Word Hunters: Left, Right and Off-Center

Richard Harrison was granted the title of Professor Emeritus at Kobe University in early 2025. He received his Ba. Hons (1st Class) in Japanese Studies (Japanese linguistics) from Sheffield University in 1988. He has since been teaching Japanese in the UK, Australia and Japan. He received an Master of Education (Technology) from Monash University in 1999, and has been teaching Applied Linguistics specializing in Computer Aided Learning. Show notes can be found HERE.

In this episode, Emma Rye shares stories from her childhood, school days, travel experiences, academic and career pursuits, and living and working in Columbia. Show notes for this episode can be found HERE.

Charles Browne was born in Boston in the United States but has lived and worked in Japan since 1985. He is a Professor of Applied Linguistics & TESOL and researches both Vocabulary and Reading, especially as they apply to online learning. He has more than 25 years of experience working as a teacher trainer, works with several boards of education, and has sat on several committees for the Japan Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEXT). He is best known for developing two important new corpus-based word lists for second language learners, namely the New General Service List (NGSL) and the New Academic Word List (NAWL). In this talk, he shares some of his stories about growing up in different areas, becoming interested in Japan, working with the JET program, and working with future teachers. Show notes for Episode #40 with Charles Browne can be found HERE. 

John Adair is the head brewer and part owner of Sooke Brewing Company. In this talk, recorded on November 14, 2018 at the brewery, John talks about his background as a forest firefighter, his entry into homebrewing as a hobbyist, competing on the homebrewing circuit in Canada, and challenges of opening the brewery. He also shares his insights into the brewing scene on Vancouver Island and other parts of British Columbia. Feel free to check the show notes for information on some of the topics covered.

Ixchell Reyes, an English teacher at DLIELC and cohost of DIESOL Podcast, shares her language learning journey, cultural identity, and experiences teaching military personnel. She discusses effective communication teaching methods, embracing technology in education, and heartwarming interactions with students.

Dr. Amihan April M. Alcazar is scholar from the Phillipines. She is currently the University President of Urdaneta City University, Pangasinan, and is the Co-Chair of the Internationalization National Review Committee of the Commission on Higher Education.In this episode, she talks about growing up in the Philippines, her educational background, her experiences studying and researching in Europe and Japan, her involvement with Teachers Helping Teachers, challenges working in academia and being a university president, and other topics. Show notes for this episode can be found HERE.

Chris Poel from Shiokaze BrewLab sat down for an interview with Brent and students in his Beer Industry Project at Konan University. Chris shares some stories from his early days in Japan as well as more recently, especially as related to the craft beer movement in Japan. Links to more information can be found in the show notes for episode #36.

In this episode, we spoke to Laura Pollacco,  a freelance writer and photographer working in Tokyo, Japan.  Laura talks about her background growing up in the UK, her experience on the JET program, her work as an actor in the theatre, her journalism, and other topics. You can find out more here on her newly designed website and show notes for the episode can be found HERE. 

In this episode, we hear from Brent Warner, a professor of English as a Second Language on a research sabbatical in Japan. He discusses his background, experiences studying in Japan, and his journey to becoming a teacher. Topics include living in a Japanese house, pursuing an online master's degree, teaching at a community college, exploring Japanese experiences, challenges faced by part-time teachers in California, and streamlining the grading process with tools and plugins.

Stefan Thorgeirsson is an Icelandic actor and producer currently based in Sapporo, Japan. Stefan is a graduate of the Iceland University of the Arts with a BA in Acting degree. He also holds an Engineering degree from the University of Iceland. As an actor, Stefan has mostly worked in theatre in Iceland and Japan. In this episode, we talk with Stefan about his childhood, various overseas sojourns, and life in Japan. Episode show notes can be found HERE.