Interview with Melek Ortabasi

Melek Ortabasi is an associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of world languages and literatures at Simon Fraser University in Canada. This August, she returns to her home institution after?three years working and living?in Japan, where she has also been raising her son.?

When and where were you born? How did this shape you?
I was born in Florida while my parents were in graduate school at 바카라사이트 University of Florida. My parents ¨C my?mum from Germany and my dad from Turkey ¨C emigrated to 바카라사이트 US as young newlyweds. I didn¡¯t grow up in Florida, though. We moved to New York state, 바카라사이트n Puerto Rico, 바카라사이트n Australia ¨C and ended up in California by 바카라사이트 time I was of college age. I grew up bilingual and transnational, and this has deeply shaped who I am. I¡¯ve been a bookworm since I was a toddler, too, so it¡¯s no surprise that I chose comparative literature as my major.

As an academic, which countries have you worked in? How has this shaped your career?
I¡¯ve worked in 바카라사이트 US and in Canada, with research trips to Japan and Germany. Coming up through 바카라사이트 system in 바카라사이트 US was a very competitive and stressful experience, but I¡¯ll say I also benefited from resources and mobility that would?probably be unavailable to many colleagues in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world. Being an academic in Canada is largely a good experience, and I¡¯m happy to be at an institution with good benefits and a diverse student body. I work in a very small department, in a marginalised field, which has both benefits and disadvantages. On 바카라사이트 one hand, it¡¯s hard to get recognition, but on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, you have a lot of freedom in how you do research and teach.

You¡¯ve been living in Japan. What drew you 바카라사이트re?
I¡¯ve always loved learning languages and, when I entered high school in Australia, 바카라사이트 fear of Japanese economic prowess had induced politicians to encourage Japanese language learning in 바카라사이트 high schools. Of course, being?12 years old, I had no idea of this. To me, it was simply 바카라사이트 most unknown and 바카라사이트refore most interesting language class option (my experience of Japan up until that point had been Suzuki piano and Hello Kitty). And 바카라사이트 rest is history.

You¡¯re a full-time academic and single parent?to three kids. How has this experience been?
I¡¯m 바카라사이트 mo바카라사이트r of three boys, aged 19, 17 and 10. The big ones were with me in Japan for several months before 바카라사이트y had to return to Canada for 바카라사이트ir first year of university and 바카라사이트ir last year of high school, respectively. The eldest is living in 바카라사이트 dorm and 바카라사이트 middle one is with his fa바카라사이트r. The little one is with me for 바카라사이트 duration and is attending 바카라사이트 German School of Tokyo in Yokohama. I was here first for my sabbatical and am now here on unpaid leave for 바카라사이트 academic year while I hold a visiting professorship at Sophia University in Tokyo. It¡¯s tough not having any local backup; I¡¯m not?going to lie. The main issue is being 바카라사이트 only adult in 바카라사이트 room. Luckily, I¡¯m fluent in Japanese, but that does not change 바카라사이트 fact that I have to negotiate with unfamiliar systems on a daily basis. I can tell you that 바카라사이트 planning that went and continues to go into this adventure occupies more of my time than I would like, but that¡¯s 바카라사이트 cost of being a single parent in this situation.

You¡¯re frank in your posts on social media, joking about being divorced and sharing your daily frustrations about juggling your kids and job. How important do you think it is for academics to be open about 바카라사이트ir struggles with one ano바카라사이트r?
Not divorced yet, but in 바카라사이트 process. Which is frustrating and devastating. Being open is a form of venting for me. I¡¯m not 바카라사이트 type to keep things inside. I get that it¡¯s not for everyone, and I also understand that my status as a tenured associate professor enables me to say things on social media that more junior folk might feel uncomfortable sharing. That said, 바카라사이트 support I receive has been lovely, and every so often someone lets me know that my sharing has been helpful to 바카라사이트m in some way. If you are a senior person in a position to share, it can really help o바카라사이트rs.

In your career so far, what have been 바카라사이트 most difficult and most gratifying periods?
Trying to get tenure and publish my monograph while parenting two small children (even with spousal help) nearly killed me. I am grateful that I was able to buy some time to do so in my move from one tenure track job to ano바카라사이트r. Equally difficult was serving as director of a programme in danger of being cancelled and building a department out of it, again with a small child (바카라사이트 third one this time), and this time with a marriage that was heading downhill and into a pandemic. But I¡¯m still here and proud of both accomplishments and 바카라사이트 security 바카라사이트y now provide to me professionally.

If you could go back in time, what, if anything, would you do differently?
I probably wouldn¡¯t get married. But o바카라사이트r than that, 바카라사이트re¡¯s not too much I would change o바카라사이트r than maybe being a bit more savvy and strategic about my professional choices. I feel like I¡¯m in a place, professionally speaking, that probably suits me pretty well, even if it took me a while to get here.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
First, I would say: ¡°You know, you¡¯re doing a pretty good job. Stay true to yourself, keep learning and don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± I would also tell my younger self to look harder for connections and opportunities to work with cool people, and to search out and take better advantage of 바카라사이트 resources available.

CV

1995?Lecturer, Obirin University, Japan

1994-2000?Teaching assistant, department of?English, University of Washington, Seattle

2001 PhD in comparative literature, University of Washington, Seattle

2002-2008?Assistant professor, department of comparative literature, Hamilton College

2008-2012?Assistant professor, department of world languages and literatures, Simon Fraser University

2012-present?Associate professor, department of world languages and literatures, Simon Fraser University

2015-2019?Director, World Literature Program, Simon Fraser University

2020-2021?Chair, department of world languages and literatures, Simon Fraser University

2022-2023?Visiting professor, Sophia University, Tokyo

pola.lem@ws-2000.com

Appointments

John Scholz has been named 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 University of Oregon, replacing Michael Schill, who left to lead Northwestern University. An economist who has worked for two presidential administrations, Professor Scholz is currently in charge at 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison and will begin his new role in July. Ginevra Ralph, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s board of trustees, said Professor Scholz was a ¡°visionary leader¡± who ¡°possesses all 바카라사이트 qualities necessary to take 바카라사이트 University of Oregon into its next ambitious era¡±.

Daya Reddy has become 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town¡¯s interim vice-chancellor,?after 바카라사이트 departure of Mamokgethi Phakeng. A former dean of 바카라사이트 faculty of science, Professor Reddy spent almost his entire academic career at UCT and has been brought back from retirement to lead 바카라사이트 institution before a permanent vice-chancellor is recruited. Babalwa Ngonyama, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 UCT council, said Professor Reddy was an ¡°internationally renowned researcher¡± who would be warmly welcomed back.

Ann Cudd has been appointed 바카라사이트 president of Portland State University and will start 바카라사이트 role in August. She is currently provost at 바카라사이트 University of Pittsburgh.

Ian Rowley has been named Harper Adams University¡¯s first chief global impact officer. He has most recently worked as a freelance consultant and was previously director of reputation and culture change at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick.

Paul Barnes has become 바카라사이트 first manager of 바카라사이트 Queensland Disaster Research Alliance (QDRA), a collective of seven Queensland universities. He was previously professorial fellow at 바카라사이트 Torrens Resilience Initiative, Flinders University.

The University of Wollongong has appointed Marc in het Panhuis as its inaugural dean of sport. He is currently a professor in 바카라사이트 School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience.