Tribute: In memory of Professor Li Liu's Legacy as the Editor-in-Chief of JPRP

Our beloved Editor-in-Chief, Professor Li Liu, passed away from illness on October 29, 2025, and his loss fills us with profound sorrow. He was not only the guiding intellectual force behind our journal but also its heart and soul. His unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and profound kindness have left an indelible mark on our journal and on all of us who had the privilege of working with him.

The Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology (JPRP), formerly known as the South Pacific Journal of Psychology prior to 2007, was founded in 1984. Originally owned and published by the University of Papua New Guinea, it later entered a publishing partnership with Cambridge University Press in 2012. In 2016, Professor Liu spearheaded the successful transfer of the journal's sponsorship and operational management to Beijing Normal University—a pivotal transition that secured the journal's long-term future. It was during this critical juncture that he served the role of Co-Editor-in-Chief, and over the subsequent ten years, his keen scholarly insight and clear strategic vision steered JPRP to unprecedented heights of academic excellence and global recognition.

Professor Liu's most enduring legacy is his role in defining JPRP's unique academic identity and amplifying its voice on the international stage. Prior to his tenure, the journal focused primarily on regional research with limited global outreach. Professor Liu expanded its scope to explore the intersection of cultural specificity and universal psychological principles. Under his leadership, JPRP became one of the early adopters of open access publishing in the field of psychology, ensuring that research from the Pacific Rim and beyond was accessible to scholars, practitioners, and policymakers worldwide. By collaborating with Clarivate and the journal's current publisher, SAGE, he facilitates targeted email campaigns to distribute key journal contents directly to researchers and institutions, ensuring timely dissemination of important publications. He also organizes webinars and other interactive events that foster scholarly discussion and highlight the journal's contributions to the field. In 2021, he established the Houcan Award, an annual honor recognizing the article published in JPRP the previous year that made the most significant contribution to the advancement of psychology globally.

A key pillar of Professor Liu's strategy to elevate JPRP's influence was the deliberate, strategic expansion of its editorial board, transforming it into a truly global and interdisciplinary collective of scholars. He recognized that the psychological terrain is shaped by diverse cultural, social, and linguistic contexts, and thus sought to assemble an editorial team that reflected this diversity. He personally outreach to leading scholars worldwide, as well as prominent researchers specializing in underrepresented subfields such as cultural and indigenous psychology. Beyond recruiting established figures, he made a conscious effort to mentor early-career scholars by inviting them to join the board, fostering the next generation of academic leaders. Through editorial meetings and collaborative discussions, he cultivated a sense of community among board members, ensuring the journal's direction remained responsive to global academic trends.

Professor Liu regarded the maintenance and elevation of academic quality as the journal's foundational mission, and he implemented a series of forward-thinking measures to safeguard this core value. He pioneered the practice of inviting leading researchers worldwide to guest-edit special issues, while strategically engaging internationally distinguished scholars to contribute state-of-the-art review articles and meta-analyses. He also introduced stringent requirements for data availability statements and encouraged pre-registration of empirical studies, establishing a robust quality control system. Complementing these initiatives was his refinement of the peer-review process—assembling a panel of international reviewers with diverse methodological expertise to ensure objective, rigorous evaluations of every submission.

Under Professor Liu's visionary leadership, JPRP's international reputation and impact grew significantly, culminating in a 2024 Journal Impact Factor of 2.4, according to Web of Science. Today, JPRP receives and publishes scientifically excellent articles spanning the entire spectrum of psychological science—including cognitive, social, developmental, educational, industrial-organizational, and health psychology, as well as cognitive neuroscience, psychological assessments, and methodologies. The journal now boasts an editorial board comprising 15 Associate Editors and 42 Editorial Board members from across the globe.

Professor Li Liu's passing is an irreplaceable loss to our academic community. Yet, the legacy he built—through his commitment to excellence, his vision for global collaboration, and his generosity of spirit—will continue to guide JPRP for years to come. We will honor his memory by upholding the standards he set and carrying forward his mission to advance psychological research. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to his loved ones and all those whose lives he touched.

Editorial Board

Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology

Shared below are personal notes from Editorial Board members:

With the passing of Professor Li Liu on 29 October 2025, the field of social psychology has lost one of its most distinguished scholars and most conscientious voices. Throughout his remarkable career, Professor Liu confronted some of the most pressing social issues of our time—from his early studies on the stigmatization of HIV patients and migrant workers to his recent explorations of how artificial intelligence shapes the human condition. His scholarship always bore a deep moral resonance, giving voice to those too often unheard and dignity to those marginalized by society.

My collaboration with Li began in 2010 when we co-edited a special section of the Asian Journal of Social Psychology titled “Psychosocial ramifications of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.” Moving beyond the psychology of athletic achievement, that issue sought to illuminate China's domestic dynamics and international relations through a social psychological lens. Later, in 2016, I had the privilege of joining him as Co–Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology.

Over two decades of close collaboration, I came to admire not only Li's intellect but also his profound humanity. He embodied compassion, generosity, and integrity in all that he did. I still recall vividly his speech at our final editorial retreat—a warm reflection infused with charisma, humor, and heartfelt recollections of each associate editor present. That evening captured so much of who Li was: gracious, thoughtful, and effortlessly inspiring.

Li, you will be deeply missed. We are all richer for having known you, for the wisdom you shared, and for the enduring legacy you leave behind. At JPRP, we will honor your memory by carrying forward the torch you lit—continuing your mission and striving to bring our journal, and the field you cared for so deeply, to new heights.

–Ying-yi Hong, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Our first meeting was in 2009. Over time, we came to know each other deeply and ultimately became close friends who could share anything. In my heart, he will always be a distinguished scholar, an inspiring teacher, a loyal brother, and a true friend. His passion for scholarship was unmatched, his care for students unwavering, his sincerity toward friends profound, and his love for society boundless. His elegance, wisdom, humility, erudition, and sense of humor will remain forever etched in my memory.

–Huajian Cai, Associate Editor

The sudden passing of Professor Liu Li has brought me profound sorrow and a deep sense of loss. Professor Liu and I had been colleagues at Beijing Normal University for a quite long time. After becoming an associate editor for JPRP, I had more opportunities to work closely with him. His strong academic ideals and wisdom left a deep impression on me, from whom I derived invaluable inspiration and insight. Professor Liu had a broad academic vision and a deep theoretical understanding. He constantly reflected on how psychology could address significant societal needs. His research embodied the social responsibility and mission of a psychologist, fully demonstrating his lifelong belief that psychology should serve and promote the well-being of the people. He was wholeheartedly devoted to both his research and the works for the JPRP. Thanks to his efforts, the journal's influence increased significantly, which made him genuinely proud and delighted. Although Professor Liu has left us, his spirit endures. I will do my utmost to advance the journal's development and to honor Professor Liu's vision and aspirations.

–Yinghe Chen, Associate Editor

It is a shock to learn about the passing of Prof. Liu. I did not have the chance to meet him in person since I joined the editorial board of the JPRP, and I deeply regret it. Even though we only had email communication, he deeply impressed me as a serious scholar devoted to psychology and to serving the field and other psychologists. When I took on the role, which was new to me, there was much to learn. Whenever I sought his advice on how to serve the JPRP, even though he was busy, he was quick to reply and patiently shared his experience, offering me helpful advice, demonstrating his passion and vision in our exchange. His advice and guidance helped me a lot with my work, both on the JPRP and also in other areas. After I learned more about him through the sharing of other associate editors, I am moved by them, and I understand more about my feelings for him: an informal mentor to me, showing me how to be a psychologist. His dedication, passion, and vision will continue to guide other psychologists and students.

–Shu Fai Cheung, Associate Editor

I still remember 2016, during my first year as a PhD student, when Professor Liu invited me to serve as the Editorial Assistant for JPRP. At first, I hesitated, worried that the workload might keep me from graduating on time. But then he shared a dream with me—a vivid picture of his ambition to build JPRP into a platform with genuine international influence for Chinese psychology. How could I say no? Over the past ten years, Li worked tirelessly to elevate JPRP. He told me many times about how he and Professor Jia Liu reached out to the original owner of JPRP and worked persistently to secure ownership of the journal. Whenever Li shared these stories, I could deeply feel how much he wanted JPRP to succeed.

There were many times I thought about stepping down as the editorial assistant—it was often exhausting. But each time I thought of giving up, Li inspired me to stay. For him, JPRP was a labor of love, a non-profit project to which he devoted himself purely for the advancement of psychology. His spirit moved me deeply and renewed my own commitment to JPRP. Li was the architect of JPRP's success, the very foundation upon which it was built. Everything that JPRP is today, and all that it will become, is a testament to his dream. For me, the privilege of knowing and working with him is a memory I will cherish forever.

–Jianning Dang, Managing Editor

It is with a profound sense of loss that I reflect on the passing of Professor Liu Li. For many of us at the Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, he was not only our esteemed Editor-in-Chief but also a deeply supportive mentor and a role model of academic excellence. My collaboration with Professor Liu was most intensive in two areas. First, as a fellow editor (my service in another journal), he was remarkably generous with his expertise. He tirelessly shared his strategies for elevating a journal's profile, offering invaluable guidance on how to attract and cultivate high-impact scholarship. His insights, always shared with a spirit of collective advancement, were instrumental in shaping my own editorial approach. Second, his mentorship extended deeply into my research career. He provided crucial support for my major grant applications, going so far as to share his own successful proposals as learning models. He offered line-by-line advice, demonstrating how to construct a compelling narrative.

Beyond his monumental professional achievements, including his recent trailblazing articles that set the pace for our field, it was his personal character that left an indelible mark. Professor Liu was a rare blend of intellectual confidence and personal humility. He was consistently kind, encouraging, and unassuming, making everyone around him feel valued. He has set a towering example for our entire generation of scholars. His legacy is not just in the journals and articles he leaves behind, but in the countless colleagues and students he inspired to strive for rigor with a generous spirit. He will be deeply missed.

–Yiqun Gan, Associate Editor

I first came to know Professor Li Liu in 2019 at the AASP Conference in Taipei, where he was serving as Secretary General and President-Elect and I was Treasurer. Working alongside him over the years, I came to deeply appreciate his patience, generosity, and thoughtful leadership. He encouraged me to step into AASP leadership and in 2025 nominated me as a candidate for President-Elect because he believed in my ability to contribute to the Association's future. He also encouraged me to organize the AASP 2027 Conference in Australia and supported James Cook University as the host institution. His steady reassurance and faith in my capacity enabled me to step forward, and he offered his companionship, experience, and thoughtful support along the way. Losing him has left a noticeable and heartfelt void. Even so, the direction he set continues to orient us, and we are committed to continuing this work in the spirit he embodied.

–Wendy Li, Associate Editor

As a member of the JPRP editorial team, I had the honor of meeting and learning from Prof. Liu. Though our encounters were few, they left a deep impression. Despite his stature, Prof. Liu was genuinely humble: no air of importance, no condescension, nothing pretentious. He was down to earth, approachable, and generous with more junior scholars, the same in our one-on-one conversations as in large groups. His steady, reassuring demeanor reflected a character anchored not in status but in purpose. That purpose was clear: to advance psychological science in China and to foster a truly global psychology not confined to WEIRD populations. He pursued this mission tirelessly, not for show or fame, but out of conviction and love for the field. Through his leadership and editorial vision, he transformed JPRP into a journal that publishes rigorous research involving diverse populations for an international readership, and he opened doors for new generations of scholars, especially in China and the broader Global South. Although Prof. Liu is no longer with us, he leaves an enduring imprint on psychological science. May his example of humility and service continue to guide us.

–Florrie Ng, Associate Editor

I am still coming to terms with the heartbreaking news of Professor Liu Li's sudden passing. I first met him at the Asian Association of Social Psychology (AASP) Conference in New Zealand, where he left a deep impression on me with his gentle and refined scholarly demeanor, his sincerity and courtesy, his profound knowledge, and his meticulous sense of responsibility.

When he later invited me to join the Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology (JPRP) as an associate editor to assist with peer review, I accepted without hesitation. Throughout our collaboration, my admiration for him only grew. He was consistently thoughtful, collegial, and generous with his insights, and I learned a great deal from working alongside him.

This past July, we attended the Asian Association of Social Psychology Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He graciously invited me to a sumptuous dinner with several colleagues. Over the course of that evening, we celebrated his step down as president of the AASP and exchanged ideas about the future direction of the JPRP journal. His sudden departure is deeply saddening. May his soul rest in peace. I will always remember him with respect, gratitude, and fondness.

–Kuang-Hui Yeh, Associate Editor

As I look back on my first year at the university, some of my most vivid memories of Prof. Liu comes from those late evenings and weekends in the building. I often stayed long hours trying to adapt to my new position, but no matter how early I arrived or how late I left, Prof. Liu always seemed to be there before me and still working after I went home. On weekends as well, his presence on campus felt almost constant. As I later had more opportunities to work with him, I came to appreciate not only his extraordinary diligence but also his character. In every interaction, Prof. Liu struck me as a person of great integrity: rigorous in his thinking, fair in his judgments, and genuinely selfless in the way he treated colleagues and students. He consistently put the needs of others and the demands of the work ahead of any personal convenience.

This is how I will always remember Prof. Liu: quiet, steady, and utterly reliable, someone who took his responsibilities seriously without ever drawing attention to himself. Even though he has left us, his quiet perseverance and moral example continue to inspire me in my own career.

–Ke Zhou, Associate Editor