SNS OFFICAL SITE
WAKAMATSU Fumitaka
What made you decide to become a URA?
As a cultural anthropologist by training, I've always been interested in the "Kyoto School" of primatology and anthropology known for its unique style of fieldwork. Regardless of geographical areas and academic disciplines, I am happy to read and review research proposals that involve fieldwork as a research method.
History
Ph.D. (Anthropology), Anthropology Department, Graduate School of Arts and Science, Harvard University
Research Administrator, Kyoto University Research Administration Office
Program-Specific Lecturer, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University (Cross-Appointment)
Additional comments
- I have worked at the Kyoto University Research Administration Office since 2014, soon after I received my Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University. My research focused on the issues of food, identity, and politics concerning the global controversy over Japanese whaling. I spent one year conducting fieldwork at a P.R. section of a whaling company in Tokyo, which sent its fleets to the Antarctic and North Pacific oceans. This research resulted in publication of several articles, including ”Japan’s Scientific Whaling" and "Historical Trends of Whale Meat Trade in Postwar Japan: From Substitutive Industrial Food to Traditional Post-Industrial Food."
This academic training formed a core set of skills for my current role as a research administrator in Kyoto University. My particular focus is supporting faculty working on Africa in the fields of anthropology, civil engineering, medicine and others. As an administrative member of Kyoto University Africa Office, I've managed mobility programs and assisted in the conclusion of academic agreements to strengthen partnerships between Kyoto University and African universities. This work resulted in acquisition of several grants for large-scale research and developmental projects in Africa, such as Kakenhi Basic Research S, Core-to-Core Program, and SATREPS. I also serve as a program coordinator for Canon Foundation-Kyoto University Japan-Africa Exchange Program.
On weekends, I enjoy brewing beer, going for a long jog, and coaching a local baseball team, the skills I'm proud of more.
