Tonglu Li, associate professor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, was recently invited by the Chinese Association of Iowa to join the panel discussion, “U.S.-Asia Relations, Business Opportunities and Challenges,” as part of the 2026 Chinese New Year Celebration. Contextualizing his remarks within Asian American history, dating back to the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Li advocated the importance of community engagement in addition to professional contributions and expressed cautious optimism about the future of the U.S.-China relationship. He also received the Association’s “2026 Education Leadership Award” in recognition of his contributions.