The NexGen Global Forum is a Beijing-based research organization founded by the inaugural cohort of the Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Dual Degree Master’s Program in Global Politics and Economics. Click here to see all other cohorts.
Chen Weize
Weize Chen graduated in 2022 from the University of California, Davis, with a double major in Physics and Managerial Economics and a minor in Political Science. He received Citations for Outstanding Performance in both majors and was named to the Dean’s List multiple times. He graduated with High Honors and was elected as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Weize has worked as a Market Researcher at Baidu, conducting in-depth research on the SAAS, IoT, IoV, and 5G markets. In the financial sector, he has served as an Assistant Financial Quantitative Analyst at International Alliance Associates and an Assistant Researcher at CITIC Securities, participating in the construction or optimization of investment portfolios, performance evaluation, profit and loss measurement, and pricing models. In 2021, he joined the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy’s Young Ambassadors Program as a research intern. In the same year, he worked as a summer research assistant at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China, conducting comparative research on RCEP and CPTPP. In 2023, he interned at National Administration for Rural Revitalization, and is responsible for assisting drafting, revising, and formatting documents related to rural development. Weize has a wide range of hobbies, including football, fitness, travel, and singing.
At Tsinghua University, Weize has always been committed to serving the collective, actively participating in school social work. He currently serves as the class representative of the Social Science Master’s Class 221 and the sports department’s event preparation team leader at the graduate students’ association. He is also a key member of the college’s research practice department, and he is also the learning commissioner of the International Relations Department Committee. Weize’s research interests include developing countries, macroeconomics, international relations theory, and foreign aid.
Elizabeth Cherchina
Elizabeth graduated from Northeastern University in Boston in 2014 with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. During her undergraduate period, she managed Northeastern’s Engineers Without Borders and led student community work in Uganda and Honduras. After graduation, she worked as an intern at a social impact investment fund in Shanghai and received a Chinese government scholarship. She also studied Chinese at Yunnan University.
She has lots of experience in international development. Before entering the Tsinghua-SAIS dual degree program, she had 5 years of construction project management experience in Haiti, including public health infrastructure, roads and bridges, and renewable energy. Additionally, she led a Boston-based nonprofit focused on building bridges in Haiti. She has also worked with the Haitian government on a project to privatize the electricity grid in southern Hait. At SAIS, she majored in infrastructure and development finance and recently completed an internship with the U.S. Development Finance Corporation.
Her research interests include economic development, renewable energy development in developing countries, and China’s infrastructure investment in developing countries. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, hiking, biking, and cooking.
Fang An
Fang An graduated from the University of International Relations with a bachelor’s degree in English, her research interest is English interpretation and translation, and she obtained an excellent degree in TEM-4 during her undergraduate period. Out of her interest in language learning, she minored in Japanese as a second language for two years and took a Russian language course, both with excellent grades. In her spare time, she has also studied Korean and mastered basic conversational skills. She is also an active member of the Cantonese Association, the National Research Institute, and the Japanese Language Club. During her undergraduate studies, she interned at the China International Cultural Communication Center, where she understood the importance of dedicating herself to social welfare activities and developing philanthropy. In addition, she has internship experience at Peking University Asset Management Co., Ltd., CITIC Guoan Urban Development Holdings Co., Ltd., and China Huaxia Cultural Heritage Foundation. An’s research interests are international cooperation and U.S.-China Relations.
Graham Austin
Graham Austin is a second-year student in the Tsinghua-Johns Hopkins SAIS dual master’s program. Graham’s research directions at SAIS are international finance and economics and Chinese studies. He graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Additionally, he is interested in corporate government relations and has worked and lived in South America, Europe and Asia.
Han Jia
Jia HAN graduated from Peking University in 2022, majoring in Political Science and Administration. In addition, she completed the Joint Cultivating Program on Politics, Law, and Sociology at Peking University, where she was awarded the honorary title of “Outstanding Final Thesis”. During her undergraduate studies, she received honors and awards from Peking University, including Excellent Graduate, Merit Student, Social Work Award, Peking University Scholarship, and HeHeChang Scholarship of the School of Government of Peking University.
Jia HAN used to be a research assistant at the Center for Research Center for Contemporary China at PKU and the Department of Communication at Stanford University. Her work in the 29th Challenge Cup of Peking University won the first prize and was presented at the 79th Annual Midwest Political Science Associate Conference. She has also interned in the fields of new media operations, human resource consulting, government agencies, and social organizations. In 2023 spring, she served as a volunteer for the China Development Forum.
Her research interests include comparative politics, digital governance, and conflict and peace.
Han Yixiao
Yixiao Han is currently a first-year Master’s student in Tsinghua and Johns Hopkins SAIS Dual-Degree Program. She graduated from New York University Shanghai, with a bachelor’s degree in finance and a second major in data science. She was placed on Dean’s List several times during her undergraduate years and received the Deans’ Undergraduate Research Fund and Recognition Award. Yixiao has strong interests in international economics and finance, especially about economies of developing countries, and has conducted internships in related area. She also actively participated in student work in her spare time in both NYU Shanghai and Tsinghua.
Lu Yanjun
Lu Yanjun graduated from the Department of Foreign Languages, School of Humanities, Tsinghua University, majoring in English. She also had a double major in Business Administration. During her undergraduate studies, she was awarded Tsinghua University Comprehensive Scholarship, Social Work Scholarship, Tang Zhongying Education Scholarship and Tsinghua University Outstanding Student Leader.
Lu Yanjun served as a research assistant for a project related to social governance funded by the National Social Science. She received an A+ in the Linguistics SRT project and participated in the establishment of the project. Plus, she participated in the Oxford University’s (OxCGRT) project and participated in the Oxford University winter vacation program.
Lu Yanjun used to be the deputy secretary of the organization of the School of Humanities, and served as the team leader of the comprehensive coordination group for the Winter Olympics. She also participated in UNDP Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue on Climate, “Wei Guang” public welfare activities.
In terms of culture and sports, Lu Yanjun was a member of the “Baiyang Project” , and a member of the badminton team of the School of Humanities. Currently, she is a member of the chorus team of Tsinghua University.
Tang Jiepu
Jiepu Tang graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and computer science. He has participated in research on institutional reforms in rural China and intergovernmental fiscal relations in the early years of reform and opening-up, and has interned at investment companies, government agencies, think tanks, and international organizations. His research focus includes international finance, economic development, and history of the CPC and post-1949 China.
Wang Shihao
Shihao Wang completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. During his time as an undergraduate student, he pursued opportunities to enhance his knowledge and skills in policy research, outreach, and community interconnection, gaining valuable experience with a diverse background spanning both the public and private sectors.
Shihao Wang’s areas of professional interest predominantly revolve around American politics, digital technology, and crisis management. He actively engages in curricular activities at Tsinghua University.
Wang Xinning
Wang Xinning graduated from the School of Economics and Management of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), majoring in International business. She has the experience of exchange studies in both London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Peking University, studying economics, media and international relations.
In terms of social practice, she actively organized and participated in volunteer activities, served as a key member of the school’s public welfare community, and organized many public welfare activities such as volunteer teaching. In 2022, she participated in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games as a volunteer, providing consultation and liaison assistance for guests of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and National Olympic Committee (NOC). During her undergraduate studies, she also worked as an assistant in the Student Affairs Office of the University, with rich experience in planning and hosting events.
Her internship experience covers many fields such as government agencies, central enterprises, financial institutions, business consulting companies, and NGOs. she is also a Young Ambassador for the 2020 Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Her research interests include international political economy, security strategy and U.S.-China relations.
Wang Xinning graduated from the School of Economics and Management of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), majoring in International business. She has the experience of exchange studies in both London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Peking University, studying economics, media and international relations.
In terms of social practice, she actively organized and participated in volunteer activities, served as a key member of the school’s public welfare community, and organized many public welfare activities such as volunteer teaching. In 2022, she participated in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games as a volunteer, providing consultation and liaison assistance for guests of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and National Olympic Committee (NOC). During her undergraduate studies, she also worked as an assistant in the Student Affairs Office of the University, with rich experience in planning and hosting events. Her internship experience covers many fields such as government agencies, central enterprises, financial institutions, business consulting companies, and NGOs. she is also a Young Ambassador for the 2020 Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy. Her research interests include international political economy, security strategy and U.S.-China relations.
Wu Shangrun
Shangrun Wu graduated from New York University in 2022 with a major in Economics and a minor in Business, where she was awarded a scholarship and named to the Dean’s List several times. During her undergraduate years, she started her own business in the U.S. and opened her own fast casual restaurant, The Pokespot, and within three years, had expanded to four locations with the mission of promoting organic, green and healthy lifestyles in the community.
Prior to enrolling in the Tsinghua-SAIS dual degree program, she worked as a strategist for Xixian Hongsheng Grain Products Co., Ltd. and participated in designing technical reforms and management innovations to transform the company’s traditional agriculture to modern agriculture, effectively helping to achieve over 30% increase in income for local farmers. Since 2018, she has interviewed local farmers and assisted in establishing a precise poverty alleviation mechanism, helping a total of over 30,000 people to achieve their precise poverty alleviation goals for three consecutive years. During her internship at the Planning and Design Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, she participated in the design of the construction of agricultural modernization demonstration zones in Feicheng, Shandong Province and Chongzhou, Sichuan Province.
At Tsinghua University, she joined the Graduate Student Union and was the leader of the TopTalk group. Shangrun’s research interests focus on topics such as the economy in developing countries, Sino-African agricultural cooperation and global food security.
Xu Can
Can Xu graduated from China Foreign Affairs University with a major on diplomatic translation. She studied international relations as an exchange student at the University of Leeds in the UK in the fall of 2018 and took self-study courses in economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics in 2020. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research on international communication platforms and translation practices, and won several scholarships. With a keen interest in languages and finance, Can studied French and Korean, and received her CATTI Level 2 translation certification in 2021 and passed the CFA Level 1 exam.
During her undergraduate years, she served as a branch secretary at the grassroots level and was elected as the deputy secretary of the English Department’s General Committee from her junior to senior year. During this period, she united all the branches of the group and actively planned and organized activities. Currently, she serves as the group secretary of Class 221 in the School of Social Sciences.
Can actively engages in practices and accumulates social experiences. In the government organs, she worked in the Youth League Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she was responsible for organizing a series of lectures such as “The History of the Ministry” and “Youth Forum on International Issues” to promote communication and increase exchanges. She also worked in the Foreign Exchange and Cooperation Department of the People’s Daily, planning and arranging dialogues between Chinese and foreign media on international hot issues and China’s development model. In financial area, she was an intern in the investment banking department of Huatai Securities, where she participated in major asset restructuring and IPO projects.
Can’s current research interests include policy and strategy formulation, China-developing country relations and infrastructure cooperation.
Yu Kehan
Yu Kehan, graduated from the School of Government, University of International Business and Economics, with a double major in economics. During his undergraduate period, he won first-class scholarship and outstanding student in UIBE. During his undergraduate studies, he actively participated in internships in national strategy and policy research, covering consulting companies, think tanks, and financial sectors. During the internship, he went to the grass-roots level of Sichuan cities to conduct investigations and research on local policies. In terms of social practice, he has participated in volunteer work for China-Africa Cooperation Forum and World Internet Conference.
At Tsinghua University, Yu Kehan actively participated in different kinds of groups. He has joined the Graduate Union of Tsinghua University. His research interests mainly focus on economic diplomacy and international trade.
Zeng Kailai
Zeng Kailai graduated from the major of Diplomacy of China Foreign Affairs University. He has won various scholarships of the undergraduate studies, such as the Outstanding Student of the university and Outstanding Graduate of Beijing.
During his undergraduate years, he won the national championship of the “21st Century Cup” National English Speech Competition for College students, participated in the planning and hosting of academic seminars in the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Global Youth Summit, participated in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics as a volunteer, and participated in the Harvard Summit of Young Leaders in China as a lecturer. He has interned at the World Economic Forum, Edelman, and United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), and co-authored the WWF publication “Mechanisms and Negotiations for the Convention on Biological Diversity”. At Tsinghua University, he joined the International Communication Department of the University’s Graduate Student Association and the Tsinghua University Students’ Association for Global Governance and International Organization.
His research interests are the region of Middle East and international organizations. In his spare time, he enjoys appreciating movies and music.