Liu Distinguished Visitor Series

Liu Distinguished Visitor Series logo

Through the generosity of Frank ('78) and Cindy Liu, the Liu Distinguished Visitor Series has allowed the Chao Center to host a number of dynamic speakers.

Previous Liu Visitors include:

HTX MADE Presents:

Andrew Thomas Huang, artist and director

Friday, June 27 | 7:30p
Moody Center for the Arts’ Lois Chiles Studio Theater
Selections from Huang's body of work, including FKA twigs’ CELLOPHANE, Björk’s MUTUAL CORE, and his short film KISS OF THE RABBIT GOD. Followed by a Q&A moderated by co-founder of The Big Queer Picture Show Michael Robinson, and Houston Asian American Archive intern Chi Pham.
This event is co-presented by the MOODY CENTER FOR THE ARTS at RICE and THE BIG QUEER PICTURE SHOW.

Sunday, June 29 | 2pm
SANMAN Studios
“Weaving Biomythography into Film Narrative"
This event is presented with SANMAN Studios.

A Retrospective Series on America's War in Vietnam: 50 Years Later

November 21, 2024 - Chia Youyee Vang, Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
"Making Sense of the U.S. Secret War in Laos and Its Aftermath"
Recording available.

March 25, 2025 - Thuy Vo Dang, Assistant Professor of Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles
"T.E.A.C.H.: Memory Work in the Vietnamese Diaspora 50 Years Later"
This talk will only be hosted in person. A recording will not be available.

April 9, 2025 - Douglas Brinkley, Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History, Rice University
"Children of the Ladder: Gerald Ford and the End of the Vietnam War"
Recording available.


September 6, 2024 - Shashi Tharoor, Author and Politician

April 27, 2023 - Kevin Chen, Author

November 10, 2020 - Eric Yuan, CEO

November 4, 2020 - Davy Wang, Cloud Computing Expert (video recording available here)

September 1, 2020 - Kai-Fu Lee, Author and AI Expert (video recording available here; audio transcript available here)

February 9, 2020 - Andy Lin, Violinist

September 20 - December 21, 2019 - Moon Shot

March 19, 2019 - Gavan McCormack, Researcher

March 4, 2019 - Stan Lai, Playwright and Director

February 13, 2019 - Bruce Cumings, Historian

February 8, 2019 - Cho-Liang Lin, Violinist; Ana María Martínez, Soprano; and Yongzhao Yu, Tenor

November 16, 2018 - Tan Dun, Composer

September 20, 2018 - Ajay Agrawal, Author and Founder

September 17, 2018 - Mark Mitten, Producer; Thomas Sung, Founder; Jill Sung, CEO; Vera Sung, Director of the Board; Chanterelle Sung, Attorney; Mrs. Hwei Lin Sung

February 14, 2018 - Shoukat Dhanani, CEO

January 11, 2017 - Lisette Lou, Curator; Jay Xu, Museum Director

November 14, 2016 - Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Author and Religious Leader

April 14, 2014 - David Chung, Filmmaker and Artist; Liu Xiaoqing, Actress

April 3, 2013 - Yaromir Steiner, Urban Planner

January 14, 2013 - Peter Park, Architect

November 16, 2011 - Moinak Biswas, Director

October 12, 2010 - Cai Guo-Qiang, Artist