Taiwan Visiting Fellows Program

The Stimson Center is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for our Taiwan Visiting Fellows Program. This Program, a part of the Stimson Center's overall Visiting Fellows Program, is geared toward mid-career professionals who are interested in contributing creatively to the public debate on regional security, cross-Strait relations, and US-Taiwan relations.

Our fellowship program not only gives visitors an opportunity to better understand US perspectives on these questions, but also aims to foster a deeper appreciation of civil-military relations in the United States and the workings of our democratic system.

In the past, the Stimson Center has been fortunate to host Visiting Fellows from India, Japan, Pakistan, and the People's Republic of China.

Visiting Fellows are encouraged to meet with as many people as possible in the DC policy community during their time in Washington, DC, and to interact and collaborate with Stimson Center staff. Past Stimson Fellows have visited:

• US government agencies
• Congressional Committees
• Research institutions in the DC area

Fellows are also kept abreast of pertinent seminars and lectures taking place in the Washington metropolitan area. In addition, our Fellows are given access to literature that might be hard to find in their home countries. Stimson Center staff will assist Fellows in gaining access to a diverse range of libraries including the United States Institute of Peace, the Library of Congress, and area university libraries. At the conclusion of their stay, Fellows are encouraged to publish their work back home as well as on the Stimson Center website and to contribute actively to the public debate on regional security in their own country and region. A briefing is held at the end of the term during which fellows present their research to other Stimson senior associates and outside specialists from government agencies and think tanks.

The Stimson Center's Visiting Fellows Program is a unique way for burgeoning policy professionals, academics, and military experts to learn more about the DC policy community and to engage with other prominent and up-and-coming scholars in the field.

Selection Process

The Stimson Center will select one Visiting Fellow from Taiwan, who will come to the US for a two- to three- month period. The Center will provide:

• Airfare between Taiwan and Washington, DC
• Living accommodations
• Office space
• A computer with access to the Internet and an email account
• Use of general office facilities (phones, fax machine, copy machine, etc)

A modest stipend is available for selected candidates. In addition, the Center is open to self-financed candidates who wish to come to Washington, DC to conduct research.

Participants are selected by the Program Director of the East Asia Program in consultation with other senior staff of the StimsonCenter. Successful candidates are responsible for obtaining an entry visa to the United States.

To initiate the application process, prospective Visiting Fellows must submit (either by mail or email):

• A research proposal of 3-5 pages
• A resume or curriculum vitae (including a list of publications)
• Letters of recommendation (2-3)
• A writing sample

Eligibility and selection criteria include the following requirements:

• At least five years of professional experience in a field related to security issues in East Asia (PhD or equivalent professional experience)English language proficiency, determined by a writing sample Visiting Fellows must show promise of being able to contribute creatively to the public debate on regional security issues. Thus, individuals who do not plan to return to Taiwan after the fellowship are not eligible.Preference is given to individuals who have not had the opportunity to do research in the United States, or those individuals who have not done so recently.

Program Evaluation

At the end of their stay at the Stimson Center, the Visiting Fellows fill out an extensive questionnaire about our Visiting Fellows program. In the past, we have received extremely positive responses from our Fellows. They have found the meetings we arrange very useful. They have also found the Stimson Center resources, such as our computer facilities, helpful. In particular, they mention that giving an informal presentation of their research at the end of their fellowship has been not only a valuable exercise in honing public speaking skills, but has also been useful as a means of gaining feedback on their research from peers. While at the Stimson Center, Visiting Fellows produce quality work and interact with security specialists in Washington, DC as well as other Stimson Center Visiting Fellows from Japan, India, Pakistan, and PRC.

The role of the Stimson Center is that of a facilitator, promoting direct contact and collaborative work across borders, spurring indigenous problem-solving approaches to longstanding problems, and helping talented individuals to become more effective advocates for change.

Past Visiting Fellows:

• Dr. York W. Chen
  

From 2006-2008, Dr. Chen was one of the Senior Advisors of Taiwan's National Security Council with specific responsibilities for military, critical infrastructure protection, and national information security issues.  Prior to that post he served as principle staff of two Vice Defense Ministers, Michael M. Tsai and Henry C. Ko.  Dr. Chen is also one of the major authors ofTaiwan's National Defense Report 2006 and he also participated in several US-Taiwan defense dialogues including Monterey Talks (2004-2008) and Defense Review Talks (2004-2007).

Dr. Chen holds M.A. degree from the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, Tamkang Univesrity and a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Politics and International Relations, Lancaster University.

• Tony Swong Kuo, Commission Research Member, National Youth Commission, Taiwan Executive Yuan

Prior to his position in the National Youth Commission at the Republic of China’s Executive Yuan, Mr. Ko was a professor at Fu Jen Catholic University and Shih Chien University.

Mr. Ko has his Ph.D. from Tamkang University, a M.A. from the School of International Relations at Indiana University of Pennslyvania, and a B.A. from the University of Pittsburg in Journalism and Communications.

• Ambassador C.J. (Chien-jen) Chen 

Ambassador C.J. Chen has a long and distinguished career in Taiwan's foreign service, government and academia.  Most recently, he was Representative to the European Union (2004-2006).  Previously, he had served as Representative to the United States (2000-2004), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1999-2000), Director-General of the General Information Office and Government Spokesman (1998-1999), Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs (1996-1998) and Vice Foreign Minister for Administrative Affairs (1989-1993).  Ambassador Chen was a member of the Legislative Yuan (1993-1996), where he served three times as rotational Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and was an Associate Chairman of the International Democratic Union (1995).

Ambassador Chen has received many awards and distinctions, includig the Order of the Brilliant Star and the Order of the Propitious Cloud from his own goverment as well as a number of honors from other governments, including the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Nicaragua and Senegal.

Ambassador Chen has an LL.B. from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, a B.A. in Diplomatic Studies from the National Chengchi University in Taiwan and an honorary doctoral degree of law from Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan.  He pursued graduate studies in Political and Economic Science at Spain's Universidad Complutense de Madrid, as well as at National Chenchi University and Georgetown University.  He is currently a professor at National Chengchi University and Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan.  Ambassador Chen speaks Chinese, English, Spanish and French.

• Marc Cheng, Deputy Director of Research, Foundation on International and Cross-Strait Relations (FICS)

Marc Cheng joined the Foundation on International and Cross-Strait Studies in March 2003.  As a long-term observer of cross-strait relations and deputy director of research on international aspect, he tracks Washington-Taipei-Beijing Relations and related international factors in the Asia-Pacific region on a daily basis.  He is currently working on his Ph.D. dissertation at the Graduate Institute of Diplomacy, National Cheng-chi University: "The Change and Formation of France's Cross-Strait Policy, 1963-1994."  Additionally, he spent two years at the Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, as a research assistant instructed by Research Fellow Ching-hsiung Chang, whose research field is "The Principles of the Chinese World Order" and the cross-strait tug of war on status and order in international arena.  Cheng speaks Chinese, English and French.

• Colonel Yan-Ting Chang, ROCAF, Military College, National Defense University of Taiwan 

Colonel Yan-Ting Chang graduated from National Defense University Air Froce Command and Staff College in 1992 and War College in 1993.  He received his MA and Ph.D. in political science from Fu Shin Kang Political College before coming to the Henry L. Stimson Center as a visiting fellow in 2003.  After leaving the Stimson Center, Colonel Chang served as an associate professor at Fu Shin Kang College and Air Force Institute of Technology.  He is currently a colonel in the ROC Air Force and a strategy instructor at the War College of the National Defense University.

How to Apply

The East Asia Program is currently accepting applications for a Taiwan Visiting Fellow. If you are interested in a fellowship with the Stimson Center, please send a letter of inquiry and introduction to Tim Hamlin by email at thamlin@stimson.org or by US mail at: The Henry L. Stimson Center, 1111 19th St NW, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20036, USA.