Dr. Vishakha N. Desai is an Asia scholar with a focus on art, culture, policy, and women’s rights. She currently serves as Senior Advisor for Global Affairs to the President of Columbia University, Senior Research Scholar in Global Studies at its School of International and Public Affairs and Chair of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University. She is the President Emerita of the Asia Society (2004 – 2012) and the Chair of the Board of Directors AFS. In recognition of her leadership in the museum field, President Barack Obama appointed her to serve on the National Commission on Museums and Libraries in 2012 Dr. Vishakha Desai has been recognized as one of the "Most Powerful Women in New York" by Crains Magazine, and for her Distinguished Service to the Visual Arts by ArtTable. Dr. Desai will speak to the Poly community about her latest memoir "World as Family: A Journey of Multi-rooted Belonging and engage in a dialogue about how exchange and connection can impact our local and global communities.