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1. What prompted you decide to participate in the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program?
Reasons: It is a good opportunity to interact with high school students and see how they react during a lecture which is not so familiar to them. Moreover, my decision is also motivated by my will to exchange with high school students.
2. To what did you give greatest attention in preparing and giving the lecture?
High school students are not involved in my research activities and some, if not most, of the terms might be new to them. So, I particularly tried to have most of the technical words translated into accessible language and many illustrating-photos so that students can understand the lecture easily. During the presentation, I tried to explain as much as possible the different terms and be sure that they are getting the points.
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?
Although I presented in a well technical words-translating language, still is the lecture given in English which is, for the Japanese school students, a second language after Japanese. Lecture understanding could be Ok, but interaction between lecturer and students might be slightly weak because probably of the difficulty of some students to ask questions in English. That is why the JSPS staff’s idea asking JSPS fellow’s host or colleague to accompany the fellow to the school is good. Thus, host or colleague can translate questions and/or answers. I think, for future lectures, the process can still work this way with the presentation sent some days earlier to the high school students, like it is asked by JSPS staffs to do. It is a good way for students to be somehow familiar with the presentation before the day.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
Good impression. Students are cooperative and have good English-speaking skill. This skill is similar to the one of high school students in my country (Benin) where English is also a second language after French, our official working language. Furthermore, the Science Dialogue program is an occasion of international culture exchange. In terms of organization of the presentation, JSPS and the Yamanashi Prefectural Tsuru High School authorities did well by timely contacting me and arranging all necessary for the presentation.
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
Yes. Within this program, fellow shares his activities with people (Students, Teachers) unfamiliar to his research.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
Students benefited from the program in terms of international culture exchange and a kind of motivation to research. Moreover, during the lecture, I also explained the advantages JSPS also represents for Japanese outstanding young researchers. JSPS is a potential opportunity for them to study or conduct collaborative research abroad. They can, therefore, be motivated and can study hard to attend this goal. Thus, the Science Dialogue program is very good in that it prepares the new generation.
7. Could you give some overall advice or comments to future participants in the program?
My advice to future participants to this program is to try the program. They will be happy and learn a lot.
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