Name: Ximing Lu 

Job: Assistant Professor of Classics  

Hometown: Shanghai, China 

Hobbies: Travel hacking and reading The New Yorker 

Research Focus: Latin literature in the late Roman Republic and early Imperial era.   

—Ximing Lu, Assistant Professor of Classics

Ximing Lu brings a wealth of knowledge in Latin literature as well as a rich international background to the University of Oregon’s Department of Classics. As a new tenure-track faculty member, Lu is prepared to contribute his expertise in both research and teaching, offering students new perspectives on ancient history intertwined with modern scholarship. 

Growing up during China’s rapid economic development in the 1990s and 2000s, Lu was born during the country's one-child policy. Established in China in 1979 to limit families to a maximum of one child, it was primarily a reaction to rapid population growth and a decrease in vital resources. As a result, Lu’s generation grew up with immense pressure to do well academically. 

As the newest faculty member in the Classics department, Lu took time to answer some questions about himself so those in CAS and beyond can get to know him better. 

What would you say supported your creative academic exploration? 

I am constantly grateful that my parents were largely laissez-faire in the sense that they never sent me to “cram schools” on the weekends. That gave me the space and time to explore my interests beyond the textbook subjects, and also it made me genuinely like learning. Perhaps that’s partly why I’m pursuing a career in classics now. 

You had a chance to travel abroad during high school. What was your first experience in America? 

In the 11th grade, I went to LA for a year (2008-2009) as an exchange student at Venice High School. In my first semester, I had a “Limited English Proficient” (LEP) class, which was a quite sobering introduction to America.  

I still remember my classmates’ enthusiasm when we were watching the Obama inauguration during our AP physics class. It was a time of hope, and I am lucky to have that morning as one of my early memories of America. 

What is your area of interest for research?   

I’m a Latinist by training, so my main area of research is Latin literature in the late Roman Republic and early Imperial era. I’m currently turning my dissertation into a monograph about studying abroad in ancient Rome. We are very lucky to have some letters and other texts from the time of Julius Caesar that allow us modern readers some peeks into a Roman student’s life in Athens. 

Do you have a core tenet or philosophy that you return to that inspires or motivates you professionally and/or personally? 

A lot of my decision-making has been subject to the contingency of academia. I aspire to be a minimalist, and I strive to be precise, concise and to the point in my work and life; however, those are more ideals than reality. 

What courses do you plan to teach? 

I am teaching an intermediate Latin class where we will read the “Life of Atticus” by Cornelius Nepos and some of Cicero’s letters to Atticus. I’m also teaching a lecture course on Roman Life and Culture. For fall 2025, I am currently assigned to teach a lecture course on epic poetry in translation, a course on ancient Greece and early China, as well as intermediate and advanced Latin.  

Why should students consider taking classes in the Classics department?  

Given how diverse the student body is and their different goals for life, it’s hard to give an all-encompassing reason why students should take classics courses.  

The usual answers are that classics, in fact all humanities courses, can help students develop critical thinking skills, writing skills, and that learning Latin and Greek can help students score high on MCAT, LSAT, GRE, etc. 

For me personally, studying classics has given me a voice and the confidence to use that voice when needed. It has helped me resist the entrenched stereotype of a quiet and meek Asian who speaks incomprehensible English. 

You said travel hacking is one of your hobbies. Can you elaborate? 

I collect airline miles, hotel points and credit card rewards and then redeem them for award travel at the maximum possible value. I first learned about frequent flyer programs when I was in the fifth grade in elementary school, and I have been obsessed with miles and points ever since. Instead of going to cram schools, I spent a lot of my free time in my childhood researching airlines and aviation. That was also what motivated me to learn English well because in the 2000s most information about frequent flyer programs I could find was in English. So, travel hacking has opened the world up to me, both metaphorically and literally. The game is kind of like a puzzle with all sorts of variables to consider.  

Be sure to find and connect with Lu on LinkedIn.  

—By Kendall Baldwin, College of Arts and Sciences