Kathryn Ibata-Arens
Why did you choose Northwestern?
Northwestern's stellar reputation and doctoral program in political economy provided the best balance between social scientific rigor and area studies expertise.
How would you describe your research and/or work to a non-academic audience? What was it then and/or what it is now?
I analyze the national policy-private sector nexus in how governments try to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship. I started out as a Japan-specialist but have since expanded to a pan-Asian focus including such economies as China, India, and Singapore.
Tell us who or what inspired your research and/or work.
I was fortunate to have a number of mentors at Northwestern over the years. One of the fondest memories is as a research assistant to Ken Janda whose pioneering efforts to incorporate computer technologies into social scientific study (yes, I am an alum of that long ago!) included funding the first computer lab for students in Scott Hall, dubbed "Jandaback" - the main campus computer lab was called "Vogelback" at the time. Only "holders of the keys" could access Jandaback and I was among the fortunate few.
What are you most proud of in your career to date?
I am most proud of my 2019 Stanford University book "Beyond Technonationalism: biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship in Asia." It was six years in the making and based on extensive field research all over Asia - and via many, many planes, trains, buses, and rickshaws. It explains how certain Asian economies have mastered science and technology innovations while stimulating high-growth venture start-up businesses through specific strategic investment policies and private sector partnerships.
Tell us about a current achievement or something you're working on that excites you.
In this strange time of the pandemic, I taught myself how to make sourdough bread (including a starter from scratch) and wrote a book: Pandemic Medicine: Why our Global Innovation System is Broken, and How We can Fix It (forthcoming, Lynne Rienner Publishers, September 2021). Pandemic Medicine analyzes global competition to develop new drugs and medicines in the face of shrinking natural plant biodiversity, which is a less known yet essential source for new medicine discovery. Shrinking biodiversity has also led to the worldwide spread of deadly bacterial and viral diseases and was a factor in the emergence of the coronavirus behind the covid-19 pandemic.
What advice would you give your younger self or someone considering a similar path?
As an Asian American woman, I recall being told by certain people that I should "talk less" in class because I was being seen as "aggressive" and that Asian women should be "seen but not heard." My advice is to ignore the naysayers and seek out the kinds of mentors who have their hearts in the right place.