On October 6th, the City University of New York (CUNY) Board of Trustees appointed Dr. John J. Chin as Dean of the Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI) at Queens College.
Since Fall 2001, the Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI) has worked tirelessly as a CUNY-wide research and resource organization aiming to cultivate educational, research and scholarship resources on issues and subjects concerning Asian, Asian American and other Asian diasporas in New York City and beyond.
According to the CUNY Board of Trustees, “In this role, Dr. Chin provided leadership and oversaw the day-to-day and long-term functioning of the Institute, ensuring its visibility, viability and leadership in Asian American / Asian studies scholarship, advocacy and outreach.”
Dr. Chin has served as the Interim Dean of the AAARI since October 2024, and has also worked as a Professor and Chair of the Department of Urban Policy and Planning at Hunter College.
In an August 11th Queens College press release, QC President Frank H. Wu commented on Dr. Chin’s selection saying:
“John will be an exemplary steward of its mission, particularly as it relates to immigrant-led community advocacy and public policy affecting immigrant worker health. His leadership will also be vital as AAARI helps to support the implementation of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) history curriculum in New York City schools, recently made possible by funding from the New York City Council.”
In a statement given to The Knight News, Dr. Chin expressed his content with some of the goals and initiatives he’s been able to accomplish as Interim Dean of the AAARI saying:
“I’m proud that we strengthened and expanded AAARI during a period of transition. We secured new City Council funding for the Localized History Project, a major multi-year K-12 curriculum initiative that works with young people to document Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community histories across New York. We also secured the opportunity to lead the research and drafting of the first comprehensive AAPI Commission report for New York State—a significant milestone for AAARI and for AAPI communities statewide. And we expanded AAARI’s programs and partnerships so we can better support research on issues and concerns relevant to AAPI communities.”
Dr. Chin aims to continue to position the AAARI as a leading resource for policymakers and community organizations working on AAPI issues in New York and the East Coast more extensively. By expanding capacity to produce high-impact, policy-relevant research—work that can inform decisions at the city and state level, he’s committed to strengthening AAARI’s community partnerships through initiatives like the Localized History Project and the organization’s growing collaborations with AAPI nonprofits.
AAARI has an important mission within CUNY and New York City and State and welcomes students from any CUNY campus who are interested in Asian American studies, AAPI community issues, or public service and can attend AAARI’s public events, apply for fellowship and scholarship programs, or join research and community-based projects. For more information please visit the AAARI website here.
