On March 28, USCET hosted its monthly Students Finding Common Ground virtual meeting, convening students, mentors, and advisors from the U.S. and China for the third meeting of the program. The month’s session featured two distinguished guest speakers from the field of public health: Dr. Yanzhong Huang, Senior Fellow for Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations and Professor at Seton Hall University, and Dr. Jiyong Jin, Professor and Deputy Dean at Shanghai International Studies University. The discussion was introduced and moderated by Rosie Levine, USCET’s Executive Director.
The two speakers, both global health experts and collaborators, highlighted the challenges and opportunities of international collaboration. Each shared insights from years of experience navigating complex diplomatic and institutional challenges in their work. Dr. Huang shared lessons from his work in health policy, emphasizing how informal and personal relationships can create pathways for collaboration, particularly during moments of political complexity. He noted that international coordination may take longer, but he underscored the importance of patience, clear communication, and mutual respect in building trust between counterparts from different nationalities and backgrounds. Speaking directly to the student participants, Dr. Huang encouraged them to engage thoughtfully with their advisors, set clear expectations, and feel empowered to seek clarity when working across language and cultural differences.
Dr. Jin offered a complementary perspective and drew upon his personal experience of U.S.-China academic partnerships, including his time as a visiting professor in the United States – he emphasized the importance of traveling outside of major cities to understand a new culture and the importance of moving beyond cultural stereotypes. Dr. Jin noted that projects like Students Finding Common Ground are more critical than ever, providing a platform for meaningful people-to-people exchange. He encouraged students to stay curious, embrace cultural differences, and pursue research and conversations that deepen their understanding of the world around them.
Following the speakers’ remarks, Levine facilitated a discussion on practical strategies for trust-building, teamwork, and communication in international contexts. Both speakers shared actionable tips for students currently working on group projects across cultures, such as aligning expectations early, approaching differences with cultural humility, and fostering curiosity over judgment. Looking toward the future, they also encouraged students to seek out experiences that push them outside their comfort zones and broaden their global perspectives. Dr. Jin further advised students in the U.S. to explore Chinese culture through language learning, local cultural communities, and research opportunities.
During the Q&A session, students posed thoughtful questions on topics ranging from effective ways to divide tasks in international collaboration projects to pursuing advanced degrees in public health.
The meeting concluded with updates from each student group as they prepare for their final presentations next month. The speakers and student presentations reinforced the core principles of the Students Finding Common Ground project: dialogue, mutual understanding, and the transformative power of collaboration. In a time of global uncertainty, this session served as a powerful reminder of the role that the next generation of leaders can play in shaping a more cooperative future.