BIO
Dr. Naoko Ozaki is currently a lecturer in Japanese at Rice, as well as a Lovett College residential associate. She was born in Tokyo to a mother working at Bridgestone Tire Corporation and a father finishing his PhD. Dr. Ozaki first immigrated to the US as a high school student and completed her BA in Near Eastern studies with a minor in linguistics and Japanese at the University of Arizona, where she first began with a focus on Arabic. She slowly made her way to her current position in Houston—where she moved in 2015—through a series of diverse experiences that include detailed dissertation research focused on miscommunication & discrimination, work as a translator, and a position at a medical device company. This interview covers Naoko Ozaki’s career trajectory (especially teaching at Rice), her values, and her unique thoughts on teaching and providing mentorship. For instance, she discusses her family’s impact on her values and her father’s passion for scholarship as it was passed down to her.She describes how a series of serendipitous events—such as her early interest in being a classical pianist and various travel experiences—contributed to her journey into language scholarship. She also touches on ethnic and cultural perspectives, peaks and troughs in her life, her passion for teaching at Rice, and her determination to remain positive amid hardship. Finally, Dr. Ozaki describes her life at home and her hopes for the future.