NEAL ADOLPH AKATSUKA

UX Researcher and Designer

Anthropologist

Born and raised in the world’s most isolated archipelago, I always wanted to see and learn about the big world beyond the shores of Hawai’i.

I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Anthropology, and as part of my research, I lived in Japan and travelled across Australia and the United States. I have worked on ethnographic projects ranging from consumer perceptions of genetically modified crops to a local folk legend about the death of Jesus Christ in Japan. Despite the diversity of topics, I always sought to understand the connection between individual experience, interpersonal relationships, and cultural context.

I have coordinated the print and digital design of the Mahindra Humanities Center at Harvard University as part of an awesome team since 2013, while pursuing my master’s degree in Digital Media Design. Beyond cultivating skills in User Experience Research and Design, Front-End Technologies (HTML, CSS), and Content Management Systems (Drupal, Wordpress), I developed my skills in Graphic Design and a working understanding of Javascript.

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Resume

Experience

2013 - PRESENT | Coordinator of Publications and Programs | Mahindra Humanities Center, Harvard University

Researched and recommended improvements for the user experience of the Center’s website, increasing video usage by 57% and decreasing support calls by 81%, with web developer.
Coordinated design of print and web graphics with graphic designer.

2012 - 2013 | Teaching Fellow | Harvard University

Taught 4 sections for 60 undergraduates for courses in medical anthropology, feminist anthropology, and environmental policy.

2012 | Visiting Research Scholar | Japanese Studies Centre, Monash University

Conducted ethnography, interviews, and archival research on the scientific production of genetically modified flowers.

2011 - 2015 | Contributing Editor | Cultural Anthropology

Developed content strategy for social media, increasing Twitter following by 1828% and Facebook Likes by 587%, and generating 42% of weekly website traffic, as part of Social Media Team.

Education

2018 | Harvard University, Extension School
Master of Liberal Arts in Digital Media Design

2016 | Harvard University, Extension School
Graduate Certificate in Web Technologies

2015, 2016 | DesignLab
Courses in Visual Design and UX Research

2013 | Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Master of Arts in Social Anthropology
Accolade: Presidential Scholar

2010 | University of Hawai’i at Manoa
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology (Highest Honors),
Minors in Japanese and American Studies
Accolades: Regent Scholar, Phi Beta Kappa, National William Whit Paper Prize

Skills and Tools

Research

Ethnography, interviews, surveys, focus groups, heuristic evaluation, competitive analysis, task analysis, personas, user stories, journey maps, card sorting, usability testing

Design

Copywriting, information architecture, graphic design, wireframes, mockups, prototypes; Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketch, Invision, Balsamiq

Front-End Development

HTML, CSS, Drupal, Wordpress

Publications

2018 | Straight A’s: Asian American College Students in their Own Words—Co-Edited Book
2016 | Food and Power in Hawai'i: Visions of Food Democracy—Book Chapter
2013 | Food, Culture and Society—Book Review
2010 | Lambda Alpha Journal—Article

Lectures and Presentations

2013 | Japanese Studies Association Annual Conference
2012 | American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting
2012 | Japanese Studies Centre, Monash University
2012 | metaPhorest Seminar, Waseda University
2011 | American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting
2010 | American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting
2010 | Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS), Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (AFHVS), and Society for the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition (SAFN) Joint Annual Conference
2010 | Society for Cultural Anthropology Spring Meeting
2009 | American Anthropological Association Annual Meeting
2009 | Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association National Meeting

Professional Memberships

2017 - Present | AIGA
2014 - Present | BostonCHI
2014 - Present | Harvard User Experience Group
2014 - Present | Interaction Design Association
2014 - Present | User Experience Professionals Association, Boston Chapter