Photo: Houston, Texas, United States — where 145 languages are spoken, the most diverse in the American South.

About our team

Charlie Zong

SOUTH-NORTH SCHOLARS CO-DIRECTOR
Founding Executive Director
DUKE UNIVERSITY ‘23

I studied philosophy, politics, and economics as a Robertson Scholar at Duke University while pursuing the Data, Economics, and Development Policy blended master’s program through MIT’s Poverty Action Lab. Growing up in Houston, Texas, where the American South meets the Global South, I saw intimately how the extraordinary social, economic, and climate challenges we face locally are also impacting billions of people worldwide. These experiences inform my conviction that sustainable global development is the fundamental challenge of our time. As the next generation, we have both the potential and the responsibility to contribute — not only as volunteers or individuals, but as important voices and partners to advance innovative solutions reflecting the priorities and urgency of our generation. I started South-North Scholars, the first global knowledge network led by and for youth, to build meaningful opportunities for our generation to engage and reimagine global institutions as valued thought partners in strategy, research, and dialogue.

Nino Nadirashvili

CO-FOUNDER, SOUTH-NORTH SCHOLARS CO-DIRECTOR, and EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, NEXUS
YENCHING ACADEMY (PEKING UNIVERSITY 北京大学) ‘26
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘24

I am an incoming global scholar at the Yenching Academy of Peking University, from Tbilisi, Georgia. Previously, I studied political economy and political science as a merit scholar at Duke Kunshan University. Coming from a post-soviet country has been central to developing my interest in political and economic systems and questions about the inherent inequities in our world.

As Editor-in-Chief of Nexus, the world’s first undergraduate journal dedicated to Global South research, I’m passionate about fostering critical thinking and exploring de-colonial perspectives on international political economy, history, and social movements. Please get in touch if you’re interested in working together with South-North Scholars to bridge the opportunity gap for undergraduates to pursue academic research!

Tsedensodnom (Terry) Uranbold

LEAD, GLOBAL PATHWAYS 2024 and ADVISOR, GLOBAL PROGRAM STRATEGY
DUKE UNIVERSITY MEM‘26
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘24

I am an incoming Master’s of Environmental Management (MEM) student at Duke University from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Previously, I was a merit scholar at Duke Kunshan University studying institutions and governance with an economics focus. Born and raised in a developing nation with a strong reliance on natural resources and minerals for development, I have always been drawn to sustainable development and to making development equitable, especially in the mining sector.

As a young professional, I’m passionate about connecting local communities in Mongolia with development opportunities and fostering a growth-oriented sustainable development model.

Courtney Yribarren

LEAD, SOUTH-NORTH SCHOLARS AT DUKE UNIVERSITY and LEAD, ROOM FOR PEACE 2024
DUKE UNIVERSITY ‘26

I am a junior at Duke University, where I co-lead innovative research programs and events as part of the Duke chapter of South-North Scholars. I am studying global sustainable development through building my own major — which includes studies in ethics, economics, public policy, environmental sciences, and more. I’m interested in the relationship between local and global capitalism, sustainable agricultural practices, and regenerative economies.

Growing up on a family farm in rural California, I became passionate about locally-oriented policy (agricultural and entrepreneurial), rather than top-down and industrial approaches. At Duke and beyond, I co-lead initiatives that help young people engage with cutting-edge global development research and contribute to sustainable solutions.

Nicolás Velasco Pérez

CO-FOUNDER, SOUTH-NORTH SCHOLARS AT DKU
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘25

I’m a junior at Duke Kunshan University from Medellín, Colombia, studying political economy and economics. As a co-lead for our Global Speaker Series, I’m interested in examining the social impact of global business and the rise of innovation ecosystems across the Global South. I’m passionate about economics, blockchain, sustainable finance and fintech.

I aspire to and am working to improve my beloved city Medellín through entrepreneurship and policymaking. I’ve started several local-scale businesses and also contributed to educating over 80 students of Medellín's schools as an independent tutor in mathematics, physics, economics, chemistry, and other subjects.

Faith Ho

CO-LEAD, ROOM FOR PEACE 2024
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘25

I'm a senior at Duke Kunshan University from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, majoring in Political Economy and Public Policy with a focus on the intersection of education, social, and urban policies in Southeast Asia.

My own journey to higher education and my experience founding a youth-led nonprofit, which has impacted over 22,000 high school students across Malaysia, have highlighted the disparities in educational opportunities — and their interconnectedness with broader social and urban challenges in the region.

Through my involvement with South-North Scholars and Room for Peace, I aspire to empower the youth of the Global South to engage with and address global challenges through locally-driven solutions.

Aisha Shen

PUBLICITY AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS CO-LEAD, GLOBAL PATHWAYS 2024
DUKE UNIVERSITY MEM‘26

I am an incoming Master of Environmental Management (MEM) student at Duke University from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Previously, at DKU I studied Culture and Movements with a Sociology focus.

Having grown up in post-soviet Central Asia, I am interested in how belief systems and social locations shape people’s behavior and contribute to social inequalities and economic inequities. I am passionate about the integration of sociological principles and environmental objectives for sustainable action.

I co-organized the inaugural Global Pathways 2024 fellowship, collaborating with global experts in the sustainability industry. As an incoming Duke MEM student with concentrations in Energy and Business, I aspire to work toward restoring human-environment relationships and spearhead an environmentally just and equitable renewable energy transition in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia.

Amanda Niza Gonzalez Mejia

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, NEXUS
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘26

Hey! I'm a Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar at Duke Kunshan University studying Political Economy and Public Policy. Hailing from Caracas, Venezuela, and later immigrating to Washington DC, international political and economic relations have long characterized my dinner table conversations. I first became involved in international initiatives by founding an Amnesty International chapter in high school, later becoming Virginia Student Action Coordinator.

I'm particularly passionate about international economic policy and its effects on Latin American internal politics, decolonizing law and policy frameworks, and sustainable financial development in the Global South. I predominantly focus on outreach with scholars around the world, and any/all who have something to say. I hope to provide a platform to amplify Global South voices and widen perspectives (including my own).

Cody Schmidt

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, NEXUS
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘25

I’m a junior at Duke Kunshan University majoring in Environmental Science and Public Policy. I grew up in America primarily between the states of South Carolina, Oregon, and California. This allowed me to experience different economic, political, and cultural systems in my own country. I developed an interest in comparative politics, the expression of collective identities, and spatial inequities, while widening my lens to an international perspective.

I am currently a part of research projects at the University examining international democratic participation and degrowth movements in the Global South, respectively. These have led me to Nexus, where I am looking forward to interacting with scholars across the globe as we examine what it means to live in a globalizing world.

Michelle Schultz

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, NEXUS
DUKE UNIVERSITY ‘25

I am a junior at Duke University studying Economics, Political Science, and the Russian language. With the extreme income, education, and opportunity disparities in my hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, I sought educational pathways to locate solutions for real, lasting, and systemic change. Growing up in the Greek-American community, I also grew passionate about immigrant rights and involving local voices in conversations about aid.

I seek to center narratives from the Global South and underrepresented communities in discussions about US foreign policy. My primary involvement with South-North Scholars is through arts outreach and graphic design. As a board member for Nexus Journal, I enjoy working on layout and editorial aspects in order to lend the best possible platform to our student voices.

Liam Roj Curaming

ORGANIZING TEAM, GLOBAL PATHWAYS 2024
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘27

I am a sophomore at Duke Kunshan University from a small town called Catanuan, located about 8 hours south of Manila, the Philippines. I plan to major in Global Cultural Studies with a track in World Literature, though I am keeping my options open. I’m passionate about modern history, literature, and art as well as their relationship between each other in shaping the state of modern society. Being the first generation in my family to do their undergraduate studies abroad, I was aware from a young age of the devastating inequalities that plague the Global South. The sheer difficulty of pursuing one’ passions in developing countries is a product of deep-rooted injustice. Subsequently, I became invested in finding solutions to these global issues, participating in Model United Nations as both a delegate and chair for 5 years.

Through South-North Scholars, I aspire to help youth around the world strive towards their passions while creating a more equitable future for all.

Iveel Tengis

ORGANIZING TEAM, GLOBAL PATHWAYS 2024
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘26

I am a junior at Duke Kunshan University from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, studying Environmental Science with a biology focus. Having grown up in this beautiful landscape, I believe in caring for and sustaining it.

I am passionate about changing our relationship with nature and ensuring the resilience of our planet through conservation, restoration, and innovations in sustainable development.

Tianyi Ma

ORGANIZING TEAM, GLOBAL PATHWAYS 2024
DUKE KUNSHAN UNIVERSITY ‘27

I’m a freshman at Duke Kunshan University from Hangzhou, China, interested in political science and public policy. Being born and raised in a city famous for renowned historical heritage and for being an artificial intelligence development center enables me to approach sustainability with a unique perspective. I have long wondered how a city can modernize sustainably while preserving its historical and cultural heritage.

As part of the next generation, I am eager to collaborate with aspirational young people worldwide so that everyone can exercise their expertise and interests to contribute to a harmonious society that is sustainable in various aspects.

Maxwell Simbuwa

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, NEXUS (ISSUE I)
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL ‘26

I’m a Robertson Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pursuing a major in Anthropology and a certificate in Documentary Studies. Having taken part, from age 10, in human rights advocacy at many levels and having experienced the aid economy firsthand in my home country of Zambia, I have developed an undying interest in global issues.

I'm very passionate about what it means for global south nations and their peoples to exist in a globalising world with the respect and dignity so often not afforded to them. With South-North Scholars, and particularly Nexus, I'm excited to reimagine sustainable development and contribute to decolonial discourse on the world and its systems, especially those of oppression.

Joshua Suh

SOUTH-NORTH SCHOLARS GLOBAL STRATEGY ADVISOR and EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER, NEXUS (ISSUE I)
DUKE UNIVERSITY ‘24

I graduated as a QuestBridge Scholar at Duke University in Public Policy and French with a particular interest in the intersections between front-line, shorter-term humanitarian action and longer-term disaster resiliency against a wide range of humanitarian crises in the Global South. I am from Atlanta, Georgia.

I seek to augment my professional interests with sustainable development experiences spanning diverse roles, organizations, and geographies. I’ve worked in the offices of a large NGO in France, held advocacy roles with a political organization in the United States, and launched an insect-agriculture NGO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.