NC Japan Center Welcomes New Director
The NC Japan Center, part of NC State’s Office of Global Engagement, recently welcomed new director Jonathan Brewster to campus.
Jonathan will guide the Center in fulfilling its commitment to foster a relationship between Japan and North Carolina, and assisting all citizens, universities, companies, and public and private institutions in relations with Japan. In his new position, Jonathan will initiate, coordinate, and oversee a wide range of activities to build relationships and serve academic, research, business and cultural needs related to interaction between Japan and North Carolina.
Prior to joining NC State, Jonathan spent more than five years working in Fujitsu, Ltd.’s Technical Computing Solutions Unit, at Fujitsu headquarters in Tokyo. He previously served as a JET Program assistant language teacher in Shiga prefecture, Japan.
Jonathan received his Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Studies, with a Japanese minor, from the University of Delaware in 2007. He earned his MBA from the University of Hawaii’s Shidler College of Business’ “Japan Emphasis” MBA Program in 2012.
His duties include oversight of the Harry C. Kelly Memorial Fund for U.S.-Japan Scientific Cooperation. The Kelly Memorial Fund helps strengthen collaboration between the scientific and technical communities of Japan and the United States.
The fund supports scholarships and fellowships for exchange students in the sciences and engineering at NC State, as well as for study of the Japanese language. Funding can also be used to support faculty travel to Japan, as well as exchanges for joint research relating to technology, engineering and Japanese language programs.
Jonathan will also work to promote NC State’s long-standing relationship with Nagoya University (NU), through several programs. This encompasses the “NU Technology Partnership,” which promotes technology transfer and research collaboration among partner universities. NC State Global also offers seed grant funding for faculty to conduct research and academic exchange with NU colleagues, and study abroad opportunities at NU for students.
Brewster will be the sixth director of the NC Japan Center, founded in 1980. Services offered by the center include business and social briefings on Japanese customs and etiquette, hosting delegations from Japan, acclimation resources for Japanese people residing in North Carolina, study abroad opportunities, language classes for the NC State community and general public, research opportunities for NC State faculty, hosting cultural events, and more.
Learn more about the NC Japan Center and its resources.