Subject: This Month in Mongolian Studies: September 2026

September 2026

A Word from the Director

Dear ACMS Community,

Each year, it seems as though the summer flies by faster than ever. We're somehow already several days into September and for many of you, the fall semester has already begun.

The beginning of the academic year is a busy time for many in the ACMS community. It is often a time of both excitement and bittersweet reflection as we say goodbye to summer's long days and warm nights and the leaves on the trees begin to change color.

At ACMS, September heralds the completion of one fiscal and program year and the beginning of the next. We have so many exciting things in store for all of you, including new and familiar Mongolia Field Schools, continued Mongolian Language Program offerings, and a number of other exciting events, programs, and projects that we can't wait to share with you.

For now, I hope you all have a wonderful start to the academic year. To support our work in the coming months, please consider making a tax-deductible donation on our website.

Thank you all for being part of this community. I hope you have a wonderful September and a safe, relaxing Labor Day weekend ahead.

Sincerely,
Maggie Lindrooth
U.S. Director, ACMS

ACMS News: August Recap

ACMS Welcomes Former U.S. Ambassador Pamela J. Slutz and Delegation from Indiana University

A group of four white Americans (three men, one woman) and three Mongolian women stand together and smile for the camera.

Left to right: Assistant Public Affairs Officer Maia Moore, Ambassador Richard Buangan, with ACMS In-Country Director Davaasuren Myagmar_

August 12, the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS) was honored to welcome former U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia Pamela J. Slutz and representatives from Indiana University: David Bosco, Interim Dean of the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies; Roy T. Hooper, Executive Director of International Advancement for the Indiana University Alumni Association; and Tserenchunt Legden, Senior Lecturer in Mongolian Language.

The delegation was welcomed by ACMS In-Country Director Davaasuren Myagmar and Program Manager Tuvshinzaya Tumenbayar. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss potential areas for future collaboration and partnership between ACMS and Indiana University, and we look forward to continuing our conversation!

Read more about this visit on our website here.

Ambassador Pamela Slutz, an older white woman, stands with ACMS In-Country Director Davaasuren Myagmar, a Mongolian woman in her thirties. They are standing together holding books and smiling for the camera.

A group of American and Mongolian professionals and academics sit and discuss around a table with small American and Mongolian flags on it.

ACMS Board Member Dr. Vera Kuklina Visits the ACMS Office

Four Mongolian women in business-casual clothing stand on either side of a Buryat woman in an orange dress and tan blazer. All five are smiling and posing together for the camera.

We were honored to welcome ACMS Board Member Dr. Vera Kuklina (University of Maryland) to the ACMS office on August 18!

During her visit, our team introduced our daily operations, ongoing programs, and current projects and future potential collaborations. The following day, August 19, Dr. Kuklina delivered a lecture at UNCCD COP17 in Ulaanbaatar. Her session, “Co-Creating Knowledge for Resilient Rangelands: Capacity Sharing with Pastoral and Indigenous Communities to Combat Desertification,” was held from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM at Tsagaadai Hall (Room 170) in the Green Zone.

Thank you, Dr. Kuklina, for your ongoing support of ACMS as a member of our Board of Directors! Read more about this visit on our website here.

ACMS Speaker Series Lecture "Navigating Gendered Barriers and Leveraging Support in Conservation"

Nari Lee, a South Korean woman in her thirties, stands at a podium giving a lecture on her research.

The ACMS successfully hosted a special edition of our Speaker Series at the lecture hall of the American Corner in the Ulaanbaatar City Public Library. In collaboration with American Corner Ulaanbaatar, we were honored to welcome Nari Lee, a conservation communicator, trilingual activist, and community organizer, for a lecture and discussion entitled “Women’s Experiences in Conservation: Challenges, Strategies, and Pathways for Inclusion in Mongolia and South Korea.”

Drawing from over 10 years of experience leading community-based conservation programs and her research focus on gender equity across South Korea and Mongolia, Nari shared fascinating insights on bridging environmental action and social justice. The lecture was followed by an engaging Q&A session among the visiting guests and researchers, concluding a warm and vibrant gathering.

A Steppe Closer: Expanding Mongolian Studies Collaborations with WWU

Two Mongolian women in their late thirties/early forties and one Mongolian woman in her early thirties stand on either side of an older American man. All four stand and smile looking at the camera.

We were delighted to recently host colleagues from Western Washington University (WWU), Dr. Mark I. Greenberg, Director of Faculty Global Engagement, and Munkhchimeg Tserendorj, Associate Professor and Mongolian Studies Librarian, along with students Emma Rose Fiala and Michael Gould.

The visit was especially meaningful as WWU was the North American home of ACMS many years ago and remains an important institutional partner. Building on these longstanding ties, we discussed the ongoing A Steppe Closer initiative and opportunities for further collaboration in Mongolian Studies, academic exchange, research, and collections.

We look forward to strengthening this historic connection and opening a new chapter of collaboration between ACMS and WWU.

Mongolia Field School

Change and Continuity: Managing Biodiversity in Hustai National Park

A group of American and Mongolian adults posing together and smiling for the camera.

The Mongolia Field School course of summer 2026, "Change and Continuity: Managing Biodiversity in Hustai National Park," has successfully concluded!

Organized by the American Center for Mongolian Studies (ACMS), this 14-day intensive field course brought together students and researchers to explore Mongolia’s protected area management, rangeland dynamics, and conservation efforts surrounding the Przewalski’s horse (Takhi) in Hustai National Park.

Participants engaged in field-based vegetation monitoring, wildlife tracking using GIS, and community-based resource discussions in buffer zone communities, concluding their journey with final project presentations and receiving their graduation certificates.

A heartfelt thank you to our lead instructors and support team who guided this program.

Thank you to all our dedicated participants and partner organizations!

A Mongolian man in a park ranger uniform and a white woman wearing a traditional Mongolian dress stand in front of a projector screen holding a certificate.

A group of five Americans sit in a classroom and listen attentively to a Mongolian woman in her thirties who is standing in front of a projector screen giving a presentation.

External Opportunities and CfPs

Western Washington University Henry G. Schwarz Visiting Lectureship in Mongolian Studies

A flyer for the Henry G. Schwarz Visiting Lectureship in Mongolian Studies. Text provides information about the Lectureship that is also described in the text below.

Western Washington University seeks qualified applicants for the Winter Term 2028 (January to March 2028) Henry G. Schwarz Visiting Lectureship in Mongolian Studies.

By the start of the Lectureship, applicants must be ABD or equivalent in any discipline (PhD in-hand preferred) with a teaching focus on the study of Mongolia and experience teaching at the college or university level. Fluency in Mongolian, experience living in Mongolia, and experience with participatory teaching methods are preferred.

The salary for the term-long position is $15,000 plus a travel allowance of up to $2,500.

Deadline: November 6, 2026

Learn More and Apply Here.

Email mark.greenberg@wwu.edu for more information.

Call for Proposals: ASIANetwork 2027 Conference

ASIANetwork is accepting submissions for their 2027 Annual Conference, themed "Crossing Currents: Confluences, Conflicts, and Connections." This conference will take place April 16-18, 2027 at Seattle University in Seattle, WA, and will highlight the challenges and opportunities in education about Asia, Asian diasporas, and Asian American/AAPI studies created by the shifting landscapes of geopolitics in our societies.

Faculty Proposal Deadline: August 31, 2026 (Passed)
Student Proposal Deadline: October 1, 2026

Conference Program Chair: Dr. Jing Zhang (New College of Florida)

Learn more & Submit: Click here to view the official CFP

New Book Release

The front and back cover of a Mongolian-language version of the book “Nomads and Commissars“ by Owen Lattimore. The title reads Нүүдэлчид ба Комиссарууд

The ACMS is pleased to highlight the newly published Mongolian translation of Owen Lattimore’s landmark work, Nomads and Commissars.

Translated by Dr. Batbayar Tsedendamba and Puntsag E., this historical classic has been officially published in August 2026 by the International Association for Mongol Studies (IAMS).

First published in 1962, Lattimore’s seminal text offers a detailed account of 20th-century Mongolian history, culture, and political transformation. This latest edition makes Lattimore’s influential scholarship accessible to a new generation of Mongolian researchers, students, and readers interested in the nation's modern history and international relations.

Upcoming Office Closures

September 7: Labor Day (USA)

Join the ACMS!

Interested in becoming more involved with the ACMS? In addition to checking out our website or following us on social media to stay up to date, consider becoming a member online or by stopping by our UB office located at Natsagdorj Library, East Entrance, Seoul St-7, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Additionally, keep your eye out for future newsletters that will include more resources, upcoming events, CfPs, and more.

As always, our Mongolian language classes are available on Zoom or in-person in our Ulaanbaatar office. Contact Tsermaa for more details.