education

- postdoctoral fellow: inclusive social sciences
- department of curriculum & instruction
- university of illinois at urbana-champaign
- doctor of philosophy: social sciences & education policy
- minor, queer studies
- university of illinois at urbana-champaign
- master of education: education policy, organization & leadership
- concentration: diversity & equity in education
- university of illinois at urbana-champaign
- master of arts: music and music education
- concentration: vocal pedagogy
- columbia university, teachers college
- opera performance
- école normale de musique de paris
- bachelor of fine arts: vocal performance
- minor, humanities
- california institute of the arts

appointments

- senior director, research & evaluation | the colton institute @ the new jersey performing arts center, 2024–present
- acting senior director, faculty & creative practice | new jersey performing arts center, 2024–2025
- visiting scholar, urban education | rutgers university–newark, 2024–pres.
- instructor, education & asian american studies | university of illinois at urbana-champaign, 2022–2025
- instructor, music & music education | columbia university, teachers college, 2019–2020
- professional development facilitator | asian americans advancing justice—chicago, 2023
- head of youth instruction, faculty | eleonor england voice studio, 2020–2022
- music & theatre faculty, music director | broadway training center of westchester, 2017–2019
- teaching artist | inside broadway, 2016–2017
- teaching artist | calarts community arts partnership, 2012–2014
- LGBTQ+ content expert & research consultant | EKHurh consulting, 2026
- research advisor | be the transformational change, 2025–2026
- education policy researcher | glisten (formerly glsen), 2024
- research advisory board member | arts administrators of color, 2023–2024

publications

- Krause, K., Kairios, R., Masamitsu, T., Lyra, K., Lokuta, A. M. (2026). ArtsRx as an arts prescribing model: Leveraging CRM data to understand participation and engagement. Frontiers in Public Health. 14, 1–11.
- Wilson, A., & Masamitsu, T. (2025). Tippin’ the tightrope: Forces that push and pull social studies teachers’ justice-centered praxes.Journal of Social Studies Research, 49(3), 235–248.
- Masamitsu, T. (2024). Unpacking legal advancements for Asian American students: A political discourse analysis of Illinois’s House Bill 376. Educational Policy, 38(6), 1259–1281.
- Masamitsu, T. (2023). How education research perceives queer Asian American youths: A literature review.International Journal of LGBTQ+ Youth Studies, 22(2), 161–182.
- Masamitsu, T. (2023). Florida’s House Bill 1557: How we got here. American Educational History Journal, 50(1–2), 47–61.
- Masamitsu, T., & Collins, B. (accepted, expected 2028). Honoring stories and building coalition. In M. Bunch (Ed.), Untitled collection from poet-educators. Routledge.
- Masamitsu, T. (expected 2028). Rupturing the binary: Contemporary queer Asian America. In V. Pang, Y. Pak, & C. Her (Eds.), Still here, still resisting, still strong: Asian American education and community. Bloomsbury Press.
- Masamitsu, T., & Masamitsu, C. (accepted, expected 2027). Culturally responsive for whom? Teachers' critical reflections as functional policy analysis. In M. Bunch, L. Johnson, & Y. K. Pak (Eds.), Reimagining culturally responsive learning spaces: Collective voices and shared practices. Routledge.
- Masamitsu, T. (2025). Vocal music education in queer Asian America. In C. Cayari, J. Thompson, & R. Rajan (Eds.), If colors could be heard: Narratives about racial identity in music education (pp. 226–235). Intellect Books.
- Masamitsu, T. (2021). Review: Writing the school house blues: Literacy, equity, and belonging in a child’s early schooling. Vitae Scholasticae, 38(1–2), 129–133.
- Inclusive Social Science Committee. [A. Wilson & T. Masamitsu, Eds.]. (2026). “You can’t be an inclusive teacher without ___:” A guide to move to and through Illinois’s mandated units of study. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IDEALS. https://hdl.handle.net/2142/133376
- Masamitsu, T. (2025). Intersectionality in Asian American Studies. In Mosaic: Themes in Asian American Studies. (pp. 290–305), Gibbs Smith Education.
  - Nominee: Textbook and Academic Authors Association's Outstanding New Textbook
- Masamitsu, T. (2024). The Asian American Movement. In Voices: An Ethnic Studies Reader. Gibbs Smith Education.
  - Winner: Textbook and Academic Authors Association’s Most Promising New Textbook
- Bunch, M., & Masamitsu, T. (2024). Musical storytelling: Perspectives, solidarity, and resistance during the 1960s. M. Bunch, The magnitude of us: An educator’s guide to creating collaborative and culturally responsive classrooms. Teachers College Press.
  - Winner: Society of Education Professors Outstanding Book Award
- Masamitsu, T. (expected 2028). Queer-raciolinguistics: Education policy for and from queer Asian America. University Press (pending contract).
- Masamitsu, T., Mawhinney, L., Porterfield, L., Auffant, N., & Lyra, K. "Bloom where you are planted": Teaching artist cultivation in a novel certificate program.
- Lyra, K., Masamitsu, T., & Pulusan, S. "What the heck did I learn here?": Agency, arts integration, and the professional development paradox.
- Masamitsu, T., Auffant, N., Mawhinney, L., & Porterfield, L. Playing to be seen and heard: A photovoice pilot study with young learners in New Jersey.

funding, honors & awards

- The Spencer Foundation, Education Research Grant: Large, pending
- Dr. William Trent Spencer Mentor Award ($1,000), 2025
- NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship ($27,500), semifinalist, 2024
- William C. Bagley Scholarship ($1,200), 2024
- Tanaka Grant, Department of Asian American Studies, University of Illinois ($1,000), 2023–2024
- Conference Participation Award (2x), University of Illinois, 2022, 2023
- Teachers College Spring Scholarship ($7,600), 2019
- CalArts School of Music Scholarship ($20,000), 2011–2014
- Dumont Foundation Scholar ($20,000), 2011–2014
- Letter of Service Appreciation, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, 2024
- List of Teaching Ranked as Excellent by Their Students (5x), 2022–2024
- Outstanding Student Medal Award, Master’s Division, College of Education, 2022

conferences & talks

- Masamitsu, T., Mawhinney, L., Auffant, Porterfield, L. K., Lyra, K. (November 4–7, 2026). “If this, then…: Visualizing young artist cultivation.” International Conference on Urban Education. Punta Cana, DR.
- Masamitsu, T. (October 6–9). Arts-based methods for educational justice: Lessons from young people. Center for Culturally Responsive Evaluation and Assessment. Chicago, IL, USA.
- Masamitsu, T., Auffant, N., Mawhinney, L., Porterfield, L., & Lipham, K. (April 8–12, 2026). “There is a space saved for me”: Agency, art, and photovoice with learners in New Jersey. American Educational Research Association. Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Masamitsu, T., & Bunch, M. (October 29–31, 2025). Proceed with caution: Co-creating culturally responsive lesson plans in the era of generative AI. American Educational Studies Association. Albuquerque, NM, USA.
- Masamitsu, T. (July 25–27, 2025). Toward a queer-raciolinguistic framework for education policy analysis. International Conference on LGBT Studies. Dublin, Ireland.
- Masamitsu, T., Auffant, N., Porterfield, L., & Mawhinney, L. (June 25–28, 2025). Speak up and show out: A learner-led photovoice evaluation of arts education programs in the United States. International Visual Sociology Association. Seoul, South Korea.
- Masamitsu, T. (April 24, 2025). Toward a queer-raciolinguistic perspective: (Re)new(ed) approaches for considering education politics and policy. American Educational Research Association. Denver, Colorado, USA.
- Wilson, A., & Masamitsu, T. (November 20; 2025, April 26, 2024). Tippin’ the tightrope: Forces that push and pull social studies teachers’ justice-centered praxes. National Council for the Social Studies, College and University Faculty Assembly. Boston, MA, USA. (Presented additional findings at the American Educational Research Association in Denver, CO, USA.)
- Masamitsu, T. (November 2, 2024). Gesturing towards queer Asian America: How scholarship compounds multiple minoritization. International Conference on LGBT Studies. Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Masamitsu, T. (September 29, 2023). How California’s Proposition 8 weaponized K-12 education to stall marriage equality. Organization of Educational Historians, Virtual Convening, USA.
- Masamitsu, T. (March 3, 2023). Unpacking “Asian American” in contemporary education policy. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Graduate Conference. Champaign, IL, USA.
- Masamitsu, T. (October 1, 2022). Florida’s “don’t say gay or trans” bill: How we got here. Organization of Educational Historians, Virtual Convening, USA.
- Masamitsu, T. (July 11, 2025). Formative assessment in education: Approaches for new teachers for Teaching Artist Certificate Program, Department of Urban Education, Rutgers University—Newark.
- Pak, Y., Lee, S., Ouk, L., & Masamitsu, T. (April 23, 2024). Implementing AAPI lessons in K-12 classrooms. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, Professional Learning Webinar.
- Masamitsu, T. (April 15, 2024). Applying gestures in education research: Some methodological musings. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Asian American Studies. Champaign, IL, USA.
- Wilson, A., & Masamitsu, T. (April 6, 2024). Tippin’ the tightrope: Forces that push and pull social studies teachers’ justice-centered praxes. I3 Collective, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Masamitsu, T., & Rosado-Torres, A. (October 6, 2023). In conversation: Contextualizing LGBTQIA+ topics in education. Circa Queer Histories Festival, ONE Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Wilson, A., Masamitsu, T., & Chhikara, P. (August 18, 2023). I3: Inclusive, inquiry-based social studies for Illinois. Illinois State Board of Education, Equity Committee. Springfield, IL, USA.
- Masamitsu, T. (August 1, 2023). What do teachers need when teaching equitable Asian American community history? Teachers’ Summer Academy, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.
- Lee, S., & Masamitsu, T. (June 14, 2023). Teaching Asian American history: A primer for new teachers. Illinois New Teacher Collaborative Conference. Champaign, IL, USA.
- Lee, S., & Masamitsu, T. (March 31, 2023). The dos and don’ts of teaching about Asian Americans. Illinois Council for Social Studies, Charleston, IL, USA.
- Lee, S., Bunch, M., & Masamitsu, T. (February 16 & March 6, 2023). Teaching equitable Asian American community history in K-12 classrooms, Champaign Unit #4 School District, Urbana School District. Champaign & Urbana, IL, USA.

service

- co-founder & head executive, creating for justice, inc., 2020–pres.
- co-lead, arts & health research lab, rutgers university & njpac, 2025–pres.
- affiliate, visual studies in education lab, rutgers university–newark, 2024–pres.
- curriculum advisor, culturally responsive teaching & leading standards, university of illinois at urbana-champaign & illinois state board of education, 2025
- diversity, equity, & inclusion committee member, new jersey governor’s awards in arts education, 2024–2025
- panelist, chancellor’s review, university of illinois, college of education, 2023
- panelist, graduate teaching assistant orientation, university of illinois, college of education, 2023
- organizer, summer teaching academy: asian american history in K–12 settings, 2022–2023
- panelist, graduate student recruitment committee, 2022
- chair, arts & inquiry in the visual and performing arts special interest group, AERA, 2026–2028
- reviewer, AERA, 2026
  - division g: social context of education
  - division l, section 4: social, political, and cultural contexts
  - queer studies
  - asian americans and pacific islanders in education and research
- reviewer, urban education, 2026
- reviewer, the journal of social studies research, 2025
- reviewer, AERA, 2025
  - critical examination of race, ethnicity, class, and gender
  - queer studies
  - asian americans and pacific islanders in education and research
- reviewer, organization of educational historians, 2024
- panelist, graduate student meeting, organization of educational historians, 2024
- session chair, organization of educational historians, 2023