Humanities and Social Sciences and Writing Center Faculty
James McDougall, Ph.D.
Office: Zone 3, 322A
Email: jmcdoug(at)scupi.cn
Biography: Dr. James McDougall received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida and is currently serving as the director of the Humanities and Social Sciences program and the Writing Center at the Sichuan University Pittsburgh Institute and is an Associate Professor of English Language and Literature. His research interests includes: Poetry, Histories and Cultures of China-US Relations, Global Studies, Cultural Studies, and Rhetoric and Composition.
Writing Philosophy: We live in a world of signs. From our hair to our shoes we write ourselves into the world for people to read. From the way we walk down the street to gestures we make our existence is weaved into a tapestry of meaning. The same is true for ink we put on a page or digital images on a digital web. We leave a trace meanings and intentions. Through looking at the way we write ourselves into the world, we not only learn who we are, we learn “thou art.” Learning to write well allows us to communicate, not just to express our ideas clearly and accurately, but to encounter the ideas of others and create dialogues. Writing well takes practice, effort, and care. This hard work is rewarded by the communities we enter into, the knowledge that we share, and the revealing of the kind of person that we have become.
Dr. Areum Jeong, Ph.D.
Office: Zone 3, 320 B
Email: areum.jeong(at)scupi.cn
Biography: Areum Jeong received her Ph.D. in Theater and Performance Studies from UCLA and MA in Performances Studies from New York University. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Humanities and Writing at Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute. She researches and teaches Asian and Asian American film, literature, theater and performance.
Writing Philosophy: Writing can be viewed as a performance. This performance can take many forms—for example, it could be a solo performance or a collaborative performance. Writing also has the power to do something. It has the power to create a bridge between people of different cultures and encourage cultural exchange and understanding through words.
李玉梅 LI Yumei, Ph.D.
Office: Zone 3, 319B
Email: yumei.li(at)scupi.cn
Biography: Yumei Li received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Houston, where she also held positions as a teaching fellow and postdoctoral fellow. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Humanities and Writing at Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute. Her teaching and research interests focus on cultural studies, global studies, teaching English as a second language, and critical inquiry in education.
Writing Philosophy: I write to share what I have learned and always glean a better understanding of myself and the world from the writing process. Writing offers me a “third space” to connect with a larger community and to contemplate possibilities for the future.
Yoo Young Ahn, Ph.D.
Office: Zone 3, 317B
Email: yooyoung.ahn(at)scupi.cn
Biography: Yoo Young Ahn received her Ph.D. in Literacy, Culture and Language Education from Indiana University Bloomington, with a master’s in Foreign Language Education from The University of Texas at Austin. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Humanities and Social Sciences at Sichuan University-Pittsburgh Institute, working on the following topics: multilingual researching, teaching English as a foreign language, English teacher training, and academic writing.
Writing Philosophy: Without training, writing can be difficult to anyone—even in one’s first language. Adding to this difficulty, English writing in college requires analytic and critical thinking, in addition to writing skills. Knowing first hand that the challenges of academic writing in a second language can be overcome through the development of these skills, I am committed to helping students achieve the ability to use writing to accomplish academic tasks and express themselves as young professionals.
David Jeffrey
Office: Zone 3, 320A
Email: davidjeffrey(at)scu.edu.cn
Biography: David Jeffrey has an M.A. in Development Studies from the University of KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa and another M.A. in Teaching English as a Foreign and Second Language from The University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. His main research interest is the application of Daoism to modern education through introspective diary studies.
Writing Philosophy: Writing is an enjoyable way of putting your authentic abilities, aptitudes and inclinations into words. Everybody has the potential to become a good writer. It is both a skill and an art, and it takes time and practice. Being a writer with perseverance and dedication will bring you great satisfaction. You will see your ideas shared with the world, and your words will live on for many years to come.