Christine Liao Receives Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award

Christine Liao, professor of Art Education at UNCW’s Watson College of Education and coordinator of WCE’s Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education program, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award for the 2025–2026 academic year.

As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Liao will travel to Japan to conduct research at the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences (IAMAS). Her project, “Interdisciplinary Media Arts Education in Japan: Cultural Dynamics and the Pathway to Society 5.0,” will explore how IAMAS’s media arts education curriculum supports Japan’s vision for Society 5.0—a forward-looking initiative that seeks to integrate digital technologies like AI, IoT, and robotics into every aspect of life to create a more sustainable and human-centered society.

Dr. Liao’s research will focus on how IAMAS fosters creativity and problem-solving through interdisciplinary STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) approaches. She will also investigate how students at IAMAS balance local cultural traditions with global trends in media arts, art created with electronic media technologies, such as digital art, virtual reality, and interactive installation, to create unique forms of media arts and culture. Through a qualitative educational ethnographic methodology, she will conduct interviews and observe classes to gain an in-depth understanding of media arts education in Japan’s cultural context.

“I have been doing several collaborative projects with a colleague in Japan and leading UNCW’s study abroad trip to Japan, so this award speaks to my commitment to continue my intercultural research and collaboration,” said Dr. Liao. “I am excited about the opportunity to be in an immersive environment to learn about media arts education in Japan.”

IAMAS is a renowned graduate institution dedicated to merging scientific innovation with artistic creativity. It serves as a hub for cultivating highly creative individuals who aim to shape future societies through media and technology.

Dr. Liao will conduct her research from September 2025 through February 2026. Through the project, she will not only contribute to scholarly research in media arts education but also strengthen international partnerships and bring valuable insights on interdisciplinary education back to UNCW students and faculty.