Wanting Wu
Address: 3D Rotterdam Court Belfast, BT5 4DT Mobile: 07749139543
Email: wwu05@qub.ac.uk
NINO: SP704244A
Visa: Spouse of a British National, I am permitted to live and work in the UK.
EDUCATION HISTORY
PhD Candidate in Social Anthropology (First year)
Sept 2012 – Dec 2013
Queen’s University, Belfast
MA Degree in Social Anthropology (Distinction) funded by the Chinese government. Course subjects included Dance
Anthropology, Method and Theory of Anthropology. The research for my thesis was on Chinese dance performance and
identity in Belfast.
Sept 2011 – June 2014
Minzu University of China
MA Degree in Ethno-sociology (Distinction) funded by the Chinese government.
June 2007 – Sept 2011
BA Degree in Sociology (First Class).
Minzu University of China
AWARDS AND FUNDING
2014 – ‘Inspiring Leader’ certificate for serving as President of Queen’s International Student Society: Queen’s
University, Belfast.
2014 – ‘Queen’s Certificate in Entrepreneurship Studies’.
2014 – Successfully applied for Queen’s annual funding for International Students Society.
2014 – Successfully applied for funding for Naughton Gallery at Queen’s: Belfast Culture Night Project.
2014 – Successfully organised fundraising dance performance for Prince’s Trust, Belfast.
2013 – ‘Millennium Volunteer for 50 hours’ certification from Queen’s University, Belfast.
2013 - ‘Degree Plus’ for dance performance, art activities in Queen’s.
2013 - Queen’s Got Talent competition Belfast – dance performance – position 4 (reached quarter-finals)
2009 - 2010 – Outstanding Student Leadership Award: Minzu University.
2009 - 2010 – Twice awarded Professional Scholarship (2nd level) in BA study.
2009 - 2010 – Chinese National Challenge Cup for English Debate (Team 3rd Place).
2009 - 2010 – Solo Dancer Award for Excellence: Beijing Art Festival
CURRENT RESEARCH INTEREST
Dance, Embodiment theory, Identity theory, China, Anthropology of politics, Anthropology of Tibet, Ethnomusicology.
RESEARCH EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE
 07/2013-06/2014
Research for Chinese Ethno-sociology MA thesis (Distinction):
Construction of Chinese students’ social capital and social networks in Belfast.
Research set out to ascertain if Chinese students in Belfast suffered from social isolation. Methods I used included
questionnaires and interviews. Results were that Chinese students successfully adapted to social life in Belfast in a variety
of ways: by forming links with the established Chinese migrant community in Belfast, through organizations such as
churches, the International Student Society and by socialising with other students in Belfast pubs. Skills gained:
Questionnaire design, interviewing, focus groups, quantitative data analysis skills (SPSS).

09/ 2012-12/2013
Research for Queen’s MA Thesis (Distinction)
Lions, Lilacs and the Yellow River’s Daughter: Embodying Chinese Identity through Dance in Belfast
Research set out to examine how Chinese identity is experienced though learning and performance by Chinese and NonChinese dancers. Methods I used included participant-observation, interviewing, video and photographic recording, and
auto-ethnography of dance performance. Conclusions were that identity was constructed and reconstructed through
embodied practice. Skills gained: Participant-observation, auto-ethnography, interviewing in English, managing video and
audio data (recording, analysis, archiving), advanced English writing.
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

06/2010-06/2011
Research for Minzu BA Thesis (First Class)
Teahouse Performances and Community Integration in Beijing
Research set out to analyse the role of QuYi teahouse performance in community development in the TiaoQiao area of Beijing.1
Methods used included personal narratives, storytelling and snowball sampling. Results were that intergenerational transmission of
artistic skills was central to the stability of the community and its artistic production over time. Skills gained: inter-personal skills,
recording, transcription and coding of qualitative data including use of NVivo software, handling confidential data.

02-05/2011
Research Practice for Minzu BA Third Year
Nomadic Families and New Cultural Tourism on the Mongolian Steppe
Research set out to examine how Mongolian nomads adapt to new market conditions by transforming the yurt from an element of a
herding economy to the centre of a hospitality industry of cultural tourism. Methods I used included participant-observation and
interviewing. Results were that businesses were family based and therefore the established socio-cultural organisation of the
herding economy was successfully turned to a new economic purpose. Skills gained: Cultural awareness and negotiation (leading to
access to private family rituals).

06-08/2010
Summer Research Group Project for Minzu University (Team Leader)
Re-finding the Self and Rebuilding Social Networks amongst Recovering Addicts in Tibet
Research set out to discover how the experience of residence in a drug rehabilitation centre changes addicts’ self-perceptions,
others’ perceptions of them, and their social relationships and networks. The primary methodology was structured interviewing, focus
groups and questionnaires. As Team Leader, I was responsible for securing funding and gaining official clearance to access the field, a
difficult process due to the sensitivity of the research. I was also responsible for organising the schedule and adapting the research
plan to changing circumstances. Results were that addicts felt isolated, stigmatized and lacking in self-confidence after leaving the
centre. Family and government support were vital to rebuilding self-esteem and reintegrating into society. Skills gained: Leadership,
teamwork, project management.
This project received the prize from Minzu University for best summer research project of 2010. I was also awarded the prize for best
team leader.

04/2009
Undergraduate Research and Training Program (URTP) at Minzu University.
“Evaluation of New University Admission Policy –Case Study: Minzu University.
Research set out to discover student experience of the admissions procedure at Minzu. Methods included interviewing,
distributing student feedback forms and thematic analysis. Results were that several potential improvements were identified to
make the admissions procedure simpler and fairer for students. I designed this research project and successfully applied for funds from
Minzu University URTP to implement it. Skills gained: project design, securing funding, data collection.
PUBLICATIONS
1 Wu, Wanting. Irish journal of anthropology (2015) and book in processing
2 Wu, Wanting. Volume III, Issue 1 (2015) Queen’s political review Dancing with Lions: The Assertion and Transformation of
Chinese Community and Identity in Belfast (pp. 113-121)
3 民族大学本科生暑期田野报告 (2010.9) 第九章 藏区暑期团队实践 第123－145页
Wu, Wanting. 2010. “Tibetan Team Summer Fieldwork Report” in In the Field: MinZu University Undergraduate Student
Summer Field Work Reports. Minzu University: Beijing: 123-45.
4 Gormley, Owen, Jonathan Skinner, Wanting Wu et al. 2013. “"Lived-through learning": Phenomenological elicitation
pedagogies in medical students simulation learning” in Journal of Network of Irish Medical Educators.
CONFERENCE & SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS
Dec. 2014. Institute for Collaborative Research in the Humanities” Queen’s University, Belfast. The ICRH-PG Working Paper Series.
'The experience of Tibetans within the contested political contexts of dance learning and performance in Beijing.”
June 2014. “Lions, Lilacs and the Yellow River’s Daughter: Embodying Chinese Identity in Chinese Dance in Belfast”.
Performing Identities Conference at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
Feb. 2013. INMED Annual Scientific Meeting. . “"Lived-through learning": Phenomenological elicitation pedagogies in medical
students simulation learning” in Journal of Network of Irish Medical Educators. University College Dublin (Joint Presentation).
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QuYi is a form of humorous oral performance to music.
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CONFERENCES ATTENDED
Nov. 2014. Irish Dance Academy Convocation: Between the Poetic and the Practical. Limerick University.
Apr. 2013. Joint Conference of the BFE/ICTM Ireland, Ethnomusicology in the Digital Age. Queen’s University Belfast
(Conference Volunteer).
Dec. 2012 Anthropological Association of Ireland: Ethnography from Margin to Centre. Royal Irish Academy, Dublin.
CAREER HISTORY
Feb- Present. Clerical officer Grade 2 (part time)at Queen’s Univerisity School of Eelectical and Electronic Engineering
Tier 4 Student sign up, order office supply, arrange meeting and room booking, catering order, photocopy
Outgoing and incoming Mails category and DHL, Keys allocated and petty cast, collecting couse work and confidential waste control
Oct. – Nov. 2014. Legal Secretary (Placement). Cleaver Fulton Rankin Solicitors, Belfast.
Responsible for filing and archiving large amounts of legal documents to daily deadlines, handling confidential documents,
inputting client data and scheduling deeds. Use of Sharepoint software to update documents. Qualities demonstrated included
resilience, self-motivation and work-ethic, working daily under high pressure to tight time frames.
Sep. 2014 – Present. Dance Teacher: Queen’s University Belfast, School of History & Anthropology.
Responsible for organising and teaching weekly Chinese dance class.
Sep. – Dec. 2014. Choreographer, Prince’s Trust.
Responsible for choreographing Chinese dance performance for fund raising event.
Mar. 2014 – Present. Project Organiser (Internship),
The Naughton Gallery at Queen's
Responsible for Gallery’s application to Belfast City Council to run exhibition and dance performance for Belfast Culture Night.
Also responsible for securing funding from Queen’s University to support Gallery event, acting as guide and receptionist at the
exhibition, and delivering dance performance.
Dec 2013 – April 2014. Customer Advisor (Internship) Santander Bank, Queen's University, Belfast.
Main aspects of my role included selling bank products, offering customer interviews, replying to emails and phone calls as well
as updating the CRM (customer relationship database) system. I also designed and implements poster boards for Santander and
spent a lot of my time learning risk management skills from senior managers including the main bank manager in the SU office. Other
skills I gained were cross-cultural communication, building relationships with international students by helping them through
the process of setting up accounts.
Jan 2013 – Present. Dance Teacher and Performer, Chinese Social Welfare Association, Belfast.
Responsible for running dance classes and workshops for Chinese community; representing Chinese community in performance in
arts and cultural events including major festivals such as the Chinese New Year celebrations in the Ulster Hall, Belfast.
ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATION
Sep. 2014 – Present. Student Mentor for Chinese undergraduate students in Queen’s School of Anthropology and for incoming
international students.
Apr. 2013. Conference Helper. Joint Conference of BFE/ICTM Ireland, Queen’s University, Belfast.
Oct - Dec.2012. Seminar Series Helper. Queen’s Postcolonial Research Forum.
Jan. – Sep 2011. Language & Cultural Support Officer, Chinese Confucian Institution, Nankai University, Tianjin.
Responsible for promoting Mandarin language courses to potential international students coming to China, and supporting
international students in their language learning and improving their Mandarin learning experience by helping them deal with
language issues as they arose, for example, in application forms or assignments, as well as teaching Chinese Dance, Chinese
Flute, and Chinese Calligraphy to international students in China.
Oct. 2010 – Aug. 2012. Headmaster’s Secretary, Beijing New Oriental School
This was an English language centre in Beijing which offered face to face courses to students preparing for TOEFL and IELTS
examinations required for study in the USA/UK. My responsibilities include typing, checking email, answering phones, filing,
composing letters or other communications, arrange meetings for the headmaster, greeting customers and business partners,
attending meetings, taking notes, and light project management. I gained excellent communication, time management, problem
solving, teamwork and organisational skills through this work.
Sep. 2007 – Dec. 2010. Member and Vice-Chair of Student Teaching Quality Assessment Committee.
Responsible for collating student feedback, assessing quality of teaching in Minzu University, and arranging regular meetings for
students and lecturers in order to facilitate feedback and continuous improvement.
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VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
09/2010— 07/2012 Volunteer Psychology Consultant, Beijing Sun Village Children Education Consultancy
Providing support for orphans and children of divorced parents. Duties included organising trips, helping children with
homework, addressing problems, teaching both English and Maths, and helping with computer use.
OTHER SKILLS
Driving - I hold a Driving licence and have access to a car.
Languages - Proficient in written and spoken English , Native Mandarin speaker, basic level Tibetan, Thai, French, German and
Korean
IT - Computer software: Certification in Access Database. Competent in Office Package, Advanced Excel, SPSS 22.0, NVivo,
Snagits, Sharepoint, Customer Relationship Management.
Design Skills - Completed 3-month course in Film-making, Queen’s University, Belfast. Competent in Photoshop design for posters and
publications.
Dance Skills - Skilled performer, choreographer and teacher and dance community social worker.
Level 12 Classical Chinese Dance and Folk Dance Certification: Beijing Dance Academy, awarded 2004. Competent in the following
dance disciplines: Ballet, Tibetan, Chinese Folk Dance.
Basic Skills: Irish Set Dancing, Highland Dancing.
Dance Video available upon request.
MEMBERSHIP OF ASSOCIATION
Anthropological Association of Ireland, ASA British Forum for Ethnomusicology
ICTM, DRFI, dance research forum Ireland
Society of Dance History Scholars
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
Dr. Dr Jonathan Lanman
DPhil, MSc (Oxford), MA (Missouri)
Lecturer in Cognition and Culture and Anthropology
Acting Director, ICC
Phone: +44 (0) 28 9097 1173
Email: j.lanman@qub.ac.uk
Office: ICC, 2-4 Fitzwilliam Street
Shan McAnena
Manager of The Naughton Gallery at Queen's,
Lanyon Building, Queen's University,
Belfast, BT7 1NN Tel:
Phone: +44 (0) 28 9097 3580
Email:s.mcanena@qub.ac.uk
Office: Lanyon Building 01 022
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