Approach 2

Capacity Development in Women Researchers’ Research Activities

1 11 Women Researcher Encouragement AwardthWith the aim to increase the research motivation of the entire group of women researchers, a “women researcher”
encouragement award has been established at Hiroshima University since 2007 to grant research funding to young
and distinguished researchers who currently lack it. This year, we particularly focused on those who are aspiring toconduct research activities abroad, and following a strict evaluation process, the three awards below were awarded
to grant a total of 3,000,000 JPY of research funding.
■2018 11th Women Researcher Encouragement Award Recipients
Name

Associated Department

Title

Mihoko Tominaga

Graduate School of Education

Associate
Professor

Kanako Nozaki

Graduate School of Biomedicaland Health Sciences

ResearcherYumi Hoshino

Graduate School of Biosphere
ScienceAssistantProfessor

Research Title
Research on delicious educational activities with cooking
experiences at the core: The effectiveness of delicious scienceeducation that incorporates molecular cooking
Evaluation of the efficacy of anti-depressant drug candidates andclarification of their mechanisms with anhedonia behavior of thedepression model as an index
Building a good ovum model for the prediction of development
potential and soundness diagnosis

2 2 Women Researcher Joint Research Funding SystemndWith the aim to cultivate the leadership skills of women researchers, we called for joint research studies by Mazda
Motor Corporation, Delta Kogyo Co., Ltd., and International Development Center. Following a strict evaluation
process, we selected three research projects and awarded a total of 5,000,000 JPY of research funding.
■2018 2nd Hiroshima University Women Researcher Joint Research Funding System List of Selectees
Name

Associated Department

Title

Research Title

Tomomi Yamane

Education Development
International Cooperation
Research Center

Researcher

Basic study on the effectiveness of global goals toward awareness ofSustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Makiko Kodama

Graduate School of Education

Professor

Examination of the impacts of Mazda Motor Corporation’s humanresources development internship (short-term course) and its ideal
state for the future

Hitomi Ogata

Graduate School of Integrated
Arts and Sciences

Assistant
Professor

The effect of sleep quality on evacuees’ physiological indicators

3 1 Women Researcher Overseas Joint Research Funding SystemstThis system for women was newly established with the objective of accelerating international collaborative
research by young women researchers using funds donated by the Micron organization. This is the first fiscal yearand measures amounting to approximately 3.5 million yen were taken with regarding to the following four items.
■2018 1st Hiroshima University Women Researcher Overseas Joint Research Funding System List of Selectees

12NameAssociated Department

Title

Research Title

Kasaragod Deepa
KamathGraduate School of Biomedicaland Health Sciences

Assistant
Professor

Micrometer-scale tomography of whole mouse brain using
polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography and validation
using rapid histological imaging

Megumi Watanabe

Comprehensive Strategy OfficeLecturer

An empirical analysis of multiplex social networks among university
faculty in the USDIVERSITY PROJECT REPORT 2018-2019

Name

Associated Department

Title

Research Title

Yui Arimatsu

Graduate School of Letters

Assistant
Professor

The rebuilding of human history in the border regions of Eurasia–Establishing the chronology for the clarification of the inequality
formation process–Kumrungsee
Thanutchaporn

Graduate School of Biosphere
ScienceAssistantProfessor

Increase in homocarnosine in skeletal muscle by γ-aminobutyricacid intake promotes muscle injury repair

4 Gender Equality Awareness-Raising Seminar■Date/Time: September 4, 2018 (Tues.); 13:30–15:00■Location: Hiroshima University Department of Education A214 (small conference room)■Instructor: Prof. Dr. Ulrike Demske (Potsdam University)■Participants: 10 people (two students, eight faculty members)■Details: A seminar with a round-table discussion format was held concerning women researchers who have had
successful careers at German universities. It was a good opportunity tohear how women researchers engage in research and education and build
their careers in Germany, where there is a long history of academics.

5 English Essay-Writing Seminar (Nature Academies)■Date/Time: March 7 (Thurs.), 8 (Fri.), and 9 (Sat.), 2019; 9:00–16:30■Location: Information Media Education Research Center seminar room
Kasumi Campus, No. 1 Conference room, 2F Clinical Building■Participants: A total of 23 researchers from collaborating organizations and industry, academia, and government
diversity conference member organizations.
■Details: Across the three fields of natural sciences, social sciences, andhumanities and medicine, an interactive essay-writing workshop was heldby experienced editors from Nature magazine.

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6 English Presentation Seminar■Date/Time: March 15 (Thurs.) and 16 (Fri.), 2019; 9:00–16:00■Location: (Higashihiroshima campus) Information Media Education Research Center seminar room
(Kasumi campus) No. 2 Conference room, 3F Clinical Building■Participants: Participation from a total of 30 women researchers and staff from related organizations■Details: Lecturers with experience of overseas employment in private organizations
were invited to hold practical seminars regarding knowledge and skills inconnection to effective English presentations for research announcements
and discussions. During the seminar, the participants held exchanges
through practice, including making actual presentations on their specialist
fields.

7 2018 Women’s Success Promotion Seminar
In order to expand the horizons of women researchers in science and technology, keynote speeches and special
talks were held regarding the following themes and mutual awareness was raised in question-and-answer sessions.
■Date/Time: March 1, 2019 (Fri.); 15:30–17:00■Location: Hotel Granvia Hiroshima■Topic: “Points to be aware of when developing women in the field of natural science”■Participants: 36 people (staff from Cooperating Organizations and Member Organizations)■Schedule:
Opening Remarks: Misako Aida (Hiroshima University Director/Vice-President of University Reform)
Keynote Lecture: Professor Yumi Inada (Associate Professor, School of Childhood Sport Education, Nippon SportScience University)
Topic: “Natural science education and gender: The current state and problem areas of elementary and middle
school education”
Special Lecture: Professor Yasuko Morinaga (Professor, Graduate School of Education, Hiroshima University)
Topic: “ ‘Unconscious bias’ and gender: When the imagined belief that ‘because I am a woman…’ decreases
women’s motivation”
Q&A: 16：45
Closing Remarks: Yoko Ishida (Hiroshima University Deputy Director of Gender Equality, Head of Gender Equality
Promotion Office, Education Development International Cooperation Research Center Professor)＜Voices of the participants (excerpts)＞● It was interesting that women’s dislike for science is based more on emotion than knowledge. Also, I realized that efforts toward educational
methods during junior high school are the key.
● I clearly understood that women’s desires are lowered by prejudice from “unconscious bias.”● I renewed my understanding that there are limits to school education in breaking down the fixed ideas ofwomen about “science,” and that there is a need to change society as a whole.
● I think that Japan will decline in international competitiveness if it does not strategically promote naturalsciences education.
● I knew the phrase “unconscious bias,” but it also made me think deeply about the issue of “positivediscrimination.”(Keynote speech from Associate Professor Inada of (Special talk by Professor Morinaga of Hiroshima
Nippon Sports Science University)
University)
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