When Edward Nadurata was accepted into UC Irvine’s global studies Ph.D. program five years ago, he became part of the program’s inaugural graduate class.  “There was an energy and vibe to the group. The faculty were all young and eager. It was exciting! It was like we were building something together,” he says.

Mentorship matters

Nadurata had offers from multiple Ph.D. programs, but ultimately decided to enroll at UCI because of the people. One of those people who convinced him to commit was Long Bui, Nadurata’s Ph.D. advisor and UCI professor of global and international studies.

Speaking about Bui, Nadurata says, “He goes up to bat for me. He has my back. Having such a supportive mentor on campus gives me a strong sense of security.”

For his part, Nadurata seems to have a preternatural ability to form meaningful relationships with those in his academic community and beyond. These connections have led to giving talks at conferences and offers for other academic opportunities like copy editing, indexing, and preparing manuscripts for publishing. With the help of some mentors, Nadurata helped launch an open access digital journal about Filipino American and diasporic studies called Alon: Journal for Filipinx American and Diasporic Studies. The journal went on to receive an honorable mention in the category of Best New Journal from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals in 2022. This experience led to a position as an assistant editor at the Journal of Asian American Studies, a flagship publication in the field.

“What makes Edward so successful as a scholar is the fact that he is a go-getter and wants to genuinely know everyone. He offers positive help to others in a proactive manner, sharing everything from grant applications to sound advice. For that reason, he has received support from all corners of academia,” says Bui.

Nadurata recognizes that being a student in a doctoral program is unique. He jokes how the experience isn’t exactly “normal” and likens it to a years-long apprenticeship that is rare in other fields. Because of this, Nadurata emphasizes the importance of not just having faculty mentors, but also being a peer mentor to others.

“The person who knows best what it’s really like in the program is the person who has been through it most recently. That’s why I hope to be a resource for students entering the program,” he says.

Nadurata has fostered a sense of community by hosting holiday parties, organizing conference panels and reading groups with peers from other campuses and, with department chair Eve Darian-Smith's support, established a writing group to apply for a fellowship.

“He is not just a mentee receiving mentorship, but actively mentoring junior scholars and his peers,” says Bui. 

Caring for the caregivers

Given that Nadurata has created his own ecosystem of support, it’s not surprising that his dissertation research focuses on care. Specifically, his work addresses aging, retirement, and elder care in the Philippines and the United States.

“Filipinos are taking care of everyone in the world,” Nadurata says, in reference to the high number of Filipinos working as nurses, “but who is taking care of the Filipinos?”

Nadurata is exploring the connections between the two countries and how care work and caregiving responsibilities are navigated, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s particularly interested in the experiences of marginalized groups and how they build alternative models of care and support.

“While linking back to colonialism and empire, his work is important for answering big questions about the precarious future of labor, age, sexuality, health, and life,” says Bui.

In April 2023, Nadurata was awarded a Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship. He was one of 45 recipients nationwide to receive $50,000 for research support. With the funds, he’s been able to spend time in the Philippines conducting research and building relationships.

Nurtured curiosity

Nadurata’s research project has been heavily influenced by his family. He served as his grandmother’s caregiver when he moved back to Los Angeles in 2017. He helped her with basic tasks like grocery shopping and laundry until the pandemic hit and his grandmother became ill and had to be placed in a nursing home.

“My work is an ode to my grandparents, my parents and the people who have cared for me. I feel it’s my responsibility to honor stories that aren’t often heard,” he says.

Nadurata was born in the Philippines and lived there until he immigrated with his family to California when he was 12. His parents immigrated to provide him and his brother with a better education. Growing up, Nadurata’s curiosity and questions were always encouraged. The importance of attending college was ingrained in him. The family dining table was always a welcome space for discussions about the world and society. He recalls being given money to spend at the Scholastic book fairs in grade school. In many ways, his upbringing was ideal for an aspiring academic.

Nadurata attended UC San Diego as an undergrad. It’s there where he learned that being an academic wasn’t just about the hours one spent reading and writing, but how one put that knowledge into practice. It made a big impact on him when his professors and TAs came out to support him and his fellow students at a protest they held at UCSD's library walk.

“They were a great model of what it means to be an engaged scholar. The reason I love mentoring has a lot to do with that experience,” Nadurata says.

After Nadurata earned his bachelor's in ethnic studies and political science at UCSD he obtained his master's in Asian American studies at UCLA.

As for the future, Nadurata hopes to secure a tenure-track position after graduation. But he also envisions even more ambitious goals.

Inspired by the UCI global and international studies department, he says, “I’d like to make tangible connections between scholarly communities. I’d like to build programs and exchanges with academics, artists, and community activists in other countries to cultivate knowledge and support scholarly dissemination in an ethical way. I know all of this sounds grand, but it’s fun to dream.”

--Jill Kato for UCI School of Social Sciences