Kyudai News No26 page 11/28

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Kyudai News No26

Special InterviewIf you’ve done your best, try not tolet things weigh on your mind. That’sthe real meaning of “give it your all”and “do not think of good or bad”We have a responsibility toidentify how to bring outthe independence instudents with potentialWhat do you believe is importantwhen nurturing young people?I don’t believe that you can do all thatmuch to cultivate people, even if youeducate them forcibly. The talent ofgifted students is sometimesimmediately apparent. The talent ofothers sometimes appears as they gainin experience. However, I canimmediately tell if a student has thepotential to grow, even if they havelittle experience or knowledge, just byspending a little time with them. Allwe have to do is to do our best toprovide good opportunities to thosestudents who are trying to grow. If wesimply do this, people will then growthrough their own efforts, and I believethat’s what makes a good researcher.Students with potential are proactive inoffering suggestions, so it’s vital to putin place a research environment(including research funds and networksof contacts) that welcomes this kind ofpositive attitude. We have aresponsibility to identify how to bringout students’ sense of independence,and if we can show them howinteresting research is, students willforge their own paths. Students growby building up this kind of experience.After all, no teacher is perfect andhaving an imperfect person directingeverything will undoubtedly lead tomistakes. The other thing that’sabsolutely essential is to make time forone-to-one contact, no matter howbusy you may be. That’s becauselooking at their faces tells you abouttheir state of health, and you can alsoget a feel for how their research isprogressing and whether they have anyworries.Think about how to live in away thatOs true to yourself,and lead a dignified lifeFinally, what message do you havefor students and other members ofthe younger generation?Kyushu University has many good,sensible students. I’d like them to thinkabout how to live in a way that’s true tothemselves and to lead a life based ontheir own personal aesthetic. I hopethat they’ll find a dignified way of life.We often say to students “give it yourall.” This saying is often followed byanother: “do not think of good or bad.”In other words, if you’ve done yourbest, try not to let things weigh on yourmind. While it might seem as thoughit’s “good” if things go well whenyou’ve done your best, and that it’s“bad” if they don’t go well, sometimesit works out better in the end whenthings haven’t gone well. That’s alsothe way to lead a dignified life.Thank you very muchKyudai News No.26 10