Meet Norihito Naka, Tisch Scholar

When Norihito Naka was first selected as a Tisch Scholar, he spent the spring semester taking the course "Education for Active Citizenship." This foundational course teaches students core civic skills with a focus on understanding one’s own social identity and working with diverse individuals and groups. Students also learn how to understand community assets, identify root causes of issues, enter communities as outsiders and manage projects.

During that semester, Jeneice Collins, and Craig Cooper worked on the Calm Breathing and Relaxation Project, a feasibility study being performed by Tufts Medical Center at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School. This project aims to determine if teaching calm breathing exercises and other biofeedback techniques to children can improve their academic work and result in an overall improvement in quality of life. The next year, Naka created a project to gain experience in STEAM education programming for the community by designing activities in computer programming, physical programming, electronics, alternative energy, graphic design and digital fabrication. During his senior year, Naka completed his honors thesis on the topic of metamaterial thermophotovoltatics.

In April of his senior year, Naka was one of 86 undergraduate students from the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering inducted into the Honos Civicus Society, which honors and publicly recognizes graduating students who have made important contributions to civic life during their time at Tufts University. These students join an engaged network of alumni dedicated to civic engagement and committed to addressing problems in their communities and around the world. These students, along with Honos Civicus inductees from Tufts’ professional schools, were officially recognized during the university's commencement ceremonies.