Ying Zeng

While a native of China, Dr. Zeng lived, worked and studied in Japan for an extended period of time. She was the founding secretary of the Japanese Society for the Study of Chinese Overseas. She has significant experience in the classroom, working as an instructor of Japanese and Chinese language as well as Asian-American Literature at WMU, Waseda University (Tokyo), Keio University (Tokyo) and elsewhere.

In addition to her work in academia, Dr. Zeng also served as a business planner for a Japanese auto company in Michigan and a computer engineer for BGP Geophysical Research Institute in China.

Her publications include numerous articles and book chapters (written in Chinese, Japanese, and English) on Asian-American society and literature as well as a dictionary and textbooks. She has also published a Chinese translation of Oscar Wilde’s children’s stories. 

As the director of Asian initiatives, Dr. Zeng's primary responsibilities include:

• Communicates with Asia-related constituencies including students, alumni, faculty, visiting scholars, and community through social media and other channels.
• Facilitates research collaboration among Asia-related units and faculty, including joint conferences, workshops, and speaker series.
• In coordination with the Associate Provost of Haenicke Institute for Global Education, Haenicke Institute for Global Education Leadership, and academic colleges and departments, initiate, develop, and maintain institutional partnerships in Asia, with a focus on China.
• Serves as the director for the Soga Japan Center and the Timothy Light Center for Chinese Studies at Western Michigan University.

Dr. Zeng (third from right) at Sino-American Symposium on Future Issues Affecting Quality of Life

Dr. Ying Zeng (seventh from right) with students of Western Michigan Institute at Guiyang, China