He is author of 14 books, board member for Human Rights Watch, the Social Science Research Council and recipient of numerous awards such as the Overseas Press Club Award for the best Foreign Story and the Harvard/Stanford Shorenstein Award for Reporting on Asia. In 2007, Schell became director of the new Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Society.

One of America's most respected and trusted voices on China, Schell has produced 14 books; hundreds of articles for prestigious magazines; documentaries for PBS's "Frontline"; and Emmy Award-winning editions of "60 Minutes." Whenever experts on China are rounded up in the media, Schell is likely to be among them.