Interviewed and Edited by Chi Zhang & Shanshan Wu, Class of 2026
Hannah McGee, an undergraduate student from Dartmouth College, spent the Spring 2025 semester at Duke Kunshan University as a visiting research student. From March to May, she worked closely with Professor Fan Liang, lead of the CSCC Digital Technology and Society Cluster, contributing to research as a volunteer assistant. Her visit was made possible through funding from Dartmouth and marked the first time the CSCC hosted a visiting undergraduate student. In addition to her academic engagement, Hannah quickly became part of the DKU community, participating in events and informal gatherings organized by CSCC. Fluent in Chinese—a language she has studied since childhood—Hannah brought a cross-cultural perspective to her work and daily life on campus. Her experience offers insight into what international undergraduate research exchange can look like in practice, and how institutional collaboration can create meaningful opportunities for learning across borders.
Welcome, Hannah! To start, what inspired you to reach out to Professor Fan Liang and pursue a visiting research opportunity with the CSCC Digital Technology and Society Cluster at DKU?
Dartmouth is on a quarter system in which students typically take classes 3 out of 4 terms. We have a fall, winter, spring, and summer term. Usually Dartmouth students take classes their sophomore summer, which is what gave me the ability to take this spring off. I was very drawn to the CSCC Digital Technology and Society cluster at DKU and also found out that DKU and Dartmouth’s quarter system schedules align in the spring, so I decided to reach out to Professor Fan Liang!
I am a philosophy major fascinated by the ethics of emerging technologies and their societal implications, particularly AI. Moreover, I am also a lifelong Chinese learner who loves to study China and Chinese culture. The CSCC Digital Technology and Society Cluster combines my deepest passions while also providing many opportunities for growth by researching in a new academic context in China. I was so nervous to reach out, but will be forever grateful I did!
Lastly, I am from North Carolina and am a huge Duke fan. I actually almost applied to DKU and helped organize a DKU information session in high school through Chinese Club, but ultimately was afraid I’d be too homesick!
What research topics or projects did you focus on during your time here, and what kind of work did you do as a research assistant under Professor Liang’s guidance?
Research at DKU was fascinating, and I loved working with Professor Liang and Yihan (my research partner). Together with Yihan, we dove into a research project on AI policies in developing countries, a gap in current research primarily fixated on wealthier powers. We created a database of roughly 400 AI policy documents across over 20 nations in 8 different regions. We selected nations based upon internet penetration, AI development status, regional influence, and other factors.
I also worked on a literature review regarding AI governance, examining an array of themes. For example, I delved into the different values applied to regulating technology in addition to governance controversies, such as whether there is a true trade-off between regulation and innovation, or if this is largely a false dichotomy. Surveying the literature only further emphasized the need for research on developing nations, as these countries are often left out from influential research. Professor Liang and I have also begun discussing potential research into implicit beauty standards in American versus Chinese image generating platforms.
You are the first visiting undergraduate student hosted by CSCC—what was that experience like for you, and how did you adapt to a new academic environment?
Honestly, this question is the hardest for me to answer because I am afraid to understate just how incredible this experience was for me. I was very intellectually stimulated by the research. AI is of particular interest to me, but I also try to remain aware of who is being left out of the discussion, making work on under-acknowledged developing countries deeply meaningful to me. Moreover, literature reviews and hunting for policies on often shaky government websites facilitated personal academic growth. CSCC events were exciting as well, allowing me to learn about topics from digital violence protections in Australia versus China to emerging medical technologies.
Adapting to the new environment went smoothly thanks to the wonderful students and faculty of the CSCC. I continued to be touched by how kind everyone was. I met great friends at a welcome boba social event organized by Chi Zhang. When I had internet issues, Chi Zhang lent me a computer, and Fan Liang lent me relevant academic books to read alongside research. I made friends quickly, as Fan Liang organized lunches between me and other students to facilitate new friendships. Professor Liang was an amazing research supervisor, but he also deeply cared about my well-being and adjustment to life in China.
I was genuinely so sad to end my research and leave DKU! From exciting research and friendships to daily Chinese practice and delicious CCT dining (I am a self-proclaimed CCT enthusiast), there is so much to miss. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity!
You have studied Chinese from a young age. How did your language skills influence your experience at DKU, both in terms of academic collaboration and daily life on campus?
I found that speaking Chinese served as a gateway to new friendships and deeper connections. Through speaking Chinese, I experienced rewarding and fascinating conversations that also challenged my language skills, so I tried to speak as much as possible.
In academic settings, particularly in research meetings, my Chinese was definitely stretched and I encountered many new words. With friends I met outside of work, I learned colloquial phrases that I can now use in everyday speech. I’m looking forward to seeing my Chinese professor again and demonstrating my language learning progress, but I’m also going to miss the natural daily practice I experienced at DKU!
What were some highlights or memorable moments from your time at DKU—whether academic, social, or cultural?
A great memory for me was attending one of professor Fan Liang’s classes. Professor Fan Liang had me read a book on digital colonialism that related to his class’ discussion, so I was able to contribute to class conversation, meet new students, and learn more about a topic I love! Also, Dr. Alexander Trauth-Goik, a CSCC visiting speaker whom I had met the day prior over lunch/dinner, attended class as well, which was exciting. I was just so stoked to meet students and talk about technology ethics. Also, a few students from the class I had befriended earlier in the session brought me mango boba!
Another great memory for me was meeting Yihan, my research partner at the CSCC. Professor Fan Liang had arranged for her to give me a tour the day after I arrived. I was in a completely new environment and knew few people, and was immediately struck by Yihan’s kindness. Within 10 minutes, we were already laughing and I knew we would become close friends. Now I have so many amazing memories of our research and adventures and wish to come back to China again!
How did your time at DKU compare to your experiences at Dartmouth? Were there any surprising differences or similarities that stood out to you?
Something that was similar was the fast-paced nature of the session. Dartmouth is on a quarter system in a similar way to DKU (except it’s functionally more like 10-week trimesters at Dartmouth). Other similarities are the very kind and intellectually stimulating students, along with the interdisciplinary approach to learning and research.
A key difference I observed was the professor-student dynamic at the two universities. Although Dartmouth professors are very kind, I noticed that at DKU students seem more relaxed and friendly around their professors and supervisors. I really liked this about DKU as it makes academic conversation and sharing perspectives much more approachable.
If another student were considering doing a short-term research stay abroad, what advice would you give based on your experience at DKU?
I would recommend they fully immerse themselves in the experience! At times arriving at a new school and research center with new students and professors can be daunting, but through attending speaker events, student club activities, and research center programming, a new environment quickly begins feeling like somewhere you belong. I often monitored the class of 2027 WeChat group chat and attended activities and programming recommended to me by Chi Zhang and Fan Liang. For instance, I met many new friends on a Moments trip to Nanjing and also gave an unofficial tour of DKU to two students from Suzhou after attending the CSCC 2025 Digital Technology for Sustainability Symposium.
My last recommendation to future students: practice your Chinese! 🙂
