Earlier this month, I was surprised — and humbled — to get an email from the Research Promotion Division  informing me that I received the 2018 Waseda University research award for a high impact publication. This year, the award was given to 14 people across the university. Based on external reviews, here’s what the committee wrote about my work in announcing the award: 

Working within the framework of comparative and international education with a focus on Southeast Asia generally and Cambodia specifically, Dr. Brehm has been studying the complex dynamics between universalism and cultural relativism through issues such as global education governance, historical memory, civil society, and educational privatization. He has been actively engaged in research addressing practical issues related to educational reform as a whole, at the same time ensuring theoretical depth in his work.

Given the scarcity of research on these topics in Southeast Asia, and since this research is setting out to explore areas as yet unexamined, Dr. Brehm’s research profile is original and unique. Many of his research results have been published in high-profile international journals. He also participates in a network of researchers from various countries, centered around the Comparative and International Education Society, and has obtained research grants for joint research projects. His work is widely disseminated and recognized internationally.

Dr. Brehm impacts the field of education beyond his research. Since 2015, he has hosted a weekly podcast called FreshEd. In these open-access shows, he discusses cutting edge research with education scholars around the world. The podcast has been downloaded over 200,000 times. In addition, he collaborates with organizations such as the World Bank, UNESCO, and the Asian Productivity Organization. These activities have substantial scientific impact and create a social ripple effect. 

UPDATE: Here’s a Waseda News article about the award ceremony.