About Sakurai Ryo

Ryo SAKURAI

Associate Professor
College of Police Science / Graduate School of Policy Science
Ritsumeikan University

Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Ecology

DEGREES

2012: Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Florida, Dissertation Title: “Conflict analysis and capacity building for community-based management of endangered and nuisance wildlife in Japan”

2009: Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Ecology, University of Florida, Thesis Title: “Public opinion toward bears and bear management in Japan and North America”

2007: Bachelor of Law, Keio University, Thesis Title: “Considering reintroduction of the wolf (Canis lupus) as a national barometer of environmental consciousness: a model comparison of European, American and Japanese cases”

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

Sep 2017 ~ current: Associate Professor, Ritsumeikan University [College of Policy Science / Graduate School of Policy Science]

Apr 2022 ~ current: Associate Dean, College of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University

Aug 2021 ~ Feb 2022: Visiting Associate Professor, Cornell University [Department of Natural Resources and the Environment]

Apr 2015 ~ Sep 2017: Assistant Professor, Ritsumeikan University [College of Policy Science]

Apr 2014 ~ Mar 2015: Lecturer, Chiba University

Apr 2013 ~ Mar 2015: Postdoctoral Researcher, Japan Society of Promotion of Science / Yokohama National University

Dec 2011 ~ Mar 2013: Technical Researcher, Committee of UNESCO Japan Man and Biosphere Program / Graduate School of Environment and Information Science, Yokohama National University

Aug 2009 ~ Dec 2012: Research Assistant, University of Florida [School of Natural Resources and Environment]

OTHER AFFILIATION

2022 ~ current: Associate Editor of “Human Dimensions of Wildlife”

2019 ~ current: Committee, Environmental Board of Kyoto City

2017 ~ current: Editor of “Environmental Education in Asia” (English Issue of Japanese Journal of Environmental Education)

2013 ~ current: International Committee of Japanese Association for Environmental Education

2021 ~ current: Director of International Programs of Japan Association on the Environmental Studies

2020 ~ current: Editorial Board of “Wildlife and Human Society” (Association of Wildlife and Human Society)

ACADEMIC SOCIETIES

North American Association for Environmental Education

The Wildlife Society

Japanese Association for Environmental Education (Committee of 2020 Conference)

Japan Association on the Environmental Studies (Committee of 2020 Conference)

Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies

Association of Wildlife and Human Society

Japan Association for College and University Education

The Japanese Association for Environmental Sociology

The Ecological Society of Japan

The Association for Kyosei Studies

The Association of Rural Planning

Society of Environmental Science, Japan Center for Environmental Information Science

Academic awards

Miyadi Award: The Ecological Society of Japan [2021]

Award for Encouraging Young Researchers: Association of Wildlife and Human Society [2020]

Award for Encouraging Young Researchers: Japan Association on the Environmental Studies [2017]

Best Paper Award of Ecological Research: The Ecological Society of Japan [2017]

Award for Encouraging Research and Practice: The Japanese Society of Environmental Education [2016]

ESPEC Prize for the Encouragement of Environmental Studies: The ESPEC Foundation for Global Environmental Research and Technology [2016]

The Most Useful Paper Award for Reconstruction from the Disaster: Sanaburi Community Development Foundation [2016]

Research Paper “Citizen Science: a new approach to advance ecology, education, and conservation” chosen as the Must Read Articles from 2015 by Springer

Outstanding Graduate Research Award: Awarded by Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation of University of Florida [2011]

International Scholar of Rotary Foundation [2007-2008]

Outstanding Grade Award: Graduate School of University of Florida [2008]