Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Yujia He
Meet our newest faculty member, Dr. Yujia He. She is a strong addition to the faculty adding expertise not only in science and technology policy but in China and Asia issues more broadly and across our International Commerce track. Dr. He joined the Patterson School in January 2020. She arrived at UK after working as a postdoctoral fellow at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s Institute for Emerging Market Studies (IEMS) in 2018 and 2019.
Dr. He specializes in science and technology policy, international political economy, and comparative politics. She speaks English and Chinese.
“The job posting was written in a way that very much fit my background,” Dr. He said. “It was written as advertising for a position looking for someone with expertise in international political economy with regional focus on Asia. They were also looking for people who could teach energy issues, science and tech issues, and empirical research methods. Those were all things I did in grad school and afterward. It was a very good fit for my interests and my background.”
Her new position allows her to work with students in all of those areas. She taught a course in “International Science and Tech Policy” in spring. This fall, she is teaching “Economic Statecraft” and “Research Problems in International Relations.”
Arriving at Patterson School for the spring semester meant making adjustments as the global pandemic set in. After settling into a new home and new job, the Patterson School and the rest of UK’s operations moved online in March before returning to in-person instruction this fall. Some work, such as faculty meetings, is still done remotely.
“The faculty are very collegial and are very good colleagues,” Dr. He said. “The students have been pretty accommodating of all my requests and my design of the courses. I think overall it’s been good. This year is very, very different from other years because of the pandemic.”
Before her fellowship in Hong Kong, Dr. He was researcher for the Wilson Center’s Science and Technology Innovation Program in 2017, then a visiting fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Scrowcroft Center for Strategy and Security in 2017-18. She received her PhD from Georgia Tech in International Affairs, Science and Technology (IAST) in 2016.
“My grad school experience was pretty much at the nexus of science and tech and IR,” she said. “I was required to take science and engineering courses, like energy technology and policy, analysis of emerging technology, but I also had to write papers and a thesis primarily using theoretical framing in international affairs.”
She has published papers on China’s strategies in the rare earth mineral sector, AI policy, and global digital infrastructure.
She had never been to Kentucky before participating in her on-campus interview during 2019. Dr. He’s first year on campus has brought some unexpected turns but also new opportunities for students and faculty. “The Patterson faculty are delighted to welcome Dr. He to the program,” said Dr. Kathleen Montgomery, interim director of the Patterson School. “She not only strengthens the program with her knowledge of China and Asia issues but the faculty has long hoped to add Science and Technology Policy to the curriculum.”