James Tong, 1947–2020

With profound sorrow, the UCLA Department of Political Science reports the passing of Professor James Wai Tong, our colleague of thirty-one years, on October 3, 2020, after a brave battle with cerebral hemorrhage. James leaves behind his companion Marita Kaw, his children Olivia and Brian, his grandchildren Ava and Harrison, siblings Victor, Nancy, and Paul, and many relatives and friends, including generations of colleagues and former students. Our department, university, and discipline has suffered a tremendous loss.

Joseph Asunka (UCLA PhD 2014), currently Program Officer of the Global Development Program of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, will lead the Afrobarometer in early 2021 as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Over the summer, three of our recent PhD graduates received national distinctions awarded by the American Political Science Association.

John Branstetter (UCLA PhD 2017), Lecturer, was recently selected to receive the 2019-2020 UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award. Only three non-Senate faculty in the entire university received this award.

The Department of Political Science celebrates the achievements and hard work of all of our 2020 graduates. We are so proud of everything they have accomplished and look forward to following their future life paths! If you would like to get to know some of our 2020 graduates, here are seven students from our department’s Honors Program.

In an effort to reduce the possibility of illness caused by the Coronavirus, the Department of Political Science will be temporarily closed to minimize personnel presence in the office. Staff will continue to be available via remote access, and can be reached via email, or can return phone messages left on their work numbers, or can schedule Zoom meetings, as necessary.

Six exceptional UCLA professors and leaders — Physical Sciences Dean Miguel García-Garibay, School of Law Dean Jennifer Mnookin, Education Professor Pedro Noguera, Political Science Professor Lynn Vavreck, environmental champion Mary Nichols and Hammer Museum Director Ann Philbin — were elected April 23 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nation’s most prestigious honorary societies.