Qin Gao appointed Director of the Asian American Initiative
Following a year as Acting Director, Prof. Qin Gao was officially appointed Director of Columbia University’s Asian American Initiative (AAI) this summer.
Reflecting on the appointment, Amy Hungerford, Executive Vice President of Arts and Sciences and Dean, remarked: “Qin’s leadership of the AAI as acting director has advanced its vital mission and programs in dynamic and innovative ways,” and noted that “with her new appointment as director, she will bring her unique talents and exceptional background in the social sciences, social work, and Asian American history and social policy to build on that solid foundation and position AAI for long-term success and impact. We are so lucky to have her leading this effort on behalf of Columbia.”
Anchored by AAI’s core philosophy of Data, Narrative, and Action (DNA), Prof. Gao emphasizes that this framework relies on capturing empirical evidence by “talking to people, [and] gathering their narratives,” and ultimately “translating all of that into action, including policy changes.” She also underscores the crucial role of youth in advancing the AAPI community, noting, “Empowering young voices and integrating their contributions is essential to driving collective progress for the AAPI community.”
Over the past academic year, and under Prof. Gao’s leadership, the Asian American Initiative put AAI’s guiding principles into practice through a robust slate of programming. In the fall, Prof. Gao hosted an open forum where undergraduates shared input on course offerings and mapped out career goals. The momentum continued in February with an interactive session alongside Apex for Youth, connecting students with internship opportunities and the group's mission to empower low-income and immigrant Asian American youth.
Later that month, Prof. Gao moderated Asian Americans in Focus: Data, Narrative, and Action, an interdisciplinary panel of scholars and organizational leaders who drew on social science research to debunk long-standing stereotypes of Asian Americans. Expanding the dialogue across culture and technology, AAI also welcomed author Michael Luo to discuss his award-winning book Strangers in the Land, and hosted renowned science fiction author Ted Chiang for a timely lecture on AI’s evolving relationship with art.
AAI is launching a packed schedule of programming this academic year, headlined by the debut of the F.K. Tang Speaker Series in Business and Asian American Studies on October 6, 2026.