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Prof. Rasel Ahmed of OSU visits UT Held Talk Session with Prof. Lee Seung Hee
On February 28, 2025, Professor Rasel Ahmed of Ohio State University visited University of Tsukuba. He is an assistant professor from Bangladesh in the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts, working on documentary film production and research.
For Prof. Rasel, this is his first visit to Japan. Guided by a student from Bangladesh, he enjoyed sightseeing in Tsukuba over the weekend. On the evening of the 3rd, he participated in activities of a student group, the Film Studies Club.
On the 4th, he had a talk session with Lee Seung Hee, an associate professor in the Institute of Art and Design at University of Tsukuba. The next morning on the 5th, after a meeting with ISS program leader Prof. Matsushima, he headed for Kyoto on the same day.
Prof. Rasel is gone like a storm.
There is no teacher he knew at UT, and now it is off-season, there are no students on campus. There must have been many places in Japan to visit, such as Kyoto and Tokyo.
Such a free spirit is Prof. Rasel, but on this visit to Tsukuba, he had a big task of filming a talk session with Prof. Lee. Joined by the two students of Prof. Lee, the camera captured the four-person conversation. The two-hour talk session was an enriching experience.
All four of the participants in this conversation had one thing in common: They are all foreigners living in a foreign country. And, whether they like it or not, they are destined to live as minorities.
Dr. Rasel: Bangladeshi, forced to immigrate to the U.S.
Dr. Lee: Korean, lived in Japan for 35 years.
Student Alvin: Half-Chinese, half-Indonesian. Currently a research student.
Student Max: Half Japanese, half Dutch. Second year doctoral student.
The talk session was conducted in the form of questions from the students, answered by the professors. The theme was about an inclusive society. In addition to the general concept of inclusiveness, the discussion also included the expressions and ideas in Prof. Rasel’s field of expertise (film) and Prof. Lee’s field of expertise (design and human sensibility).
Remarkable is the intelligence and humanity of the students. They are not only quiet and reserved and speak perfect English, but they also know their roles, such as how to listen and when to ask questions. I was reminded once again that UT is a treasure house of human resources.
Prof. Rasel’s upbringing and experiences made him stand out among the diversities of the four. For political reasons, he cannot return to his native Bangladesh. He makes films featuring himself as the main character, but instead of playing the role himself, he uses an actor to play him. Living in Japan as the majority, you never know what kind of life it will be like.
The video of the talk session will be posted on the ISS website.
Please look forward to it!