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Japanese Studies Centre

UCD Centre for Japanese Studies (UCD-JaSt)

Japan as an island country in a transforming Asia offers a rich field for research into the increasingly globalising world and society. Building on the success of the academic-led, interdisciplinary UCD Japan Group (since June 2016), the Centre will continue offering an innovative cross-disciplinary research-driven model, supporting the research into a unique culture and society. The following three overarching research themes will be the focus of JaSt in the coming years.

 1.     Re-examining Japan in global context

The Centre has obtained research funding in the areas of ageing and assistive technologies in Japan from a comparative perspective. The development of Japanese Studies creates a unique opportunity for ‘understanding humanity’.

2.     Science, technology and implementation in Irish and Japanese society

Successful funding applications include the EU (Erasmus+ICM) under the theme of One Health. Pioneering basic and applied STEM research (e.g. infectious disease, data science, laser/plasma physics) will be a key feature of this innovative model of Japanese Studies.

3.     Approaches to teaching and learning, business and diplomacy

The Centre has a track record of funded research in Lesson Study in Japanese mathematics and Beyond Classroom Learning for Japanese language and culture. 

Staff Members of the Centre are:

·           Director: Assoc. Prof. Naonori Kodate (Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice)

·           Deputy Director: Assoc. Prof. Emma Sokell (Physics)

·           Prof. Brian Caulfield (Director, the Insight Centre for Data Analytics / Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science)  

·           Assist. Prof. Declan Downey (History)

·           Prof. Mary Gallagher (Languages, Cultures and Linguistics)    

·           Prof. Stephen Gordon (Veterinary Medicine)

·           Nobuko Ijichi (Applied Language Centre/UCD Japan)  

·           Assist. Prof. Pablo Lucas (Sociology)    

·           Assoc. Prof. Hasheem Mannan (Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems)

·           Adjunct Prof. John Neary (Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice / former Ambassador of Ireland to Japan)

·           Assist. Prof. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin (Mathematics and Statistics)

Advisory Board Members are:

·           Prof. Niamh Brennan (School of Business / Director, UCD Centre for Corporate Governance)

·           Prof. Hugh Campbell (School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy)

·           Prof. Joe Carthy (College Principal, College Of Science)

·           Prof. Niamh Hardiman (School of Politics and International Relations)

·           Prof. Margaret Kelleher (School of English, Drama and Film)

·           Prof. Suzie Jarvis (Director, UCD Innovation Academy)

·           Prof. Eilish McAuliffe (School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems / Director,  UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research Education and Innovation in Health Systems)

·           Prof. Brian O’Connor (School of Philosophy)

·           Dr Diarmuid O’Shea (St Vincent’s University Hospital)

External Academic Advisors are:

·           Prof. Christina Davis (International Relations & Japanese Politics, Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor at the Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University)

·           Prof. Benjamin Ng (Japanese Studies, Head of Japanese Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong)

·           Prof. Aaron Moore (Director of Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh)

·           Prof. Yoshiro Azuma (Physics, Department of Materials and Life Science, Sophia University, Tokyo)

Please click the link for more information about our Discovery Module (DSCY10080) Gateways to Japan.

Visit our website: UCD Japan / Twitter: @UCD_Japan / Facebook: @UCDJapan

Contact the UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice

Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington Building, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
T: +353 1 716 8198 | E: sp-sw-sj@ucd.ie |