Pan, a political science and ethnic studies alumna, shares her experiences at OSU and their impact on her post-graduate trajectory
Yung-Yi Diana Pan
By Gabriella Grinbergs, CLA Student Writer - February 15, 2024
Before becoming the current Interim Executive Director of the Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI) and Associate Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York, Yung-Yi Diana Pan, ‘02, embarked on her professional academia journey in the McNary dormitory at Oregon State University.
Pan was born in Taiwan, and raised in Corvallis, Oregon, and became a first generation college student when she began studying business at OSU. Business originally appealed to her as a versatile degree, though Pan said she had no idea what was available to her early in her undergraduate career.
However, working at the Women’s Center (now the Hattie Redmond Women & Gender Center) influenced her decision to switch her major to political science and ethnic studies. “My intellectual curiosity was very much piqued ,” she said of the experience, as she was able to interact with students from all majors and walks of life.
“Because there’s such a strong STEM focus at OSU, oftentimes, humanities and social sciences seemed like an overlooked gem in some ways. ” Pan said. Gaining the individualized attention from tenured professors and mentors, including ethnic studies Associate Professor Patti Sakurai, played a significant role in Pan’s academic and professional development, alongside smaller and seminar-style classes where students were encouraged to be critical and analytical towards the learning material.
Connections with teachers and colleagues led Pan to become a Ronald E. McNair Scholar – a program designed to prepare first generation undergraduate students for earning a Ph.D. She learned about the program from a graduate student at the Women’s Center and more about graduate school from her peers and mentors in CLA.
Following graduation, Pan went on to earn a master’s degree in ethnic studies from San Francisco State University and a doctorate degree in sociology from the University of California, Irvine. Her research broadly covers experiences of non-white people in predominantly white spaces due to her own experiences in similar spaces, including at OSU.
A part of her dissertation led to her writing her first book, Incidental Racialization, in which she examined the experiences of Asian American and Latinx law students in a predominantly white profession. Pan sought to better understand how race played a role in the law profession and how a person would be racialized and treated based on one’s particular racial identity.
“The way that I experienced the world was very much based on my life having grown up in Oregon,” Pan stated. “So I wanted to understand what socialization looked like, as well as what processes of racialization might look like. I primarily wanted to (focus on) the profession, or the training itself.”
A more recent research endeavor by Pan covers the idea of viewing culture outside of something strictly racial to include regional or institutional cultures. She dives into this concept by analyzing the process of drug addiction recovery and its intersections with class and race. “We all have our own little cultures, like CLA has its own little culture that’s different from the College of Engineering.”
Pan now works as an associate professor at the City University of New York, Brooklyn College. She hopes to help students tap into their “sociological imagination” by working to instill an understanding of one’s positionality in society and how that affects the way society functions. She most enjoys interfacing with students and faculty, and being able to provide opportunities to impact the broader community outside of the classroom.
“The other thing I really try to impress in my classes is that NYC is great and it is diverse in so many ways,” she added. “The rest of the country doesn’t look like this, so I really try to instill, not only images but lessons from other parts of the country, because as Americans we need to have an understanding of the country we live in, not just our tiny little bubbles.”
She is the interim executive director of AAARI and had been serving on the board for ten years prior. A part of this position includes providing funding for research projects and community initiatives pitched by professors and students in the CUNY system. While currently leading the scholarly research and resource institute, Pan is focused on incorporating Asian American and Pacific Islander history and cultural studies in K-12 public school curriculum. This effort partly builds off of the concerns of communities of color who live in rural areas.
“There’s a sense of invisibility people of color feel in bucolic environments,” said Pan. “There is typically very little access to translation and city services for people of color, in addition to lack of inclusiveness in public school settings.”
Pan expressed a strong gratitude for the support she receives even now from former professors and mentors. When Incidental Racialization was released, Pan held a book talk at the Corvallis Public Library and was able to see the extent of her support in Corvallis.
“I had this room full of supportive people, and people I grew up with, and I had childhood friends’ parents there, too.” She added, “I think that type of support especially from OSU mentors and advisors – I think that’s unparalleled.”
“I had such a wonderful experience at OSU and I’m so happy for you and the current students who are there,” she expressed. “The relationships I developed at OSU have been very fruitful and steadfast and nurturing.”