The AAPI Advancement Award was created in 2022 to honor current UVA faculty members who have made significant contributions towards greater understanding and appreciation of Asian culture or Asian-American relations. The biennial award recipient is chosen by alumni through an online nomination and voting process.
Below are the bios of our 2026 nominees and the voting form. All alumni are encouraged to vote.
For more information on the history of the award and see past winners, please visit the AAPI Advancement Award page.
Voting for the AAPI Advancement Award is now closed. The winner will be introduced on Saturday, April 25, 2026, during Asian Alumni Weekend.
2026 Nominees
Kenneth Brayman
Dr. Kenneth L. Brayman, MD, PhD, FACS, is the director of UVA Health’s kidney, pancreas and islet transplant programs and the director of the Center for Cellular Therapy and Biologic Therapeutics. He’s also the Nabi Professor of Transplantation. Dr. Brayman has been nominated for the AAPI Advancement Award in recognition of his longstanding commitment to mentorship, inclusion, and support for Asian and Asian-American scholars at the University of Virginia.
Former students and mentees praised how Dr. Brayman has played a transformative role in their academic and professional journey. His mentorship extends far beyond research guidance as he provides genuine support and advocates for his trainees, creating opportunities that enable scholars from diverse cultural backgrounds to succeed.
Importantly, his commitment is not limited to any individual. Dr. Brayman has consistently supported many Asian and international trainees, fostering an environment where cultural diversity is respected and viewed as a strength. He encourages collaboration across cultures, helps scholars navigate unfamiliar academic systems, and promotes a sense of belonging within the scientific community.
Dr. Brayman leads with integrity, compassion, and a deep respect for diversity. His actions have strengthened cross-cultural understanding within UVA and have positively shaped the careers of numerous researchers. Through his leadership and mentorship, he exemplifies the spirit of the AAPI Advancement Award.
Sylvia Chong
Professor Sylvia Chong is Associate Professor of English and American Studies and Director of the Minor in Asian Pacific American Studies. She has made extraordinary and lasting contributions to AAPI culture and community at UVA. As the founder of the Asian Pacific American Studies minor, she built the intellectual and institutional foundation for Asian American studies on Grounds, creating opportunities for generations of students to engage critically with AAPI histories, identities, and cultures. She has mentored countless Asian American undergraduate and graduate students, offering guidance, advocacy, and a sense of belonging. Her scholarship is widely recognized as groundbreaking in the field, expanding national conversations about race and representation in U.S. cultural history.
Just as importantly, Professor Chong has shown a deep and sustained commitment to UVA’s Asian American student population, as reflected in her work featured in UVA Today examining the university’s complex history with Asians and Asian Americans. She is not only a leading scholar but also a dedicated community builder whose impact on AAPI relations at UVA is profound and enduring.
T. Brent Gunnoe
Professor T. Brent Gunnoe is Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Commonwealth Professor of Chemistry at the College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. He is a dedicated faculty advisor who demonstrates exceptional commitment to student development and success. During his distinguished career, Professor Gunnoe has provided mentorship to numerous undergraduates, postdoctoral researchers, international visiting scholars and graduate students (MS, MA, and PhD candidates). Notably, over a quarter of his graduate student mentees have been of Asian descent. Through key initiatives such as the flagship mentor-mentee program and a new peer mentor program, he has established vital support systems that have significantly benefited a wide spectrum of Asian students.
Beyond his formal educational roles, Professor Gunnoe has also shown remarkable dedication to UVA’s international community through his (and his wife’s) involvement with the VISAS (Volunteers with International Students, Staff, and Scholars) Language Consultant program. This initiative fosters meaningful connections, helping Asian students from both the U.S. and abroad to navigate, adapt to, and thrive in the University community and Charlottesville. Professor Gunnoe has made a strong and lasting impact through his scientific education and research initiatives, tireless advocacy, and unwavering support for all Asian students.
Yunsheng Huang
Professor Yunsheng Huang is Associate Professor Emeritus of Architectural History. He has made a profound and lasting contribution to the advancement of AAPI culture through his teaching, scholarship, and, most notably, his founding of the Summer in China study-abroad program at the University of Virginia. As a scholar of East Asian architectural history and urbanism, Professor Huang has dedicated his career to fostering cross-cultural understanding through the built environment, illuminating how history, culture, and rapid modernization intersect across Asia. His work has not only enriched UVA’s academic offerings but has also empowered generations of students to engage meaningfully with Asian cultures through lived, immersive experience rather than abstraction.
Through the Summer in China program, Professor Huang created a transformative model for experiential learning that combined rigorous design education with deep cultural immersion. Former students praised how the six-week program, which included collaboration with Tsinghua University on architectural design and daily Mandarin language classes at Peking University, provided an experience that required them to understand Chinese ecological values, landscape traditions, and conservation priorities while grounding their academic work in cultural and linguistic context and reinforcing the importance of humility, curiosity, and respect when working across cultures. For many participants, the program proved formative well beyond the classroom, leading in some cases directly to first office internships. Professor Huang’s vision extended beyond a single summer abroad; it opened professional pathways, fostered lasting cross-Pacific relationships, and instilled a lifelong appreciation for AAPI culture, urbanism, and global collaboration in his many students.