Noriko Toyokawa
Assistant Professor, Human Development
How long have you worked at CSUSM?
2 and a half years
What brought you to CSUSM?
Presence of the Department of Human Development! I was so excited to find Human Development at CSUSM!
What is your research, background or academic interests?
I am a family gerontologist. My broad research interest is in how family relationships are associated with health in later life. Under this broad interest, I am currently working on three lines of studies.
(1) aging in place: How older adults can utilize a variety of types of support (e.g., familial support, support devices) to enjoy their autonomy
(2) aging together: How family members’ aging processes mutually influence with each other (e.g., couples, aging parents-adult children)
(3) family responsibility: How individuals’ concept of their responsibility in a family changes over time and how the sense of responsibility is associated with their well-being
What is the biggest challenge in your job?
To facilitate people’s understanding of what Human Development as a field of study
What is the greatest reward of your job?
To be able to observe students enjoying studying Human Development
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I practice Kendo, a Japanese martial art with a bamboo sword.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
Jogging with my family
What’s the best part about working at CSUSM?
Being able to work with amazing students!
What is your short-term goal?
To encourage students to present their studies at professional conferences
What is your long-term goal?
To receive external grants to support students’ research involvement
What is your favorite movie?
Star Wars series
What would you like to do when you retire?
Write cute romantic stories of older couples
Anything else you’d like to add?
Enjoy your campus life, everyone!
