If the East-West Center had held its conference on development banks in Washington, D.C., center President Charles Morrison thinks it would have been covered on C-SPAN. UH’s East-West Center
to open D.C. officeBy Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.comHeld in Honolulu, however, the conference attracted about 60 people.
"Much of our audience for the work that we do is in Washington," Morrison said. So the East-West Center has decided to increase its presence in the nation's capital by establishing an office there this fall.
"It gives us an opportunity, I think, for us to get a sense of how Washington views the Asia-Pacific region," Morrison said. It will cost the center about $300,000 to open the office.
Muthiah Alagappa, an East-West Center senior fellow, has been appointed director of the new office. Alagappa is a renowned scholar who recently coordinated a multiyear study of the military's political role in 16 Asian countries.
He is also a specialist in international politics and security, interested in developing more conflict-resolution work.
"(Alagappa) has been here 10 years, and he knows the center and the region well," Morrison said.
Alagappa will develop and oversee programs, as well help with fund-raising. "A lot of money comes from contracts and grants with East Coast-based foundations," so the Washington office will allow the center more direct contact with them, Morrison said.
Alagappa said when he gets to Washington, he will consult with people in government, think tanks, universities and the media to see where the center can offer the most benefit. Alagappa said the goal is to find a way to complement the efforts of other think tanks.
"What we want to do is find a really good niche for the center and try to develop that," he said.
One of Alagappa's other duties will be to bring the center's research to the attention of people in Washington. "A lot of good things that we do here don't get noticed in Washington, and this is one good way of projecting the center," he said.
The center has also announced a new director of studies, dean of academic programs and associate director for education.
Nancy Lewis, associate dean of the University of Hawaii College of Social Sciences, has been appointed director of studies, effective Aug. 1. She will coordinate center research, which focuses on such areas as international cooperation, national economic development strategies, environmental issues, health issues and Pacific Islands development.
Terance Bigalke, a Beloit (Wis.) College teacher and director of foreign study opportunities, will become dean of academic programs on Aug. 16. Among his responsibilities will be establishing a new one-year, $4.5 million education program and overseeing 150 graduate students on East-West Center scholarships at UH.
Namji Steinemann, vice president of the education division of the Asia Society in New York City, will become associate director for education on July 16. One of her duties will be managing the Consortium for Teaching Asia and the Pacific in the Schools, a national program that focuses on staff and curriculum development to improve American students' knowledge of the Asia-Pacific region's cultures and peoples.