Makiko Imamura

Makiko Imamura is an Assistant Professor in the Communication department at Saint Mary's College of California's School of Liberal Arts. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Kansas (2011 and 2007, respectively) and a B.A. in English with a teaching credential from Tsuda University (2005). Her research focuses on intercultural communication, social identity, and conflict management.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Communication Studies, University of Kansas (2011)
  • M.A. in Communication Studies, University of Kansas (2007)
  • B.A. in English with teaching credential, Tsuda University (2005)

Imamura's research explores intercultural communication through interpersonal and intergroup lenses, examining how social identities shape daily communication, East Asian cultural values, and conflict management strategies. Her work integrates theories like the Common Ingroup Identity Model, Self-Categorization Theory, and Communication Accommodation Theory, employing advanced statistical methods including structural equation modeling.

Her recent publications address topics such as gender ideology transmission in Japan, U.S.-China intergroup conflict management, and Latino immigrant acculturation. These works are published in journals like Journal of Asian Pacific Communication and Asian Journal of Social Psychology, reflecting her focus on non-Western communication frameworks.

Scientific Awards

• Early Career Award for Scholarship and Service (2015)
• Hob Crockett Research Paper Award (2010)
• E. C. Buehler Teaching Award (2010)
• Sene and Louella Carlile Scholarship (2010)
• Graduate Student Research Competition Third Prize (2008)

Imamura actively engages in curriculum design, co-leading a project to integrate student and faculty voices in the January Term Program. She teaches courses in intercultural communication, quantitative methods, and interpersonal communication, emphasizing data-informed pedagogy.