Chris Suh, who completed his PhD at Stanford University in Spring 2019, arrived at Emory that Fall to begin teaching in the History department. Although he was not the first tenure-track faculty member with training in Asian American Studies (in 2012, the English Department had hired an assistant professor who left after a few years; in 2017, Candler School of Theology hired Helen Jin Kim), Suh was the sole faculty member in Emory College specializing in Asian American Studies during the first three years of his appointment until Erica Kanesaka arrived in the English Department in Fall 2022.

In addition to teaching and mentoring students interested in Asian American Studies, Suh became the faculty advisor to the student group American Pacific Islander Desi American Activists (APIDAA). In the coming years, he worked with the student group to advocate for the creation of more resources for Asian American students, including the affinity space that became the Asian Student Center (ASC).

Suh receiving the Emory College Advising Award from Senior Associate Dean of Faculty Deboleena Roy at the 2022 Commencement