
Duong Van Chu passed away in November 2005.
His obituary can be found Here.
Originally, from Vietnam, Duong came to the US in 1992 and took up residence in Springfield, MA. In 1994 he entered the degree program at CIE. While at CIE he also worked as a public health educator serving immigrant communities in Springfield.
At CIE, Duong combined academic work with participation in the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Community Leadership and Empowerment (CIRCLE) program - an innovative statewide partnership between newcomer communities, the University of Massachusetts and the Office of Refugees and Immigrants.
His research focused on the interaction between cultural values and healthcare. He explored the conflicts between Western biomedical care and more traditional forms of care in Vietnamese culture. These conflicts affected the access of immigrants to healthcare and the kinds of care they received. His dissertation explored these issues using data from his experience with the Vietnamese community in Western Massachusetts.
After graduating, he worked with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health as a health educator doing community outreach for local Asian communities in the Pioneer Valley. As a community leader, Duong demonstrated his belief that “we can learn from each other but we have to work hard together to build community.” [12-05]