Morrison hails from the UK and received his undergraduate degree in Chinese Studies from the University of Cambridge. While studying there, Morrison co-founded and led the Cambridge University China Forum which is now one of the university's most active academic societies. He hopes to use this experience in his role as Co-Director of Academics this year to help make YGS 2024 a huge success. Morrison currently focuses his attention on the study of Chinese politics and balances his academic endeavours with a love of football and film.

Nadia Maunsell graduated from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia with a dual degree in International Studies and Media. She was selected as a 2022 Westpac Asian Exchange Scholar, involving an academic exchange at the National University of Singapore, and also interned with the Australia-China Business Council and the Australian Institute of International Affairs. She loves hiking and cooking, but not particularly at the same time.

Hailing from Liaoning, China, Yizhu graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University and excelled in the BFSU International Strategic Talents Program (PPE). She gained invaluable experience through internships in the consulting, financial, and law sectors, and is currently a member of the Peking University Consulting Association. Adept at playing the Guzheng, Yizhu also enjoys table tennis, swimming, and hiking.

Ariel concentrated in Social Studies at Harvard College where she focused on the politics of energy in Latin America. At Yenching, Ariel studies Chinese perspectives on international law and environmental governance. Outside of class, Ariel loves to hike, wood turn, and travel.

Originally from Wenzhou, Zhejiang, Minkai majored in Accounting at Zhongnan University of Economics and Law and was twice awarded national scholarships. Minkai has a strong interest in cutting-edge technology, including Artificial Intelligence, and wrote an introductory textbook on Large Language Model, which has reached thousands of readers and influenced many organizations. He has in-depth work experiences on tech investment in several state-owned PE, CVC, FA, and VC.

Born and raised in Virginia, United States; Julian graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Economics and East Asian Studies. At his previous job, Julian was a student supervisor for his university bus system operations ensuring buses got out during shifts and responding to any issues from fellow drivers. In his spare time, Julian is part of Peking University's calligraphy club and enjoy watching anime as well as reading manga.

Sama Aziz is a recent graduate of economics and German from San Diego State University. She has previously been a precinct captain at the American Civil Liberties Union, and a research affiliate at her university’s health and policy research center. In her spare time Sama enjoys traveling, cooking, and jazz music.

Otto Barrow is a recent Philosophy, Politics and Economics graduate from the University of Oxford and completed a masters at the College of Europe in Natolin, Poland. He recently served as the secretary-general of the Institute for Greater Europe, a youth-led think tank based in Brussels. In his spare time, Otto enjoys long-distance walking and learning languages.

Gao Shuhan was born and raised in Henan, China, and graduated from the Law School of University of International Relations in 2023. Shuhan has passed the China National Legal Professional Qualification Examination and interned at law firms and courts. She served as a translation volunteer during the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys playing tennis and collecting an array of cute knick-knacks.

Etsuka was born and raised in Tokyo, and graduated from the University of Redlands with a B.S. in Global Business and a B.A. in Asian Studies in the US. She has served in multiple leadership positions in student clubs which has helped her cultivate diverse cultural understanding and communication skills. Apart from academics, she enjoys dancing.

Alexander was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada and graduated from the University of British Columbia with High Distinction with a degree in economics. He has previously served as a marketing and communications executive on multiple student clubs, which has been complemented by his over 8 years experience as a coach and teacher. In his spare time, Alexander plays ultimate frisbee for the Peking University varsity team, plays volleyball, and sings.

Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Li Lingyun’s academic journey began at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Shanghai International Studies University, where she delved into the intricacies of International Politics. At the Yenching Academy, she specializes in Politics and International Relations, bringing a cross-cultural perspective to her exploration of the dynamics between media and politics. She honed her professional skills at Intellisia Institute, Xinhua News Agency as well as Shanghai International Film Festival. Beyond the realm of international politics, Lingyun finds joy and solace in the harmonious melodies of the Chinese Zither (Guzheng) and indulges in the art of calligraphy.

Amy/Zhigongdai is a graduate from the University of Chicago with a degree in Public Policy and in English Literature. She has experience as a Volunteer Coordinator at the Institute of Politics at UChicago, creating a long-term volunteer program for undergraduate students at nonprofit organizations. When she is not volunteering or coordinating volunteers, Amy enjoys browsing bookstores, drinking tea, and bothering the stray cats on campus.

Stephen graduated from Landmark University, Nigeria, in 2020 with a degree in International Relations, ranking among the top three best-graduating students from the department. Through his studies at Yenching Academy, Stephen seeks to deepen his understanding of China's political and social systems and gain robust insight into how public and private sectors in China collaborate to create sustainable opportunities for underprivileged communities. Stephen is from Nigeria and is a 2019 YALI RLC Accra alumnus.

Wang Yining, a native of Chongqing, China, completed her undergraduate studies at Nankai University, earning dual Bachelor's degrees in English and Chinese Language and Literature. She focuses on Chinese contemporary art and global culture study, and also started to venture into the Internet and finance world.