News in Brief

New Research of Space Environment

Director-General Mr. Hayata, President Kajiyama and Professor Yumoto (left to right)

This April, Space Environment Research Center (SERC) was established as one of the Institutes for the Joint Use of Kyushu University. It aims to create a new discipline concerning space environment, i.e. forecasting the space weather, and practical use of space dust alert.

On July 15, the opening ceremony of the center was held at the Memorial Auditorium, Hakozaki Campus at which President Kajiyama gave a speech as follows; "The launching of this center was accelerated by the introduction of 'the new graduate school/graduate faculty system' which enabled maximum flexibility of education and research. The center is expected to carry out observation using a global network, comprehensive research through experiments and simulations, and research about space debris. Under the supervision of Professor Yumoto, Director of SERC, I hope the center contributes to the development of this unique research as well as human resources.” Professor Yumoto explained the outline of the center and said "My aspiration is for the center to become the base for sending out information about space environment to the world. I would like to create a new research area which is not bound by existing sciences."

The Return of Kyushu University Ouendan (Cheering Group)

Cheer leader, Mr. Kazumi Sashiyama (center), sub-leader, Mr. Hidefumi Nakamura (left) and other members

Kyushu University's Ouendan, which had ended several years ago due to a lack of cheering members, was re-formed this year. Owing to the efforts of Mr. Kazumi Sashiyama and Mr. Hidefumi Nakamura, students of Kyushu University's School of Health Sciences, the members are now counted to 7. Their performance received high recognition at Nanadaisen, the Seven former Imperial Universities' General Athletic Competition held in July at Sendai, Miyagi-ken.

Anyone who is interested, please visit:
http://rcweb.rc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/~ouendan/ (Japanese only)

More about the Plants

Kyushu University Museum showed some of its collection at Fukuoka Children's Science & Culture Center during August 16 to September 8. The title of the exhibition was "More about the Plants." Plants are not only a source of comfort, but also food, clothing and shelter.

Although we cannot live without them, we don't know much about how they live. Unique botany, the usage and the history of the plants were displayed at the exhibition. Through the exhibition, the Museum expected people to learn how plants have been able to survive, how human beings have treated them, and how we are supposed to live alongside them in the future.

For more information, please visit:
http://www.museum.kyushu-u.ac.jp (Japanese only)

Minister's Award to Ms. Chen Xiao Xian

On July 6, the 43rd International Speech Contest in Japanese was held at Osaka International Center. Ms. Chen Xiao Xian, an international student at the Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University, received the Minister's encouragement award. The title of her speech was "What I learnt from Japan's aged society." This contest was broadcasted by NHK educational channel on July 17 and 18.

Ms.Chen Xiao Xian (right)