The fellowship was created to highlight Dr. Tien's assuming the chairmanship of The Asia Foundation Board of Trustees in 1999.
Distinguished Visiting Fellow Award - for senior Asian leaders
Dr. Stan Shih, Chief Executive Officer (retired) and Co-Founder of the Acer Group, Taiwan
Dr Shih was the first Chang-Lin Tien Distinguished Fellow, in recognition of his business acumen and leadership, as well as his role in civic affairs. He participated in a wide range of public presentations in California aimed at enhancing the dialogue on economic development and trade between Asia and the U.S.
Mr. Cheng Siwei, Chair, International Finance Forum (Beijing), and former Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Through presentations and round table discussions with policy makers, academics, and business sector representatives in the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, and Washington, D.C. Mr. Cheng shared his expertise and his unique insider's perspective on China's efforts to rebalance its economy, the next Five Year Plan, and the role of the green economy. He was also a keynote speakers at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's annual Global Financial Leadership Conference.
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chair of BRAC, Bangladesh
Formerly the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, BRAC is the world's largest development NGO, with programs in thirteen countries. Sir Abed is scheduled to visit the U.S. in 2012.
Visiting Fellow Award - for mid-career Asian professionals
Dr. Zhao Gang, Professor and Director, Chinese Academy of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology
The first recipient of the Visiting Fellow award, Dr. Zhao Gang is very much engaged in international discussions related to clean energy collaboration. During his month-long visit, he met with representatives of diverse sectors in several U.S. cities to gain a better understanding of clean energy and climate mitigation policies and to explore possible partnerships with China.
Ms. Indrani Bagchi, Diplomatic Editor, The Times of India
Ms. Indrani Bagchi's program focus was on U.S.-China relations and the implications for third countries. Her research affiliation was with the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., with complementary seminars and numerous meetings with foreign policy specialists in research centers and the public sector.
Ms. Samar Minallah, Executive Director, Ethnomedia, Pakistan
A distinguished human rights activist and documentary film maker, Ms. Samar Minallah explored a range of issues pertaining to human rights, advocacy for women, and social media through a professional affiliation with the San Francisco-based Global Fund for Women and networking with domestic and international organizations. Her presentations featured her groundbreaking video productions on the status of women in Pakistan.
Mr. Premesh Chandran, Co-Founder and CEO of Malaysiakini
Mr. Premesh Chandran's visit enabled him to meet with practitioners and researchers in the fields of social capital markets, social entrepreneurship, and trends in both new and traditional media. As a co-founder of the leading online news distribution source in Malaysia, he also made presentations about his vision for developing new media in Malaysia and Southeast Asia through a social enterprise model.