|
1. What prompted you decide to participate in the "JSPS Science Dialogue" program?
I was invited to join the program by Yamanaka-san and it sounded like a fun opportunity to meet some Japanese high school students and see some more of Japan.
2. To what did you give greatest attention in preparing and giving the lecture?
I spent a lot of time trying to find good, descriptive pictures to help make the concepts I was describing easier to understand. I also spent a lot of time working on the organization of the talk so that the students would be able to follow it better.
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 did not find it difficult to lecture to Japanese students as they provided an excellent audience. One thing I did have to keep in mind was to speak slowly and clearly and to give the students time to digest the information. This was probably the most important point.
4. Could you give your impression with regard to participating in this program?
It is an excellent and important program. It is good for the students to learn about different possible careers they could have and to understand what scientists actually do. It is also excellent experience for the JSPS candidates as it provides them an opportunity to communicate their research to the general public. As a scientist, this is one of our most important responsibilities.
5. Was it meaningful in terms of your fellowship activities?
It was very useful for practicing my teaching and communication skills.
6. In what ways do you think the students benefited from the program?
I think the students saw some of the material they were learning in class come to life in pictures. I hope that they were also excited to learn about Canada and forest ecology and may perhaps one day think about going abroad to study.
7. Could you give some overall advice or comments to future participants in the program?
My main advice would be to prepare early and to try and not be too technical with the material. Use vivid pictures and repeat key words. Speak slowly and allow the students to have time to think about what has been said.
|
