Neysun Mahboubi

Neysun Mahboubi is Director of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches various courses related to Chinese history, law, and policy, and hosts the China Studies podcast. He is also a Non-Resident Senior Fellow with the Asia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Previously he was a Research Scholar of Penn’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China. His primary academic interests are in the areas of administrative law, comparative law, and Chinese law, and his current writing focuses on the development of modern Chinese administrative law. He frequently comments on Chinese law and policy developments and U.S.-China relations for various media outlets. He has taught also at Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs, the University of Connecticut School of Law, and Yale Law School.

Amy Gadsden

Amy Gadsden is Associate Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, in which capacity she works with Penn’s schools and centers to develop and implement strategies to increase Penn’s global engagement both on campus and overseas, including by advancing Penn’s activities with respect to China. Previously, she served as Associate Dean for International and Strategic Initiatives at Penn Law School, where she built a comprehensive program aimed at expanding the Law School’s global curriculum. Before coming to Penn, she served as Special Advisor for China at the U.S. Department of State, and before that she served as China Director for the International Republican Institute. She has published widely on democracy and human rights in China, documenting legal and civil society reform, and was one of the first American scholars to observe and write about grassroots elections in China in the mid-1990s.

PROJECT TEAM

Amanda Morrison

Amanda Morrison is the Project Associate, in which capacity she helps to prepare the Project’s written outputs and also produces Project webinars. She is currently pursuing a JD at Stanford Law School as a Knight Hennessy Scholar. Previously, she led development of documentary and scripted projects at Oscar-winning production company Little Monster Films, and also worked as a producer on a Netflix series with Ark Media. Her independent documentary about a prominent Chinese feminist activist will premiere in 2025. Amanda also has worked as a researcher for the U.S.-Asia Law Institute at NYU Law School, and published articles in Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, and The China Project. She completed a Masters in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University as a Schwarzman Scholar, and received her AB from Princeton University in international relations focused on East Asia, authoritarian politics, gender, and media.

Devan Schwartz

Devan Schwartz is the sound engineer for the Project’s podcast, launching in January 2024. He is an experienced audio professional who has worked with such organizations as NPR, the BBC, Slate, The New York Times, and various public radio stations.

Joyce He

Joyce He is the Project’s web and graphics designer. Her experience ranges from print to digital design, with a focus on editorial, marketing, and web design and development. A member of Penn’s Class of 2025, she works with the student-run design agency Penn Visual Solutions and is the Creative Director of Penn Appétit.