beiyin

About Me

My name is Beiyin Deng (邓蓓茵 in Chinese, ဗေဒါ in Burmese), Ph.D. Candidate in Religious Studies at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, U.S. I am interested in contemporary Buddhist material culture, state-religion relationship, and religion in public diplomacy in Southeast Asian and Chinese traditions.

 

 

Education

Ph.D. | Arizona State University | 2016–Present

Religious Studies

M.A. | New York University | 2011–2013

Religious Studies

B.A. | Fudan University | 2007-2011​

Philosophy

Distinguished Academic Experience

SSRC InterAsia Academy 2021

Dissertation Project: “Buddhas Beyond Borders: Trading Marble Buddhist Images from Myanmar to China”

AAS-SSRC Virtual Dissertation Workshop  2021

Dissertation Project: “Buddhas Beyond Borders: Trading Marble Buddhist Images from Myanmar to China”

Academic Conference Presentations

Association for Asian Studies Virtual Annual Conference | 2021

Paper: “From ‘Burmese Marble’ to ‘Burmese White Jade’: Aesthetic Appreciation and the Transnational Marketing of Burmese Marble Buddhist Images to China

SEAP Graduate Student Conference | Cornell University | 2020

Paper: “From ‘Burmese Marble’ to ‘Burmese White Jade’: The Cultural Repertoires Behind the Transnational Trade of Marble Buddhist Images from Myanmar to China

Teaching Experience

Course Instructor | Religious Studies 

  • Religion, Culture, and Public Life | 2021 Summer
  • Religion and Popular Culture | 2019 Summer​

Teaching Assistant | Religious Studies | 2016 Fall — Present

  • Buddhism;
  • Religion and the Modern World;
  • Ritual, Symbol, and Myth;
  • American Religious Traditions;
  • Religion and Globalization;
  • Religion, Culture, and Public Life. 

Dissertation Committee 

Dr. Juliane Schober | Religious Studies | Chair

Dr. James Rush | History 

Dr. Huaiyu Chen | Religious Studies

Comprehensive Exam Fields

Burmese Buddhism | Dr. Juliane Schober | Religious Studies

Chinese Diaspora in Southeast Asia, Inter-Asian Transborder Trades | Dr. James Rush | History 

Chinese Buddhism | Dr. Huaiyu Chen | Religious Studies

Language Skills

Cantonese | Native Proficiency

Mandarin | Native Proficiency

English | Professional Work Proficiency

Burmese | Professional Work Proficiency

Professional Experience

QYER.com | Beijing, China | 07.2014-07.2016​

Editor (Southeast Asian Region)

Religions for Peace Myanmar | Yangon, Myanmar | 02.2014-03.2014

Project Assistant

Religions for Peace USA | New York, US | 05.2013-01.2014​

Project Coordinator