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Kelley L

- Research Program Mentor

Industry expert at Columbia University

Expertise

East Asian Philosophy, East Asian History, English, Creative Writing, Literature, Art Analysis, Music Analysis, History, Philosophy, Aesthetics, Psychology

Bio

Hi! My name is Kelley and I'm interested in Asian American psychology and race and believe that heavily informs my mentoring and teaching. Specifically, therapeutic work as it relates to Asian American identity, history, and belonging in the U.S. As a Psychology and East Asian Studies major, I'm also into consciousness & cognition and how that relates to Daoist models of spontaneity/creativity and Zen practices of meditation and awareness as it relates to neuroscience. I also have background interests in postwar East Asian film, history, culture, art, and anthropology, and how East Asian media is consumed and continues to influence American society today. I'm into anything art related, so I have a lot of experience with creative writing, calligraphy, music, improvisation, and visual and graphic design. I currently play the electric bass! Work related and academic experience: publications, competitive writing, and content curation, with prose and poetry nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, National YoungArts Foundation, Scholastic Inc., Ford Foundation, published in various journals, magazines, and art anthologies.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Void

How do we represent nothingness? Is it even possible? Curated art exhibit featuring visual representations of oblivion, nothingness, the formless. Also features clippings from literature and the arts that touch upon the things that exist in this void: ghosts, monsters, dreams, and the ethereal.

Haikus in Idleness

Did you know haikus (5-7-5 syllable poems) were originally written back and forth between multiple people? One person sends a 5-7-5 and the recipient responds with a 7-7 and another 5-7-5 and they go back and forth in a collaborative anthology of sorts. This haiku exchange is through letter writing and journaling, a bite-sized way to capture the world in a 5-7-5 grain of sand.

How to do Nothing

Activities and reflections geared around "doing nothing". To find cracks and gaps in a busy day to be nothing: not a student, not a sibling, not a friend, not even a member of society. Just be nothing. Just exist and everything else with unfold by itself. Do "nothing" and see what "somethings" can happen!

East Asian Philosophy in Anime and Film

An examination into the cultural, aesthetic, and philosophical themes present in popular anime today. How does one watch anime in a meaningful and productive way? An overview of Zen, Daoist, and Wabi-Sabi philosophy in anime and film such as Ping Pong the Animation, Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Spirited Away, and others.

Languages I know

Mandarin

Teaching experience

Writing Specialist for MyMentor where I help students with college applications, creative writing competitions, and learning how to talk to themselves for the personal statement. Education Consultant for Manhattan Education where I help students with writing, essays, and academic tutoring.

Credentials

Work experience

MyMentor (2019 - Current)
Writing Specialist
Manhattan Education (2020 - Current)
Education Consultant

Education

Columbia University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2022)
Psychology and East Asian Studies

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