Asian American Faculty Association

We invite you to join the UNC School of Medicine Asian American Faculty Association (AAFA) with the goal of supporting, empowering, and celebrating our Asian American (AA) faculty and fostering opportunities for networking, communication, and growth.

Our Mission

1. To Increase education and dialogue on issues affecting Asian Americans
2. Support leadership, career development, and advancement among AA faculty
3. Foster the exchange of diverse intellectual, social, cultural, and political perspectives from the AA faculty
4. Enhance the University’s diversity commitment to teaching, service, and outreach to the Asian American community
5. Collaborate with other UNC organizations to advance diversity, equity, and social justice

Recent Happenings

• 

  Asian American Faculty Association Meet and Greet at Hawkers Sept 19, 2023

  AAFA members met for our Second annual Meet and Greet to eat and chat. Good food was provided by Hawkers (duck bao, roti, spring rolls, coconut shrimp, and more!). Charlie, Jen Tang’s 3-year old was able to come and added to the fun. We only wish Emily had brought Kim Chi, her award winning photogenic … Read more

• 

  AAFA Virtual Meeting Related to Traumatic Events of August 28, 2023 on UNC Campus

  On Sept 9, one week after the fatal campus shooting of Dr. Zijie Yan by UNC graduate student Tailei Qi, AAFA convened a panel of UNC faculty to discuss concerns and present coping opportunities. Drs. Nadia Charguia, Michelle Floris-Moore, Jimmy Chen, and Nate Thomas presented options for coping and answered questions. These are included below. … Read more

• 

  Dr. Chang and Kimchi Raise Thousands for Local Animal Rescue

  What does NoDa Brewing Company and Dr. Emily Chang have in common? They both love Kimchi, the dog. Dr. Chang adopted Kimchi from a rescue organization, saving her before she was placed in a high kill shelter. She is Dr. Chang’s first pup and the two were a bonded pair almost instantly. Over the last … Read more

• 

  Dr. Joan Taylor, Director of Faculty Advancement, AAFA Promotion Talk

  Dr. Joan Taylor, Director of Faculty Advancement for School of Medicine, was invited to discuss the process for promotion from Assistant to Associate Professor and Associate to Full Professor with AAFA members. This is a recording of a virtual discussion from Wednesday 4/12/23 at 5 pm.

Association Leadership

Alice Chuang, MD, MEd

Associate Dean for Student Affairs, UNC SOM; Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
achuang@med.unc.edu

Bio: Alice Chuang was born in Taipei, Taiwan but moved to Memphis, TN at the age of 5 months. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Applied Mathematics at Harvard and then returned to her hometown of Memphis to attend medical school and residency at the University of TN. She accepted a faculty appointment at UNC SOM in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2003. She has been fortunate to have served as a course director in all phases of the curriculum and to have served as a student advisor before shifting to a formal role in Student Affairs. She currently serves as the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and is a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

She is grateful for having the opportunity to serve the students at UNC and credits her career achievements to her extraordinary mentors, particularly Dr. Frank Ling who steered her towards a career in medical education as a resident. She credits her career satisfaction to a community, both local and national, of amazing colleagues and friends. She credits her sanity and insanity to her two children, ages 16 and 13, the menagerie of animals in their home: Memphis (Aussiedoodle) Luna (Westiepoo), Yoshi (chiweenie), Cooper (box turtle) and Upendo (artic albino Western hognose snake) and her partner, who is coincidentally also an obstetrician.

Linda Van Le, MD

Leonard D. Palumbo Distinguished Professor of Gynecologic Oncology

Committees

Communications:

Develop and create regular communications (interest stories, opinion pieces), communicate with SOM and healthcare system, managing website (or whichever communication platform is determined to be best), provide updates from other committees.

Members: Drs. Ganesh Kamath, Michael Wang, & Michael Yeung

Networking:

Event planning with an eye towards strengthening specific AAFA networks (e.g., professional role, ethnicity, mothering, sports interests, other), fostering member engagement, opportunities to meet and network.

Members: Drs. Arielle Perez, Muneera Kapadia, Lee-Ching Zhu, & Priyanka Vedak

Advocacy and Community Engagement:

Explore ways to engage with the local and national Asian American community with a focus on service and advocacy.

Members: Drs. Vibhor Kirshna, Vimal Derbail, Vinay Chaudhry, Zahra Girnary, & Mia Kang

Professional development:

Create seminars, workshops, lectures around promotion and leadership building, utilizing UNC resources e.g., SOM Faculty Development, other UNC leadership programs on campus.

Members: Drs. Zev Nakamura (Chair), Michelle Itano, Koyal Jain, Karina Whelan, Chrissy Kistler, Weiming Tang, & Dana Iglesias

Mentoring:

Connecting with undergraduate students, medical students, and residents to advise, mentor, coach and support future AA scientists, physicians, and healthcare providers.

Members: View AAFA Mentoring Committee

Other Asian American Affiliates at UNC

Founded in 2020, the Asian American Center’s mission is to cultivate a critical understanding of Asian American peoples, cultures, and histories. Through education, organizing, and advocacy, the AAC will engage and empower Asian American students, faculty, and staff and the greater Carolina community. The AAC will enhance the University’s commitment to excellence by expanding access to interdisciplinary learning and preparing the next generation of leaders for an increasingly multicultural society.

Learn More