Monitor meets...
Yuko Kinoshita

Yuko Kinoshita

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Canberra?
I am originally from Osaka, Japan.  I've been here for 14 years now.

What do you do at the University?
I teach Japanese and research on forensic speaker identification. I am a research member of the National Centre for Biometric Studies and started doing consultancy for a court case lately. Also I am one of the conveners of Bachelor of Arts (there are two of us).

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear University of Canberra?
My lovely colleagues in building 20.   Language teachers are a fun bunch!

What is your favourite thing about Canberra?
Space, sunny days and clean air

If you could change anything about Canberra what would it be?
Public transport system – oh, and we can do with a bit more rain

What are you: reading / watching / listening to?
Reading:    The inheritance of loss by Kiran Desai
Watching:   Nothing much – occasional Iron Chef
Listening:   Speech data for my research…

Name three famous people (alive/dead/fictional) you would like to have dinner with and where in Canberra you'd take them?
Ryota Kamotsu (bandoneon player – alive)
Jean-Michel Folon (artist - dead)
Dread Pirate Robert (in Princess Bride – fictional)
Where? Hmmm Water's Edge, perhaps. Or BBQ at our place looking over the pond and the garden. Yes, I think that's nicer, actually.

What couldn't you live without and why?
Faith in the goodness in people.  Otherwise our lives would be totally miserable.

Where did you go on your last holiday?   
Japan, traveled around a bit and ate lots of fish.

How would you spend your ideal weekend?
Sleep in, have a several cups of good tea, potter around the garden, and have friends over for dinner.