mark
kurai
masakazu
ABOUT
I am guided by my desire to do better, challenging myself to be more imaginative, more conscientious, to have a deeper social impact. To that end, I am consistently learning new skills, finding expression through photography and poetry, cultivating my ability and creativity in the kitchen, considering the voices of others, and confronting systems of oppression.
Importantly, this drive has been shaped most strongly by my desire to make a positive and meaningful contribution to the well-being of others. My work is informed by engaging with my community and colleagues. For over 15 years, I expanded my understanding of quantitative and qualitative methodologies, statistical analysis, and data strategy in the service of using empirical research to help individuals and communities to thrive. In the process, I also learned how to be a more supportive friend, colleague, and mentor; provide insightful, thoughtful feedback; and synthesize information into creative solutions.
PERSONAL
community, family, reading, running, adventure,
RESOURCES
identity resources
race
lgbtq+
The San Diego LGBT Community Center
gender
San Diego Women's Resource Center
RESEARCH | ANALYZE | OPTIMIZE
Fundamental to my scholarship is a dedication to supporting communities in need by bringing empirical research to bear on issues of social and economic justice. Currently, as a people scientist at ServiceNow, I help people bring their best selves to their work while also caring for themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.
Previous appointments
TCS Education System - Diversity Advisory Board member
John F. Kennedy University - Diversity Advisory Board member
Sacramento LGBT Community Center - survey research consultant
UC Davis Health System - LGBTQIA Health Equity intern
Three interrelated themes—social identity, emotion, intergroup behavior—are woven into my research. The thread that links these domains of research is the idea that social identity is multifaceted, fluid, and influences how individuals interact with their social environment. I focus on basic questions regarding how social identity is constructed and maintained while satisfying important psychological goals and motives.
group symbols
Symbolic representations allow group members to construct and communicate a shared sense of unique identity and consequently carry significant value to group members. With the expansion of globalized societies, exposure to different groups of people and group symbols permeates everyday life regardless of geographic location. As groups come into contact, conflicts over symbols can and do occur frequently. Appropriation, or taking a group symbol from another group without permission and without understanding of the deeper meaning of the symbol, is one source of this conflict. I explore how appropriation of group symbols impacts self and social identity, in addition to the downstream effects this has for relations between groups.
psychology of diversity
Humans are, by nature, social creatures whose desire to live in groups shapes their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. My research focuses primarily on the concept of social identity, which is that part of an individual's self-concept that is derived from perceived membership in relevant social groups (such as those defined by gender, race, nationality, and sexual orientation). I explore the construction and preservation of social identities as well as the consequence of social identities for interpersonal and intergroup behavior. The primary role of my work in this area has been to elucidate how social identities derive meaning from each other and simultaneously shape a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
