Coronavirus Teach-In, February 12 at Pitt.

Wuhan, via CHINATOPIX, Associated Press, and New York Times

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will hold a Coronavirus Teach-In on February 12.

Pitt students and community members are invited to join the Asian Studies Center, in conjunction with UCIS partners, faculty, and experts across campus, in our efforts to offer a comprehensive biological, political and cultural understanding of the global coronavirus pandemic.

It runs from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in room 120 Lawrence Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Parasite (기생충) voted Best Picture by members of Row House Film Club.

The 2019 Bong Joon-ho film Parasite (기생충) was voted Best Picture by over 400 members of the Row House Film Club, the theater announced. From a February 2 press release:

“Pittsburghers are excited to have their voices heard in choosing the best films of the year. Parasite felt so universal, its exciting to see a film from South Korea translate so well to the US. Bong Joon-ho is a brilliant filmmaker, and Pittsburghers overwhelmingly agreed that Parasite was the best film of the year," says Film Club manager Delena Obermaier.

Parasite is up for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards on February 9, and is playing at the Row House Cinema in Lawrenceville through February 6.

Setsubun celebration with Pitt's Japanese Student Association, February 9.

The University of Pittsburgh's Japanese Student Association will hold a Setsubun (節分) celebration on February 9.

Join JSA on 2/9 in Setsubun 🇯🇵, a day that marks the "division of seasons" and a shift from winter to spring! Come experience "mamemaki", or bean-throwing, and ward off those unwanted spirits and bad vibes! 👹
Spring is an important time of year for Japanese culture, and we want you to enjoy it with us! ㊗️

It runs from 12:00 to 2:00 pm in room 216 of the Cathedral of Learning (map).

Stephanie DeBoer and "Sight And Site" at Pitt, February 10.

via niio.com

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Stephanie DeBoer and her talk "Sight And Site" on February 10.

This talk reflects on public media art festivals and screen media projects produced in collaboration among Hong Kong media/video art collectives and commercial to real estate institutions and their material facades, addressing debates concerning how such scaled screening situations potentiate (or refuse to potentiate) new collective modes of not only communicating in but also inhabiting the city.

It runs from 4:00 to 5:30 in room 602 of the Cathedral of Learning (map) and is free and open to the public.

Korean performers from Brush Theatre to present Doodle POP! in Pittsburgh, May 16.

via @brushtheatre.

Korean performers from Seoul-based Brush Theatre will perform Doodle POP! in Pittsburgh on May 16 as part of the 2020 Pittsburgh Children's Theater festival.

The mischievous Doodle POP! duo invites you into the delightful doodling world! Join as they experience an exciting adventure in an ocean world they imagine and create while on stage. What will happen to them in this beautiful but scary watery world, as will they try to return a turtle doodle to the sea safely?

With live sound effects, stunning animation, and an abundance of theatrical imagination, this is a touching and exciting screen show for anyone ages 3+

The performance is scheduled for May 16, 2020, at 2:00 pm. Group tickets are available now but individual tickets will not be available until next spring. It will be held at the Byham Theater in the Cultural District (map).

Tickets still available for Amber Liu in Pittsburgh, February 9.

Amber Liu will perform in Pittsburgh on February 9 as part of her North American "X" Tour, and tickets for the 7:00 pm, all-ages show are still available. The concert will also feature Meg & Dea and Justin Park and will be at Rex Theater in the Southside (map). It's one of the few times Korean stars have performed in Pittsburgh---save for San E and Mad Clown in 2018 and a brief set by the Wonder Girls in 2009---though hopefully that will change.

GNC hiring Chinese-speaking Intern - International Process Optimization for Pittsburgh and China teams.

GNC is hiring a Chinese-speaking Intern - International Process Optimization. From the job ad:

The Process Optimization Intern will be working cross-functionally with both the GNC Pittsburgh team and the GNC China team (China JV) to support the standardization and optimization of the operational processes between the two teams, as well as providing ad hoc support as needed to assist in maintaining an open and active line of communication with China JV.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in standardizing processes for key functions, such as supply chain and product development.
• Communicate with involved functional teams to fully understand the processes and lead time for each step.
• Lay out the current-state processes using process mapping tools.
• Support optimization of the processes.
• Identify the critical path of the processes.
• Identify opportunities to improve the processes for a more efficient future state.
• Assist in validating the feasibility of the optimized processes.
• Implement process improvement following Lean Six Sigma methodologies.
• Propose action plans for process compliance assurance.
• Provide ad hoc support as needed for other JV projects.
• Identify problems and shortfalls and propose solutions.
• Attend related meetings and take minutes; support communication cadence between Pittsburgh team and China JV.

GlobalPittsburgh happy hour with visitors from South Korea, February 6.

The next GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays happy hour on February 6 will welcome visiting English teachers from Korea National University of Education, who are studying at Pitt's English Language Institute.

Join us for an informal evening with globally-minded friends and visiting teachers from the Korea National University of Education who will be coming here for training at the English Language Institute, University of Pittsburgh. Meet people from around the world, practice your language skills and citizen diplomacy! Kids welcome!

The happy hour runs from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Roland's Seafood Grill in the Strip District (map). Tickets are required and may be purchased online.

"Pittsburgh of China."

Thirty-eight years ago, Pittsburgh formalized a Sister City relationship with Wuhan, China. A September 18, 1982 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article records the signing of a friendship pact between Mayor Richard Caliguiri and Mayor Li Zhi.

"Japanese Culture through Video Games," April 9 at Pitt.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will host Dr. Rachael Hutchinson and her talk "Japanese Culture through Video Games" on April 9 as part of its 2020 Japan Lecture Series.

Japanese video games have had a significant impact on the medium worldwide. Dr. Rachael Hutchinson considers how ‘Japan’ has been packaged for domestic and overseas consumers, and how Japanese designers have used the medium to express ideas about home and nation, nuclear energy, war and historical memory, social breakdown and bioethics. She explores how ideology and critique are conveyed through game narrative and character design as well as user interface, cabinet art, and peripherals. Ultimately, she argues that Japanese artists have expressed similar ideas in the video game medium as in older narrative forms such as literature and film.

The talk runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm in room 232 of the Cathedral of Learning (map). It is free though seating is limited and registration is required.