Taiwan-US Policy Program
TUPP is a groundbreaking two-week program that enhances the understanding of Taiwan among future American policy leaders.TUPP is a groundbreaking two-week program that enhances the understanding of Taiwan among future US policy leaders. The program consists of two consecutive components: seminars in Washington, D.C. and a research trip to Taiwan. TUPP provides a unique opportunity for the United States’ emerging leaders to gain the necessary personal experiences in Taiwan that will enable them to appreciate Taiwan’s perspectives on cross-strait matters, Taiwan’s role in the world, and the importance of US-Taiwan relations.
Each year, the program begins with three days in Washington, D.C. where the delegation is briefed by US officials, academics, and think tank experts. This is followed by the Taiwan leg of the trip, where TUPP fellows visit several cities and meet with individuals from government, business, non-governmental organizations, and academia. The trip involves exposure to Taiwan’s culture, history, and politics.
TUPP fellows are expected to have a demonstrated history of professional achievement and interest in policy. Applicants should be between 28 and 43 years old, and have functional and/or regional expertise. Stipends are not provided, but all program-related expenses are covered.
The program offers an unparalleled opportunity for the United States’ future policy leaders to benefit from exposure to Taiwan. Each participant will gain transformative in-country knowledge that will empower them to analyze future challenges involving Taiwan and undertake informed policy analysis.
Funding for TUPP is generously provided by the Henry Luce Foundation, the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, the Global Taiwan Institute, and the London School of Economics Alumni Association.
Application Information
Expand AllEligibility
- Minimum of a Master's degree
- Minimum of three years of work experience in a think tank, government agency, or university
- Do not need to be China/Taiwan or regional experts
- Should have either never been to Taiwan, or only traveled to Taiwan on vacation or to attend a conference
- Do not need to reside in Washington, D.C.
- Must be a US citizen or permanent US resident
- Regrettably, we cannot accept applications from active-duty military or individuals currently employed by the US government.
Commitment
Fellows will be expected to commit to the full two-week program in Washington, D.C. and Taiwan. All fellows will be required to write a short article on a topic related to US policy toward Taiwan upon conclusion of the program.
How to Apply
We are not currently accepting applications for the Taiwan-US Policy Program. The next round of recruitment will take place in 2022.
Current & Past Delegates
Expand All2020 TUPP Delegates
- Daniel Aum, Ph.D. Student, International Affairs, Science, and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Séverine Bardon, Journalist and Producer, Baozi Prod
- Francisco Benscome, Senior Advisor, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, US Department of State
- Melanie Berry, Senior Project Manager, Political and Security Affairs, National Bureau of Asian Research
- Eric Feinberg, Indo-Pacific Analyst, Office of the Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense
- John Lee, Director, East-West Futures
- Franziska Luettge, Program Officer, Asia Program, The German Marshall Fund of the United States
- Parker Novak, Deputy Government Relations Director, US Global Leadership Coalition
- Sayuri Romei, Associate Director of Programs, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation
- Tori K. Smith, Jay Van Andel Senior Policy Analyst in Trade Policy, Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation
2019 TUPP Delegates
- Philip Caruso, Chairman of the Board of Directors, No One Left Behind
- Melissa Chan, Independent Journalist, Contributor, Global Reporting Centre, and Presenter and Editor, Deutsche Welle
- Grace Hearty, Deputy Director, Economics Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Pamela Kennedy, Research Analyst, The Stimson Center
- Sahana Kumar, Business and Industry Specialist, US Department of Commerce
- Brandon Lee, President, Anacostia Consulting Group
- Noah Metheny, Senior HIV Technical Advisor, USAID
- Heidi Obermeyer, Manager, Policy, BSA | The Software Alliance
- Ali Wyne, Senior Analyst, Global Macro, Eurasia Group
2018 TUPP Delegates
- Tania Garcia-Millan, Senior Managing Counsel, Global Regulatory Affairs, Visa
- Jeffrey Gelman, Policy Communications Manager, External Oversight Board, Facebook
- Tanvi Madan, Senior Fellow, Project on International Order and Strategy, Foreign Policy Program and Director, India Project, Brookings Institution
- Scott Moore, Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania
- Crystal Pryor, Vice President, Pacific Forum
- Lisa Riejula, Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement, Pandemic Oversight Accountability Committee
- Nicole Smolinske, Mekong Unit Chief, US Department of State
- Brandon Tensley, National Political Writer, CNN
- Courtney Weatherby, Deputy Director, Southeast Asia Program, The Stimson Center
- Julie Yang, Senior Program Manager, Ads, Amazon
2017 TUPP Delegates
- Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, Board Member, Team LPAC
- Matthew Funaiole, Director, iDeas Lab and Senior Fellow, China Power Project
- Emily Holland, Assistant Professor, Russia Maritime Studies Institute, US Naval War College
- Erum Jilani, Senior Manager, Indo-Pacific Programs, Lockheed Martin
- Duyeon Kim, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Indo-Pacific Security Program, Center for a New American Security
- Whitney McNamara, Director of Science and Technology, Defense Innovation Board, US Department of Defense
- Evan Moore, Former Senior Policy Analyst, Foreign Policy Initiative
- Lindsey Ranish, Registered Nurse, West End Peds
- Ryan Shaffer, President, The Japan-America Society of Washington DC
- Hemal Shah, Director for Public Policy, Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Publications
Expand AllPerspectives on Taiwan: Insights from the 2019 Taiwan-US Policy Program
The papers in this compendium were written by the nine members of the 2019 TUPP delegation: Philip Caruso, Melissa Chan, Grace Hearty, Pamela Kennedy, Sahana Kumar, Brandon Lee, Noah Metheny, Heidi Obermeyer, and Ali Wyne. Each participant was asked to reflect on their in-country experience and produce a short article analyzing a policy issue related to Taiwan. These papers are a testament to the powerful impact that follows first-hand exposure to Taiwan.
Perspectives on Taiwan: Insights from the 2018 Taiwan-US Policy Program
The papers in this compendium were written by the 10 members of the 2018 CSIS Taiwan-US Policy Program (TUPP) delegation: Tania Garcia-Millan, Jeffrey Gelman, Tanvi Madan, Scott Moore, Crystal Pryor, Lisa Reijula, Nicole Smolinske, Brandon Tensley, Courtney Weather, and Julie Yang. TUPP provides a much-needed opportunity for future leaders to gain a better understanding of Taiwan through first-hand exposure to its politics, culture, and history. Each participant was asked to reflect on his or her in-country experience and produce a short article analyzing a policy issue related to Taiwan. These papers are a testament to the powerful impact that follows first-hand exposure to Taiwan.
Perspectives on Taiwan: Insights from the 2017 Taiwan-US Policy Program
The papers in this compendium were written by the 10 members of the 2017 CSIS Taiwan-US Policy Program (TUPP) delegation: Rebecca Buckwalter-Poza, Matthew Funaiole, Emily Holland, Erum Jilani, Duyeon Kim, Whitney McNamara, Evan Moore, Lindsey Ranish, Ryan Shaffer, and Hemal Shah. TUPP provides a much-needed opportunity for future leaders to gain a better understanding of Taiwan through first-hand exposure to its politics, culture, and history. Each participant was asked to reflect on his or her in-country experience and produce a short article analyzing a policy issue related to Taiwan. These papers are a testament to the powerful impact that follows first-hand exposure to Taiwan.
