Japanese Budo (martial arts) expert Alex feels fortunate to be carving a successful career out of his passion.

'There is nothing better than being paid good money for doing something you love!' he says.

Alex completed his bachelor's and master's degrees at UC before heading to Japan to do his first PhD at Kyoto University on a Japanese government scholarship . 'I found that the professors I came into contact with at UC were very professional and encouraging. It was thanks to their kindness and guidance that I embarked on an academic career,' he says.

Alex then decided to undertake a second PhD, chiefly for the experience of writing a thesis in English, and for this he chose to return to UC. He now splits his time between Christchurch and Osaka, where he lectures at Kansai University and other institutions.

'My research focuses mainly on the history and philosophy of Japanese martial arts, and my job is to research and teach martial art culture from academic and practical perspectives to university students,' he says.

'The high-level supervision and candid advice from my supervisors at UC has helped me grow immensely as a scholar and an educator. It has made me think seriously about my writing style and research methodology, and it has given me confidence and enthusiasm for my field of study.'

Holding the master grade of 5th dan for the martial art Naginata, Alex was recently placed second at the world championships and, having retired from competitive Kendo, in which he has a 7th dan, he is now the coach of the New Zealand national team. 'We are working hard for the next World Kendo Championships in Italy,' he says.

'My job takes me all around the world, and regardless of the country I visit, there is always a dojo there for me to train together with the locals.' With the dojo being the pivotal part of the culture and training of martial arts, Alex recently built one in Christchurch, 'as my little contribution to help rebuild the city'.

On completing his PhD, Alex plans to finish two book projects, one in English and one in Japanese.

'My goal is to continue producing good quality research regarding Japanese culture and become a known authority in the field. I intend to spend as much time as I can promoting cultural exchange and understanding through the martial arts.'

Alex is a strong proponent of learning languages to gain a better understanding of the world and he urges prospective students to consider a language degree. 'Dealing with two languages will only broaden your horizons and give you lots of new insights. It takes discipline, and your progress is not always evident, but you will reap the benefits later.' He adds: 'You only live once, so enjoy the process of learning.'