In August 2024, CSIS Office of the Korea Chair and the USC Korean Studies Institute announced ten NextGen Scholars for 2024 to 2025. These scholars were selected in a national competition. The scholars all displayed exemplary scholarship in wide-ranging disciplines, from American studies, ethnomusicology, history, political science, philosophy, to international relations.
The 2024-2025 U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Program is a unique two-year program (non-resident) that provides opportunities for mid-career Korea specialists to discuss issues of importance to U.S.-Korea relations with policymakers, government officials, and opinion leaders in Korea and the United States, learn how to effectively engage with the media, participate in the policymaking process, gain experience as public intellectuals helping to bridge the scholarly and policy communities, and address issues of importance to the U.S.-Korea relationship. A core objective of the program is to identify, nurture, and build a community of American public intellectuals across a wide range of sectors and facilitate policy-oriented research teams and projects.
The project is run by CSIS and USC KSI and directed by Victor Cha and David Kang. The program will be further supported by an advisory committee of distinguished American and Korean advisers with vast experience in academia, government, and the private sector.
Three program seminars:
- Washington, D.C. (January 2025) - Introduce and engage NextGen Scholars in policy discussions in the nation’s capital.
- Los Angeles (Spring 2025) - Train NextGen Scholars to become stronger public intellectuals through op-ed writing workshops, media training and filming of Korea Questions videos at USC.
- Seoul (Summer 2025) - NextGen Scholars have the opportunity to network with policymakers, government officials, and opinion leaders in Korea.
Program Goals:
- Create a network of mid-career Korea specialists with diverse backgrounds and experiences who will make long-term contributions to the U.S.-Korea relationship.
- Help Korea specialists become more relevant to the policymaking process.
- Increase the visibility of young Korea specialists and provide opportunities for engagement with policymakers and the private sector.
- Encourage new Korea-related research and projects and collaboration among participants.
- NextGen Scholars will author an op-ed and film a video lecture (Korea Questions) as part of the program graduation.
Program Eligibility:
- Professional interest in Korea and plans for long-term engagement with Korea.
- Tenure-track assistant professors preferred, but open to all ranks, including postdoctoral fellows, non-tenure line faculty and non-academic appointments.
- Basic knowledge of the Korean language.
- Ph.D. degree.
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
