Fellows and Scholarships

Chia Health Fellowship Conferences Bring about Two-Way Exchange Between the U.S. and China

With more than 150 participants, the 20th Chia Fellowship Conference focused on “Chronic Disease Management and Health Promotion Among Older Adults,” and the 4th Western Hunan Chia Fellowship Conference featured a theme of “Health Promotion for Rural Older Adults.” What was significant about these conferences was the attendance by government officials from the Fenghuang County Health Commission and the Huayuan County Health Commission, as well as senior leaders from Central South University (CSU), Kunming Medical University (KMU), and hospitals in rural Western Hunan, all of which pledged local government support to further the work done by the Chia Fellowship in underserved communities.

Meet the 2022-23 Chia Fellows at Yale

DENG Luxi, Senior Nurse, Department of Critical Care Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, CSU, is developing a proposal about screening the elderly for delirium in rural hospitals in Hunan. DAI Nan, Associate Chief Physician, Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital, KMU, is working on a follow-up study on the prevention of mental health problems in family caregivers of individuals with mental illness in Yunnan. XIAO Yangfan, Deputy Head Nurse, Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, CSU, is studying health-related quality of life, economic burden, and mental health in patients with systemic sclerosis in rural areas of Hunan. ZHAO Na, Associate Head Nurse, Nursing Department, The Third Affiliated Hospital, KMU, is studying distress and health-related quality of life in patients with malignant bone tumors in Yunnan.

Nearly 400 Scholarships to Medical Students in Financial Need

The Xiangya Overseas Alumni Association-Yale-China Association (XYOAA-YCA) Scholarship Program provides scholarships to outstanding students with demonstrated financial needs at the Xiangya Schools of medicine, public health, and nursing. The program also provides mentorship and programmatic activities to enrich students’ career planning, community service, and leadership opportunities. Eligible students include eight- and five-year medical, psychiatry, pharmacy, dental, nursing, public health, and basic science students. Since its start in 2015, the scholarship has been disbursed to 139 Xiangya students who received full scholarships and 239 Xiangya students who received half scholarships.

Current Yale-China Fellows

Changsha, Hunan Ú

D an iel Kaylor I saac Young

Hong Kong Ú

en to Tanaka K haryn Phu S

Xiuning, Anhui Ú

a deryn Owen Jones C A l len Wang nna Tran A

A r aceli Lopez

M a tt hew Jordan u lminay Lone G

my Zhang A

Tyler Hayward, Doug Murra y F e l low Current Chinese Teaching Fellows

New Haven Ú

a te Rosenberg K

F e l lo ws hip s for Current Yale Students New Haven Public School Fellows Aldrin Aujero Annie Citron Nick McGowan

New Haven Free Public Library Fellows

Peilin Lu Naomi Sellers

Aaron Reiss, Xiuning ’10-12 Researcher, Journalist, & Cartographer

What has been your path from Yale to being a freelance researcher, journalist, and cartographer? What led you to your love of mapping and photography?

I fell in love with maps as a way to explore cities as an undergraduate taking urban studies classes. I started making my own maps as a senior (my first was a map of New Haven) and continued while I was in Xiuning as a Yale-China Fellow. How did you become involved with Yale-China? Why did you decide to apply?

I really wanted to learn a new language and do so through immersion in a community. Yale-China offered that, so it was a perfect fit! You’ve said that you love to explore “how people imagine and shape the places they inhabit.” Are there aspects to U.S. spaces, spaces in China, and how their inhabitants interact with them that intrigue you?

One thing that has always intrigued me is how the story of U.S. urban development (cities with factories > growth and pollution > the growth of suburbs > the urbanization and sprawl of suburbs > the revitalization of cities) can be seen playing out in China in a completely different context. The similarities and differences of that development story open up so many important and interesting stories and perspectives. What was your favorite memory of your fellowship?

One of my favorite memories from my time as a Fellow was when my co-teacher, Doug, and I took a very long bike ride into the countryside. While we were taking a break, an older farmer invited us into her home for lunch. It was such a kind, generous, unexpected gesture and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. I feel really lucky and grateful for her kindness. How has Yale-China impacted your career?

Yale-China completely altered the course of my career. The photo documentary work I did as a Fellow was the first time I really understood my love for visual storytelling. Learning Mandarin opened up whole new worlds of reporting to me as a journalist in NYC. How has Yale-China affected you personally?

I started dating my now-wife through the program! She is my life partner and the mother of my only child, so the fellowship had a profound impact on my personal life. But I’m also really lucky in that my passion is what I do for work. And so many of my most impactful and celebrated stories were a direct result of learning about China, learning Mandarin, and learning about the Chinese diaspora in the U.S. What is one piece of advice you would give current Yale-China Fellows?

Try to learn to cook some of the dishes you love eating most during your time in China!

Aaron Reiss is a freelance researcher, journalist, and cartographer based in New York City. His works have been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, This American Life, The Atlantic, NPR and The Pulitzer Center, among others. For more information, visit aaronreiss.com.