ABOUT
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While observing my daughter's preoccupations during primary school, I have decided to find ways to help her navigate the challenges of teen's life without imposing myself upon her. That was the beginning of a life-long journey which has proven so far more than exciting - a motivation to keep on learning and to convey to those around me that motivation as well as the lessons acquired.
OUR TEAM
For the time being, it is only myself.
But I am looking forward to expanding my crew.
MARIA GRAJDIAN
Founder
Welcome to the future.
With decade-long experience both in the academia and in the free-market, I am looking forward to sharing my insights with the younger generation thus helping them navigate this beautiful and complicated world.
Thank you for joining me in these adventures.
About Me
I am Dr. Maria Grajdian. I am a professor of Media Studies and Anthropology at Hiroshima University. I am the proud and happy mother of two teenage kids, Motrica (15 years old) and Aiichiro (11 years old).
Education
2004-2009
PhD in Musicology/Ethnomusicology
Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, Hanover, Germany
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02.2009 PhD exam, degree: “magna cum laude” (very good, 1,0)
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Topic: Takarazuka Revue and cultural construction of Japanese identity
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Supervision: Prof. Dr. Raimund VOGELS, Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media, Hanover, Germany
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Prof. Dr. Lars-Christian KOCH, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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10.2006 – 09.2007 Research Student, University of Kyôto, Japan Foundation Fellowship, Kyoto, Japan
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Supervision: Prof. Dr. OGAWA Tadashi
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03.2006 – 09.2006 Fieldwork, German Institute for Japanese Studies, Tokyo, Japan
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10.2005 – 02.2006 Fellowship, University of Cologne, Program for Promotion of Young Researchers and PhD Candidates, Cologne, Germany
2000-2004
MA in Musicology, French Philology, Japanese Studies
University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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07.2002 MA examination, degree: “good” (2,0)
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Subjects: Japanese Studies and French Philology
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06.2003 – 08.2003 Fellowship, Japan Foundation, Ôsaka
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12.2003 – 02.2004 MA thesis, Institute of Musicology
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Degree: “Very good” (1,0)
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Topic: Takarazuka Revue and Gender Studies
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Supervision: Prof. Dr. Rudiger SCHUMACHER
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07.2004 MA examination, degree: “Very good” (1,2)
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Subjects: Musicology, Japanese Studies, French Philology
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10.2004 DAAD-Award 2004 at University of Cologne (DAAD = German Academic Exchange Service)
1996-2000
BA in Musicology
National Music University, Bucharest, Romania
(recognized through the order 72.885 from May 21, 2009, issued by the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation)
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10.2004 DAAD-Award 2004 at University of Cologne (DAAD = German Academic Exchange Service)
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04.1998 Award 'Best Musical Journal in Romania' (Muzica 21)
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05.2000 1st Prize in musicological competition “Tomorrow’s Musicologists”
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08.2000 DAAD-Fellowship, University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Cologne, Germany (DAAD = German Academic Exchange Service)
1984-1996
General School Education
Bucharest & Sibiu, Romania
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four grades of primary schooling and four grades of secondary schooling
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four grades of high-school with violin and musical education as major focus
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since 1981: violin and piano practiced at professional level with regular performances and examinations
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participation in national and international competitions: violin, Romanian language and literature, French language and literature, math, global history
Professional Trajectory
2018-present
Associate Professor
Hiroshima University
Hiroshima, Japan
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Anthropology of Media & Media Studies
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Cultural Anthropology
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Contemporary/Modern Japan: Culture and Society
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Japanese Popular Culture
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Internship orientation and basic life-skills after graduation
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Academic Affairs: Curriculum preparation and development
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Admission exams: preparation and development
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Undergraduate students’ individual tutoring, mentoring, supervision
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Home-page development
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Coordination of international relations
2013-2018
Associate Professor
Nagasaki University
Nagasaki, Japan
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Media Studies & Anthropology of Media
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Cultural Anthropology
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Contemporary/Modern Japan: Culture and Society
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Japanese Popular Culture
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International relations: strategies and development
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Public relations and admission exams
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Curriculum preparation and development
2010-2013
Secretary to the General Manager
Citizen Electronics Ltd.
(subsidiary to Citizen Electronics, Japan) Frankfurt/Main, Germany
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Market research, accountancy, human resource management
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Financial reporting and controlling
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Handling of judiciary issues in accordance with German and Japanese law
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Mediation between the international subsidiaries and the Japanese mother company on a global scale
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Japanese expatriats support (Germany, worldwide)
2009-2010
Postdoctoral Researcher
Heidelberg University
Heidelberg, Germany
Cluster of Excellence “Asia and Europe in a Global Context: Shifting Asymmetries in Cultural Flows”, research project “Hidden Grammars of Transculturality: Migrations of Encyclopedic Knowledge and Power”
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scientific research
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scientific events management (international conferences & workshops)
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researchers' coordination & support
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accountancy, human resource management
2000-2018
Lecturer, Project Researcher,
Project Assistant and Tutor
multiple universities in Germany, Japan, Romania
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Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies, Nagasaki, Japan
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University of Heidelberg, Department of Japanese Studies, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Leipzig, Department of Japanese Studies, Leipzig, Germany
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Christian University “Dimitrie Cantemir”, Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Bucharest, Romania
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Romanian-American University, Centre for the Study of the Japanese Culture, Bucharest, Romania
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Lucian Blaga University, Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures/Theological Faculty, Sibiu, Romania
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University of Music and Drama Hanover, Centre for World Music, Hanover, Germany
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University of Heidelberg, Department of Japanese Studies, Heidelberg, Germany
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University of Cologne, Department of Musicology, Cologne, Germany
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National Ethnographic Museum ASTRA, Sibiu, Romania
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University of Cologne, Department of Japanese Studies, Cologne, Germany
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University of Cologne, Department of Musicology, Cologne, Germany
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Western German Radio, Cologne, Germany
2007-2009
Freelance Translator and Interpret
Japan and Romania
2005
Attendant, German Pavillion
EXPO 2005 Aichi
(International Exhibition in Aichi, Japan)
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public relations
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customer service
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administrative tasks
2002-2006
Student Assistant
O'Reilly Press
Cologne, Germany
Editorial and secretarial tasks
2000-2004
University of Cologne, Institute for Meteorology
Cologne, Germany
Production and supervision of internet sites
1996-2000
Freelance contributor
various institutions in Romania
Cultural and investigative journalism for newspapers, radio and television