Naonori Kodate

Naonori Kodate is an Associate Professor of Social Policy at University College Dublin (UCD), where he also serves as Director of the UCD Centre for Japanese Studies and Director of the Public Policy Programme. Additionally, he holds Visiting Professor positions at Hokkaido University Public Policy Research Center and Senior Research Fellow roles at the Institute for Future Initiatives, University of Tokyo and Chiba University Center for Frontier Medical Engineering (from November 2024). His research bridges comparative healthcare politics and science & technology studies (STS), focusing on care systems, welfare technologies, and gender equality in STEM.

Education:

• BA in International Relations (University of Tokyo)
• LL.M in European Politics and Law (University of Tokyo)
• MSc in European Politics and Policy (London School of Economics)
• PhD in Political Science (London School of Economics)

His research explores technology-driven solutions to aging populations, including robotics-aided care systems, patient safety regulation, and gender dynamics in STEM education. He has coordinated major international projects like HARP: RoCS (Toyota Foundation-funded) and INNOVCARE (ANR-funded).

Recent publications analyze cross-cultural acceptance of care robots, ethical frameworks for home-care technology, and economic impacts of rare pediatric diseases. He has secured grants from JSPS, Toyota Foundation, and European Research Council-linked initiatives.

Scientific Awards:

• UCD Teaching Excellence Award (2024)
• Best Documentary Award (2021)
• Best Digital Poster Award (2020)
• Multiple conference recognitions (2021-2024)

He supervises PhD students researching care robotics, rare disease impacts, and assistive technology. He collaborates with interdisciplinary teams across Europe, Japan, and Asia, integrating engineering, social sciences, and healthcare expertise.