About

​I am a firm believer in life-long learning. I worked in the private industry for a decade before getting a Ph.D. degree and starting my faculty position at the University of Georgia. The work experience in equity investment and energy consulting changed how I approach research projects - valuing collaborations across disciplines and interests, thinking about the audience and better ways of communicating results, and setting achievable timelines and goals. As I tell my kids, it's never too late to pursue our dreams.  

I have traveled widely. I am originally from Japan, studied in Europe during my college years, and moved to the U.S. about 20+ years ago. I am interested in the historical, social, economic, and political contexts that have shaped environmental policies in different locations.  

I am passionate about doing research that helps us manage natural resources sustainably and make better decisions: decisions that account for the impacts beyond immediate, easily quantifiable benefits and costs. Are we transforming the landscape in response to climate change (because it makes economic sense for us) in a way that hurts long-term biodiversity? How will we adapt to the increasing frequency and intensity of natural disturbances (e.g., wildfire, flood, drought, pest, etc.) when these disturbances interact with each other and have heterogeneous effects across locations?