Vol. 4 No.1

AUTUMN 2006

…and a lot more!
This issue features …

“Student poll”

EGPSEE-SU activities
Interview
The More You Know...
Research SpotlightE-Vision

AUTUMN 2006

Editor in Chief
Hiroe HARA

Publication Officer
Elakneswaran Yogarajah

Editorial Members
Aileen Parra Huelgas
Arshad Baharudin
Jacqueline Satur
Philip De Guzman
Richard Frank Diaz

The beautiful yellow leaves of ginkgo trees in thecampus have already gone again, and remaining
black trunks and branches of the trees are now
started to be covered with snow, telling us thecoming of the bitterly cold winter of Hokkaido...
Thanks to the every help provided by students,
professors and staffsin and out of EGPSEE, this
6th issue of E-Vision has finally delivered to you
after a closely 1-year blank.
This 6th issue of E-Vision provides you not onlywith a brief look at the recent events in andaround EGPSEE, but also the interesting, exciting
and sometimes thought-provoking articles
delivered by family and friends of EGPSEE. In
addition to the regular sections such as ‘Interview’and ‘International Pages’, ‘Student Poll’ isfeatured. At the same time, the ‘Interview’ section
has Ms. Ueki from the academic affairs office as
the interviewee.
We thank all those who gave a helping hand in
the course of publishing this issue: Prof. Fujii andthe EGPSEE-SU president Richard who kindly
provided messages, voluntary writers andphotographers who enriched the E-vision a lot with
their articles and photos, Ms. Ueki who gave her
willing agreement with the interview and all those
who supported E-Vision and EGPSEE.
We wish you a all the best in your life!!
The Editorial Board

E-Vision is a biannually released bulletin of the English Graduate Programin Socio-Environmental Engineering – Student Union (EGPSEE-SU)
The web edition in full colors is available at: www.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/EGPSEE/notices.htm
For comments and suggestions, please write to: egpseesu@eng.hokudai.ac.jp©EGPSEE-SU PUBLICATIONEGPSEE-SU and E-vision logos are properties of the
English Graduate Program in Socio-Environmental Engineering - Student Union

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Table of Contents

・・・4“Getting To Know New Faces In EGPSEE”- An interview to Ueki san ・・・16“Introducing our
EGPSEE-SU Officers 2006-2007”
・・・6“Fly Away Wheelchairs!”

・・・19“Projects and Activities of EGPSEE-SU”

・・・7“The Golden Jubilee of Diplomatic Relationshipbetween Nepal and Japan”

・・・20“Computational Fluid Dynamics
in the Context of Soccer Fever”

・・・10“Student Poll”

・・・22“Dr. Money & The Boy with No Penis”

・・・12“How to Cook Tom-Yum-Kung in Sapporo”

・・・24“Vernacular Architecture of Nepal”

・・・14“Intakes 2006”
・・・25

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Chlorella and MEXT
I am writing this note in early July. It's a season of pollen allergies. I have been trying various
supplements and this year I chose Chlorella, a traditional Japanese supplement. It seemed very effective inJune and I recommended it to Mrs. Werawan. She tried it and was delighted by the result. So, I told her how
to come by it. However, my allergy remained as terrible as usual when the pollen density increased and I
finally judged that Chlorella was not effective for my allergy.
By the way, MEXT is going to renew (or abolish) English graduate programs in Japanese universities. I
have been busy preparing an application form to MEXT. The name of the new program is “e3” (English
Engineering Education program). The new program includes "Mechanical and Intelligent System
Engineering" and "Materials Science and Engineering". 11 divisions out of 15 in the Graduate School ofEngineering will participate in the new program.
The result will have already been known when this article is published. I'll be happy if it is accepted by
MEXT since we can enlarge our program not only in the number of scholarships but also in the fields of study.
We of course recognize that there are still many problems to be solved even in the current program. We willcontinue to make efforts in order to improve the current and the new program.
What if it is not accepted? The English program will disappear once all the students graduated. I will
have to apologize to many people: those who established and have been running the English program,
those who helped me prepare the application and students and alumni of EGPSEE.
I am now just hoping that the judges won’t be suffering from itchy eyes or running nose, since irritatedpeople tend to start fault-finding.

Yoshiaki FUJIIEGPSEE Head (2005-2007)

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Greetings!
It is said that summer in Hokkaido is not a season. It is a festival, a moment to go out and celebrate and take a bathunder the warmth of the sun, the green rhapsody of the grasses and trees, and the scents and colors of the flowers. It
is the best time to see the beautiful places of Hokkaido for picnics, barbecue parties, campings and other outdoor
activities.
This summer semester is a very significant term especially for us, the new SU officers. This semester marked thestart of our one year service as elected officials of the EGPSEE-SU. We would like to take this opportunity to thank theprevious batch of SU officers for their hard work and dedication. Rest assured that we will do our very best to continue
to uphold the ideals and spirit of a true EGPSEE-SU.
Various activities were organized during this semester. Apart from the traditional yet most looked forward to EGPSEE
parties, two seasons of the EGPSEE Spelling Bee were also held. The activity was indeed a success. Spelling Bee offeredan opportunity for EGPSEE students to learn English, to take a break from the monotony of laboratory work, and toenjoy each other’s company. A T-shirt design contest was also held to choose the best designs for the 2006 EGPSEE shirt.
An Educational Field Trip to Muroran-Tomakomai-Noboribetsu areas on August 31 to September 1 was also organized.
In this trip, two shirts bearing the winning T-shirt designs were worn by the participants. The annual EGPSEE Elympics
also turned out to be successful and fun. Two teams actively participated and enjoyed the four games facilitated by the
SU. This year, the Elympic Cup went to the RED Team.
This semester also proved that the sayings “friends come and go” and “as one door closes, another door opens” aretrue. Mabuchi san, the ever-beloved academic staff who became one of the important pillars of EGPSEE, was transferred
to another office. But she was replaced by another charming lady, Ueki san. Three of our family members graduated last
March 2006 but they opted to stay to continue for doctoral studies. This September 2006, 14 students also graduated.
Some left Japan for good, some stayed. Wherever they may be, I know that within their hearts there is a spot for thecherished and treasured memories worth to keep forever.
In this winter semester, we had welcomed 10 new members in our family. Five Japanese and five foreign studentsjoined EGPSEE. It is good to note that the program is gaining more popularity in the Graduate School of Engineering.
With the very good performance and commitment EGPSEE has exhibited for the past five years, it will undoubtedly
expand its horizons not only within the borders of the socio-environmental engineering group but to other fields as well.
Thanks to our Program Officer, Mrs. Werawan and to all our active and capable senseis. Good luck EGPSEE and soar
high!
To one and all, we have so many reasons to be thankful for, especially the countless blessings we have received
these past few months. Let us take time to send our thanks heavenward. There are still many things we need to do. MAY
THE FORCE BE WITH ALL OF US! More power!

Richard Diaz Alorro
President, EGPSEE-SU(2006-2007)

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“Introducing our EGPSEE-SU Officers 2006-2007”
An interview by Yayoi Akahori*
Lab: Mineral Processing and Resources Recycling
Nationality: Filipino

Richard Diaz ALORRO (President)

Favorite place in Univ.: The Sunken Garden (In front of Central Library)
Lab: Water Quality Control Engineering
Nationality: Thai
Favorite place: In front of microscope

May THITHIWAT (Secretary)

Lab: Human Environmental System
Nationality: Japanese

Takuma SHIOZAWA (PP)

Favorite place: .....

Lab: Water Quality Control Engineering
Nationality: JapaneseFavorite place: The Ginkgo

Hiroe HARA (Vice President)

Lab: Urban Planning
Raxchaya SHRESTHA (Tresurer)

Nationality: Nepali
Favorite place: Pond Behind the Engineering
Lab: Eco-Material and Resources Engineering

Yogarajah ELAKNESWARAN (Publication)

Nationality: Sri Lanka
Favorite place: Pond Behind the Engineering*Laboratory of 'Resources and Eco-Materials Engineering

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“Projects and Activities of EGPSEE-SU”
Let’s take a brief look inside our activities!

Elakneswaran Yogarajah*
EGPSEE-SU has been organizing some memorable events in every semester to have fun and to makeour EGPSEE family strong. These events make us know not only about other country’s food but theirculture and funny games as well. Even though we are busy with studies and other things, we still
managed to find time to enjoy these events. EGPSEE-SU had arranged the following events for thissummer semester: Mabuchi san’s farewell party, spelling bee contest, welcome party for April intake
students, Elympics and field trip to Muroran, Tomakomai and Noboribetsu) for this summer semester too.

Mabuchi San’s Farewell Party (29 March, 2006)
We sadly missed in our family the pretty and smiling face, Ms Nami Mabuchi. She worked as an
officer at the Academic Affairs Division of the Graduate School of Engineering from April 2001 to April
2006. Now we said good bye & best wishes to her but we hope she will join our family again in the
future. Messages and kind wishes from Mrs. Werawan and the past and present EGPSEE-SU presidents
were given to the celebrity of the day. Finally, Ms Nami Mabuchi shares her experience was part of
EGPSEE family with her feelings.

The First Spelling Bee Contest (14 April, 2006)
The CHATROOM has been running with the idea of Mrs Werawan on every Friday from 1600-1800. It
gives opportunity to our Japanese students to practice and improve their English through informal
English conversations (chat). Once in a month EGPSEE-SU arranges some special activity in thechatroom, SPELLING BEE CONTEST. The chat room and spelling bee contest help us not only to learn
new words but also a time-out from our studies. It also creates an environment in which Japanese andforeigners join together and have fun while talking in English. We hope we can have some new activities
in the coming chatroom. You can see the first spelling bee contest winners with Mrs. Werawan in thephoto.

More photos: http://ws3-er.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/egpsee/chatroom/page_01.htm

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Welcome Party (17 April 2006)

More Japanese students are becoming interested in our program. This April also five new faces join to
our program with other five from Egypt, Nepal, Korea and Costa Rica. Our EGPSEE family is indeed
growing (now 57 students), and new faces from different countries are proliferating. We also welcomed a
new officer who took Ms. Nami Mabuchi’s place, Ms Ueki. The games for new comers and for all werereally fun. We also enjoyed many delicious foods from different countries

More photos: http://ws3-er.eng.hokudai.ac.jp/egpsee/welcome061/album1/page_01.htm

3rd Elympic (29 June 2006)
Even though our annual Elympic was postponed several times due to several reasons, we finally enjoyed
it under a fine weather, followed by a BBQ party, on June 29. We were divided into two teams, RED and BLUEfor each game. This year we played some interesting games: soccer (our own version of the World Cup); a
Filipino game, Maria went to town (for what?); an Indian game, Kabbadi; tug of war, and cheers and yells.
It seems that some games need a little bit of fat and strong guys but we did it! This year the ELYMPIC CUP
went to the RED team. Who will get it next year? Wait and see. In the BBQ party, we gained more energy than
we had lost during the games.

More photos: http://133.87.123.173/egpsee/elympics/album1/index.htm

Field Trip (31 August - 1 September 2006)
The 2006 EGPSEE Field Trip was organized by the EGPSEE-SU in coordination with the Laboratory of
Mineral Processing and Resources Recycling. Three companies were visited wherein presentations about
the companies and plant tours were offered. The companies were the Hokkaido Eco-Recycle Systems, Ltd.
and Oji Paper Company in Tomakomai City, and Nippon Steel Corporation-Muroran Works in Muroran City.
The 32 field trip participants stayed at the Mahoroba Hotel in Noborubetsu which offered them arefreshing ONSEN with their 31 spas and a feel of nature through a walk at Jigokudani Volcano. The 2
day-activity did not only give the participants an unforgettable and the worthwhile learning experience but
an opportunity to enjoy and relax together with EGPSEE family.

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More Photos: http://133.87.123.173/egpsee/fieldtrip06/album1/index.htm

EGPSEE-SU will hold another exciting and enjoyable event on Dec
15, 2006. This time, new students who joined the program this October,will coordinate a Bonen-Kai or Year-End Party to provide some nice timeto let us enjoy games or performances, delicious foods and talks withfriends. As with all the other events, any person who is interested in our
activities can join the party as well as family and friends of EGPSEE-SU.
We are looking forward to seeing more of you at the party!!

DATE: Dec 15, 2006
Time: 18:00~21:00
Place: Multi-media room (3F)
Party Fee: 1,000 yen (senseis & staff)
500 yen (guests)

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“Computational Fluid Dynamics in the Context of Soccer Fever”
Research spotlight on our Alumni’s research field

Sanjay Giri*
What is Computational Fluid Dynamics?
The application of high performance computers to analyze various physical problems has become
popular due to reducing computational cost. Analyzing fundamental problems of fluid dynamics using
computers is known as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The most fundamental consideration in CFD
is how one treats a continuous fluid in a discretized manner to solve them on a computer using sort ofnumerical techniques.
The detailed explanation of CFD is beyond the scope of this write up. Rather, an example of CFD
application recently made by some ‘sporting’ engineers using FLUENT, one of the leading CFD software,
will be demonstrated herein. It could be of more interest to the readers in the context of World cup soccerthat has just been wrapped up.

CFD to analyze physics of soccer ballInteresting research is being conducted by some researchers to analyze physics of the soccer ball.
Why is it necessary to analyze physics of soccer ball? We have witnessed in soccer world the occurrenceof phenomenal kicks, particularly free kicks with a swing. With an aim to understand this phenomenon,
researchers have tried to analyze motion of soccer ball in air using aerodynamic principles. Various
computations were performed, like airflow in stadium, airflow through soccer ball, drag produced bysoccer ball and so on. Making use of computational fluid dynamics and simulation techniques, it is foundpossible to unravel some of the underlying mysteries behind ‘bending’ a soccer ball during kicking. As wewitnessed in this World cup also, this technically very difficult ‘art’ of scoring goals from the dead ball ‘free
kick’ situation has been perfected by such world class soccer players as England's David Beckham, Brazil's
Roberto Carlos etc. Inspired to uncover the science behind the ‘free kick’ and the soccer ball's dynamic
flight, engineers conducting the sports engineering research have carried out a fundamental scientific andengineering analysis of this exciting part of the ‘beautiful game’ making use of a well-known CFD software
FLUENT.
Let us briefly describe some of the results depicted in the form of illustration.

Airflow pathline over the soccer ball
For the assessment of speed, trajectory and other significant physical components, computation has
been conducted based on fluid dynamics principle to simulate the airflow pathline. Research has revealed
that the shape and surface of the soccer ball is significant in terms of its trajectory through the air. Pic.1
provides quantitative information on flow field over soccer ball, where one can observe a region behindthe ball having low flow velocity with recirculation. This may lead to the occurrence of turbulencetransition that may cause the swinging of the ball.

Pic.1 Airflow pathline over a soccer ball simulated using FLUENT10EGPSEE Student Union

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Drag produced by soccer ballBased on CFD analysis, it is possible to quantify the drag (resistance to airflow) produced by thesoccer ball. It is evident that the drag coefficient depends on the shape and surface structure of soccerball. In Fig.2 one can see how shape and surface of soccer ball may lead to the significant reduction ofdrag. If compare the soccer ball used in 2006 World cup with 1969 ball, one can assess how it’s become
efficient and effectual to shoot the ball in 2006 (since it possesses lower drag). One more thing that canbe evaluated from Fig.3 is that the drag is considerably reduced with the growth of Reynolds number tocertain extent. However, it becomes almost unvarying for higher values of Reynolds number.

Fig.2 Drag produced by soccer ballFig.3 Dependence of drag with Reynolds number forsoccer ball

Airflow circulation inside the stadium
Airflow circulation inside the stadium is also subjectof interest taking into consideration the comfort aswell as play condition inside the stadium. In picture,
simulation result of airflow path colored by local
velocity inside the FIFA World Cup Stadium in Munichwith doors open is depicted. The stadium wasdesigned with the quality of the pitch in mind becauseof a desire to have uniform airflows going over the turf
when the stadium doors are open. These air
movements help to ensure that the pitch grass will
have optimal growing conditions between matches.
Moreover, it ensures that the stadium experience is the best possible for the crowd and also the architects’visionary design conforms to high safety standards. The virtual flow simulation illustrates the relatively
gentle airflow patterns players may experience near the pitch surface in the space above the playing area
during a game.
Such sort of scientific approach could be helpful to improve different aspect of this extremely popular
game, e.g. design of stadium as well as soccer ball, which will ultimately enhance the overall experiencefor players and spectators at all levels of the game.

(The research result and pictures are courtesy of FLUENT Inc which is allowed to be reproduced withreference. The CFD software FLUENT is available in Hokkaido University as well)* PhD JSPS Postdoc Research Fellow Hydraulic Research Laboratory

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“Dr. Money & The Boy with No Penis ”
A man’s life destroyed by “miracles” of medical science

May Thithiwat*
In the summer of 1965, healthy twin boys were born to aproud mother Janet Reimer in Winnipeg, Canada. But before
they became six months old, the boys developed difficulty inurinating, and doctors recommended to fix the problem. An
unorthodox method was employed in which they burned theforeskin. While one of the twins came out of the operation
unscathed, David Reimer's penis was destroyed beyond repair.
After consulting with Dr. John Money from Johns Hopkins
University, they decided to remove his testicles and turn him
into a girl. This article examines how David Reimer's life wasdestroyed by "miracles" of medical science.
On May 4, 2004, David Reimer committed suicide in Winnipeg. Thirty-eight years old, he had been aslaughterhouse worker and an odd-job man. He had also been both a boy and a girl, due to one of thedark incidents in the history of pseudoscientific hubris.
Born Bruce Reimer in 1965, David suffered a botched circumcision when he was six months old. Mostof his penis was burned off, and reconstructive surgery was too primitive at that time to restore it. Dr.
John Money, a sexologist, persuaded Reimer's parents to have their son completely castrated and raised
as a girl.
This was not simply a matter of trying to make the best of a bad situation. Dr. Money had been aleading exponent of the theory that children were born psychosexually neutral and could be assigned toeither gender in the first years of their life. Bruce, now named Brenda, was an ideal test case. Along witheverything else, he had an identical twin. So, as an object of study, he came bundled with a built-in
control.
Dr. Money trumpeted the results in his book (1972), written together with a psychiatrist. By Dr.
Money's account, Bruce/Brenda moved easily into his new identity. He soon "was observed to have a clear
preference for dresses over slacks and to take pride in her long hair", he wrote in his book. He "was muchneater than her brother, and in contrast with him, disliked to get dirty". Though it "needed perhaps moretraining than usual", he usually urinated sitting down, and when he attempted to stand he was simply"copying her brother". He took to housework and to helping his mother in the kitchen, while his brother"could care less about it". His taste in toys ran to dolls, anddespite some "tomboyish traits" he clearly was adapting to thelife as a girl.
Dr. Money's meetings with Brenda were a dark comic studyof how a scientist could refuse to see the evidence he didn't
want to see, and how a subject can gradually learn to respondto his cues. Worse, his efforts to make Brenda conform to his
expectation were coercive and abusive. Brenda's refusal toreceive vaginal surgeries, since his penis was gone and his
doctors had not yet put a vagina in place, was met not with aneffort to understand his stance but with a series of attempts tomanipulate him into agreeing to the procedures.
In fact, Brenda Reimer resisted being classified as a girl

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from the beginning. The first time he wore a dress, he tried to rip it off. He preferred his brother's toys to
his own. He got into fights, insisted on peeing standing up, and ran into terrible problems at school,
where the other kids quickly recognized him as someone who didn't fit the ordinary sexual categories. By
the time when he became 10, he was declaring that he wanted to grow up to marry a woman, not a man.
Finally, when Brenda Reimer learned the truth about himself, at the age of 14, she decided to startliving her life as a boy. He had his estrogen creating breasts removed, took testosterone injections,changed his name to David, and eventually had a surgery to create a penis. In 1990, David married. The
allegedly successful transformation of a boy baby into a girl was in fact a complete failure.
David had never managed to complete his education and had
to take semiskilled work. He was made redundant and was
unemployed for a year. He sold the movie right of his story, but
lost the money when a business man absconded with his
investment. Stricken with grief for his brother, his marriage started
to fail. His wife asked him for a short separation period, but David
took this very badly. He returned to his parents' house for a few
days before driving to a supermarket car park and shooting
himself in the head. He was 38 years old.
Dr. Money argues that he cannot be held to blame because
David did not accept a female gender identity. He said that thefamily delayed a decision until their son was almost two, just before the gender gate was about to shut.
Others, however, argued that he could have admitted that he made a mistake when the case turned out
to be not working. But he continued to let people believe that it was successful long after he stopped
seeing Brenda and Brenda became David. It is, perhaps above all, a cautionary tale of what may happen
when a scientist falls in love with a beautiful theory and ignores the ugly facts.
And David Reimer? I of course don't know what went through his mind when he decided to end hislife. He had just lost his job, a big investment had failed, his marriage had split up, and his twin brotherhad died not long before… all depressing events. But surely the "therapeutic" abuse he had suffered wasa factor in his death. It figured conspicuously, after all, in almost everything else that had happened in his
life.

Adapted from the book, "As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who was Raised as a Girl" (2000) by John
Colapinto and the news, "David Reimer: The Boy Who Lived as a Girl", CBC News, May 10, 2004, retrieved
January 20, 2006.

* Laboratory of Water Quality Control Engineering

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“Vernacular Architecture of Nepal”
Another key to the sustainable development?

Raxchaya Shrestha*
Vernacular architecture is a nonverbal language through which cultures express their shared heritage
in the patterns of construction of their shelter. It is a term used in the academic architectural culture tocategorize structures built by non-academically trained builders.
To get a brief picture of Nepal, compared to Japan with latitudinal variations, Nepal has altitudinalvariations in the climate, which makes her a country of variations: variations in culture, in languages, inlandscape and in architecture. When we talk about the vernacular architecture of Nepal, the Kathmandu
valley, which dates back 2000 years ago, is widely assumed to be the representative of this type ofarchitecture.
The Kathmandu valley amongst the high hills and beautiful rivers flourished during 1200 B.C. to its
highest glory as a key junction of the trade route between China and India. With sufficient accumulationof wealth brought about by the trade and commerce, this era witnessed several architectural wonders.
Among the seven world’s heritage sites, six of them lie only in Nepal, six of them lie in the Kathmandu
valley, of which three are the palace complexes: the durbar squares at Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur
which represent the typical Nepalese architecture within the traditional urban context.

Cityscape of the urban core of Kathmandu

Inner courtyard

Ladened with heavily carved doors and windows, the red brick structures are very harmonized inscale. The basic building material is the fire-baked bricks along with the sun-dried bricks located inside thethick bricks and the mud masonry. The tiled roof with a deep projection supported by extensively carved
struts is a good protection for the heavy rainfall by monsoon. Timber posts and lintels form the internal
structural members. The wedge system tying the wooden members gives flexibility to the structure madeof brick masonry in such an earthquake prone area. There are a large variety of bricks and mud mortars
depending on the use and the position, ensuring their optimum performance. For example, the one used
for sealing gaps in the wall is made of the paste of cotton, resin, colour and some oil mixed with mud.

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Typical sectional elevation of the Nepalese courtyard house

Woodenwedge
forlocking the strut and theoverhang of roof

In Kathmandu, diurnal range oftemperature is 28–29 ºC in day timeand 11–12 ºC at night. The thick wall
creates a time lag of 8 hrs. This
results in a very comfortabletemperature inside the building, i.e.
warm in winter and cool in summer.

The settlement pattern is a compact settlement, i.e. urban in nature, with row or courtyard houses.
Every 7 or 8 houses has one common courtyard and every 20 – 25 houses has a few public open spaces
where people could interact for their community life. The same open space which served as a religious
site in the morning could be a commercial spot in the daytime and a strolling place in the evening. Such amulti-use of the space was highly integrated into the socio-cultural context of urban cities which we lackin our modern life. This made a city lively throughout the year.
At present, the study of the traditional architecture and the urban form is getting wide attentions
because of their sustainability and human friendliness along with their sophisticated adaptation to theenvironment and user's needs. However, it is clearly visible that those people who had traditionalarchitecture in their hands were not aware of it. Again for a few of them, this jewel is a burden as it isgetting old and sluggish and they are trying to escape from it. This is not the case only of Nepal or
Kathmandu but in all over the world including Japan. The old cities are suffering from this conflict of themodernism as an effect of globalization, converting all the cityscape into jungle of concrete without
variety.
Once seen as obsolete, the vernacular architecture is now the subject of the serious academic study,
and is increasingly being considered as a potential component of the sustainable society for its adaptation
to the local environment.

* Laboratory of Urban Design

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“Getting To Know New Faces
In EGPSEE”
Let’s know more about Kazumi Ueki

An interview by Alba Carolina Blanco Chaparro*

You don’t have to guess who Kazumi Ueki is if you are a Monbu scholar from EGPSEE since you
meet her at least once every month of the year…
Now that I have refreshed your mind, let us try to learn more about her especially since she juststarted working directly with EGPSEE last April at the “Kyoumu” of the Faculty of Engineering.

It was one of the warmest days of the year and since the weather outside was so humid, we decided
to return and use the annex room of the Kyoumu. Ueki san seems a bit curious and nervous about theinterview, but gradually she just relaxed and calmly answered the questions…
1) Where are you from?
I am from Hokkaido, close to Sapporo, from Ishikari.

2) How long have you lived in Sapporo?
From last year.
… And before?
I lived for 23 years in Ishikari, so I commuted for seven years to work in a high school and later in auniversity.
… How long did it take?
It took me almost two hours a day including the bus and the subway round trip.

3) What did you study?
I started studying English literature because I liked communicating with foreigners, but suddenly I
found myself assisting at lectures all given in Japanese and studying English only from the texts… so
finally I switched to Russian literature where the professor couldn’t speak Japanese so I was challenged
again to study English and Russian for communication.
… What was your thesis about then?
I developed it in three chapters. In the first one, I described the Russian wooden architecture andfurniture, and for the second chapter I introduced the Russian lifestyle. The third chapter illustrated the16

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Russian spirit through the literature. Pretty wide approach and it was not easy to connect the contents.
Besides, it was not easy to write this thesis without being there and I think it could have been better.
Unfortunately, although I wanted to visit Russia as a student I couldn’t afford it.
Well, it sounds interesting. Anyway, let’s go forward with our questions.

4) Are you single?
Currently I am, but I have a boyfriend and we are getting married next year… so there is just one
year left to change my mind (and she explodes in laughs!) - It’s a joke of course (she adds).

5) So now let me ask you after your beginning in April, how has been the experience at the
Jimu and with the foreign students?
Well, actually I knew all your names more than a year ago since I used to work already at the Jimu
but in the Accounting Division. Of course the change has been positive since now I can recognize yourfaces as well.
… How about the communication? How is it going with international students?
At the beginning I felt upset and confused to speak, shy to write or contact you through e-mails butwith days, I started feeling more confident. EGPSEE makes me happy. Now I am happy to meet and talkwith the international students and enjoy with them. I felt so sorry with the students that have no idea ofJapanese, because at the beginning I couldn’t speak English at all, and I used to call Ito san for support,
but now I think I can communicate by myself. I have to, and I want to.

6) Let me give you 5 options to choose from. If you would have some extra time what would
you prefer to do?
a- Read a good bookb- Watch a good movie
c- Exercise
d- Stay at homee- Go out for shopping

I would watch a good movie at home after reading a good book! (and again she starts laughing! But
she does actually like to watch movies at home).

7) Did you practice any discipline or belong to any group in the past?
When I was in an elementary school, I used to play volleyball, then in junior high, I practiced Kyudo(archery). In high school, I used to collaborate with the student council, and then in college, I became
pretty busy with part-time jobs and studies to do something additional.
… What kind of part-time jobs did you have?
I used to teach English, mathematics and Japanese at a private school. Usually, my students were

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between 13 and 18 years old and they were either preparing for the entrance examination or supporting
their current studies. Once I also taught a six-year old girl some mathematics and Japanese. Also I used
to give private lessons about classical Japanese literature.
…So you might know a lot of kanjis?
No, no, not that much.

8) Please give an advice to the international students about enjoying their time in Hokkaido?
I want you to go to farms in the proper seasons. At the farms of Hokkaido you can pick lots of fruits
and vegetables, it is close to us in Hokkaido but is something you cannot experience easily in other partsof Japan. It could be a one-day perfect plan for the weekend.
…What about an advice for the winter time?
Please be careful! Don’t slip and fall down on the icy roads. Accidents are very common even among
the Japanese especially those from outside Hokkaido and sometimes they can end up in fractures, so
please take care!

9) Would you give some final words for our readers of E-Vision?
I hope in the future all foreign students can act as a bridge between their own countries and Japan.
That is why it is also important to make an effort to study and understand Japanese culture and language.
Werawan sensei used to tell me to talk in English to international students, and I'm trying, but I hope they
can also learn some Japanese.
… In that case why don’t we make a deal? Why don’t you talk to us in English and we try toanswer in Japanese?
Why not?! It will be fun! (and we finish the interview with a laugh).

Ueki san&Carolina*Laboratory of Urban Design

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“Fly Away Wheelchairs!”

Introduction to an NPO sending wheelchairs to developing countries

Hiroyuki Nagata*
Nowadays, in developing countries, there are many people who are
handicapped because of wars, deficiency diseases and a lack of medical
facilities. In those countries, there are those who are totally dependant on
welfare and who have difficulty continuing their daily lives. On the other hand,
medical appliances such as wheelchairs are not recycled well.
A group called the “Fly Away Wheelchairs” gathers used wheelchairs inJapan, sending them to developing countries and welfare organizations, which
lend a hand to the handicapped. Through the wheelchairs, they are also developing exchanges ofpeople, trying to understand the current state of welfare in the world, as well as sharing knowledge on
how to move on and solve their problems.

Carrying wheelchairs abroad
How do the “Fly Away Wheelchairs” make wheelchairs fly away to the developing countries and finallyto the people who need them? In fact, they ask people who travel abroad to cooperate and carry thewheelchairs. Looking at the smiling faces of the local people surely must be a precious experience for thetraveller. Here are the details of the steps:
If you are planning to go abroad, and feel that you want to participate incarrying wheelchairs, please contact the office of the “Fly away Wheelchairs” bytelephone, fax, mail, etc.. Informing them approximately a month before your trip
will give them enough time for the coordination between you and intended
recipients. They will ask you which country you will visit, when you will depart,when you can deliver the wheelchair and so on. They will do their best in arranging
the time so that you can meet the person who needs the wheelchair.
You will then be required to adjust the weight of your luggage not to exceed
20kg at the luggage check-in at the airport. The adult-size wheelchair is about 15kg,
and the child-size 12kg. They will inform you of the exact weight in advance.

After that, they will send the wheelchair to your house or to the airport before
your departure. The wheelchair is not packed, and will be carried or pushed directly
by you.

Lasting the end, all that is left for you to do is to visit directly the recipients suchas organizations for the disabled, hospitals or NGOs, and deliver the wheelchair.

Reference: http://business4.plala.or.jp/tondeke/ (Official site of “Fly Away Wheelchairs”)*Laboratory of Engineering for Sustainable Sanitation

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“The Golden Jubilee of Diplomatic Relationshipbetween Nepal and Japan”
History of 50-year Nepal-Japan relations

Nirajan Shiwakoti*
The year 2006 marks the golden jubilee of the diplomatic relationship between
Nepal and Japan. Although the Nepal-Japan friendship began more than 100 years ago
when the Buddhist monk from Japan, Ekai Kawaguchi (Left, in a Nepali stamp), visited
Nepal in 1899, the formal diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal were
established on September 1 1956. In July, 1965, Nepal inaugurated her embassy inTokyo, while Japan opened her embassy in Kathmandu in February 1968. Since theestablishment of diplomatic relations, Japan and Nepal have enjoyed close ties andfostered their goodwill, cooperation and understanding between the people of the twocountries.
There are a number of factors contributing to the growth of Nepal-Japan relations. Some of thenoticeable factors are the high level exchange of visits, Japanese contribution to the socio-economic
development of Nepal, the close cooperation in different international forums and the important link of
Buddhist philosophy and faith. The Japanese Imperial Household and the Nepalese Royal Household havetraditionally maintained very good relations. There have been a number of exchange visits between theroyal and imperial families. Their Majesties King Mahendra and Queen Ratna made their first state visit toJapan in April 1960, while Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko (the present Emperor andEmpress) visited Nepalin December of the same year, representing the Emperor and Empress of Japan. In
1967, the late King Birendra, who was then Crown Prince, spent about four months as a special student inTokyo University. He studied the history, the culture, the traditions and the administrative system ofJapan. The Imperial couple of Japan revisited Nepal in 1975 to attend the coronation of King Birendra.
Prime Minister Gririja Prasad Koirala, the first elected Prime Minister of Nepal. paid an official visit to Japanin November 1998. Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori responded with the first official visit by Japanese Prime
Minister in Augast 2000. This exchange of visits made by the Prime Ministers of both countries wasanother landmark in the history of cordial relations between
the two countries.
Japan has been the top donor country for Nepal for the
past several years. Japanese assistance has been of greatsignificance in various fields of socio-economic developmentof Nepal, including human resources, agriculture, road
construction, public health, air traffic service system,hydropower
generation,
education,scholarships,
conservation of different historical sites and the like. Both
Nepalese and Japanese people love high mountains. Many Japanese people come to Nepal to climb andconquer the high peaks of the Himalayas. At the same time, the number of Nepali visitors to Japan has
increased annually. Contact between the citizens of the two countries has further increased since thelaunching of the direct flights between Kathmandu and Osaka in October 1994 by the Royal Nepal Airlines.
The two countries have also exchanged a number of cultural troupes over the years. Nepal, the birth

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place of Lord Buddha, and Japan of Buddhist culture hold great regards for Lord Buddha and histeachings. One of the prominent factors that has attracted Japanese visitors to Nepal is her sacred places,
half of which are places of Buddhist pilgrimage. Thanks to the close contact at the grassroots level, there
are over a dozen associations related to Japan in Nepal. These associations have been instrumental to thepromotion of friendship and cultural interaction.
To help shed light on the Japanese culture, the Embassyof Japan has been organizing cultural programs which include
demonstrations of Ikebana (flower arrangement), Chanoyu(Tea ceremony) and the performing arts with traditionalmusic, and exhibitions of Japanese dolls, serigraphy,
commercial posters, architecture, to name just a few.
Nepal and Japan have maintained cordial relations ininternational forums. In 1968, Nepal declared her decision to
stand as a candidate for the non permanent seats in the UN
Security Council under the quota of seats reserved for the Asian countries. At the same time, Japan also
wanted to contest for the same seat. The competition between Nepal and Japan for the same seat had to
be avoided of course, so it became imperative for Nepal to make the Japanese government agree not tocontest with Nepal for that seat but to support Nepal’s candidature. Japan, as a good friend of Nepal,
gracefully supported Nepal’s candidature and subsequently Nepal was elected with majority votes to the
Security Council.
The Nepali people hold the Japanese people in very high esteem. The moral support extended by
Japan to the cause of democracy in Nepal is widely appreciated. In fact, the tremendous goodwill towards
each other between the peoples of two countries has been the most precious element in the friendship.
The Government of Japan and the Japan Foundation have provided an opportunity to a wide range of
Nepalese nationals such as teachers of secondary schools, young students, scholars, journalists,
government officials, academics, etc. to visit Japan. Through these visits, they can exchange views with
their Japanese counterparts, become acquainted with the contemporary Japanese society, culture,
economy, politics, etc., allowing them to broaden mutual understanding between the people of bothnations. Scholarships have been provided for university students by the Government of Japan since theearly 1960s, a few years after the establishment of the diplomatic relations. Since then, hundreds of
Nepalese students have been benefiting from these exchanges. Currently, there are over 300 Nepalesestudents studying in Japan. Also there is an increaseing trend for Nepalese researchers to come to Japanfor pursuing their research. Japan Society for the Promotion of Science awarded more than a dozen of
postdoctoral fellowships to Nepalese scholars in 2005.
A relation between an industrially advanced country like Japan and developing country like Nepal is,therefore, meaningful in more than one sense. The Nepalese people rejoice and recollect that Japan is an
economic superpower extending help and cooperation to developing countries like Nepal. We hope that
we can further strengthen the ties between the two countries and make a large contribution to Asiansolidarity and global community and harmony.

Reference
Embassy of Japan, Kathmandu, Nepal: http://www.np.emb-japan.go.jp/
Nepal –Japan Relations Centenary Memoirs (1899-1999), published by Human Development and Social Welfare
Centre and East West Language Institute, Kathamndu, Nepal*Laboratory of Traffic Control and Safety Engineering

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“Student Poll”
Who are the EGPSEE students???

By Jacqueline Satur* & Hiroe HARA**“Who are the EGPSEE students?” How can we answer this question? Our program includes students fromvarious countries with different languages, cultures, religions, climates, etc. And we are now studying in awide range of research fields. Obviously, there seems no simple answer to it! Therefore, conducted “Student
Poll” to help you (both in and out of EGPSE E) to have some ideas about what EGPSEE students and program
like, and hopefully, you to get more interests in the program.

Q1. What is your favorite Japanese foods?
Soba 1
Karaage 2

Miso Soup 1
Sushi/Sashimi 12

Tempra 3

Curry 4

Ramen 4Q2. What is your favorite season in Sapporo?
ALL! 1

Summer 2

Autumn 12

Winter 3

Q3. What is your favorite place in Sapporo?
My Room 2

Others 4

Spring 9

Odori Park 10

Toyohira River 2
Sapporo St 5

Watch Movies 8

Others 11

Reading 6

Hokudai Campus 7

Exercise 3
Shopping 3
Listen to Music 4

Travel 4
Watch TV 3

Q4. What do you do as pastime?
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Q5. How did you know EGPSEE?
Professors 6

Other 1

Internet 7

Poster 8

Others 7

Friends 8

Lecturer 8

Public servant 2
Worker (Not specified) 5

Student 7

Q6. What were you doing before coming to Hokudai?

Q7. What are you planning to do after graduation?
Others 8

Consultant 4Work 7Work for Univ. 5
Not Decided 5

Q8. How would you describe Mrs. Werawan in ONE word?

？

1

Kind
2

Active3

MOM

This poll was conducted in July and August, 2006. 26 international and 3 Japanese students responded tothe questionnaires out of 57 students in EGPSEE. We really appreciate to the students’ corporation.

* Laboratory of Mineral Processing and Resources Recycling** Laboratory of Water Quality Control Engineering

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“How to Cook Tom-Yum-Kung in Sapporo”
A tip for easy Thai cooking by one of our best cooks

Surakha Wanphen*
Tom-Yum-Kung is the best known of all savory Thai dishes not only inside but also outside the country.
Because of its popularity, I have been asked by many friends whether it is possible to cook Tom-Yum-Kung
in Sapporo. The answer is “Yes, we just have to simplify the original recipe*・”. It would be a too-simpleTom-Yum-Kung but many people who have tried said it had a pleasant taste. Tom-Yum-Kung is the
combination of the words Tom-Yum (spicy and sour soup) and Kung (shrimps). Any preferred meat canreplace shrimps such as fish (Tom-Yum-Pla), chicken (Tom-Yum-Kai) or pork (Tom-Yum-Moo).
The most important ingredient to have is the “Tom-Yum Paste” (Fig. 1). There are many satisfactorybrands which you can easily find in Seibu, Daimaru or in other grocery shops at their Asian ingredients
corner. This ready-made paste helps us a lot bring the taste close to the original dish even without thelemongrass and kaffir lime leaves (you also can add them if you have).
Simple Tom-Yum-Kung(Adapted from "Cooking Thai Food in American Kitchens" by Malulee Pinsuvana)- 2 tablespoons Tom Yum paste (a spicy Thai paste)- 8-10 shrimps peeled but tails left
- 4 cups water- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam-pla)

Fig.1

Tom

Yum
Fig.2

- 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

Tom

Yum

- 4-5 kaffir lime leaves (A small bag of dried leaves is available at Seibu and Daimaru.)- 1 cup mushrooms (Button or straw is recommended)- 3－4 crushed chili peppers (More or less, depending on how hot you want it)1) Dissolve Tom Yum paste in water and bring to a boil. Add salt and shrimps. Let the soup boil until the
shrimps are done.
2) Add fish sauce, sugar, lime leaves, chili peppers and roughly chopped mushrooms. Cook about 2 minutes,
then add lime or lemon juice.
Tips: Don’t add lemon juice if the soup has not yet boiled. It will make the soup taste bitter. To create a fusionand experience a new style of the dish, you can add noodles like udon, soba or spaghetti.
I believe that the food brings you a precious moment. It’s the time we are looking forward to after working
hard all day long.
Find out the original recipe in http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/tom_yum_goong.htm(image source : www.importfood.com)*Laboratory of Environmental Ergonomics

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“Intake, Spring, 2006”

Country: Japan
Lab: Resources and Eco-environmental Engineering
Advisor: Prof. NAWA
Yayoi AKAHORICountry: Japan
Lab: Engineering for Sustainable Sanitation
Advisor: Prof. FUNAMIZU
Shiro AMANOCountry: Japan
Lab: Hydraulic Research
Advisor: Prof. SHIMIZU
Keisuke IWATACountry: Nepal
Lab: Mineral Processing and Resources Recycling
Advisor: Prof. TSUNEKAWA
Rani K T JHA
Country: Japan
Lab: Resources and Eco-environmental Engineering
Advisor: Prof. NAWA
Daisuke MINATO

Country: Costa Rica
Lab: Solid Waste Disposal Engineering
Advisor: Prof. MATSUTOJose Alonso MONTERO

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Country: Japan
Lab: Engineering for Sustainable Sanitation
Advisor: Prof. FUNAMIZU
Hiroyuki NAGATACountry: Egypt
Lab: Engineering for Maintenance System
Advisor: Prof. UEDA
Khalid Mohamed Ahmed FARAHCountry: Korea
Lab: Water Quality Control Engineering
Advisor: Prof. OKABE
Kyung Mi CHUNGCountry: Egypt
Lab: Engineering for Maintenance System
Advisor: Prof. UEDA
Mohamed Hassan ZAKARIA“Intake, October, 2006”
Country: Indonesia
Lab: Environmental Ergonomics
Advisor: Prof. NAGANO
Agung Ruri DIVADASTACountry: Zimbabwe
Lab: Rock Engineering
Advisor: Prof. FUJII
Azania MUFUNDIRWA

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Country: Bangladesh
Lab: Spatial Morphology
Advisor: Prof. HAYASAKA
Murad Ahmed FARUKHCountry: Colombia
Lab: Structural Analysis
Advisor: Prof. MIDORIKAWA
Juan Andres OVIEDO-AMEZQUTACountry: Pakistan
Lab: Engineering for Sustainable Sanitation
Advisor: Prof. FUNAMIZU
Muhammad Masoon PAHORECountry: Philippines
Lab: Terrestrial Environmental Engineering
Advisor: Prof. IGARASHICarlito Baltazar TABELIN

Country: Nepal
Lab: Hydraulic Research
Advisor: Prof. SHIMIZU
Krishana Prasad DULALCountry: China
Lab: Engineering for Maintenance System
Advisor: Prof. UEDA
Da wei ZHANGEGPSEE Student Union

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STUDENT UNION©EGPSEE-Student Union 2006