Saint Louis University Receives Funding to Establish Institute for Multidisciplinary Asian Studies
ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University has been awarded $250,000 from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to establish a new institute and increase understanding of East Asian geopolitics.
The project, “Deciphering Geopolitical Dynamics through Language and Cultural Studies,” is funded through ODNI as part of the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence program. The principal investigator on the project is Joe Lyons, Ph.D., associate professor of security and intelligence at Saint Louis University and director of the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC-CAE).
Saint Louis University team members supporting the Institute for Multidisciplinary Asian Studies (IMAS) include, from left, Luchen Li PhD., Yun A. Lee, PhD., Joe Lyons, Ph.D., and Kamryn Moore. Submitted photo.
Members of the research team include Luchen Li, Ph.D., associate vice president for global engagement and international enrollment; Yun A. Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of Chinese; and Kamryn Moore, education abroad coordinator in the Office of International Services.
The funding will establish an Institute for Multidisciplinary Asian Studies (IMAS) within the SLU IC-CAE. The new virtual institute will be focused on synthesizing expertise from faculty and students from across academic disciplines to design programs and seminars on Asian cultures, politics, diplomacy, and technological advancement, to be offered to SLU students, faculty, and staff, as well as the academic communities of Harris Stowe State University and Lincoln University. The Institute will focus on developing curricula and increasing understanding of East Asia.
Project initiatives, including a Taiwan Study Abroad, will be managed through the Office of International Services.
“This grant provides an exciting opportunity for faculty and international education staff to collaborate in expanding our global reach by responding to national interest and SLU’s commitment to Higher Purpose and Greater Good,” said Li. “The increasing global attention to the geopolitics and the diplomatic tensions in East and Southeast Asia bespeaks the need and advantage of deep understanding of the intricate relationship between cultures and the languages of the world’s most densely populated region.”
Through the IC CAE program, the new institute will host its inaugural study abroad during the summer of 2025. The institute will fund up to eight scholarships for students attending the Taiwan study abroad, guiding students from across multiple disciplines (social sciences, humanities, and STEM) to engage in seminars, cultural immersion, and discussions about how dialects change and/or correlate with viewpoints when geopolitical differences and confrontations are concerned. The instructor-led study abroad will be led by Lee.
“The new institute and the East Asia study abroad will give students a global perspective, experiencing new cultures and languages, as well as developing intercultural communication, adaptability, and problem solving. These are the types of skills that are in high demand from the U.S. Intelligence Community,” Lyons said. “This is a tremendous partnership for us, the region, and the Intelligence Community Centers for Academic Excellence program.”
Beyond the new East Asia initiative, the IC-CAE at SLU offers an existing summer study abroad in Madrid, Spain. The IC CAE at SLU supports scholarships, travel funding, training, and special events for students and faculty.
About the IC-CAE
The SLU IC-CAE was formed in 2022 with a $2.5 million grant from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. It is dedicated to preparing students for professional positions in the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. The Center supports the design and development of intelligence-related curricula and programmatic training opportunities to prepare students for careers in the field of intelligence. SLU partners with Harris Stowe State University and Lincoln University on the IC-CAE program.
About Saint Louis University
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,200 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.
Latest Newslink
- A Camp Friendship that Stirred Up Lifelong BondsIn the summer of 2005, Mary Kate Keenoy (Chaifetz Grad '22) and Genevieve Willman met at SLU's Gardens to Tables culinary camp. What started as a shared interest in cooking grew into a lasting friendship that has endured for two decades.
- Bruce Bacon, M.D.: 1949-2025Bruce Bacon, M.D., professor emeritus of internal medicine, died Sunday, July 6, 2025. He was 75. Bacon was known globally for his expertise in all aspects of clinical hepatology, specifically hemochromatosis, viral hepatitis, chronic liver disease / general hepatology, and liver transplant. Bacon was also a member of the research team that discovered the gene for hemochromatosis, HFE, in 1996.
- SLU Launches William L. Clay, Sr. Institute of Civic Engagement and Economic JusticeThe Clay Institute will provide immersive learning experiences and hands-on training that address the social and economic challenges facing the St. Louis region and the nation. Institute programming will be available to all students with an interest in civic engagement and democratic participation.
- SLU Research Explores Depression's Ripple Effect on DiabetesA study conducted by researchers at Saint Louis University found that patients with depression were more likely to have uncontrolled diabetes over time and that depression contributes to a heightened economic burden to diabetes management.
- SLU/YouGov Poll: Statewide Cell Phone Ban for Missouri Schools Popular with VotersGovernor Mike Kehoe has signed Senate Bill 68 into law, enacting a statewide ban on the use of personal electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, and smartwatches, throughout the school day in Missouri public and public charter schools.
- SLU Vaccine Center Will Enroll Healthy Volunteers in Yellow Fever Vaccine Clinical TrialSaint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development will enroll up to 70 adult volunteers in a clinical trial to study the safety elicited by a new investigational vaccine for yellow fever, a potentially deadly disease that is spread by mosquitoes. The research is funded by Sanofi Pasteur.
