The Center for International Studies is pleased to announce that Mr. Ming Chan will come to Grinnell in Fall 2006 as visiting Heath Professor. He will teach two courses, in the History Department: "Identity, Democracy, and Modernity in Greater China," and "Chinese in the Global Village"

Ming K. Chan was born in Hong Kong where he completed high school. He received his BS in history, politics and economics from Iowa State University-Ames in 1969, MA in Chinese history from the University of Washington in 1970, and Ph D in East Asian history from Stanford University in 1975 at the age of 25.

He is Research Fellow and also Executive Coordinator of the Hong Kong Documentary Archives, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, where he was a Fellow, 1976-80 and Visiting Professor of History in the History Department, 1992-93. During 1980-1997, Ming Chan was a tenured member of the History Department, University of Hong Kong, where he was twice elected "Best Teacher" by the Students' Union. He was the Julian & Virginia Cornell Visiting Professor at Swarthmore College, 1993-94. He also held a visiting professorship at Mount Holyoke College (2002-3), Duke University (1989), the University of California (UCLA 1979-80; UC-Santa Cruz, 1975/79), and EL Colegio de Mexico (1975-76).

Ming Chan has published ten academic volumes and over fifty articles and book chapters on Chinese history and Hong Kong studies. He is General Editor of the Hong Kong Becoming China multi-volume series published by M E Sharpe, New York, with a Hong Kong University Press Asian paperback. Eleven titles in this series have been published by spring 2004. His most recent books include: The Challenge of Hong Kong's Reintegration with China, (Hong Kong University Press, 1997), 240pp; Crisis and Transformation in China's Hong Kong, (M.E. Sharpe, 2002), 415pp; Hong Kong Becoming. China series 9th title, also HKU Press paperback; Historical Dictionary of the Hong Kong SAR & the Macau SAR. (Scarecrow Press, forthcoming); and The China Factor & Hong Kong External Links,1842-1997 (HKU Press, forthcoming).

The John R. Heath Visiting Professorship was established in 1961, in honor of John R. Heath, Class of 1919, and Grinnell Trustee for nearly 22 years. Intended to promote and foster friendship and understanding between the United States and the peoples of other countries, the Heath Professorship brings to the Grinnell College campus distinguished scholars, political figures, writers, artists and others who will contribute to international understanding in the liberal arts context, and who will in turn be able to interpret American life competently when they return to their native lands.

Since its inception, a number of notable visitors have come to Grinnell College under the auspices of this program, including Arnold Toynbee, J. W. N. Watkins, John Bowle, Stephen Spender, and many others. More recently, Heath Professors have included political scientist Byron Weng of Hong Kong (Political Science), historian Solomon Nkiwane of South Africa (Political Science and History), Hans Apel, noted German politician (Political Science), Galina Aksenova, Moscow film critic (Russian) and Veniamin Smekhov, Russian director and actor (Theatre). In 2001-02 Grinnell is host to two Heath Professors: Chengdan Qian (History), and Haiping Liu (Theatre), both faculty members of Nanjing University.

As an example of the work done in by past Heath professors, the commencement address given in 1963 by Heath fellow Arnold Toynbee (noted historian and author of the 12-volume A Study of History) is available to read here.

Heath Professors usually come to campus for one semester, and are expected to teach two courses, one at the 100- or 200-level, and one upper-level seminar. Heath Professors can also teach courses in two departments, or may team-teach with Grinnell faculty. On occasion, Heath professors may come for shorter periods, or for an entire academic year. They customarily make a public presentation during their stay at Grinnell, and participate in the campus community via their host departments.

The Center for International Studies would like to encourage individual faculty members, departments, concentrations, and other interested faculty groups to submit nominations for consideration for this distinguished professorship. Nominations should include detailed information on the nominee’s credentials, the expected courses a nominee might teach, and the impact a potential Heath Professor will have on the college and the mission of the John R. Heath Professorship. Nominations that consider team-teaching should address the impact this might have on departmental staffing.

Nominations for the following academic year should be sent to the Center for International Studies, Mears Cottage, by the end of the Fall Semester. In order to allow time for planning, both for the college and nominees, we also encourage nominations for the subsequent academic years. Nominations submitted for the following year may also be considered for subsequent years.

The John R. Heath Professorship is administered by the Center for International Studies. Nominations are reviewed by the Center’s Advisory Board. For more information on the Heath Professorship, please contact the Center for International Studies.

For a detailed list of past Heath Professors, please refer to the Past Heaths website.