Nancy Abelmann (April 24, 1959 – January, 6, 2016) was an American anthropologist and Harry E. Preble Professor of anthropology, Asian American studies, and East Asian languages and cultures at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.[1] where she'd also served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Research from 2009 to 2016, and as Director of the Center for East Asian and Pacific Studies from 2005 to 2008.