View Languages and Cultures directory

Faculty Member

Dr. Alex Yuan

Biography

Dr. Yuan is a Professor of Chinese and serves as the Director of the Chinese Program at Utah Valley University. A native speaker of Chinese with over 30 years of teaching experience, he has dedicated his career to the instruction of Chinese language, literature, history, and culture to non-native speakers in diverse academic settings. Dr. Yuan earned his B.A. and M.A. from leading universities in China and completed his Ph.D. in the United States. His scholarly interests include second language acquisition, the pedagogy of teaching Chinese as a foreign language, classical and modern Chinese literature, Chinese history, and cultural studies. Dr. Yuan is committed to fostering cross-cultural understanding and academic excellence through innovative teaching and curriculum development.

Teaching

CHIN 2010

Intermediate Chinese I, Summer 2026

CHIN 2020G

Intermediate Chinese II, Summer 2026

CHST 2000G

Introduction to Chinese Studies, Summer 2026

CHST 3630G

Modern Chinese History, Summer 2026

CHST 3750G

Modern Chinese Literature, Summer 2026

CHIN 4900R

Special Topics in Chinese Language and Literacy, Summer 2026

CHIN 4900R

Special Topics in Chinese Language and Literacy, Summer 2026

CHIN 3050

Advanced Chinese, Spring 2026

CHIN 3150R

Advanced Chinese Conversation, Spring 2026

CHIN 4200

Business Chinese II, Spring 2026

CHIN 2000

Chinese Character Studies, Spring 2026

CHIN 4050

Chinese Language and Culture, Spring 2026

CHIN 4050

Chinese Language and Culture, Spring 2026

CHIN 3690

Modern China Through Film, Spring 2026

CHIN 3690

Modern China Through Film, Spring 2026

Presentations

Yuan, Alex (Author Only), Summit Symposium on the English Language, "A New Research on Paradigm in International English Language Studies", Chuxiong Normal University , Yunnan. (December 16, 2026)
Yuan, Alex (Co-Author), Yang, Gloria (Co-Author), 70th Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society , " On China’s New Initiative of Double First-Class in Higher Education_ A Case Study ", The Comparative and International Education Society (CIES), San Francisco, California . (March 31, 2026)
Yuan, Alex (Co-Author), Yang, Gloria (Co-Author), 70th Annual Conference of Comparative and International Education Society , "On the Fudaoyuan System in Chinese Higher Education_ A Case Study", The Comparative and International Education Society , San Fransico . (March 30, 2026)
Yuan, Alex (Co-Author), Yang, Gloria (Co-Author), Utah Foreign Language Association Annual Conference , "Overcoming Tonal Challenges in Chinese Pronunciation_ A Case Study of Chinese Students with Dual Immersion Backgrounds", Utah Foreign Language Association , Utah Valley University . (March 12, 2026)
Yuan, Alex (Co-Author), Yang, Gloria (Co-Author), Utah Foreign Language Association Annual Conference, "Understanding and Teaching Chinese Idioms_ A Qualitative Study on Strategies for Enhancing Second Language Learners’ Proficiency", UFLA, Utah Valley University . (March 12, 2026)
Yuan, Alex , Conference on Globalization from a Phenomenological Perspective , "A Phenomenological Analysis of Chinese Language Dissemination in the Context of Globalization_ A Case Study of Chinese Language Education in the United States", Beijing Normal University --Zhuhai Campus, Zhuhai . (December 20, 2025)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Yuan, Alex Guofang , (2022) "China’s Strategic Planning of Rural Areas—A Comparative study on the differentiated strategies in developing rural area in China and the U.S. " (vol. 9). Beijing Social Sciences Academic Press, Beijing, China : Jingshi Culture Review .
Yuan, Alex , (2022) " Chinese Dual Immersion and Bridge Programs in Utah" (Issue: Issue 1 (2022) , vol. Volume 5). Cleveland State University, Cleveland， Ohio: Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology (CLTMT). https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1097&context=cltmt
Yuan, Alex , (2020) "A Discussion on the Approach of Connections to Chinese Character Studies in Teaching Chinese as Foreign Language" (Issue: 1, vol. 3). Cleveland, Ohio: Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology . https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1059&context=cltmt
Yuan, Alex , (2019) "A Comparative Study on the issues Confronted in Urbanization in both America and China" . Beijing: Chinese Social Science Press .
Yuan, Alex , (2018) "Homeland Missing in the U.S." . Beijing : BNU Review .
Yuan, Alex , (2018) "The importance of to integrate Chinese culture into Chinese language teaching_ A case study " (Issue: 4, vol. 1). Cleveland, Ohio: Chinese Language Teaching Methodology and Technology. https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cltmt/vol1/iss4/6/

Awards

Faculty of the Year

Languages and Cultures

Fellow of Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

UVU

SPOT Award

UVU

“a way to show appreciation for a specific action of achievement beyond what is normally expected of an employee.

Faculty Award of Excellence

Utah Valley University Faculty Senate