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1. What prompted you decide to participate in the “JSPS Science Dialogue” program?
The JSPS Science Dialogue program was introduced to us at our orientation week in Tokyo. It appeared to be a good opportunity for me to share my enthusiasm for science, and in particular the field of Biomaterials, whilst increasing my involvement in the local community and helping young people to feel more confident about pursuing careers in science and engineering.
2. To what did you give greatest attention in preparing and giving the lecture?
Aware of the challenges the students faced to understand a scientific talk in English, I tried to make my slides as visual as possible, attempting to make things interesting and informative, but at the same time keeping them simple. In particular, I looked for examples that I felt the students would be able to relate to. Rather than just explain the science, I also tried to give them an impression of what it is like to be a scientist, and highlighted differences between the approach to science in Japan and the UK. The biggest challenge was pitching it at the right level. Talking to a school-age audience required special preparation and a different approach from that which I am used to giving to an older, more specialised audience at conferences.
3. Did you find it difficult to give a lecture in English to Japanese students? Could you give some advice to future lecturers on how to facilitate communication with Japanese students?
I found it particularly challenging to give a lecture to Japanese students as I was unsure of the level of their English. Before my talk, the school sent me a copy of the text they were currently studying, which was very helpful and gave me some idea of what to expect. However it should be remembered that Japanese students comprehension of written English is generally better than their speaking and listening skills. I was asked to talk for 45 minutes, which I considered to be a reasonably long time after being used to only speaking for 15-20 minutes at conferences. However I would advice future lecturers to not assume this requires more content, but instead allows for a well-paced talk, with reinforcement of important points or difficult to understand topics. The most important thing is to practise the talk beforehand, paying special attention to selecting ways of explaining things that will use vocabulary that the students will understand. I was asked to prepare a list of technical terms, translated into Japanese, which they were unlikely to understand. However, I would advise that this list is kept to a minimum.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
Participation in the Science Dialogue Program led me to review the purpose of my work and, by explaining things on a broader level, to step back and assess where I am and what I need to focus on to reach my aims. Talking to high school students required me to present my work in quite a different way to that which I am used to, and thus had obvious benefits to the development of my communication skills.
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
I believe the students benefited from being able to see the role of science in the "real" world and the relevance to their everyday experiences. The program allows them to make links between what they are learning at school and the world of work, motivating them to study and giving them an understanding of the diversity of careers that are available to them if they study science or engineering. By exposing them to current scientific research and techniques, it may spark an interest and enthusiasm for science that will inspire a future pursuit in that academic field or profession.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
I would advise all fellows to take the opportunity to participate in this program, which is a rewarding experience with considerable benefits for both the fellow and the students.
I understand that it would have also been a little challenging for them to ask questions to a foreigner in front of their classmates, especially in English as one brave girl did. From reading some of their answers to their questionnaires, it seemed that most students thought the experience was interesting and positive.
I think the most important thing is to remember that you are talking to a school-age audience, who probably have little, if any, experience of listening to scientific talks in another language. If you are not used to presenting to this age group, don't underestimate the amount of time required to prepare your presentation, as it does require a different approach and special attention if you are presenting in English.
However it is definitely worth the effort. I really enjoyed participating in this program, and was greatly encouraged by the attentiveness and enthusiasm of my audience.
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