Clement Tsao ('28), a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Jason Tu (‘27), an Economics major, conducted research with Prof. Jacques deLisle (Penn Carey Law) on contemporary Chinese law and politics. This research was supported by the Penn Undergraduate Research Mentoring Program.
Reflecting on his research experience, Clement said “PURM is the perfect experience for students wishing to enrich themselves during one of their first summers at Penn.”
This summer, I conducted research with Professor Jacques deLisle through the PURM program. I contributed to several projects, including research on China’s use of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, its strategic use of the U.S. legal system, a forthcoming book chapter on Transnational Legal Ordering in China, and more! As a Taiwanese-American who grew up in China, these topics felt deeply significant. Not only did I learn a great deal about international law and issues surrounding Taiwan, China, and the United States, but I also gained valuable insight into the research process itself. This experience has sparked a stronger interest in international law and has made me more seriously consider pursuing law school in the future. I am also motivated to develop my own independent research projects and continue exploring these questions moving forward.
Working with Professor deLisle and my fellow PURM student was one of the most rewarding aspects of this experience. I had the opportunity to build a close working relationship with my mentor, who supported me not only in research but also in thinking about long-term academic and career goals. Getting to know him on a personal level made the mentorship even more meaningful and enjoyable. Collaborating with my fellow student also created a sense of community, as we researched together in our shared space and developed a far greater friendship during this program.
Through this research experience, I developed skills in legal and policy analysis, academic writing, and navigating databases and law libraries. I also gained experience communicating my findings and preparing research memos. Beyond technical skills, I deepened my understanding of China, the politics of the Indo-Pacific, and international relations more broadly. Moving forward, I hope to apply these abilities not only in future research projects but also in my coursework at Penn and, eventually, in graduate or law school.
Reflecting on his research experience, Jason said “As someone who was unfamiliar with the legal field, PURM provided a foray into legal research, invaluable professional mentorship, and exposure to scholarship that genuinely changed how I viewed international legal and political issues.”
When I entered the Center for the Study of Contemporary China for my first day as a PURM participant, I was unsure of what to expect. I didn’t have any previous research experience, and outside of a few high school debate topics and taking a legal studies class, I had next to no knowledge of international law. What followed was ten weeks of immersing myself into legal literature, Chinese foreign affairs, and international relations. PURM provided not only invaluable professional experience in legal academia, but also the opportunity to explore a personal interest and develop meaningful relations with my mentor—Professor Jacques deLisle at the Carey Law School—as well as the other student researcher.
As an economics major, much of my coursework at Penn has been primarily quantitative. The shift to a more qualitative role in legal research was difficult at first but ultimately a rewarding challenge. One of my projects focused on understanding China’s concept of “foreign-related rule of law.” It was fascinating to delve into the different and nuanced perspectives of legal scholars and the complex ways countries’ domestic laws interact with each other and international legal regimes. Additionally, the task of identifying trends across time and issue areas was unfamiliar, but riveting, and I was even able to see how the principles I learned in some of my economics classes translated into real-world geopolitics. More than anything, the research experience taught me how to be curious. Every time I was unclear about a concept, I received a comprehensive explanation from my faculty mentor. Oftentimes, each answer would unlock a deeper set of questions and topics to research. I am confident that the ability to ask questions and work with challenging academic literature will prove invaluable in the future.
Conducting research confirmed my plans to pursue law school in the future. On an academic level, the project exposed me to new ways of thinking about how diverse transnational interest groups help shape a country’s legal and foreign policy, a perspective I plan to continue exploring during my time at Penn. I consider myself very fortunate to have had the amazing opportunity to conduct research and explore Philly over the summer through PURM.
Interested in reading more first-hand accounts about undergraduate research? Check out the other experiences featured on our Student News Page and Social Media!
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