Dr. Yao-Yuan Yeh currently serves as a tenured professor and the Fayez Sarofim – Cullen Trust for Higher Education Endowed Chair in International Studies at University of St. Thomas, Houston. He is also the Chair of the Department of Political Science, International Studies, and Modern Languages, Director of the Master’s Program in Diplomacy and Strategic Affairs, Director of the Taiwan and East Asia Studies Program, and Director of the Mandarin Center jointly operated by the University of St. Thomas and Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages.

In addition, Dr. Yeh serves as a board member of the American Association for Chinese Studies, an editorial board member of the East Asia Quarterly published by the Graduate Institute of East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University, and an international advisory board member of the journal Issues & Studies published by the Institute of International Relations at National Chengchi University. He was also recognized as one of the “Top Ten Outstanding Overseas Taiwanese Young Persons” in 2025, named a Distinguished Alumnus for the 70th Anniversary of Wu-Ling Senior High School in 2025, and formerly served as President of the North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association.

His research focuses on international relations, security studies, public opinion in Taiwan, China, and East Asia, cross-Strait relations, U.S.-China-Taiwan relations, and East Asian security and economic issues. His work has been published in numerous internationally recognized academic journals, and he has also authored hundreds of Mandarin- and English-language opinion articles in print and online media outlets in both the United States and Taiwan.
 

Ph.D. in Political Science, Texas A&M University 

B.A. in Political Science, National Taiwan University 

Selected Publications:

2025. New Developments in the Trilateral Relationship between the United States, Taiwan, and China. Lexington Books. Coedited with Charles K.S. Wu.

2025. “Dying to Win? Casualty Sensitivity, Partnership, and Willingness for Self-Defense in Taiwan.” Global Studies Quarterly 5(3). With Charles K.S. Wu and Ting-Wei Weng.

2024. “Media Sources, Partisanship, and Public Support for Self-Defense in Taiwan.” Media, War & Conflict. With Hsuan-Yu (Shane) Lin and Charles K.S. Wu.

2024. “Strategic Ambiguity, Strategic Clarity, and Dual Clarity.” Foreign Policy Analysis 20(3): With Austin Horng-En Wang, Charles K.S. Wu, and Fang-Yu Chen. 

2023. “High-level Visit and National Security Policy: Evidence from A Quasi-Experiment in Taiwan.” International Interactions. With Austin Horng-En Wang, Charles K.S. Wu, and Fang-Yu Chen. 

2023. Public Opinion, Policy Responses, and Party Politics under the COVID-19 Pandemic: Examining Taiwan and Its Strategic Neighbors. Lexington Books. Coedited with Chia-Hung Tsai.

2022. “Public Support for the Use of Force in Non-Western and Non-Major Powers (NWNM): The Case of a China-Taiwan War.” International Political Science Review. With Charles K.S. Wu, Austin Horng-En Wang, and Fang-Yu Chen.

2021. “When War Hits Home: Taiwanese Public Support for War of Necessity.” International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 21(2): 265–293. With Charles K.S. Wu. 

2021. Presidentialism, Violence, and the Prospect of Democracy. Lexington Books. With Charles K.S. Wu.

2019. Taiwan: The Development of an Asian Tiger. Lynne Rienner Publishers. Coedited with Hans Stockton.

2019. “Information from Abroad: Foreign Media, Selective Exposure, and Political Support in China.” British Journal of Political Science 49(2): 611-36. With Haifeng Huang.