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1. What prompted you decide to participate in the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program?
I think it is important to communicate science to the general public - particularly school children who will soon be choosing directions for their future studies. At the moment, there appears to be a global reduction in the number of students studying sciences and I believe it is important to try and get the students 're-interested' in this area.
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 think the students can be a little quiet sometimes - they are nervous about using English to communicate. I think a good idea is to ask lots of simple questions to them early on to get them to interact with you. It is also very important to try to speak slowly, clearly and use short sentences.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
I enjoyed participating in this outreach program. It was a good opportunity to interact with (and learn from) the high-school students and teachers, as well as (hopefully) providing some useful English practice and (maybe) getting some of the students more interested in science. I would recommend this program to all JSPS Fellows.
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
I think so. As I said above, I believe that outreach is important and any opportunity is 'meaningful'. Seminar experience gained from presenting to non-specialists is also helpful in learning (in general) how to present difficult concepts in clear and concise ways.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
It's hard to say - you'd have to ask the students really. I hope that they gained some English practice and maybe some greater interest in science.
7. Could you give some overall advice or comments to future participants in the program?
I would refer them to my above comments for overall advice, but once again here, I would like to emphasise the importance of this program for both the students and the researcher. I believe that both sides gain from interactions through this program.
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