Mayuka Nagasawa

Mayuka Nagasawa, also known as Mayuka Thais, is a Senior Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design since 2018, where she teaches in the Foundation and BFA Game and Entertainment Design programs. She is a multifaceted artist, educator, and animal rights advocate, blending her expertise in art and music to promote elephant conservation and environmental awareness.

• Education: BFA in Fine Arts Painting and A.C.T. (Artists, Community, and Teaching) from Otis College of Art and Design.

Her research and creative work focus on using multimedia art and music to advance animal rights, particularly elephant conservation. She has authored publications and taught drawing classes for teens and adults, emphasizing the intersection of art and activism.

She has received accolades including the 2011 Eco Arts Award for Music Video and multiple scholarships during her studies. Her work has connected her with global conservationists like Dr. Deepani Jayantha and Dr. Joyce Poole, and she has volunteered at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand.

Scientific Awards:
• 2012 Eco Arts Awards “Tohorā He Waiata (The Whale Song)” Honorable Mention
• 2011 Eco Arts Awards “All We Gotta Give” Winner for Music Video
• 2007 Otis College of Art and Design Outstanding Service Award
• 2007 Ebell of Los Angeles Scholarship
• 2005 William Randolph Hearst Scholarship
• 1989 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Art Award

Mayuka has also worked as a Humanities Instructor at Stanford OHS and as a Figure Drawing Instructor at Loyola Marymount University, while maintaining a career as a singer-songwriter and motivational speaker for youth.