Reiko Sato was born and raised in Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. She received her bachelor’s degree in Japanese literature from Seisen University in Tokyo, and earned an M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of Arizona before studying Japanese language pedagogy for a second MA from Columbia University. Before coming to UCR in 2003, she taught Japanese at the University of Redlands.

Professor Sato’s research interests include the use of katakana among young Japanese people, especially in text messaging and email.