UCSB East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies

EALCS PhD candidate Meagan Finlay has recently published a research article titled “Japanese Public Broadcasting: Construction of Publics and Identity in Virtual Space” in the journal Television and New Media. The open access article may be found at https://doi.org/10.1177/15274764261456595.

Congratulations, Meagan!

Apply now: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03120/apply
View this position online: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03120

Position overview
Salary range: See Table 36 (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uiAMMuuW5WRrMRPt_NtktT88rydsNeAy/view) and Table 36N (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_LtfwYbX7el9LQABOgJeQaDZzIUMfZ1A/view) for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is an annual salary of 64,247 at a full-time annualized rate.
Percent time: 50%
Application Window
Open date: July 6, 2026

Next review date: Tuesday, Jul 21, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Monday, Nov 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description
The Center for Taiwan Studies (CTS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara, invites applications for a half-time Academic Coordinator I position. This is a 12-month fiscal year appointment (non-tenure track). The Academic Coordinator (AC) assists the Center for Taiwan Studies Director in developing and implementing programming consistent with the mission of the Center, including yearly international conferences of scholars whose work relates to Taiwan, and two to three quarterly events, such as movie showings, lectures, cultural events, graduate student forums, etc. The AC also assists, as needed, with events in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultural Studies that include Taiwan in full or as a component. The goal of the programming at CTS is to promote Taiwan Studies and to educate students, scholars, and community members about the culture, literature, history, society, and politics of Taiwan.

Program Administration
The AC performs administrative functions for CTS, serving as a key contact for all visiting speakers, UCSB faculty, staff and students, and the off-campus community. The AC oversees the coordination and implementation of all Center activities and interacts with public speakers and visiting scholars, writers, authors, and other public figures. This includes arranging accommodations, venues, food, technical assistance, logistics, agendas, name cards, posters, and office support.

The AC is also responsible for assisting the Director in implementing research and learning support opportunities for UCSB students and faculty associated with the Center. The AC manages routine communication with faculty and community members; supervises and coordinates visits and events, including receptions for visiting speakers; maintains budget records for the program; coordinates travel and lodging for speakers; supervises student assistants; maintains the website; and supervises public information materials, such as the quarterly calendar, publications, and interviews with speakers.

Program Analysis and Evaluation
The AC analyzes the Center’s budget and prepares regular reports for the Center Director regarding the Center’s finances. The AC assists with grant writing and reporting, and program analysis. The AC monitors the demographics of program attendance and works with other campus centers and programs to coordinate co-sponsored events and to ensure diversity of participants and audience. The AC assists the Director in writing and editing grant proposals and reports.

Publishing & Design Work
The AC edits and designs proceedings, anthologies of Taiwan literature, and other publication projects, including the biannual journal, Taiwan Literature: English Translation Series. Editorial assistance includes editing, writing, and proofreading for CTS publications, the CTS newsletter, webpages, and flyers for public lectures and cultural events.

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
M.A. in the humanities or social sciences

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
•At least one year of experience working within an academic institution
•At least one year of experience in a position that required administrative and organizational activities
•At least one year of experience designing marketing materials and books in InDesign and Photoshop
•At least two years of experience using Word and Excel for standard administrative duties

Preferred qualifications
•Experience coordinating public events
•Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
•Significant editing, writing, and proofreading skills and experience
•Ability to prioritize, conduct, and manage multiple projects
•Ability to oversee and mentor student assistants
•Experience in financial management
•Demonstrated ability to write reports and communications to high-level grant-dispensing institutions
•Familiarity with Taiwan and its culture
• Basic reading and conversation proficiency in Chinese language

Application Requirements
Document requirements
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

Cover Letter

Reference requirements
2-4 required (contact information only)
Applicants must provide contact information for two references. All applicants have the option to provide an additional two references. In total, four references may be provided. A reference check will be performed for the top-ranked candidate following their interview.

Apply link: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03120
Help contact: [email protected]

About UC Santa Barbara
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

“Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting s*xual harassment, s*xual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination as defined by the employer.
UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000385/SVSH)
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, students and third parties (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination)
APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment (https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/apm/apm-035.pdf)

Additionally, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs (https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy), as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, s*x, s*xual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Job location
Santa Barbara, CA

Academic Coordinator I for the Center for Taiwan Studies University of California Santa Barbara is hiring. Apply now!

Prof. Howard Chiang has recently been awarded the Dan David Prize, one of the most prestigious awards available in the discipline of history, for his pioneering contributions to the study of modern East Asian thought and culture with an emphasis on the critical study of science, medicine, race, gender, and s*xuality.

You can read more about Prof. Chiang's achievement in The Current (https://news.ucsb.edu/2026/022627/howard-chiang-honored-career-queer-history-and-sinophone-studies) and on the Dan David Prize's website (https://dandavidprize.org/winners/howard-chiang/).

Congratulations, Prof. Chiang!

Li-Ting Chang Awarded Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation Fellowship

EALCS doctoral candidate Li-Ting Chang’s proposal, “Dear Darling”: The Love Letter as a New Cultural Sensation in Early Twentieth-Century China (親愛的愛人：二十世紀初中國情書文化熱潮), has been officially funded by the Board of Directors of the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for a one-year fellowship (2026–2027). It examines the interplay between romantic love and the love letter, both of which underwent profound transformations from the 1910s to the 1930s. Focusing on the communicative genre of the love letter, her study aims to enrich our understanding of the literary and cultural histories of love by analyzing how literary discourse and romantic sentiment were channeled through everyday communication.

Congratulations, Li-Ting!

The Center for Taiwan Studies at UC Santa Barbara is honored to host over 20 distinguished speakers from across the U.S. and Asia for this landmark international conference. Join us as we explore the evolving landscape of Taiwan and Sinophone studies through various disciplines.

📍 Where: McCune Conference Room (HSSB 6020) & SSMS 4315 (May 22 afternoon session)
📅 When: May 22–23, 2026

Don't miss this vital platform for interdisciplinary research and global collaboration! Please visit the website for conference program: https://taiwancenter.eastasian.ucsb.edu/the-future-of-sinophone-taiwan-an-international-conference-%e8%8f%af%e8%aa%9e%e8%aa%9e%e7%b3%bb%e8%87%ba%e7%81%a3%e7%9a%84%e6%9c%aa%e4%be%86%e5%9c%8b%e9%9a%9b%e7%a0%94%e8%a8%8e%e6%9c%83/

Announcing the next Takashima Talk in Japanese Studies:

Figuring (Out) the Famicon: Time, Boyhood, and the Domestication of Videogames in 1980s Japan

Keita Moore

Wednesday, May 13, 4–5:30pm, SSMS 2135