Leadership

Yaolin Liu, Ph.D.

Chancellor

Dr. Yaolin Liu has been the Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University since September 2023. An expert in geographic information science, Liu holds the title of Changjiang Distinguished Professor at Wuhan University, the highest academic honor issued to an individual in higher education by China’s Ministry of Education, and is vice chairman of the Ministry of Education’s Steering Committee ...

John Quelch, DBA

Executive Vice Chancellor

Dr. John Quelch is Executive Vice Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University. Quelch is a veteran academic administrator, having served as dean of three leading business schools on three continents: London Business School; the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS); and, most recently, the University of Miami Herbert Business School where he was also vice provost and the Leonard M. Mille...

Scott MacEachern, Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Dr. Scott MacEachern is the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and a Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology at Duke Kunshan University. He received his B.A. (Honors) in Anthropology from the University of Prince Edward Island, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Archaeology from the University of Calgary (1991). Before 2018, he was Professor of Anthropology at Bowdoin College, where he also served ...

Hongtao Cai, Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor for Government Affairs

Dr. Hongtao Cai joined DKU as Vice Chancellor for Government Affairs in June 2023. Before coming to DKU, he was a professor and doctoral advisor of Space Physics at Wuhan University, where he also served as Academic Dean (since 2015), Chair of the Industry-University-Research Committee (since 2019) of Electronic Information School and Vice Director of Meridian Project Phase II (since 2018). He ...

Xiaoshu Li, Ph. D.

Senior Advisor to Chancellors for Partnership and Academic Projects

Dr. Xiaoshu Li joined DKU in May 2023, and is the Senior Advisor to Chancellors for Partnership and Academic Projects. Prior to joining DKU, Dr. Li previously served as Director of the Office of International Affairs, Director of Hong Kong, Macao & Taiwan Affairs, Director of the Office of DKU Affairs at Wuhan University, and ex-officio member of the DKU Board of Trustees. He presided over ...

Marcia B. France, Ph.D.

Associate Vice-Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies & the Language and Culture Center

Dr. Marcia B. France earned her S.B. in chemistry in 1988 from MIT, where she did undergraduate research under 2001 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry K. Barry Sharpless. She received her M.S. in chemistry in 1990 from Yale University. She was a National Science Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellow at Caltech, where she earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1995. Her work on the development of ruthenium ...

Xin Li, Ph.D.

Associate Vice-Chancellor for Graduate Studies and Research

Xin Li received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2005, and the M.S. and B.S. degrees in Electronics Engineering from Fudan University in 2001 and 1998, respectively. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University, and is leading the graduate programs at Duke Kunshan University (DKU...
Noah Pickus

Noah Pickus, Ph.D.

Dean for Academic Strategy and Learning Innovation
Director of the Institute for Global Higher Education

Noah Pickus is dean for academic strategy and learning innovation and director of the Institute for Global Higher Education at Duke Kunshan University, where he previously led curriculum design and faculty hiring as dean of undergraduate curriculum and faculty development. He is also associate provost at Duke University, with responsibilities in academic strategy, global initiatives, and educat...

Christopher Van Velzer, Ph.D.

Dean of Student Affairs, Interim
Director of Global Education, Undergraduate Studies

Christopher Van Velzer (冯凯) joined Duke Kunshan in September 2020. He serves as director of global education, overseeing all outbound study abroad, and inbound visiting student programs and exchanges. As interim dean of student affairs, he is also in charge of DKU’s integrated approach to student life, which includes overseeing the offices of Residence Life, Counseling and Psychological Servi...

Hanguo (Luke) Li, Ed.D.

Dean of China Enrollment Management

Hanguo (Luke) Li is leading the China Enrollment Management Office, including the undergraduate student recruitment, marketing, admissions and financial aid teams. His office is responsible for developing and implementing strategies and activities to enroll top-notch students from China for the university’s unique liberal arts undergraduate education program. Previously, he was Associate Dean f...

Jessica Sandberg

Dean of International Enrollment Management

Jessica Sandberg joined Duke Kunshan University in September 2018. As the Dean of International Enrollment Management, she leads international student recruitment, marketing, admissions, and financial aid initiatives for the university. A seasoned leader in international education, Jessica’s career focus is shaping talented and diverse student populations. From 2012-2018, she served as the i...

(Helen) Hong Xu, Ph.D.

University Librarian, Duke Kunshan University Library
Associate University Librarian for Duke Kunshan Library Services, Duke University

(Helen) Hong Xu is the University Librarian at Duke Kunshan University and the Associate University Librarian for Duke Kunshan Library Services at Duke University. She was the Associate Librarian at City University of Hong Kong Library. Before that position, she was the Head of the East Asian Library at the University of Pittsburgh. She also taught in the Universities in China and the United St...

Roger Fan

Senior Director of Operations and University EHS

Roger Fan takes the position as the Senior Director of Operations and University EHS, reporting to the executive vice chancellor. His main job responsibilities will be providing operational leadership for the Duke Kunshan University (DKU) campus while developing and overseeing a variety of campus operations and EHS functions that will support the advancement of core business operations and prog...

Cheng Feng

Secretary General, Duke Kunshan University Education Development Foundation
Senior Director, Development and Alumni Relations, Duke Kunshan University

Ms. FENG Cheng is the Secretary General of Duke Kunshan University Education Development Foundation, and Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Duke Kunshan University, responsible for fundraising and alumni relations for DKU.  Cheng has diverse professional experience in marketing, communication, development and policy research in both non-profit organizations and Fortu...

Lydia Jin

Senior Director of Communications and Public Affairs

Lydia Jin became Senior Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Duke Kunshan University in October 2016. She is in charge of the university’s communications and branding efforts in China and around the world. Lydia started her career at Xinhua News Agency’s International News Department, where she wrote extensively about international relations for both Chinese and Engli...

Pauline Liu

Senior Director of Human Resources

Pauline Liu is the Senior Director for Human Resources of Duke Kunshan University. Pauline joined Duke Kunshan University in October 2012 as the founding director of human resources. She oversees staff recruitment, compensation and benefits, international and domestic mobility, staff development, etc. Her office works very closely with the academic units and faculty to provide necessary support...

Grace Ma

Senior Director of Audit and Internal Compliance

Grace Ma joined Duke Kunshan University in October 2016. She is the Senior Director of Audit and Internal Compliance, responsible for helping DKU accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined and collaborative approach to monitor and improve risk and control environment. She is also responsible for providing oversight on significant institutional projects, enrollment, and comp...

Natacha Lu

Senior Director of Legal and Compliance Affairs

Natacha Lu joined Duke Kunshan University in November 2022 as senior director of legal and compliance affairs. In this role, she oversees a wide range of legal and external compliance matters related to the university. Her office works closely with academic units, faculty, supporting offices, staff, and university stakeholders to provide in-depth legal advice and consultation in relation to con...

Youmei Feng

Chancellor

Professor Feng Youmei officially became the Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University in September 2018.

Prior to joining Duke Kunshan, Professor Feng served as Executive Vice President of Wuhan University and Dean of Wuhan University Medical School, China. She was formerly President of Tongji Medical University and a key member of the senior leadership team at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Professor Feng is Deputy Chair of China Internal Quality Assurance in Higher Education, a member of the National Assessment Committee of New Higher Education Institutions, and a member of the Expert Panel for the National Center of Health Professions Education Development. She receives a special government allowance from the State Council.

Professor Feng graduated from Tongji Medical University with a degree in medicine in 1982 and earned an M.Sc. in biochemistry in 1987. She was a visiting researcher at Ohio State University, U.S., from 1987 to 1989. She participated in the Chinese University Leaders Training Programs held by the Ministry of Education in France and Germany in 2004, and in the U.S. in 2011.

Professor Feng has long been engaged in the administration of higher education and has extensive valuable experience in faculty recruitment and development, and in management and reform of education and teaching. As Executive Vice President of Wuhan University, she vigorously promoted international exchanges, human resources management and medical education development at the university. She enhanced the international reputation and influence of Wuhan University by expanding international exchange channels and elevating the exchange levels. She also continuously improved the quality of faculty by organizing and implementing personnel system reforms, and strengthening measures for recruiting overseas talent and nurturing local talent, and effectively improved the quality of medical education by firmly promoting comprehensive reform of integrated medical education and establishing a medical personnel training system that met the requirements of the new era.

Professor Feng has successively served as the Vice Chairwoman of the Medical Education Committee of the China Association of Higher Education; Honorary Vice Chairwoman of the Compensation Management Research Branch of the China Association of Higher Education; Deputy Director of the Seventh National Assessment Committee for the Five-year Undergraduate Clinical Medicine Textbooks in Higher Education Institutions; Deputy Director of the Basic Medical Education Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education; Director of the Medical Education Society of the Hubei Medical Association; Chairwoman of the Hubei Association for the Study of Teachers; and Founding Editor-in- Chief of the journal Global Health Research and Policy. 

Kevin Gong

Senior Director of Legal and External Compliance Affairs

Kevin Gong is the Senior Director of Legal and External Compliance Affairs at Duke Kunshan University. He is responsible for all legal matters related to the university. Kevin joined DKU in December 2018 after working for many years as a partner at Fangda Partners, a leading Chinese law firm. In his prior practice, Kevin has accumulated rich experience in areas such as foreign direct investment, general corporate, mergers and acquisitions. He also has experience in advising on matters related to Sino-foreign cooperatively run university.

Kevin received his bachelor’s degree in law from Fudan University, China in 1996, and an LL.M. degree from the Law School of Cornell University, USA in 2002.