This time, we interviewed Ms. Shibasaki from our Global Sourcing Unit’s Operations Team! We invite you to read her story, which details her unique journey from studying in the U.S. and conducting research at Tsukuba University to interning at Green Carbon.
Name: Marie Shibasaki
Department/Position: Overseas Business Division, Operations Team
Specialisation/Responsibilities: AWD project report creation, operations manual creation
Major/Studies: Agriculture (Crop Science)/Global Health (Mental Health)
Reason for Joining Green Carbon: I was attracted to a work environment where I could utilise both my research experience in crop science and my communication skills in English. I was introduced to the company by my classmate, Hazuki Kato.
Career Background: Born in Tokyo, lived in the United States (Kansas) from middle school through high school. Graduated from the Department of Biological Resources at Tsukuba University. Currently pursuing a joint master’s degree with National Taiwan University and Bordeaux University through the International Collaborative Food and Health Science Programme at Tsukuba University.
Hobbies/How I spend my days off: Gardening, hiking, reading.
Activities/Organisations during university: Participated as a scholarship student in the ‘Change the World Fund’ at Tsukuba University. After graduation, served as an operational assistant for the fund, providing guidance on academic writing and presentations.
SNS：www.linkedin.com/in/marie-shibasaki-3bb2a526a
Q. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your career journey?
Due to my family’s work, I spent my middle and high school years in the U.S. I lived in an area rich in nature with a thriving agricultural industry, which sparked my interest in agriculture and food. After returning to Japan, I enrolled in the College of Agro-Biological Resource Sciences at the University of Tsukuba. There, I was part of the Crop Science Laboratory, where I researched the cultivation characteristics of NERICA (New Rice for Africa).
After graduating, I worked as a kids’ swimming coach and a tutor, and I admit I felt a bit lost for a while (laughs). But I could never forget my passion for the agricultural industry. Driven by a desire to study it more deeply, I entered the International Joint Master’s Program in Agro-Biomedical Science in Food and Health at the University of Tsukuba’s graduate school. Currently, I’m researching the state of mental health and suicide in rural Japan. Since this is a joint master’s program with National Taiwan University and the University of Bordeaux, I spent six months studying in each country, which made for a pretty eventful year (laughs).
My hobby is gardening, and my current goal is to revive the balcony garden at my family’s home, which unfortunately withered while I was studying abroad!
Q. What made you decide to work at Green Carbon?
It all started with a phone call from my close friend from college, Ms. Kato, who currently works at Green Carbon. I was studying abroad in France at the time, and she contacted me asking for advice on rice cultivation trials. I remember being surprised but also refreshed that my knowledge was needed in a practical, non-academic setting. It was also perfect timing, as I was looking for an internship for after my return to Japan, so I jumped at the chance to get involved. Interestingly, my younger sister is now also working as an intern at Green Carbon!
Q. What kind of work are you involved in? Could you tell us about your responsibilities?
I’m mainly part of the Global Sourcing Unit’s Operations Team. My main tasks involve organizing data from our overseas sites and compiling past results from AWD (Alternate Wetting and Drying) trials to create reports for both internal and external use. Additionally, as part of the intern team, I’m working on developing onboarding programs and related materials for new members joining the Operations department.
Q. What makes your job worthwhile?
I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I can consolidate knowledge and data scattered across different departments and field sites into a clear, tangible document. Because Green Carbon is still a young company, numerous projects are constantly moving forward, and someone is achieving something new every day. Observing this from a broader perspective made me realize that we needed to communicate these developments more effectively. When a report I compiled with other interns was actually published externally in a press release, I was thrilled and felt that my role had a real purpose.
Q. What would you like to take on in the future?
I want to fully develop an onboarding program that helps new interns smoothly integrate into the team. Green Carbon has a diverse, multinational team with varied backgrounds, so I feel it’s essential to have a system that makes the “first step” clear for everyone. Fortunately, we have many new interns joining every month, so I want to use their feedback to gradually improve the program and make it even more practical.
Q. Finally, do you have a message for people who are interested in working at Green Carbon?
At Green Carbon, you can truly get involved in the work from different perspective. Some people are launching new projects alongside full-time employees, while others, like me, choose to support the team by organizing and sharing those achievements. It’s an environment where you can flexibly take on challenges while finding the role and mission that best suits you. If you’re interested, I highly encourage you to take the first step. We’re cheering for you!