Alvin Liu is a second-year undergraduate student, studying political science in the pre-law program. Born in San Jose, California, he grew up with his mother in Portland, Oregon. He is an avid follower of Foreign Affairs, and has previously interned with NGOs such as Global Giving to provide primary educational resources to developing communities in West Africa. Born to Chinese immigrants, Alvin sees awareness of global affairs as crucial to understanding one’s own identity. His key area of interest is in analyzing the American strategic ‘pivot’ towards Asia, the role of balance-of-power politics, and the looming agricultural and economic crises in the developing world.