Intern Update: Introducing Tim Yu
Intern Tim Yu with new acquisition artifacts.
My name is Tim Yu and I am a fourth-year undergraduate student majoring in history at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
As an intern at the Smithsonian Institution, I have been given the opportunity to share my duties at both the National Museum of American History and Asian Pacific American Program to assist with three major ongoing projects. At the National Museum of American History, I am conducting research on the sudden prominence of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Mainland China for the upcoming American Enterprise exhibition. For this project, I intend to investigate the proliferation of the American-based fast-food chain in Asia, and examine the dynamic processes of globalization, transnationalism, and localization.
I am also blogging, compiling oral histories, artifacts, and conducting academic research for the Sweet and Sour: A Look at the History of Chinese Food in the United States display that is currently being showcased on the first floor of the National Museum of American History. I will also be involved with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program’s efforts in creating a pan-Asian exhibition that will celebrate the heritage, cultural practices, and historical contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the United States.
Following my internship in Washington, I will be participating in a study abroad exchange at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong, China, where I hope to concentrate on Chinese language training and history. I look forward to sharing my experiences with those at the Smithsonian Institution, as well as the people who were instrumental in allowing me to pursue my academic studies and personal aspirations.
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