A brief introduction...

I am currently pursuing a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University School of Engineering in Medford, MA. My research is in the area of Micro-electro-mechanical Systems (MEMS); specifically, I am interested in the microscale heat transfer phenomena surrounding these devices.

I also currently teach a freshman course called "Gourmet Engineering" at Tufts, which is a unique hands-on course that uses examples from the kitchen to illustrate heat transfer principles.

I am also interested in promoting the introduction of Engineering Education into preK-12 children and teachers, and have worked on a number of projects related to this area, including science and engineering programs aimed at middle school girls, developing and teaching an online engineering course for teachers, developing curriculum material for K-12 engineering education, and working with an afterschool robotics club in Boston.

Quick facts and figures...

• Birthplace: Nagano, Japan.
• Grew up in: Takasaki, Japan; Sunnyvale, CA; Tokyo, Japan.
• Height: Claim to be 5'2".
• Weight: 100 lbs, according to a scale that reads a few pounds lower than actual.
• Shoesize: Currently 5-1/2. Used to be 6.
• Bloodtype: O
• Sign: Libra, although I really wanted to be a Scorpio... missed it by 3 days.

Favorites...

• Color: Purple.
• Foods: Sushi & sashimi, various types of salads, nectarine, spicy foods, Japanese foods in general.
• Beverages: Black coffee (morning), unsweetened iced tea (daytime), wine or sake (night).
• Activities: Cooking & baking, feeding people, singing, sewing, skiing & snow blading, playing tennis, taking pictures, pondering over brainteasers or IQ tests.

Anti-favorites...

• Bugs.
• Things that may attract bugs.
• Places that may have bugs.
• Activities that may involve close contact with bugs.

Other not-so-important facts...

• Things that I seem to have more than the necessary amount of: Handbags (~30), coasters (30+), chopsticks (~20 pairs plus "spares"), umbrellas (~5).
• Childhood Aspiration: Astronaut. I gave up when I stopped growing way short of NASA's height requirement.
• If I win the lottery, I would...: 1) buy a yellow New Beetle (5-speed manual w/ turbo). 2) buy a silver New Beetle (6-speed manual w/ turbo). 3) drive around in one of these New Beetles, sing at the top of my lungs, and think about what else to do with the money.