Biographical Sketch

Yu-Kang received his B.A. in Journalism and M.A. in Sociology in Taiwan. On his award-winning Master thesis, Yu-Kang conducted field research in the Philippines and Thailand to examine how Southeast Asian migrant workers to Taiwan were recruited, screened, and selected. He also worked with civil engineering researchers to assess hazard mitigation and conducted surveys on social, psychological, and economic impacts of natural hazards. His research interests center on immigration and international migration, sociology of family, aging and the life course, and Asia Pacific studies. He examines how first-generation Taiwanese Americans provide support and care for their elder parents who remain in Taiwan or immigrate to the United States for his dissertation project. It attempts to identify the organization of elder care and nourish an articulation among families, welfare states, and markets.