I teach East Asian history, global studies, and academic writing at the University of Tokyo (Japan). I hold a PhD in History from Stanford and an M.S. in Journalism from Columbia University in New York. My research fields include historical geography, border disputes in East Asia, and Asian immigration to Brazil. Drawing on my previous background in journalism, I have also recently developed a research project on pedagogical approaches to information literacy in academic writing courses. I am co-editor of Critical Han Studies: The History, Representation, and Identity of China's Majority (University of California Press, 2012).

Prior to pursuing a career in academia, I worked as a journalist in China and Canada, writing for publications such as The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, Folha de S. Paulo, Sohu.com, among others. I had the opportunity to cover a wide variety of issues, ranging from politics and business to international affairs and sports. Fluent in five languages, I have been interviewed on East Asian affairs by media outlets such as the BBC World Service (UK) and O Globo (Brazil). I have also been invited to give talks to policy-makers and diplomats at foreign embassies in Beijing and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazil.

In my free time, I enjoy exploring temples and castles in Japan, preparing macha tea in my tatami room at home, and baking fresh fruit tarts for my family.

(Photo: The author at Lake Biwa, Shiga Prefecture, Japan)