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Julian Saporiti

Musician and Scholar

Smithsonian Folkways

Dr. Julian Saporiti is a renowned scholar and musician whose “hybrid scholarship” project, No-No Boy, has reimagined how academic research can reach public audiences. Through a series of critically acclaimed albums released on the Smithsonian Folkways label, Saporiti’s work on Asian American history has engaged millions of listeners beyond the academy, earning praise from National Public Radio as “one of the most insurgent pieces of music you’ll ever hear”.

Saporiti earned his PhD in American Studies from Brown University and has held teaching positions at Colorado College and the University of Wyoming. He bridges the gap between rigorous historical inquiry and immersive storytelling, having held prestigious artist and research residencies at dozens of universities. His multimedia installations have recently been featured at the Wing Luke Museum and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.