Invited eminent scientist (name, title and affiliation, nationality)Serge Daan
Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Niko Tinbergen Professor in Behavioral Biology, Groningen University
The Netherlands
Duration of the stay
From July 24, 2009 to August 6, 2009 (14 days)
Description of and results from the invitation
Dr. Daan arrived in Japan at Kansai airport on July 24 and left Japan from Kansai airport on Aug. 6. His total stay in Japan, this year, was 14 days. During these 14 days, Dr. Daan energetically completed his schedule. He attended three consecutive international meetings and gave lectures in all of the three meetings. He also was a chairperson at the symposium of IUPS 2009. He was always an active discussant during the meeting, by addressing critical questions and giving suggestive comments.
Dr. Daan contributed to the promotion of international communication among academic institutions at Osaka University and Hokkaido University.
In spite of his busy schedule, Dr. Daan visited 6 laboratories in 5 academic institutions, Osaka University, Kyoto University, Nara Saho College, Nara Women’s University and Hokkaido University. In addition, he visited two old friends who are the professor of emeritus but still actively leading young scientists in various ways.
1) Contribution at international meetings.
Dr. Daan attended IUPS2009 (International Congress of Physiological Sciences) as a symposist of a whole day symposium entitled, “Temporal organization of Physiology and Behavior”. In his talk, he presented parametric and nonparametric effects of photic signals from theoretical backgrounds on the animal behavior in the laboratory and field.
In Sapporo, he gave a special lecture on Aug.2. He also attended poster session and gave advices and comments to young researchers. Personal advices from the winner of International Prize for Biology impressed and very much encouraged young scientists in the field of biological rhythm researches.
Finally, Dr. Daan attended Journal of Experimental Biology Symposium 2009, Survival in Changing World, which was held from Aug.2 to Aug.6 at Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center. Since he attended until the last day of the symposium in Sapporo, he joined the latter part of Awaji meeting and gave talk on Aug.5. In the symposium, the threats of changing environments, such as climate changes and pollutions, to living organisms and the role of biologists now to challenge it was the main theme. Dr. Daan, by giving lecture entitled “plasticity in behavioral timing”, contributed the field of experimental biology as well as the success of the symposium.
2) Promotion of international communication:
Osaka University has the European Center at University of Groningen and has been actively promoting international communication between Groningen University. Dr. Daan, as a Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Groningen, took this opportunity to promote the programs between the two Universities. The meeting was hosted by Prof. Higashijima, the Dean of Graduate School of Science and Prof. Konno, the deputy Dean, Prof. Ogawa, Prof. Hirotsu, Director of Osaka University Groningen Center for Education and Research and Prof. Ogihara, International Planning and Programs were also attended.
After the previous visit of Dr. Daan to Hokkaido University in June 2008, the vice president of Hokkaido University, Prof. Hondo, Profs. Honma and Yoshioka, the Dean and Vice Dean of Graduate School of Medicine, visited Groningen University last autumn to promote and develop the exchange program of students and staffs. This year, Dr. Daan met Prof. Yasuda, the present Dean of Graduate School of Medicine to discuss the exchange program of students and staffs between the Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine and Groningen University Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
3) Visit of universities and lectures
This year, Dr. Daan visited Dr. Ogihara’s laboratory at Osaka University, Graduate School of Science, Dr. Okamura’s laboratory at Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Wakamura’s laboratory at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Dr. Oishi’s laboratory at Nara Saho College, Dr. Tamotsu’s laboratory at Nara Women’s University and Dr. Honma’s laboratory at Hokkaido University. In each visit, Dr. Daan enjoyed talking with students and young researchers and encouraged that they accomplish their projects. The personal advices from an eminent scientist like Dr. Daan impressed them very much.
He also gave lecture at Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences which impressed non-specialist audience the wonder of biological clocks.
During his stay in Kansai area, Dr. Daan met his old friends Dr. Oishi, Prof. Emeritus of Nara Women’s University and Dr. Shimizu, Prof. Emeritus of Kyoto University. They are retired but still doing research, and leading young scientists. Their attitude showed the important contribution of experienced scientists in the society.
Contributions to the Host Institute
At Hokkaido University, Dr. Daan contributed in promoting biological rhythm research and experiment in the field as well as in the laboratory. Graduate students and young researcher of Hokkaido University are greatly inspired by him and they treasured his advices on the importance of careful observation and that of theoretical background for analyzing obtained data. Dr. Daan also contributed in promoting mutual relationship in scientific and educational issues between Hokkaido University and University of Groningen.
Others
I express sincere thanks to the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) for giving me a chance to invite Prof. Daan again in this year to inspire many Japanese young scientists not only in the field of Chronobiology but in wide range of science. Dr.Daan also expressed his gratitude to JSPS for its generous supports.
