The Asian Studies Center collaborates closely with affiliates and specialists in various Departments and Colleges. As a designated National Resource Center (for Pan Asia) under the US Department of Education's Title VI program, the Center also partners internally with many units across MSU as well as externally, including higher education institutions in the Midwest and beyond, and K-12 schools. Together, we work to advance teaching, research, and outreach activities at MSU and beyond to advance knowledge and learning about Asia.
Siddharth Chandra, Ph.D.
Director, Asian Studies Center
Director, Title VI National Resource Center (Pan Asia)
Email:
Office: (517)-884-2116
Dr. Siddharth Chandra has served as the Director of the Asian Studies Center at Michigan State University since 2009. Under his leadership, the Center was designated a Title VI Pan Asia National Resource Center (NRC) from 2009 to 2018, and again from 2022 to the present. He is also a Professor of Economics at James Madison College at MSU.
Dr. Chandra earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University, an A.M. in Economics from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. (with honors) in Economics from Brandeis University. Before joining Michigan State University, he was the Director of the Asian Studies Center and an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
Soksamphoas Im, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Asian Studies Center
Associate Director, Title VI National Resource Center (Pan Asia), & FLAS Fellowship Coordinator
Email:
Office: (517)-884-2117
Dr. Soksamphoas Im joined the Asian Studies Center in Fall 2023, bringing a wealth of experience from her work in higher education and non-profit organizations. Her professional journey includes roles as a researcher, consultant, and program analyst at various institutions including the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Center for Khmer Studies, Stanford University, and the National University of Singapore.
Dr. Im holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, as well as an M.Sc. in Defense, Development, and Diplomacy from Durham University, the United Kingdom.
Jiahang Li, Ph.D.
Outreach Coordinator, Title VI National Resource Center (Pan Asia)
Email:
Office: (517)-884-7296
Dr. Jiahang Li joined MSU in 2013 and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Director of the Online Chinese Program at the College of Education.
Dr. Li earned a a Ph.D. in Reading Education from University of Maryland College Park, and M.A. and B.A. in Chinese Language and Literature from the Department of Chinese Language and Literature at Peking University, China. Prior to MSU, Dr. Li worked at the National Foreign Language Center.
Julia Grimm
Secretary
Email:
Office: (517)-884-2120
Julia Grimm serves as the secretary for Siddharth Chandra and the MSU Asian Studies Center. Since joining International Studies & Programs (ISP) in 2011, she has contributed to various units within the organization. Julia holds a BASc in Business, Family, and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences from Michigan State University.
At the Asian Studies Center, Julia facilitates ASN programming, coordinates collaborative meetings, and manages EBS processing. She appreciates the opportunity to learn something new about Asia and its diverse cultures each day.
Mae Crowell
Fiscal Officer
Email:
Office: (517)-884-2118
Mae Crowell serves as the Fiscal Officer for the Asian Studies Center and multiple other units within International Studies & Programs. In this role, she oversees financial account management and coordinates human resources. With 20 years of dedicated service at Michigan State University, Mae has held various staff and administrative positions across campus. She values the diversity of programs and the opportunity to collaborate with a wide range of people at the Center.
Sarinna Areethamsirikul, Ph.D.
Dr. Sarinna Areethamsirikul joined the Asian Studies Center as an Event Coordinator in Fall 2024. She brings extensive experience from her work with various international and Thai NGOs. Previously, she served as a fixed-term Assistant Professor at James Madison College, Michigan State University, from 2016 to 2017.
Dr. Areethamsirikul's academic and professional interests focus on international development and democratization in Southeast Asia. She earned her Ph.D. in Development Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds an M.A. in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.
Shaurya Arora, Office and Programmatic Student Assistant
Email:
Shaurya Arora is an Honors College Junior pursuing a Dual Degree in Finance and Economics. He began working at the Asian Studies Center this semester as an Office Programmatic Assistant and is excited about working with the Center. He loves producing music, playing the piano, and is an avid fan of FC Barcelona.
Lisa Beatty, Graphic Design and Digital Media Student Assistant
Email:
Lisa is a graphic design student in the College of Arts & Letters at Michigan State University, graduating in April 2026. Originally from Japan, she joined the Asian Studies Center as a Graphic Designer and Social Media Assistant in August 2024 to promote cross-cultural understanding through visual design.
Isabella McKimson, Office and Programmatic Student Assistant
Email:
Isabella is a Finance student at the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University, with anticipated graduation in 2027. Since August 2024, she has served as the Office and Programmatic Student Assistant at the Asian Studies Center, where she draws on her personal Asian heritage to contribute to the center’s work.
Vidur Patel, Student Media/Comm Assisstant
Email:
Vidur Patel is a Game Development student at Michigan State University. He is from India. He has worked as a Media and Communication Assistant at the Asian Studies Centre since September 2024, where he is excited to share and express Indian culture.
Manan Vyas, Social/Digital Media Student Assistant
Email:
Manan is a senior majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Mathematics. He has been working at the Asian Studies Center since 2022 and is excited to continue exploring and learning more about Asian culture and heritage through this role.
FLAS Fellowships
Global Speaker Program
Asian Studies Center Newsletter
AIFIS-MSU Conference on Indonesian Studies
