Vu is a historian of modern China focusing on war, death, memories, commemoration, virtues, and citizenship.

Marleny completed her undergraduate and graduate education in her first three years of working full-time at Barrett, The Honors College. She continues to further her education with the goal of one day earning a PhD.

A Fulbright Scholar, Odebiyi's work examines how pious laywomen known as bizzoche created and maintained economic, political and religious networks in 15th-century Rome.