You will ﬁnd female peers
and role models

Takako Nonaka【Career】
Majored into mechanical engineering in Kyoto Institute of Technology, followed by working
for researches on Kansei information processing as a visiting researcher in Thomas Bata
University in Zlin. After returning to Japan, she worked for the high-tech research center ofRyukoku University. Now she is in charge of lectures on material mechanics and composite
material engineering in Shonan Institute of Technology and also researches related to sports
IoT and sport gear production and assessment.
【The current research】
Evaluating mechanical properties and monitoring behaviors and loads during the use of sports
gears made of FRP, especially surfboards.

What brought you to IEEE?

When I was a postdoctoral research fellow, I participated in an
IEEE-sponsored international conference to present my researchoutcome; that’ s when I knew IEEE. My boss at that time told me thatthe registration fee was discounted for IEEE members, and heencouraged me to attend as many international conferences aspossible. So, I casually decided to join.
At first, the purpose of membership for me was to attend conferences;
however, the boss came to organize an international conference and I
helped him with it. This broadened connections with many people, whokindly invite me to domestic and international IEEE events.

What do you do in IEEE now?

I’ m a committee member of IEEE Tokyo/Shin-etsu Joint Section WIE(Women in Engineering), which supports self-sustainability andcommunication of female researchers and engineers in technology
industries, and also a board member of CT Society (ConsumerTechnology, formerly the Consumer Electronics Society). My
motivation is to contribute to organizing international conferences,
support for female researchers, and improve the presence of Japanand Asia, albeit with little I can do.
CT Society from those days I joined in has less female members, so I
suggested to the then JC WIE Chair that WIE can award at aninternational conference to encourage female researchers. Then she
asked me to become a board member, and now I am creating
opportunities where female researchers can get together andselecting speakers for events.
I had opportunities to take on a responsible position at an earlystage of my career, which gave me various experiences, and even I
received an Early Career Award through my activities.
Through domestic activities of WIE, I got to know many researchers
beyond my own field, and their positivity to enjoy their life
motivates me a great deal.
As an organizer of international conferences, not just as anattendee, now I look through a wider range of papers than before
and think about what a meaningful service is for participants fromstudents who are new to academic conferences to experienced
engineers. Now I’ m thinking holistically about the whole field andconference. That’ s one of the greatest learnings I got.

I am really happy to have made good connections and goodfriends. I am also glad that those activities such as managing
academic conferences allow me to build strong ties with diverse
people, regardless of gender, age, origin or affiliation.

What do you want to do in the future in IEEE?

I’ d like to increase the number of female engineers andresearchers; the college I work at specializes in engineering, andthere are still few female students if more than it used to be. In
order for that, we should address elementary or junior-highschool students to make them interested in engineering, notonly high school students. Of course, it’ s not only for girls, andI’ d like to nurture young students who are going to make thenext generation of this field.
Also, we know so many fantastic people; it would be great if wecan develop a framework where collaborative study or the like. I
want to think about creating such opportunities.

【Message】- If you are looking for a female researcher
for your role model

In IEEE are not only WIE but also YP (Young Professionals) which
is a group for young people and their supporters; there aresome communities for each person to fit, and everyone enjoys
their activities.
One of the greatest points about IEEE is that you can make friends
who you can connect with even in your personal life through acommon subject, research. It may be true that female researchers
have difficulties to find role models nearby, but IEEE will broaden
your sight and let you find various people. Let’ s join us!

What’ s good about IEEE and IEEE WIE?

When I am involved in IEEE activities, I can meet female researchersand engineers from other organizations, and I can get a lot of powerfrom them: which is the best part.
Although the number of female researchers has increased, thenumber is still small; in my university, there are only one or two
female professors and lecturers per faculty. However, IEEE has alarge number of members and covers a wide range of fields, so I
can connect with many people.
In particular, many members who are active in WIE are positiveand energetic, which is very inspiring. It is fun to be able to talknot only about research but also about personal matters.

Prototype equipment(for torsion stiffness evaluation/ behavior monitoring)

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