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Global Careers through AsiaA conference for University of Toronto studentsJanuary 29, 2016Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global AffairsVivian and David Campbell Conference Facility Munk School of Global Affairs

It is my great pleasure as the Director of the Asian Institute to welcome you to the Global Careers through Asia Conference. The conference provides students with inspiration and stories from people engaged with Asia in their work at all levels, from senior experts and international dignitaries to recent alumni. Our aim is to motivate students to plan creatively for a global career in the twenty-first century, in a world that is no longer rooted in the west.

Increasingly, Asian worlds, from high finance to factory labour, from urban infrastructure to the environments of agriculture, present us with key configurations of global economic and political forces. Whether one wants to work in banking; law and human rights; poverty and social justice; public health, sanitation and housing; or film and media, the possibilities and challenges we find in Asia impact most industries and job sectors. Whether or not students go on to work in Asia, Canada, or somewhere else, Asia fluency is crucial. That’s why at the Asian Institute, our teaching programs develop this valuable asset by giving students the ability to integrate the skills and perspectives they gain through academic study with their future global careers. We have a deep commitment to our student community, whom we encourage to be proactive in engaging big ideas as well as mining located facts, to cultivate new formations of research that fortify the traditional disciplines. Through the innovative pedagogy and methodology in our under–graduate and graduate programs, as well as the myriad experiential learning and travel opportunities we offer, our aim is to prepare the next generation to engage with global formations, through the problems and promises posed by Asian contexts.

The strength of our teaching programs rests in our unique combination of faculty expertise in both deeply located Asia-based research and broad, comparative globally relevant questions across the humanities and social sciences. That is, the Asian Institute is about Asia, but it is also about thinking through contemporary global processes via the configuration of provocations, challenges, and innovations that Asian sites call us to study; so it is about thinking about Canada and the world in new ways as well. That’s why this conference is about more than just careers in Asia. By exploring global careers through Asia, we recognize the significance that an understanding and perspective on Asia can have on work that U of T students will go on to do anywhere in the world.

I hope you enjoy the esteemed speakers and panelists we have lined up for you today, and the conversations and ideas that their presentations are sure to spark. I also encourage you to take full advantage of the conference’s networking opportunities – you never know when a connection will help open a door or point you towards the path of your future career.

Sincerely,

Professor Ritu BirlaRichard Charles Lee Director of the Asian InstituteMunk School of Global Affairs

Welcome

Asian Institute at the University of Toronto

Munk School of Global Affairs 1 Devonshire Place,

Room 227n Toronto, on m5s 3k7

t 416 946 8996f 416 946 8838e asian.institute@utoronto.caw www.munkschool.utoronto.ca/ai/

11:15 – 12:00 Registration and Informal Lunch

12:00 – 12:07 Welcome Remarks

Ritu Birla, Richard Charles Lee Director, Asian Institute

12:07 – 12:15 Opening Remarks

Joseph Wong, Ralph and Roz Halbert Professor of Innovation, Munk School of Global Affairs

12:15 – 1:00 Keynote Address

David Mulroney, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto; Former Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China

1:00 – 2:15 Making a Career with Asia

Mark McDowell, Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Margaret Cornish, Former Chief Representative and Senior Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP, Beijing

Sarah Kutulakos, Executive Director, Canada China Business Council

Moder ator: Carmen Ho, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science

2:15 – 2:30 Break

2:30 – 3:45 Engaging Asia, beyond the University

Melinda Jacobs, Co-founder, Lucent Sky

Betty Xie, Emerging Filmmaker; Development and Guest Services Coordinator, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival

Gaultier Letourneau-Ross, Analyst, Avia-Tek, Shanghai (Video presentation)

Moder ator: Steven Denny, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science

3:45 – 4:55 Making a Difference through Asia

Carlotta James, Lead Analyst, SecDev Group

Remi Kanji, Co-founder, Plato Medical, Singapore (Video presentation)

David Wang, International Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Ishinomaki Laboratory, Japan

Moder ator: James Poborsa, PhD Candidate, Department of East Asian Studies

4:55 – 5:00 Closing Remarks

Eros Grinzato, President, Contemporary Asian Studies Student Union (CASSU)

5:00 – 7:00 Reception

Alumni and students mingle

5:30 – 6:30 Speed Mentoring Session

Program

Participants Ritu Birla

Richard Charles Lee Director of the Asian Institute, Munk School of Global Affairs; Associate Professor in the Department of History, University of Toronto

Ritu Birla’s research brings the empirical study of the Indian economy to current questions in social and political theory and has sought to build new conversations in the global study of capitalism, its cultures and forms of governing. She was awarded a Chancellor Jackman Humanities Research Fellowship for 2016 – 2017 for her forthcoming book solicited by Duke University Press, Neoliberalism and Empire. Professor Birla is the author of Stages of Capital: Law, Culture and Market Governance in Late Colonial India (Duke University Press, 2009; Orient Blackswan India, 2010), winner of the 2010 Albion Book Prize in British Studies. She has also published numerous books and peer reviewed articles. Her research has been cultivated in a range of global conversations, and she has been invited to speak at venues throughout the world. She holds advanced degrees from Cambridge and Columbia University.

“As you move forward into new adventures remember to actively cultivate yourself as an expression of the world. As the great postcolonial theorist Frantz Fanon reminds us, ‘In the World through which I travel, I am endlessly creating myself.’”

— Ritu Birla

Margaret Cornish

Former Chief Representative and Senior Advisor, Bennett Jones LLP, Beijing

Margaret Cornish began her career in the Canadian Foreign Service with postings at the Canadian delegation to the UN in 1971, when China regained it seat; at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing; and as part of the Canadian delegation to the European Community. In 1980 she joined Scotiabank to work on sovereign debt restructuring before becoming a top-ranked securities analyst at ScotiaCapital. From 2003 to 2008 Margaret served as Executive Director of the Canada China Business Council. She has taught at the business schools of Queen’s and Wilfred Laurier. She was an Associate Fellow of the Canadian International Council. From 2010 to 2015 she served as Senior Advisor and Beijing Chief Representative of the Beijing office of Bennett Jones. Most recently, Margaret served on the International Affairs Council of Advisors of the Liberal Party.

“Canada faces great challenges in realizing its geographic destiny as a Pacific nation. There couldn’t be a more exciting time to launch a career with roots on both sides of the Pacific. The paths are still not well trod. Be sure to call on mentors for help and work to make your own luck.”

— Margaret Cornish

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Steven Denny

PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

Steven Denney is a doctoral fellow at the Asian Institute. He holds an MA in Global Affairs and Policy from Yonsei University and a BA in Political Science from Harding University. Steven is a columnist for The Diplomat and the managing editor for SinoNK.com. He has worked for the Asian Institute for Policy Studies and is the former editor- in-chief of the Yonsei Journal of International Studies. 

“If we have feet and not roots, why not travel?”

—Steven Denney

Carmen Jacqueline Ho

PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

Carmen Ho a doctoral fellow at the Asian Institute, is affiliated with SickKids’ Centre for Global Child Health, and is a consultant with UNICEF. Her research interests include global governance, welfare policies, and health, and her dissertation explores the influence of international institutions on state policies.

Melinda Jacobs

Co-founder, Lucent Sky

Melinda Jacobs graduated from the University of Toronto in 2012 with a specialist degree in International Relations. While a student, she participated in summer abroad in China, worked in micro-finance in Bangladesh, and observed Taiwan’s presidential elections. She has since lived and worked in Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia in social innovation and startups, and currently resides in San Francisco. 

“Your experiences outside the classroom are as important as your GPA. Learning how to build teams, express ideas, and find resources are among the most important things I learned at U of T, and those are the skills that continue to open doors.” —Melinda Jacobs

Carlotta James

Lead Analyst, SecDev Group

Carlotta James works at SecDev Group, a cyber-research think tank based in Ottawa, where she focuses on politics and human rights in Latin America. Prior to this position, she was Outreach Manager and Research Coordinator for Asia for Psiphon Inc., where she spearheaded new research activities in Southeast Asia aimed at increasing awareness of government censorship. She also managed projects with human rights organizations and international broadcasters, including the BBC, Broadcasting Board of Governors, and Deutsche Welle. Carlotta completed her Honours BA from the University of Toronto in 2009 and was granted a scholarship by the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program to study advanced Mandarin at Yunnan University.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

— Laozi

Remi Kanji

Co-founder, Plato Medical

Remi Kanji, is a co-founder of Plato Medical, a clinic management software company that helps doctors manage their practice, connect with patients, and digitally integrate into the healthcare ecosystem. At Plato, Remi manages the overall business direction, strategic partnerships, and growth.

“Working in the startup sector has taught me that success is all about iterating through different strategies. First you try something, then it either works or it doesn’t, and you learn from that process. If you’re curious about why a process works, that often provides a useful lesson. As you venture out of university into the working world, you’ll find that some of your most poignant lessons will come from experiencing, analyzing, and overcoming failure. If you can maintain your drive through failure and take it well, you can achieve anything you set your heart to!”

— Remi Kanji

Sarah Kutulakos

Executive Director, Canada China Business Council

Sarah Kutulakos joined CCBC in 2007, after 11 years at Kodak, where she had multiple assignments involving China. She began her career in Taiwan as the first non-Chinese employee of a local high-tech startup firm. A fluent Mandarin speaker, Sarah studied Chinese, marketing, and international business at the University of Wisconsin, and she holds an MBA from the Simon School at the University of Rochester.

“A career in Asia must be, first and foremost, a career with a specialization. It’s not enough to be a ‘China person.’ You need to be known for your skills in a particular area.”

— Sarah Kutulakos

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Gaultier Letourneau-Ross

Analyst, Avia-Tek

Gaultier Letourneau-Ross graduated from the Collaborative Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Studies in 2013. After landing a job in Shanghai with one of the companies he interviewed during his Master’s thesis field research, Gaultier moved to China to start his career in consulting and investment advisory. He has lived in China on and off for a total of four years since 2007 and has been based in Shanghai since 2013.

“In my daily life in Shanghai I often meet people that remind me of my classmates at the Asian Institute: globally- minded, dynamic, ambitious, and curious.”

— Gaultier Letourneau-Ross

Mark McDowell

Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Mark McDowell is Canada’s first resident Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1994 and served abroad in New York, Taipei, Bangkok, and Beijing. He received his BA in History and Philosophy from the University of Toronto, and has Master’s degrees from the University of Toronto and Harvard University. From 2008 to 2009 he was an Asia Research Fellow at the Ash Institute for Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School.

“Do something you enjoy. If you enjoy it you will effortlessly put in the hours that will eventually make you good at it.”

— Mark McDowell

James Poborsa

PhD Candidate, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Toronto

James Poborsa’s doctoral research examines the cultural and intellectual history of contemporary China. He has taught multiple courses on the history, politics, culture, and art of modern East Asia, and was a senior visiting scholar at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou (2013 – 2014), and visiting doctoral researcher at Tsinghua University (2014–2015).

“For to be in a routine means to have sacrificed one’s idiosyncrasies …”

— Walter Benjamin

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David Mulroney

President and Vice-Chancellor, University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto; Former Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China

Mr. Mulroney came to St. Michael’s College, the Catholic federated university within the University of Toronto, after more than 30 years in Canada’s Public Service. A career Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Mulroney was Canada’s ambassador to the People’s Republic of China from 2009 to 2012. Middle Power, Middle Kingdom, his book about Canada-China relations, was selected by the Globe and Mail as one of the best books of 2015. Prior to his appointment to Beijing, Mr. Mulroney was assigned to the Privy Council Office in Ottawa as the Deputy Minister responsible for the Afghanistan Task Force. Mr. Mulroney’s other assignments included serving as Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and, concurrently, as the Prime Minister’s Personal Representative to the G8 Summit. Mr. Mulroney is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, a Distinguished Fellow of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, and an Honorary Fellow of the University of St. Michael’s College. Mr. Mulroney is a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, the University of Toronto’s Arbor Award, and in June 2015 received an honorary Doctor of Laws from Western University.

“My introduction to Asia was as a backpacker disembarking in the port of Singapore 40 years ago. I have been studying the region, its peoples, cultures and history ever since. That early chance to expand my horizons has enriched my life enormously.”

— David Mulroney

David Wang

International Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Ishinomaki Laboratory, Japan

David Wang is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto, with a major in Contemporary Asian Studies. During a one-year study abroad program in Japan, he volunteered with a community development organization in the disaster-struck region where he developed a strong interest in regional revitalization and social enterprises.

“Wealth does not pass three generations.”

— Chinese Proverb

Joseph Wong

Ralph and Roz Halbert Professor of Innovation at the Munk School of Global Affairs; Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

Joseph Wong is the author of many academic articles and several books, including Healthy Democracies: Welfare Politics in Taiwan and South Korea and Betting on Biotech: Innovation and the Limits of Asia’s Developmental State, both published by Cornell University Press. He recently co-edited with Dilip Soman and Janice Stein Innovating for the Global South with the University of Toronto Press. He has worked extensively with the World Bank and the UN; and has advised governments on matters of public policy in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Europe. His current research focuses on poverty and innovation. Professor Wong was the Director of the Asian Institute from 2005 to 2014.

“Young people experience the world to be a much smaller, less intimidating place. They understand their futures on a global scale. And this is good for Canada, for Asia, and the rest of the world.”

— Joseph Wong

Betty Xie

Emerging Filmmaker; Development and Guest Services Coordinator, Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival

Betty Xie is a filmmaker and festival organizer and an alumna of the Asian Institute. She frequently travels to Asia to program films for the Reel Asian Film Festival. Her short documentary The Home Promised was screened in festivals around North America, and she is producing and editing a feature film in 2016.

“When we went to U of T, we were taught to dream big. When we graduate, we should learn how to break those fluffy dreams into small steps. One step at a time, we will all get there.”

— Betty Xie

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Get PublishedSynergy: The Journal Of Contemporary Asian Studies at the Asian Institute at the Munk School of Global Affairs is inviting submissions for its monthly online publication for the 2015 – 2016 academic year. The Journal seeks to publish the world’s premier undergraduate work pertaining to the study of contemporary Asia, specifically on the current political, historical, societal, and / or economic developments in the Asia region. Submissions are open to all individuals within the scholarly community around the world, with preference given to rigorous undergraduate submissions. Synergy is currently listed with the Library and Archives Canada.

the Contemporary Asian Studies Student Union(Formerly known as the Pan-Asian Student Society) is the under-graduate course union for the Dr. David Chu Program in Contemporary Asian Studies at the University of Toronto. CASSU was founded in 2010 by students in the Dr. David Chu Asia Pacific Studies program and strives to strengthen students’ understanding towards contemporary Asia from a global perspective in a non-classroom setting. Through organizing social, cultural, academic, and professional events related to Asia, CASSU sets to enhance students’ interests for the region.

w: www.utcassu.com e: executive@utcassu.com

February• Lunar New Year Reception (co-sponsor)• The Future of Taiwan Conference• Ethnic Nationalities in Myanmar’s

Transitional Democracy: New Trajectories under NLD rule? (co-sponsor)

• Winter Social at Hart House

March• International Course Module (ICM)

to Vietnam, student panel

April• Executive elections

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