About

I am a PhD candidate in History at Northwestern University. I earned my B.A. in Asian Studies from the University of San Francisco. After finishing my bachelor’s, I worked as an Assistant Language Teacher in Nagasaki, Japan for two years before beginning my graduate studies. I also received a Nippon Foundation fellowship for language training at the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Study in Yokohama in 2017. In 2022, I completed a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA fellowship) for my field research in Japan.

My research focuses on memory of the Asia-Pacific War and explores issues of historical commemoration, reconciliation, and U.S.-Japan relations through material culture. My dissertation examines souvenirs (mostly the personal belongings of Japanese soldiers, such as flags, photos, and letters) taken from the Pacific Theater of WWII, and the attempts to return these items to the families of the deceased. 

In addition to my dissertation research, I enjoy applying my content knowledge and language skills to Japanese-English translation and localization projects.