UMUC Asia - Staff Biographies

MATTHEW ALTMAN Assistant Dean
Mr. Altman earned a B.A. in physics and astronomy from The John Hopkins University, an M.S. in physics from Northwestern University, and a J.D. and M.I.P. in law and intellectual property from the Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire. He taught as a graduate student at Northwestern University, and also held a position as a software training consultant and network database developer with a Chicago firm. He joined the UMUC faculty in 1999 and has taught a variety of Computer Studies courses in Okinawa, the Tokyo area, and in the UMUC Asia distance education program. In addition to his teaching, he is a part-time public interest attorney and member of the D.C. Bar. He received a faculty development grant from the University System of Maryland to test the feasibility of an Informational Technology clinic in Okinawa. Mr. Altman has served as Director, Computer Studies, and Director, Institutional Research, for UMUC Asia and assumed his current position in July 2007.

CHRISTOPHER AMES Area Director, Japan
Dr. Ames earned his B.A. in philosophy from Allegheny College and his M.A. in East Asian studies from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also earned a graduate certificate in Japanese Studies. He received his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of Michigan. Dr. Ames took additional graduate work in public administration and managerial economics from the University of Oklahoma, where he also earned a graduate certificate in communication. His professional training includes completion of the Public Affairs Officer's Course at the U.S. Government Defense Information School and the A-Level Simultaneous Interpretation Course from the Okinawa Prefecture Human Resources Development Program. Dr. Ames served for several years as Chief of Media Relations with the United States Air Force 18th Air Wing in Okinawa. His publications include articles on Japanese film and on Okinawan history, culture and education. He has received various fellowships to support his research, including a U.S. Department of State Fulbright Fellowship for research in Okinawa. He has served as a researcher at the Institute for Research in Humanities at Kyoto University in Japan. Before joining UMUC he taught at the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan University. He joined the UMUC Asia faculty in 1999 and has taught courses in Asian Studies, history, and sociology at locations throughout Okinawa, and more recently primarily in the UMUC Distance Education program. Dr. Ames assumed his current position in July 2007.