Dr. Kate Kaup is an associate professor of Political Science who's area of experise is in comparative politics (namely the politics of China and of Asian countries). She also serves as Chair of the Department of Asian Studies at Furman, one of the fastest growing such programs in the nation.

Dr. Kaup spent December 2004-December 2005 on sabbatical in Washington D.C. representing Furman as the Special Advisor for Minority Nationality Affairs for the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. While serving as the Special Advisor on Minority Nationality Affairs at the Commission, Kate carefully monitored the human rights situation in minority areas, as well as the implementation of China's Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law. Her analyses of current developments within the scope of the Commission's legislative mandate regularly appear on the front page of the Commission's Web site. She organized the Commission's April 11th Roundtable entitled "The Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law: How Well Does it Protect Minority Rights?" and participated in several other Commission Roundtables and Hearings. She regularly met with US, Chinese, and international government officials, NGOs, lawyers, and scholars.