Hanayo Oya

Hanayo Oya is an Assistant Professor in Media, Communications and Journalism at Fresno State’s College of Arts and Humanities. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication (in progress) from the University of North Dakota, an M.A. in Journalism from Waseda University, and a B.A. in English Literature (Summa Cum Laude) from Meiji Gakuin University. Her research focuses on investigative journalism, documentary filmmaking, and media ethics, particularly in contexts involving social justice and underrepresented communities.

• Adjunct Researcher at Waseda University’s Institute for the Next Generation of Journalism and Media

Oya’s work combines journalism with scholarship, producing award-winning documentaries such as the Netflix series Turning Point: The Bomb And The Cold War (2024) and the critically acclaimed Boy Soldiers: The Secret War in Okinawa (2017). She has received major grants including $120K from the U.S. State Department for international journalism initiatives and $14K from Fresno State’s President Circle for global press freedom projects.

• Selected Honors: Kinema Junpo Award for Best Documentary (2019), Fulbright Scholar (2018), Japan-US Exchange Fellowship (2020)

Her teaching philosophy emphasizes creativity, diversity, and journalistic integrity. She has secured over $200K in grants to support international journalism networks and global citizenship programs.