Brenda Austin '02 has published a Chinese to English translation of the Cultural Revolution era play "The Red Lantern." The play, a Beijing opera, is included in The Columbia Anthology of Modern Chinese Drama, released by Columbia University Press. John B. Weinstein co-authored the translation. Xiaomei Chen edited the anthology, which is comprised of twenty-two Chinese plays published between 1919 and 2000.

Austin has also published, with multiple co-authors, an article in the Journal for Specialists in Group Work entitled "Advancing social justice in urban schools through the implementation of transformative groups for youth of color." The article is the culmination of a field-based research project with which Austin assisted during her master's program in Counseling at Syracuse University.

Austin graduated cum laude from Hamilton with a degree in East Asian Studies. She credits Professors Hong Gang Jin, Debao Xu, and the Associated Colleges in China program for helping her develop proficiency in the Chinese language. After Hamilton, Austin earned master's degrees from the University of New England, the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and Syracuse University.