Tag Archives: university

Lecture at the University of Tokyo in Kashiwa

I woke up at 5 AM in the morning. I quickly went to my office to prepare my presentation for today; I was invited to give a lecture at the open house of the University of Tokyo, Kashiwa. I worked till 9:30 AM and came back home. Katya took me to the station for the train leaving at 10:30 AM. In the trains, I was checking my PowerPoint file again and again. After arriving at “Kashiwanoha-campus” Station, I took lunch at McDonald’s in front of the station. Then I took a shuttle to the campus.   The place looked a bit lonely, being out of the town. I went into … Continue reading

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Business Trip to Niigata

There is a conference in Niigata.  I woke up at 4 AM, went to my office, and took mini to a hotel in Niigata. I took a rest at Yoneyama parking area. When I got our from the car, I felt heat! The temperature must have been higher than 30 degree C.    I took a rice bowl of tuna and salmon eggs for brunch. I arrived at the hotel, ANA Crown Plaza Niigata, at 12:30 PM. After I took a shower, I walked to the conference site. Mexican professor in University of Poitiers was there in the lecture hall, chairing the session. So in a couple of days, we … Continue reading

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The last day in France

In the morning, I had the last breakfast in the hotel. I packed up everything and left the hotel. I took the same bus to the university. T This morning, there was a final defense of a PhD student. I joined it and listen to him. Very intelligent he was! At the end of the last two visits to Poitiers, I took early trains to Paris to enjoy a walk. This time, because of this defense, I decided to stay in Poitiers in the morning. The questions and answers started and continued. I sneaked out from the auditorium at 11:30 AM.    A French colleague took me to the station. … Continue reading

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Third day in Poitier’s – My presentation

Two students and I stay in the same room in a university hotel with two beds and an extra sofa bed.  In fact, my colleagues in University of Poitiers reserved three rooms for us. The computer reservation service has been changed and the reservations before 4 months have been lost. This sort of things could happen in France. It seems to me the connection between systems and organizations is not good. The lady in the office worked hard to figure out the solution for us. This is another side of France.  I think French people are friendly and helpful on the contrary to the prevailing rumor that they are too … Continue reading

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Second day in Poitiers

The second day started.  The working day. I took a breakfast with my students in the hotel. Then we took a bus to the University of Poitiers. Students started working and studying. I was working with my laptop in an office of a Mexican professor, with whom I spent my sabbatical together in Illinois, USA in 2005. We went out to the university administration building for lunch.    He took a picture of me. In the evening, I invited the Mexican professor, another two professors and a wife, and the two Japanese students to a Japanese restaurant “Wasabi”.    The taste is not the best, but I consider foods here … Continue reading

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Millionaire in France

The plane left Narita at 10 PM just for Paris. In the plane, I was practicing French grammar using a small textbook I used during my university days. We arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport at 4 AM.  The temperature became lowered to 16 degree C; I had to change my shorts to jeans.    No shops were open then.  The students were tired and hungry. At 6 AM, shops started to open, and I bought quiches for them, the first quiches in their lives. The TGV left the airport at 7:40 AM for Bordeaux. Students fell asleep. On the way to Poitiers, I received a call from Japan from a … Continue reading

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Leaving Japan for Poitiers, France

I am taking two students to the University of Poitiers, France. I will make a small talk, too. I took a bus to Narita Airport from Kofu Station leaving at 2 PM.    There were only two passengers.  I was sleeping most of the time. At the airport, I bought some souvenirs to my colleagues in France. I took a bowl of dipping ramen for an early dinner.    I am writing this article at the departure gate.  The students are somewhere around. The plane leaves in an hour. I need to prepare. Wish me luck.

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The day of the meeting where all the project members got together for the first time

I woke up at 2 AM and went to my office. I prepared my presentation for today. I finished my last part, and made 15 copies. I took a train at 9:30 AM leaving Kofu to Tokyo with a copies and a computer. First, I went to a university in Tokyo to talk about the project with a person who knows well about it. He gave me some good advice. Then, I took a subway to an office of one of the companies involved. At 2:30 PM, the meeting started for those who are joining the project, both from universities and companies. Actually, it was the very first meeting for … Continue reading

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Preparing the oral presentation for the project

I submitted my proposal of a scientific project in May. The document has gone through the first screening, and the second/final examination will be held in August. This morning, me, or the leader, and the sub leader from a company talked about the oral presentation. The presentation lasts only 10 minutes, so we need to be very careful. We need to prepare for the questions, too. On 27th of this month, researchers form three universities and five companies get together in Tokyo to talk about the presentation over the PowerPoint material we will make tomorrow.

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Meeting all day

I went to school a bit earlier today for my class; I arrived at my office at 7:30 AM, prepared for the class, and taught the class from 8:45 to 10:15 AM for graduate students. A scientific meeting was held between 10:30 to 12:00 AM. Then the second meeting was held from 1:00 PM, which was a sort of political.  The meeting ended at 7:30 PM!! Good thing was that I was under a comfortable atmosphere with air conditioners running, because it was decided by university that air conditioners can be used in a room with many people.  So it was a cool day for me.

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