The Indian JSPS Alumni Association (IJAA) was formed in May 2006 to create a platform for Indian scientists who have been JSPS or STA fellows to exchange ideas, collaborate and discuss topics of interest. It serves as a link pin among the members who are working in different parts of the globe, as scientific advances are realized through combined efforts and synergies of good brains.
IJAA's Objective
The principal objective of the IJAA is to promote scientific collaboration, research coopetition, and cultural exchange between India and Japan, while encouraging collaborative work between Indian JSPS fellows, their host researchers and alumni members by providing information and support to make the fellows' research and life in Japan go smoothly.
Our Organization
IJAA currently has about 250 active members. We also invite Japanese host researchers to become honorary members of our association so as to sustain the good relationships developed during the Indian fellows' tenure in Japan and to promote continued collaboration in the future. Hence, we are working to assemble and correlate the best brains in an effort to boost the members'research through a potent exchange of ideas and resources.
IJAA has four chapters in India reflecting the geographical distribution of its members. Tying together these North, South, East and West chapters, IJAA has an executive committee chaired by Prof. D. Sakthi Kumar, Toyo University in Japan.
Our Communication Media
IJAA operates a website for bringing all the Indian JSPS alumni together under one umbrella. All of the members' names are posted on the website to enable interested members to contact each other for such purposes as scientific collaboration. The site also makes it possible for Indian doctoral students who aspire to become JSPS fellows to contact IJAA members for information and guidance. IJAA has also launched an alumni Yahoo Group to facilitate discussion on various issues related to the association and other matters of interest. We conduct polls via the Yahoo Group to reach decisions on some policy matters. The Yahoo Group was established because of the vast geographical distribution of Indian JSPS alumni members throughout the world, and the limiting factor that long distances pose on conducting in-person meetings among the members. IJAA's executive members handle the association's day-to-day activities, including answering aspirants' questions and assisting JSPS fellows in leading a productive research life in Japan.
IJAA now publishes an in-house magazine titled CONCORD, through which members and their family members can share creative skills and experiences of living and doing research in Japan. CONCORD is provided in the form of an e-newsletter. IJAA's editorial board selects articles and handles the publishing of the magazine.
General Assemblies and IJAA Symposiums
IJAA holds annual Japan-India science symposiums along with general assemblies in India, each under the leadership of an alumni chapter. They are cosponsored by JSPS and the symposiums are open to the general public. To date, IJAA has held three annual symposiums, one in Delhi (2010 –under IJAA's North Chapter), followed by symposiums in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala (2011 –under the South Chapter) and in Nagpur, Maharashtra (2012 –under the West Chapter). Now, we are planning to hold our fourth symposium (2013) in Bhubaneswar, Orissa (under the East Chapter).
At these symposiums, booths are set up by IJAA members to introduce the Japanese universities at which they conducted research. They provide information on the universities' programs and courses to Indian doctoral students and young researchers. This allows them to get information through face-to-face contact with alumni who have firsthand knowledge of the universities. IJAA also provides travel grants for attending these symposiums to Indian doctoral students who are potential future candidates for the fellowship. During the symposiums, IJAA holds a session for poster presentations and short oral presentations by the members and participating doctoral students, allowing them to introduce their work. Under two categories (member and student), awards are given for the best posters.
Along with JSPS's BRIDGE Fellowship Program, IJAA provides invitation fellowships to its members in collaboration with some Japanese universities.
Finally, IJAA is interested in developing collaborations with JSPS alumni organizations in other countries and regions so as to form interactive relationships and idea exchanges in ways that cultivate a worldwide consortium of JSPS fellows dedicated to advancing science.
For more information about IJAA, please visit our website: www.indianjspsalumni.org.
— Indian JSPS Alumni Association
