3:03 PM - 3:15 PM
[U08-07] A proposal for JpGU based on the questionaires to SSJ members
Keywords:Seismological Society of Japan, questionnaire
The Seismological Society of Japan (hereafter, SSJ) is one of the original members of the group which is ancestral of present JpGU. The group consists of several societies including SSJ organized a joint meeting instead of independent meetings which were usually held in early April every year. In this historical circumstances SSJ expects JpGU meeting as one of the regular meetings of SSJ in addition to the SSJ fall meeting. In this regard, sessions that are equivalent to those in the SSJ fall meeting are proposed for JpGU meeting every year.
Academic society exists because members expect benefits in participating the society. Similarly member societies such as SSJ also expect benefits in participating JpGU. JpGU is expected to represent academic community of earth and planetary science, which is sometimes called geoscience, of Japan to raise visibility and recognition in Japan’s society. Visibility of geoscience, especially in high school education, is still low in spite of Japan’s geological unstableness. This is one reason that Japan has underestimated the risk of geohazards. Academic characteristics of geoscience which inevitably need tackle the complexity, irreversibility and unrepeatability of earth’s process is sometimes unreasonably degraded relative to other fields. JpGU also works for encouraging collaboratory researches beyond conventional discipline and national boundaries.
The results of such function of JpGU are sometimes opposed to by members. One member of SSJ make an opposition of the management of JpGU meeting, saying that JpGU meeting is too long, too expensive and too much obsequious to English language. The first issue come from the recent condition of universities, in which academic schedule is getting more and more tight. SSJ send questionnaires asking for such an opinion is common or not. Half of the answers favor the opinion although 2/3 of the answers express the satisfaction in participating JpGU meeting. More effort should be made on the session scheduling by considering the participants’ needs. 90% of the answer favors variety of JpGU sessions which cannot be enjoyed in the independent society meeting. I am personally happy to be able to have sessions in English in regular scientific meetings in Japan because English is de facto common language in science community, and because it is what I dreamed when joint meeting started when I was young.
Another function to be expected to JpGU is providing inter-society communication opportunity. Recently many societies suffer gradual decline of members, especially of young generation. Sharing administration may be one of the measures against financial decline. Merging of societies can also be a solution. We need to look for a relation between JpGU and each societies for the development of science.
Academic society exists because members expect benefits in participating the society. Similarly member societies such as SSJ also expect benefits in participating JpGU. JpGU is expected to represent academic community of earth and planetary science, which is sometimes called geoscience, of Japan to raise visibility and recognition in Japan’s society. Visibility of geoscience, especially in high school education, is still low in spite of Japan’s geological unstableness. This is one reason that Japan has underestimated the risk of geohazards. Academic characteristics of geoscience which inevitably need tackle the complexity, irreversibility and unrepeatability of earth’s process is sometimes unreasonably degraded relative to other fields. JpGU also works for encouraging collaboratory researches beyond conventional discipline and national boundaries.
The results of such function of JpGU are sometimes opposed to by members. One member of SSJ make an opposition of the management of JpGU meeting, saying that JpGU meeting is too long, too expensive and too much obsequious to English language. The first issue come from the recent condition of universities, in which academic schedule is getting more and more tight. SSJ send questionnaires asking for such an opinion is common or not. Half of the answers favor the opinion although 2/3 of the answers express the satisfaction in participating JpGU meeting. More effort should be made on the session scheduling by considering the participants’ needs. 90% of the answer favors variety of JpGU sessions which cannot be enjoyed in the independent society meeting. I am personally happy to be able to have sessions in English in regular scientific meetings in Japan because English is de facto common language in science community, and because it is what I dreamed when joint meeting started when I was young.
Another function to be expected to JpGU is providing inter-society communication opportunity. Recently many societies suffer gradual decline of members, especially of young generation. Sharing administration may be one of the measures against financial decline. Merging of societies can also be a solution. We need to look for a relation between JpGU and each societies for the development of science.