Elizabeth Plantan, PhD, assistant professor of Political Science, became the first faculty member at Stetson to be selected for the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations Public Intellectuals Program (PIP). She is one of 20 fellows to participate in the 2023-2025 cohort.

“As a Public Intellectuals Program fellow, I will participate in several United States-based workshops and one international trip — all focused on U.S.-China relations,” Plantan said. 

Plantan initially was attracted to the highly competitive program — which was launched by the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR) in 2005 with the purpose of nurturing the next generation of China specialists — because it offered her the opportunity to bridge the gap between academia and policymaking, something she feels very passionate about as a professor.

“I’ll be teaching a course on Chinese politics in the Fall 2024 semester that will be enriched by the conversations that I have had with policymakers on U.S.-China relations over the course of the past year as a PIP fellow,” she said.

The Program

As a fellow, Plantan has absorbed a valuable amount of knowledge through workshops, embassy visits, on-air media training, meetings with government officials and experts who focus on U.S.-China relations.

“PIP provides an unmatched opportunity to engage with policymakers and other stakeholders on the U.S.-China relationship, make connections with others across disciplines and career paths, and form meaningful relationships with other PIP fellows,” she described. 

Jan Berris, vice president of NCUSCR, highlighted the rigorous selection process, noting the overwhelming interest from political scientists and historians. Berris added that Plantan’s application stood out.

“There were several things that impressed us about Elizabeth,” she said. “Among them were her wide-ranging interests, several of which are in areas of importance to our program; the fact that Elizabeth is not only a China specialist, but also has a very deep knowledge of Russia; her extremely-well-written application; and, the terrific recommendations from former professors and colleagues.”  

The Public Intellectuals Program consists of several U.S.-based workshops and one international trip, all centered on U.S.-China relations.

“Our second workshop in San Francisco focused on a subnational perspective of the U.S.-China relationship,” Plantan said. “One of the highlights of that trip, for me, was a guided tour of the Angel Island Immigration Station, where we learned about the history of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and Chinese immigration to the United States.” 

And, while the workshop in San Francisco was tailored toward emphasizing people-to-people ties, subnational diplomacy and cultural and historical aspects of the U.S.-China relationship, the workshop in Washington, D.C., focused on federal China policy. 

For her final trip as a fellow, Plantan will join half of the cohort on a trip to Taiwan and Southeast Asia in January 2025. The final full cohort workshop will be in Washington, D.C., in Spring 2025.

“The core thing that differentiates PIP fellows from others not in the program is the opportunity for the rich community interaction that serves as a tremendous support system [academic, professional and personal],” Berris said. “[It also poses as a] knowledge accelerator and provides introductions to people, places and institutions in the public and private sectors both in China and the U.S.” 

Stetson Highlighted, Academia Impacted

Beyond personal enrichment, Plantan sees her involvement in the fellowship benefiting Stetson by raising its profile in national and international arenas. Also, she anticipates her experience will enrich her teaching and mentorship by offering insights into global politics and potential career pathways.

“The connections with policy practitioners, particularly in Washington D.C., will also potentially provide networking and career opportunities for Stetson students,” she said.

– Andrea Mujica