I received my BA in Arabic from Beijing Foreign Studies University, MA from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, and PhD in East Asian history from George Washington University. As a history teacher, I seek to train my students to critically assess information, reason carefully, and make coherent arguments supported by historical evidence.
My teaching philosophy is that students must be engaged in their own education by 'doing' the learning. Consequently, my course syllabi and lesson plans emphasize active student participation. I love my job and take great pleasure in exposing my students to diverse voices from the past as well as from different parts of the world.
My research interests include modern Chinese history, race and ethnicity, and transnational history. I have published a number of book chapters, journal articles, and book reviews in these fields. I am currently working on a book manuscript on the history of Muslims in China.
American Historical Association (AHA), Association for Asian Studies (AAS)
We're halfway through Widener University Week on The Academic Minute and today's segment features Yufeng Mao, associate professor of history, who discusses why Muslims are often an overlooked population in China.
Widener faculty recently took 20 students to New York City as part of the urban excursions grant program, which allows faculty to take students on daylong trips to a metropolitan area to allow for deeper engagement and hands-on experiences as they relate to course material.
Led by YuFeng Mao, associate professor of history, Beatriz Urraca, chair of modern languages, and Stephen Madigosky, chair of environmental science and sustainability, students visited popular New York City stops such as the Natural History Museum, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square, and Koreatown. The trip also coincided with the date of the 2023 New York City Marathon, where students were able to watch and cheer on runners.
In addition to experiencing the iconic New York sites, students were also exposed to the diverse culinary culture of the city by trying Latin American food, Dim Sum, and Korean shaved ice and coffee.
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