Yan Liu Receives Award for Sustainable Development Education in the World Language Classroom

Cara August, Trinity Communications

Headshot of a woman with dark shoulder length hair, side bangs, and glasses
Yan Liu, Associate Professor of the Practice of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 

Yan Liu, Associate Professor of the Practice in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) and Director of the Chinese Language Program has received the 2025 Klett Award for Sustainable Development Education in the World Language Classroom from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).  

The award honors Liu’s innovative work embedding themes of global sustainability, intercultural understanding, and social responsibility into language education. 

Through courses such as China and the U.S. in the Age of Climate Change and Voices in the Environment: Mandarin Tutorial, Liu’s teaching invites students to explore intersections between language, culture and sustainability.  

Since joining Duke in 2013, Liu has played an integral role in advancing Chinese language education and interdisciplinary collaboration across campus. Her leadership extends nationally through her service with the Chinese Language Teachers Association and as Vice Chair of the Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) Consortium.