Mountain Talk: Trade Wars and Tariffs 2.0
Wednesday, July 29 | 12:15 pm
About the Event
Mountain Talk: Trade Wars and Tariffs 2.0
Join us for a panel discussion with Lehigh faculty and alumni experts as they discuss the realities and impacts of tariffs in President Trump’s second term.
Maëva Ghonda ’03, Jesus Salas, and Hans Zheng ’10 will discuss what the latest shifts in global trade policy actually mean for your wallet, your business, and the economy. Whether you run a business facing supply chain hiccups or you're just trying to make sense of the news, you’ll walk away with a clear, practical look at what these changes mean for you and where the economy is heading next.
Cost: Free to attend
Staff Contact: J. Bryce Neff, Associate Director, Professional & Intellectual Engagement
About Our Panelists
Event Details
When: Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 12:15-1 p.m. Eastern
Online via Zoom
RSVP by: Wednesday, July 29
Maëva Ghonda ’03 is the author of How Tariffs Work. She is a systems thinker, interdisciplinary author, and keynote speaker whose work synthesizes the complex dynamics of diplomacy, economics, policy, history, law, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and national security to decode how trade policy shapes consumer prices, supply chains, technological innovation, industrial competitiveness, and the global economy. Committed to advancing public understanding of the systems that shape our society, Ghonda translates complex concepts into clear, evidence-based analysis of the forces influencing everyday life and the shifting architecture of international markets.
How Tariffs Work provides an essential framework for understanding international trade by synthesizing historical context, economic reasoning, and practical examples into an accessible narrative for a broad audience. The book explains how tariffs are formed, implemented, and create a ripple effect throughout households, businesses, governments, and global supply chains, while illuminating their growing significance in the future of digital commerce, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies. Written to bridge the gap between academic scholarship and public understanding, How Tariffs Work equips readers with the knowledge to think more critically about one of the world's most consequential economic policy instruments. Learn more at: Luminary Books.
Jesus Salas joined the Perella Department of Finance at Lehigh University in 2008. He is the founder and director of the Latin American Finance Association, as well as the director of the Center for Applied Finance. His teaching and research interests include investments, corporate finance, corporate governance and corporate risk management.
Salas has published in The Journal of Financial Economics, The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Organization Science, The Journal of Banking and Finance, The Journal of Corporate Finance, The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, and others.
Hans Zheng ’10 is a seasoned executive with expertise in finance, operations, global supply chain, customs compliance, and project management with over a decade of leadership experience in the renewable energy industry. He currently serves as VP of operations and finance at Sungrow USA Corporation, where he leads cross-functional teams responsible for project management, supply chain and logistics, customs and trade compliance, finance and accounting, human resources, business systems, and analytics across the Americas.
Since joining Sungrow in 2018, he has played a pivotal role in scaling the company’s North American business from approximately $20 million in annual revenue to more than $2 billion, helping establish Sungrow as one of the leading providers of solar and energy storage solutions in the region. In addition to building the operational infrastructure to support this rapid growth, he has led complex initiatives spanning international logistics, customs strategy, tariff and trade compliance, ERP and CRM implementations, and cross-border supply chain optimization.
Zheng holds a Bachelor of Science in finance and accounting from Lehigh University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a CFA charterholder.
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