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1. What prompted you decide to participate in the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program?
Try to interest young people in physics. Get experience in presenting my work in a simple-to-understand way, which I think is a very important skill.
2. To what did you give greatest attention in preparing and giving the lecture?
How to explain "difficult" concepts in a simple way. Try to use pictures and diagrams rather than words in my presentation materials. Use simple language.
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 didn't find it difficult, but I think the students did have problems understanding English! Luckily my host researcher translated for me. I think it is essential to have a translator, unless your Japanese is very good.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
I found it enjoyable and interesting. I think I learned something about doing a "general audience" presentation—maybe next time I will change some things.
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
Well, it didn't directly help my research. However, it is important for us researchers to communicate our work to the general public, and show them how interesting it is. It is the general public, after all, who pays for our research.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
I think it probably gave them a view of science which is different to what they study at school; I tried to emphasize that there are many questions we don't know the answer to—I think students usually don't see much of this part of science, which is of course the interesting and fun part!
7. Could you give some overall advice or comments to future participants in the program?
Don't try to explain too much in your lecture—concentrate on the big picture. If you can bring a small experiment or objects for the students to look at, I think it will help keep them interested (I didn't do this, but will try to next time).
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