April 14, 2025 | 3-4:30 PM ET

The Asian American Scholar Forum (AASF) hosted the State of Play Town Hall on Monday, April 14, 2025, from 3:00 – 4:30 PM Eastern Time.

The town hall brought together distinguished leaders and experts to address the most pressing legislation, programs, and policies impacting our academic, scientific, and research community.

Keynote: Congresswoman Grace Meng | Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and House Appropriations Committee Member

Welcome Remarks: Professor Kai Li | Paul M. Wythes ’55, P’86 and Marcia R. Wythes P’86 Professor, Princeton University; Co-Founder & Vice President, AASF

Moderator: Gisela P. Kusakawa | Executive Director, AASF & Civil Rights Attorney

Facilitator: Professor Xiaodong Zhang | Robert M. Critchfield Professor in Engineering, Computer Science Department, Ohio State University; Member, AASF Board of Directors

Speakers:

• Professor Steven Allan Kivelson | Prabhu Goel Family Professor, Stanford University; AASF Fellow
• Professor Peter Michelson | Luke Blossom Professor and Professor of Physics, Stanford University; AASF Fellow
• Tobin L. Smith | Senior Vice President for Government Relations and Public Policy at the Association of American Universities (AAU)
• Brian A. Sun | Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright; Member, AASF Legal Advisory Council
• Judith Teruya | Executive Director, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
• Keliang “Clay” Zhu | President and Co-Founder of Chinese American Legal Defense Alliance (CALDA); Member, AASF Legal Advisory Council

Special Guest: Nianli Ma | Wife of Professor XiaoFeng Wang