discrimination. During my high school years in the city,
peers’ isolation and teachers’ ignorance deeply hurt me but also strongly motivated me to
excel as a student scholar and get into college. I have been working for the media and
served as a public speaker, sharing my experience of living with a severe disability and
depression. I use my stories of overcoming traumatic sufferings in my life to encourage
young to fight against setbacks, and advocate for disability rights by receiving media
interviews and giving on-site speeches. These experiences make me think of public voice
and its transformative power in reshaping our society.
Yiruo Dong, Global Health Master student in Karolinska Institute
When Yiruo was an undergraduate student, she had done many volunteer services, such as WW F
panda habitat protection, migrant school education, rehabilitation services for autism children and
children with heart diseases, Shanghai World Expo VIP language services. In 2011, as a social
innovation fellow in The You think Center, she involved in the translation and editorial works for the
Grantcraft from Ford Foundation, and interned in Credit Ease's micro-credit team. In Sweden, as a
member of Social Entrepreneurship Forum in Stockholm, She actively involved in local social
innovation activities, interviewed local social entrepreneurs and wrote Swedish Social Innovation
Series. Now, she is responsible for Stockholm Chapter of Global Exchange in Leadership Initiative,
organize monthly workshops and discuss with local Chinese students on the topics s uch as social
innovation, new energy and environmental protection.
Yanjun Cai, Ph.D. of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii at Manoa
Yanjun has embraced a life-long effort to establish a social consulting enterprise for documenting,
promoting, and applying indigenous knowledge to address social and environmental challenges
within and beyond China. Advancing this challenge, she is currently embarking on a research project
to create an indigenous knowledge hub which will collect local knowledge for coastal management,
such as natural disaster risk prediction, climate change adaptation, and sustainable fishery. Unlike
the dominant statistical epistemology, this knowledge will then be presented through art forms
including photography, film and playback theatrical training in order to better plan coastal
communities. Yanjun brings a unique theoretical framework through education in the humanities
and social sciences: Chinese Literature at Beijing Normal University (BA), Cultural Management a t the
Chinese University of Hong Kong (MA) and Sociology at the University of Hawaii (MA).
Zhan Yuping, Graduate student of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning,
University of Hawaii at Mano
Zhan Yuping, male, Tujia ethnic minority, a graduate student of the Department of Urban
and Regional Planning, University of Hawaii at Manoa. He has worked for several
environmental protection or community development NGOs in areas of volunteer
development, farmer cooperative capacity building, grassland protect and ecological
agriculture. He will graduate this December and go back to China to continue his work in
NGO. His future plan is to promote Community Supported Agriculture in his hometown
through ecological agriculture practice in his rural community and the building of
consumer cooperative in the city, in order to promote the sustainable living of both rural
and urban people.
Shuo Xie, Graduated from Communication University of China
Shuo Xie is heading for Stanford University to pursue a M.S. degree in Statistics. She is an
advocate of professionalism of NGOs and is committed to assisting NGOs in China with
their capacity building. She currently serves as a consultant at iJoin Social Innovation
Consulting Fellowship, and has helped a number of NGOs design new projects and
implement organizational change. She aims to explore more effective ways for
professionals to introduce their technical knowledge/expertise into non-profit fields and to
promote the wide use of quantitative analysis methods and scientific management
strategies in NGOs. She is particularly interested in new media, creative industries and arts
education. She has served as a voluntary art teacher for one year in a primary school for
children of migrant workers, and has designed an experimental innovative animation
course for middle school students in remote areas in Qinghai Province.
Ailin Tan, BA in Journalism from Renmin University of China
She hopes to integrate multiple resources from academia, media and public sector and initiate
Ailin received BA in Journalism from Renmin University of China, I am interested in
iSurvey, an in-depth social investigation project, in which youths with rich civic awareness
revolution and specialization of social organizations and new media’s position in charity
investigate an urgent social problem, design an innovative solution and promote its
activities. During undergraduate
years, I published
several
articles
on different media
of
implementation
under the
guidance
of professional
advisors.
Mainland, Hong Kong and Macau. I wrote the article “Accidental death of ignored Macao
students”, which was published in Macao Daily, provoking discussion and fund-raising
activities in Macao. In 2010, I was elected to the Annual Chinese University Outstanding
Student. And I was 105th torchbearer of Beijing Olympic Games torch relay in Macao, 2008.
Xuan Zhao, PH.D. Candidate of Social Psychology and Cognitive Science at Brown University
Xuan Zhao graduated from Chu Kochen Honors College / Department of Psychology at
Zhejiang University in 2011. In spring 2011, she also took a 104-day trip around the world
on Semester At Sea, a non-profit education program in U.S. She is currently serving on the
Semester At Sea Youth Alumni Council as a committee member and a Global Ambassador,
writing a column for CAPE (a non-profit since established in June 2011), starting a reading &
sharing club at Brown, working for Brown CSSA , and enthusiastically involved in Harvard
China Education Symposium. She is very committed to higher education and international
education. In spring 2012, she co-founded Si•Lu Project, a non-profit learning-by-traveling
project, with 6 other members of Harvard China Education Symposium.
Marvin Nala, Bachelor in Diplomacy from Renmin University
Marvin Nala is an environmental activist at China, brought up with the education of environmental
protection. At the 2nd year of high school, he co-founded an environmental protection club and take
the responsibility of Executive President. In 2010, he joined COP16 China Youth Delegation and later
China Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN). Marvin is quite interested in environmental po litics
and energy policy, especially regarding to international climate negotiation and renewable energy
development. From 2010, he has been tracking the UN talks by timely youth policy updates and
reports with Global Campaign for Climate Change. He worked with the Climate & Energy Campaign
team of Greenpeace China at summer, 2010. Later, he served at Tsinghua -Carnegie Center for Global
Policy and United Nations Development Programme Beijing Office as a Energy scholar assistant
(Internship). Marvin is also participating the policy group of environmental NGOs at Beijing while
giving salons and trainings to his peer. In 2012, he was also engaged in the cross -generational
dialogue with the Elders, as a public campaign project leading to Rio+20 summit.
Zihuan Zou
Youth Delegate of Finnish Red Cross
First-Aid Expert, Search and Rescue Expert
Organizing War Correspondent Training Course in China which will be
Held during October to December 2012
Yi Lu, Amherst College
Yi Lu is the co-leader of Social Innovation Leadership Team, a student group at Center for
Community Engagement at Amherst College. Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Yi is a
rising junior at Amherst and majors in History and French. With a passion in education, prior
to college, Yi headed Fudan University International Model UN Conference (FDUIMUN) and
taught at several debate and critical thinking workshops for middle school students. At
Amherst, Yi remains engaged in educational initiatives and will lead a creative theatre
program for Guangdong’s left-behind children. In his (limited) free time, he enjoys reading,
writing, graphic design, and horseback riding.
Zhongwei Chen Master Degree of Public Administration in University of South Alabama
Director of the program of research on the traditional civilian culture of Beijing and its
protection supported by the Academic Fund of CUFE.
Internship in Yixuesanyou Company
Volunteer and editor in The Transition Institute
Volunteer in the China Rural Library in Qichun County, Hubei
Province since April 13th, 2011, the director of summer school of Liren College Program in
China Rural Library
Writer and editor of cnpolitics.org
Yaqiu Chen, UCLA graduate school, MPP student
Yaqiu is an outstanding young pioneer with great passion in Non-profit field. At 19, she
founded Model United Nations Association in her college and successfully held several
conferences with thousands of students involved; At 20, she established a Social
Entrepreneurship research team and published her research results in a core journal; At 21,
as an Intern in one of the biggest NGO supporting organizations in China, she achieved
NPI’s cooperation with American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai, which greatly improved
the development of Chinese nascent NGOs. At 22, together with field specialists, she
interned in social enterprise research center to sketch the China SE road-map. Now she is
working on a socially useful travel in order to discover a real China. Yaqiu has her focuses
on Social Entrepreneurship, ways of bringing professional public administration to China
and enlightening recognition of social good deeds among Chinese youth.
Mingzi Tang, Graduated from the Public Affair Management College of Shanghai Theatre
Academy
I majored in Art Design and Management. I was a full-time mandarin teacher at Shanghai
Community International School for two years, and also worked as a marketing manager
for Shanghai Arts Troupe and Arts School. I have been playing marketing, PR, and
advertising roles for several years, and also was a part-time Cuban-syle salsa teacher for
the Salsa Shanghai Dancing Group. I have a solid understanding of the difference between
eastern and western education system, and I am hoping to focus on the training and
education sector in NGO industry.
Songqiao Yao, Graduated from Mount Holyoke College, Majored in Critical Social Thought
She is the china program consultant for international environmental organization International Rivers
and has various experiences working in education, women's rights and climate change issues. During
her junior year, she received a full scholarship to study as an exchange student in Bonn University. She
participated in two UN climate conferences and helped organize the first China-EU round table on
Climate Change while interning for German watch, a climate advocacy NGO. In November 2011, she
participated in the Durban climate conference and coordinated activities and outreach efforts for the
Chinese youth participants. Songqiao is also the youngest advisor in the Asia/Oceania region for
international foundation the GLobal Fund for Women. She has also led the fundraising and curriculum
development at the largest Chinese-immersion preschool in San Francisco. Songqiao has participated
and led volunteer projects in rural Yunnan, Shaanxi, as well as Honduras and Costa Rica. As a starting
bloc fellow, she is well acquainted in the social innovation scene in the US.
Huan Sun, Graduate student at Comparative Media Studies at MIT
Sun Huan is a graduate student at Comparative Media Studies and research assistant at
Center for Civic Media of MIT. She received a B.A. in Journalism from Tsinghua University,
Beijing. Her research interest lies in the rise of digital media and its socio-political
implications on China. She is closely involved with NGO2.0 Project, which aims to buil d up
Chinese grassroots NGOs' digital literacy. Several other projects she has been working on
include social network analysis of Sina Weibo (Chinese version of Twitter) and Global Brand
Project ( a comparative study of perceptions on most populous countries).
Chunguang Wang, Co-Founder of EnerLong, SEED 2012 Senior Fellow
An entrepreneur in innovative technology, having 10+ working experience in consulting,
strategic management and project management. Currently co-founded EnerLong, focus on
energy saving technology, strategic development to provide comprehensive advice on the
sustainable development of the city, based on the city’s energy, transportation and
community platform.
He Li, Programme Officer of SEE, SEED 2012 Senior Fellow from SEE
Over the past three years, I was responsible for several field projects concerning
desertification control in Alax, Inner Mongolia, including biodiversity conservation, local
community development and indigenous knowledge and culture preservation, grassland
restoration, and relevant scientific research etc. Recently I am working for SEE’s strategy
development and management department in Beijing. We are committed to promoting the
governance paradigm shift of Alax desertification control, from a government dominated
and simple commend & control strategy to an integrated multi-domain, multi-scale and
multi-stage governance approach under complex system thinking, therefore stimulating the
sustainable transition of Alax’s society.
Yi Liu, SEED 2012 Senior Fellow from SEE
Haoliang Wu, SEED 2012 Senior Fellow from SEE
Hehe Zhang, SEED 2012 Senior Fellow from SEE