Chinese Studies professor Dr. Hannah Lin appointed

Morgantown, W.Va., September 11, 2007: Dr. Hannah Lin, assistant professor and coordinator of the Chinese Studies program in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, was recently appointed to the title of J. Vance and Florence Highland Johnson assistant professor at West Virginia University.

Recently, she accompanied one graduate assistant and twelve WVU students on a study abroad trip this summer to Taiwan where they participated in the Chinese Language and Culture Immersion program.

“As a named professor, I would like to continue building and maintaining a vibrant Chinese Studies program at WVU,” explained Dr. Lin. “It is also important to provide services related to the teaching, promotion and understanding of the Chinese language, culture, and foreign language education, as a whole, to both the University and the community.”

The number of students enrolled in Chinese this year doubled from 40 to 80, suggesting there was an increased interest in the culture. Accordingly, Dr. Lin plans to develop the Chinese Studies major and minor curriculum and requirements, expand the program with new courses, and prepare for the study abroad program next year, as she has already visited two universities in China.

“The U.S. State Department has designated the Chinese language critical to national prosperity and security,” said Dr. Lin. “Our goal is to build a high quality Chinese Studies program that will not only enrich our students’ education in the humanities, but also help them to gain a competitive edge in today’s work place.”

Dr. Lin received her Ph.D. in Chinese Linguistics from Ohio State University, and taught at Princeton University and the University of California at Los Angeles before coming to WVU last fall.

For more information, please contact Dr. Hannah Lin at Huey.Lin@mail.wvu.edu.