Bio/Description A faculty member since 2014, Rory Truex studies Chinese politics and theories of authoritarian rule. Students and faculty members have remarked on the extraordinary way Truex connects with students, whether in a lecture class or one-on-one.“There’s no shortage of students who seek Rory’s advice, help and mentorship,” one colleague in the politics department said. “Oftentimes, there’s a line in front of Rory’s office. He’s always engaged, thoughtful and deliberate in office hours, making himself patiently and attentively available.”In the classroom, Truex is known for presenting complex material with nuance and clarity, and offering students many ways to discuss and digest the subject matter. “He always helped us to connect personally to the historical and political material he brought into the classroom,” one former student said.Alumni appreciate the way Truex showed concern for their lives beyond their academic pursuits. He was mindful of students’ “mental health and wellbeing in addition to their academic success,” a former student noted. “As a female student of color, his support was sorely needed to help me envision myself in privileged spaces — both within and outside of the department — that felt inaccessible to me.”One former student for whom Truex served as academic adviser recalled “the thoughtfulness of his advice and his absolute willingness to support his advisees in taking risks with their research. I do not think I would be as passionate about continuing this research post-graduation were it not for the academic mentorship of Professor Truex.”