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1. What prompted you decide to participate in the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program?
I first heard of the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program at my JSPS orientation, soon after arriving in Japan. I have always considered the promotion of science extremely important, particularly for younger generations, and thought the program an excellent way in which to encourage young people to take an interest in science. I therefore expressed an interest in taking part. When I received an invitation from Mukogawa Women's Junior and Senior High School, I was particularly keen to become involved, as I believe that worldwide, there is a severe shortage of female scientists. I therefore felt that this was a great opportunity to illustrate to these young women that science is an interesting and rewarding career option.
2. To what did you give greatest attention in preparing and giving the lecture?
Although I was keen to introduce to the students to my home country of England, I decided that the most important element of the lecture should be that related to science. My main goal was to demonstrate to the students that science (in particular biology, of course!) can be really cool! I therefore focused on this section of my talk and attempted to incorporate lots of interesting facts about the natural world around us, and why science is so important.
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?
On numerous occasions since arriving in Japan I have given lectures to groups of people for whom English is a second language, so I have had a great deal of opportunities to practice! I think the most important thing to remember when communicating with Japanese students is to speak as slowly as possible. In addition it helps if you refrain from using long or technical words, and if you can, use pictures or diagrams to illustrate difficult concepts. The help of my colleague, Professor Miyatake, was also invaluable, as he was able to explain some of the more complicated topics that the students did not understand.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
I greatly enjoyed the day. This was my first opportunity to visit a Japanese school and learn something about the educational system of this country. My hosts, and the liaison from JSPS, were very kind and hospitable, and I was extremely impressed by the facilities at Mukogawa School. In addition I received an excellent response from the students themselves, who were enthusiastic and interested. Overall, I feel it was an afternoon well spent!
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
I feel that, alongside conducting research, an important part of being a JSPS fellow is to establish communication with the Japanese people. This can be through the fostering of interaction and collaboration between scientists, but also through exchanges between fellows and the Japanese society as a whole. The Science Dialogue program provides an excellent opportunity for the latter.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
I believe that this was the first opportunity many of the students had had to hear a Western-style presentation, and I hope that this will stand them in good stead in the future, regardless of their choice of career. In addition, though science often has a reputation as being a somewhat dry subject, I hope that I illustrated to the students that actually it can be really interesting. Finally, I hope that learning about a foreign country will encourage the students to travel and explore the world later in life.
7. Could you give some overall advice or comments to future participants in the program?
I think my main piece of advice would be to enjoy it! It's a highly rewarding experience and a lot of fun. As far as the presentation itself goes, I would suggest making an effort to put your research into a broader context, rather than getting too bogged down with the details of your particular topic of study. I think the important thing to get across to the students is that science is important, but also that it can be fun.
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