Yong Zhao is Foundations Distinguished Professor in the School of Education with an appointment in the School of Business at the University of Kansas. Prior to joining KU, he served as the Presidential Chair, Director of the Institute for Global and Online Education, and Associate Dean in the College of Education, University of Oregon, where he was also a professor in the Department of Educational Measurement, Policy, and Leadership. He is also a professorial fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Health and Education Policy, Victoria University in Australia. Until December 2010, Zhao was University Distinguished Professor at the College of Education, Michigan State University, where he also served as the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Technology, executive director of the Confucius Institute, and the U.S.-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence. He has published over 100 articles and 30 books. He is a recipient of the Early Career Award from the American Educational Research Association and is an elected fellow of the International Academy for Education. This interview delves into Zhao's thoughts on the motivation behind his groundbreaking work in innovative education models, his recent publications, and his discussion of the global homogenization of education due to excessive emphasis on international competitiveness and accountability in his books. Suzanna Henshon also asks Zhao about his move to the US from China to pursue his master's degree, for one or two pieces of advice for how educators can nurture global learners in the 21st century, about his experience lecturing around the world, where his current research might be headed, and lastly, to name individuals who have influenced his thinking.