On December 7^th, 2023, the Department of East Asian Studies' faculty celebrated Dr. Phil Gabriel's wonderful career. Dr. Gabriel has been with the University of Arizona for over 31 years and has served as the Department Head of EAS from 2005 to 2013 before transitioning back to Professor. Aside from teaching, Dr. Gabriel is also a translator who specializes in translating modern Japanese Literature such as the works of Haruki Murakami, Kuroi Senji, Yoshimura Akira, Oe Kenzaburo, Kirino Natsuo, and Yoshida Shuichi. Dr. Gabriel's translation of Kuroi’s novel Life in the Cul-de-sac won the 2001 Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission Prize for the translation of Japanese Literature, and in 2006, Dr. Gabriel was awarded the PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize for his translation of Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore, a book which was selected by The New York Times as one of the Ten Best Books of 2005.

Due to his long time devotion and contributions to both the University of Arizona and EAS, Dr. Gabriel will be granted the status of Emeritus.

Congratulations Dr. Gabriel for all your hard work!

On November 27^th and 30^th, the "Making Onigiri Experience" event made a return to EAS's Japanese Language Table after 3.5 years of hiatus due to the COVID pandemic. This year, Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) coordinator Noriko Hayashi organized this event with the Japanese language instructors. Onigiri, or rice balls, is a Japanese food made from white rice, seaweed and fillings. Over 30 enthusiastic students of the Japanese language and culture enjoyed in this event.

After being introduced to the history of onigiri, the students watched a video to learn how to make it, then had an opportunity to make their own onigiri. The fillings range from familiar ingredients such as salmon flakes and tuna mayo to deep Japanese ingredients such as umeboshi (pickled plums), kombu (kelp), and seaweed tsukudani. Everyone had fun making their own rice balls, eating them with miso soup and pickled radish, and learning about the history of rice balls by Dr. Schlachet. Through making and eating the most common Japanese food and learning the history of Japanese food culture, students gained an understanding of Japanese culture and history and how those aspects of Japanese culture are intertwined to daily activities of Japanese people.

EAS will continue to offer opportunities to learn about the Japanese language and culture through food and experiences.

In a final note of appreciation, a big thank you to everyone who organized and helped with the event as well as to everyone who participated!

The Chinese Language Program hosted the first Chinese Singing Contest on September 29, which was also the day of the Moon Festival. 12 groups of students at all levels, from CHN 101 to CHN 415, competed in the event. Two students from CHN 301, Anna Im and Delaney Lehtinen, served as emcees, providing bilingual introductions of the performers and the songs throughout the entire program. The singers performed a wide range of Chinese songs including contemporary, modern and folk songs. About 100 students, their families and friends attended the event. At the end of the contest, the audience received moon cakes as a token of celebration of the Moon Festival. The event was sponsored by the Department of East Asian Studies and the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Los Angeles.

Winners:

First Place: Hannah Elizabeth Howe

Second Place: Drew Marien and Andrew Nix

Third Place: Gabriel Schirn and Ka'lelah Bryant-Tillis

Honorable Mention: Abby Reich and Setah Smith

Congratulations to all the winners and participants!

Every year, The Department of East Asian Studies hosts an award ceremony to acknowledge the EAS students for their exceptional performance and hard work during the academic year. On May 5^th, 2023, EAS gave out four awards:

1. The Blair Prize in Japanese Studies: The Blair Prize in Japanese Studies, started in 2007, is named after Barbara Bowman Blair (1925-2005). The Blair Prize was established both to honor Barbara Blair, and the academic accomplishments of U of A students, but also in the hope that the recipients will, in their own individual ways, contribute in the future to cross-cultural understanding, particularly between the nations of Japan and the United States.
2. The Hucker Founders Award: The Hucker Founders Award is named after Professor Charles O. Hucker, who came to the University of Arizona in 1956 and established the Oriental Studies Department, the predecessor of University of Arizona’s current East Asian Studies Department and Near Eastern Studies departments. This award has been given annually since 1997 to honor a student for academic achievement in the field of Chinese.
3. The Japan Foundation Award: The Japan Foundation Outstanding Graduating Senior Award further recognizes academic excellence at the undergraduate level in any disciplinary or interdisciplinary field of Japanese Studies.
4. The Center for East Asian Studies Graduating Senior Award: The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) has established this award to honor an outstanding graduating senior in East Asian Studies, especially those who have demonstrated achievement in our Korea Studies program.

The following EAS students have been selected as winners of EAS's four awards:

The Blair Prize in Japanese Studies Winners

Seneca Stine

Tori Wendell

The Hucker Founders Award Winners

Sophie Camille Olivia Michele Louis

Leighanna Pipatanangkura

The Hucker Founders Award Honorable Mentions

Rielly Puckett

Sean Tunnicliff

The Japan Foundation Award Winner

Ana Lent

The CEAS Graduating Senior Award Winner

June Speelman

Congratulations to the award winners!