Diversity

Women Role Models
in Science
5

Vol.

The Grant-Aided Project on Human Resources Development in Scienceand Technology's Initiative for Realizing Diversity in the Research
Environment(Collaboration Type)Message From The Director Of The Diversity Promotion Office
At present, young talent with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts,
Mathematics) educational background is globally greatly valued whereby, especially,
successful careers created by women are considered of the utmost importance. At theDiversity Promotion Office of Shimane University, we provide educational activities
attractive to junior and senior high school students with an interest in science who
Director of Shimane University
Promotion Office

Tatsuro Fujita

envisage a future career for themselves in that field in addition to academic and career
counseling for female undergraduate and graduate students majoring in science.
This booklet is a collection of science women role models active mainly in Shimane
Prefecture. We support women who choose science courses and go on to become
engineers and researchers. We hope you will make use of this booklet as a reference
guide when deciding upon your career. We are also looking forward to seeing you at
Shimane University as an exchange student or in the context of your future career.

Contents
Role Models

01 Yuuki Kodama（Associate Professor, Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science, Shimane University）

02

02 Noriko Ogawa（Assistant Professor, Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University）

04

03 Nguyen Thu Lan（Assistant Professor, Department of Architectural Design, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Science and Engineering, Shimane University）

06

04 Teruko Ishibashi（Vice President, The University of Shimane）

08

05 Shiori Fukuda（Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of Nursing and Nutrition, the University of Shimane）

10

06 Hiromi Matsutani（Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Nutrition, the University of Shimane）

12

07 Yuko Serikawa（Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environment Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Matsue College）

14

08 Keiko Amano（Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, National Institute of Technology, Yonago College）

16

09 Michiko Endo
（Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science, National Institute of Technology, Yonago College）

18

10 Riko Hayami（Band Steel Plant, Yasugi Works, Hitachi Metals, Ltd.）

20

11 Kana Morishita（Solution & Engineering Center

Yasugi Works, Hitachi Metals, Ltd.）

22

12 Haruko Fukui（Team leader (responsible for PR and planning and development), General Affairs Department, Kanatsu Engineering Construction Co., Ltd.）

24

13 Aki Kodai（Special Senior Research Fellow, Material Research Department, Technical Institute,
Corporate Technology Division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.）

26

14 Natsuki Akiyoshi（Chief researcher at Department of Applied Biological Science, Shimane Institute for Industrial Technology）

28

01

CASE of YUUKI KODAMA

There is nothing uselessin learning.
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Life and Environmental Science,
Shimane University

Yuuki Kodama

Profile 【Academic Background】
Yamaguchi Prefectural Ube High School/Department of Physics, Biology and Informatics,
Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University/Master’s Program in Natural and Information
Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Symbiotic System Science
Department, Doctoral Program in Natural Science and Symbiosis, Graduate School of Scienceand Engineering, Yamaguchi University【Career】
Assistant Professor, Science Unit, Natural Sciences Cluster, Research and Education Faculty,
Kochi University

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

Major
eventsEvents,books,
people, etc
affecting me

02

1st half of my 30s

From birth toelementary
schoolJunior highschoolHigh school

University(undergraduate)

Master’s
program

DoctoralprogramPostdoc

Studied hard.

Captained
the soft
tennis club.
Studied very
hard for thehigh school
entrance
exam.

Made closefriends andled a happyhigh schoollife.
Shockedto learnabout theendosymbiosis theory inbiology class.

Studied hard.
Devoted toresearchfrom myfourth year.

Devoted toresearch.
First trip
abroad.

Devoted toresearch.
Traveled toAustralia.

Devoted toresearch as a
postdoc.
Acquiredtransmission
electronmicroscopy
skills.

Devoted toresearch as a
postdoc andengaged injob search.

Became anassistantprofessor
at Kochi
University.

Animal encyclopedias
given by myfather andgrandfather.

Ms. N., club
mate.
Mr. Tonogawachi, thescienceteacher, whostirred myinterest in
biology.
Traineeteacher.

Three closest
friends (N, A
and H).
A senior in
the baseballclub whom I
admired.

Prof. Masahiro Fujishima(my former
teacher).
Paramecium
bursaria.
Two friends(M and F) anda junior (N) in
the same lab.

Prof. Takema
Fukatsu, Prof.
Hans-Dieter
Görtz,
Prof. Klaus
Heckmann.

Paper onHatenaArenicola
presented
by a groupled by Prof.
Isao Inoue,
University ofTsukuba.

Prof. Isao Inoue, Prof. Yuji
Inagaki, Dr.
Shuhei Ota,
talented lab
members.

Prof. Isamu
Miyagawa.

Students I
taught in mysecond yearof teaching.

Selected for
the Research
Fellowshipfor Young
Scientists(DC 2 ) of theJapan Society for the
Promotion of
Science.

Selected for
the Research
Fellowshipfor Young
Scientists(PD) of theJapan Society for the
Promotion of
Science.
Received the
Encouragement Award
for YoungProtistologists fromthe Japan
Society ofProtistology.

Had a lotof time toconcentrate
on research
and write
papers.

Received theInoue Research Award
for Young
Scientists.
Received the
ResearchAward forYoung Scientists from the
ZoologicalSociety ofJapan.

In retrospect,
I did not dohousework.

Had a hardtime gettingused to mylife in thecity.
Felt concerned about
whether I
could find ajob.

Increasingly
concerned
about whether I could
find a job.

Worriedabout
student
guidance.

Experiencesofsuccesses

Won aprize in abook reportcompetition.

Experiencesof mistakes

Failed inthe juniorhigh school
entrance
exam.

C A S E of YUUKI KODAMA

Worked hardin my club
activity, butfailed in my
diet.

Entered myfirst-choice
school.
Successfully
went on a
diet.
Becamefashion-conscious.

Encountered
the theme of
my research.

Came nearto drowningin the pool
during gym
class.

It took me
two hours
to commuteto and fromschool until
the first semester of mysecond year,
which wasvery tough.

Received aprize for myfirst presentation at aninternational
conference.
Earned a
Master’s
degree in
only one year
by writing
an originalarticle.

In retrospect,
I did not dohousework.

2nd half of my 30s

Became an associate
professor at Shimane
University.
Was able to have my own
laboratory.

Received a prize for a researchpresentation at an international
conference!
Earned a Master’s degree in only one
year!
Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (from DC 2 to PD) awarded by
the Japan Society for the Promotionof Science.
Received an Encouragement Award
for Young Protistologists from theJapan Society of Protistology.

My encounter with Mr. Tonogawachi, the science teacher, stirred
my interest in biology. In biology
class, I was shocked to learn
about the endosymbiosis theory.

Period2nd half of my 20s

Working
professional

Became anassociate
professor
at Shimane
University.

Purchased
my ownhome andbought adog.

Served as
the chair ofan annual
meeting of
the Japan
Society ofProtistology.

Prof. Shinya
Miyagishima.

Friends
I madethrough dog
walking.

Received
the Award ofSociety fromthe Japan
Society ofProtistology.
Successful
annualmeeting of
the Japan
Society ofProtistology.

Was able tohave my own
laboratory.

Experienced
an event thatmade medepressed.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Kodama

Daily Schedule of Ms. Kodama

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

6 ：00

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

7 ：00

Wake up, walk thedog, get ready to
go to work

Wake up, walk thedog, get ready to
go to work

Wake up, walk thedog, get ready to
go to work

Wake up, walk thedog, get ready to
go to work

Wake up, walk thedog, get ready to
go to work

8 ：00
9 ：00

Sat.

Sun.

Sleep

Sleep

Wake up

Wake up

Walk the dog

Walk the dog

Free time(shopping, hobbies, householdchores, etc.)

Free time(shopping, hobbies, householdchores, etc.)

10：00
11：00
12：00
13：00
14：00

Work
Work
Work
Work
Work
(lectures, exper- (lectures, exper- (lectures, exper- (lectures, exper- (lectures, experiments, etc.)
iments, etc.)
iments, etc.)
iments, etc.)
iments, etc.)

15：00

Walk the dog

Walk the dog

16：00

Free time(shopping, hobbies, householdchores, etc.)

Free time(shopping, hobbies, householdchores, etc.)

DinnerDinner

17：00
18：00

Return home,dinnerReturn home,dinnerReturn home,dinnerReturn home,dinnerReturn home,dinner

22：00

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

Householdchores, continuing to work
while playing
with my dog

23：00

Free time

Free time

Free time

Free time

Free time

Free time

Free time

19：00
20：00
21：00

0 ：00
1 ：00
2 ：00

23

22
21

19

0

1

2

Reading or
continuing to work
(writing papers,
paperwork, etc.)

Free time

20 Household chores,
continuing to work while
playing with my dog

3
4
5

Sleep

Return home,dinner18

6
Experiment,
discussions, etc.

17
16

Lecture15

Wake up, walk thedog, get ready to
go to work

Go to work, lab duty
Care ofparamecium
used for9
research
Laboratory, seminar

14

13

12

11

7
8

10

Reading or work Reading or work Reading or work Reading or work Reading or work Reading or work Reading or work
Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

How did you get into your current

What kind of learning did you findjob or career path?

most useful?

When I was a junior high school student, I became interested in
the biology field thanks to the influence of my science teacher.
Around the same time, a charming female student teacher came to
my school for teaching practice. I quite admired her and decided toaim to become a science teacher. I entered the Faculty of Science of
Yamaguchi University, with the aim of gaining a teacher’s license, andwas thinking of pursuing a career as a science teacher until my thirdyear. However, an encounter with Prof. Masahiro Fujishima at thelaboratory I was assigned to in my fourth year made me more curious
about research activity. Research became a major driving force in mylife. Until then, I had not been able to stick to anything. I thought I had
finally found something I was excited about. Then, I aimed to becomea university teacher, who could pursue a career as both a researcher
and an educator. Now, I am very happy because I am following thesame career path as Prof. Fujishima. In order to return the favor, I
would like to nurture many successors in research on paramecium.

I believe that there is nothing useless in learning. However, I cansay that the secretarial proficiency test, which I took when I wasan undergraduate student at my teacher’s suggestion, was very
useful. That’s because it gave me an opportunity to learn basic
knowledge and common sense, which are very helpful in everyday
life.

What do you encourage students tolearn? (Recommendation)
English. I think I should have studied this subject harder.

Message to everyone who is going
to join the workforce
My dream of becoming a university teacher has come true.
However, I was once troubled by the gap between the ideal andreality. Once I started to engage in education and research activity
in my job after many years of student life, I keenly felt the weightof responsibility for them. When I became a university teacher inmy 20s, closer to my students’ ages, I thought it would be easy
to pursue a career in both education and research. In reality,
however, things were not that easy. My troubles never seemed toend, but when I didn’t quite know what to do about something,what supported me was my strong desire to pursue a career as auniversity teacher and the self-confidence built by working hard
to realize my dream. I hope that all of you will go out into theworld brimming with enthusiasm and courage.

CASE of YUUKI KODAMA

03

02

CASE of NORIKO OGAWA

Seize an opportunity
on your own!
Assistant Professor, Developmental Biology Unit, Department of Anatomy, Facultyof Medicine, Shimane University

Noriko Ogawa

Profile 【Academic Background】
Department of General Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University【Career】
Resident at Internal Medicine I Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Facultyof Medicine, Shimane College of Medicine/Medical staff member of Internal
Medicine I Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane
University after on-the-job training at state-run Ohchi Hospital (internal
medicine) and Matsue Red Cross Hospital (internal medicine)/AssistantProfessor, Internal Medicine I Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Facultyof Medicine, Shimane University/Assistant Professor, Developmental Biology
Unit, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University/Visiting
researcher at the University of Southampton (UK)My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

2nd half of my 30s

1st half of my 40s

Firsthand experienceof diversity in the UK.

Our chorus won
the Silver Prizein the prefectural
tournament.

Married to a
psychiatrist andchild was born.
Enjoyed myfirst experienceof living alone.

Birth of oursecondchild.

Started working as
an internal medicine
physician after graduating from medical
school.

PeriodFrom birth toelementary
schoolJunior highschoolHigh school

University

Working
professional

Major events

Changedschools twice(Hiroshima ⇔Shimane).

Transferred
to anotherschool in thecity where my
grandmotherlives.

Entered the senior high schoolfrom which mygreat-grandfather andgrandmothergraduated.

Entered medical
school.

Worked as aphysician after
graduating frommedical school.

Events, books,
people, etc.
affecting me

Played the
piano for thechorus in theupper gradesof elementary
school.

Experiences ofsuccesses

Our chorus won
the Silver Prizein a prefectural
tournament.

Experiences of
mistakes

04

C A S E of NORIKO OGAWA

Won a prize at
a prefectural
speech contest.

Worried about
my future career
path.
Only terrible
memories.

Married, thebirth of our firstchild, acquired
specialist
qualifications.

Birth of oursecond child,transferred to
the Departmentof Anatomy.

2 -yearresearch study
in the UK.

Invited by afriend to join
the table tennis
club.

Married to a
psychiatrist andchild was born.

Birth of oursecond child.

Firsthandexperience ofdiversity in theUK.

Enjoyed my firstexperience ofliving alone.

Birth of ourchild.

Resident days
without enoughdays-off or time
for sleep andmeals.

Startedresearch at university after onthe-job training.

Felt like quitting
my work because of manydifficulties atwork and in mypersonal life.

Busy days withboth childcare
and work.

I and my family
acquired a newsense of value.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Ogawa

Daily Schedule of Ms. Ogawa

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

6 ：00

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

22

Wake up, make/eat breakfast

Wake up, make/eat breakfast

21
Put kids to bed

7 ：00

Wake up, make/eat breakfast, pick up/drop off children

8 ：00
9 ：00
10：00

Research

11：00
12：00

Lunch

13：00

Research

14：00
15：00

Lecture/practical work

16：00

Researchmeeting

17：00

Research

Lunch

Lunch

20

Care of lab mice Cleaning, grocery shopping,pick up/drop
Research
off children forlessons
Lunch

Lunch
Outing with family

Researchmeeting

ResearchBath, dinner

Bath, dinner

Bath, dinner

Bath, dinner

Bath, dinner

Make dinner

Bath, dinner

Bath, dinner

20：00

Wash dishes,
Wash dishes,
Wash dishes,
Wash dishes,
Wash dishes,
Wash dishes,
Wash dishes,laundry, cleaning laundry, cleaning laundry, cleaning laundry, cleaning laundry, cleaning laundry, cleaning laundry, cleaning

21：00

Put kids to bed

23：00
0 ：00

Put kids to bed

Put kids to bed

Put kids to bed

Put kids to bed

Prepare for lectures, check e-mail, deskwork, free time

22：00
Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Wake up, make/eat
breakfast, pick up/drop7
off children

8
University

Put kids to bed

Put kids to bed

Free time

Free time

Sleep

Sleep

Lunch

14

5
6

University

16

Make dinner

3
4

15

Pick up/drop off children, make dinner

12
Prepare for lectures,check e-mail,deskwork, free time

17

Prepare for
lecturesResearch0

Wash dishes, laundry, cleaning
19
Bath, dinner,pick up/drop offchildren, make18
dinnerStudy meetingfor reading
English-language Outpatient clinic
papers

18：00
19：00

University hospital outpatient
clinicLecture

23

13

12

11

9

10

How did you get into yourcurrent job or career path?
As a child, becoming a piano teacher or an elementary
school teacher was my aspiration. However, I chose acareer as physician not only because people around me,
including my parents, had high expectations of me but
also because I placed greater importance on job stability
considering my position as the heir to my family name.
Later, I started to think that I wanted to gain a better
insight into illnesses while working as a clinician, andsince six years ago, I’ve been working with a focus on
research.

What kind of learning did you findmost useful?
Everything I’ve learned so far, from school work to piano lessons,which I began as a child, and the Japanese art of tea ceremony,
which I practiced when I was in college. I believe that learning,
regardless of the field of study, will help you improve yourself.

Message to everyone who is going
What do you encourage
students to learn?
(Recommendation)
There are good times and bad times in life. Don’t give up
and keep on moving to seize an opportunity. Although
I strive for perfection in my job, as a lazy mummy I likerelaxing with my children at home. You have only one life
to live, so please fully enjoy your personal life.

to join the workforce
There were some lives I was unable to save. I have not trod asmooth path by any means, either physically or mentally. However,
my encounter with many patients has helped me grow and improvemyself. Now, I find my work fulfilling because I believe I can nurture
future physicians who are expected to save many patients by giving
lessons and protecting the health of many people by pursuingresearch. You will sometimes face difficulties whatever course you
opt to take in life, but never give up and keep facing forward to
make your life more meaningful.

CASE of NORIKO OGAWA

05

03

CASE of NGUYEN THU LAN

Knowing about yourself and believing
in yourself - That’s the key.
Assistant Professor, Department of Architectural Design, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Scienceand Engineering, Shimane University

Nguyen Thu Lan

Profile 【Academic Background】
Doctoral Course, Department of Engineering for Environmental Symbiosis, Graduate
School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University【Career】
Project Researcher, Kumamoto University Innovative Organization/Academic
Researcher, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University
Academic Researcher, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Kumamoto
University/Assistant Professor for Project, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Scienceand Engineering, Shimane University/Assistant Professor for Project, Department ofArchitectural Design, Interdisciplinary Faculty of Science and Engineering, Shimane
University

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

Became a successful
applicant for the position ofan Assistant Professor for
Project of Shimane University. Afterwards, selected twice
as a recipient of the Grantsin-Aid for Scientific Research.
Currently proceeding withmy joint research smoothly.

Studied abroadin Japan

Major events

Events,books,
people, etc.
affecting me

06

From birth toelementary school

Enjoyed music
and painting
club activities
at a community
center.

Enjoyed art
activities on
weekends.

Junior highschoolStarted to learn
English in my firstyear at juniorTook a university
high school,
entrance examwhile continuing ination.
to practice mypiano lessons.

Marked thehighest scorein the university
entrance examination, which
was reported in a
newspaper, andreceived morethan 1,000 letters from aroundthe country.

Group seminar atuniversity.
Professor of
Kumamoto
University, whom
I met after joining
a university
research project.
First experienceof obtaining
money in compensation for mylabor.

Encountered
English, making
me realize thejoy of studying.

Experiencesof successes

Advanced to thefinal of a local piano competition.
Won a prize forthe third straightyear in a local
English competition.

Experiencesof mistakes

Thought that
I was good atsinging but wasnever praised byanyone and gave
up of the ideaof becoming asinger.

Felt tired of piano lessons andstopped playing
the piano. I still
could not playwell.
Continued to lose
in a municipal English competition
many times.

GraduateschoolUniversity
Participated in a
student researchcompetition
and a designcompetition.
Engaged in a
part-time job in
Nasu Highlands
for the first timein my life.
Started preparations for realizing
my dream.

Won a prize at aschool literaturecompetition in
my fourth yearof elementary
school, andparticipatedin a municipal
competition.

C A S E of NGUYEN THU LANHigh school

2nd half of my 30s

Got
married.

Started to learn
English in my firstyear at junior highschool, while continuing to practice piano
lessons.

Period

1st half of my 30s

Employed by aParticipated incompany after
volunteer workfromto support a local graduating
university.
community andTook TOEFL
children.
to earn a scholarStarted a partship with whichtime job at a
could study
design company. Iabroad.

Daily life asa corporate
employee.
Marriage to myhusband, whom I
met at university.

Working
professional
Joined by myhusband, who
also began to
study in Japan.
Had my first baby
when I was in mymaster’s course
and my second
baby in mydoctoral course,
increasing thenumber of myfamily members
to four.

Continued job
hunting while
conducting research as a parttime researcher
in the laboratoryof my guiding
professor in mydoctoral course.

Gave a presentation on myresearch at aninternational
academic conference held in theU.K.
Had my first andEngaged in asecond babies.
discussion withresearchers fromother countries,
making me feelthe joy of conducting research.

Began to work as
a faculty memberof Shimane University and tried
new responsibilities, such as
education.

Completed amaster’s course
and went on to adoctoral course.

Currently
conducting time
management tostrike the bestbalance between
householdchores and manytasks. (student
guidance andmy research
activities).

Appeared in a
newspaper, making me feel as if I
was a celebrity!

Participated in
an international
competition for
the first timeand got includedin the final list,
with my work
displayed in an
exhibition held in
Venice.

Planned a building design which
was actually
made into realbuilding.

Went on to auniversity inJapan with ascholarship fromthe Japanese
government(MEXT).

Won a researchaward, etc. froman internationalsociety.
Completed adoctoral course
and then got
employed
as a Project
Researcher.

Had two healthy
babies, andcompleted mymaster’s courseand doctoral
course whilebringing themup.

Became a successful applicant
for the positionof an AssistantProfessor for
Project of Shimane University.
Received two
graduate school
students.

Got selected
twice as arecipient of theGrants-in-Aid
for Scientific
Research, andlaunched joint
research.
Also, got
selected asa successful
applicant for the
JST Japan-Asia
Youth Exchange
Program in
Science, and realized a smoothexchange
program.

Applied for astudy programin Singapore but
got rejected.

Engaged in somany types of activities that there
were many times
that I could not
make a sufficientcommitment,
making me
realize the limitsof my own ability and physicalstrength.

Had little timeto spend withmy family, andregretted nottalking withmy parents
sufficiently.

Felt sad that I
had given up theidea of becoming
an architecturaldesigner.
Could not build
up an image ofwhat researchers
actually do.

Applied manytimes for instructor posts publicly
offered by otherorganizations
after completingmy academic
degree but got
rejected.

Felt much stressdue to difficulty
striking the bestbalance between
study, research,and parenting.

Lost confidence
in job hunting
in Japan due
to my failure tocommunicate
well in Japanese
as a result of mylack of studying
Japanese.

Still havingsome difficulty
explaining well
to students in myclasses.

On e We e k of Ms . La n

One Day of Ms. Lan

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

6 ：00

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

7 ：00

Have breakfast

Have breakfast

Have breakfast

Have breakfast

Have breakfast

8 ：00

Do exercise and Do exercise and Do exercise and Do exercise and Do exercise and Have breakfast
house cleaning house cleaning house cleaning house cleaning house cleaning

9 ：00

Send my firstchild to a
private-tutoring
school.

Sun.

Sleep

Sleep

Play with mysecond childin a park, dohouseholdchores andwork at home

10：00

11：00

12：00

Sat.

Work atuniversity

Work atuniversity

Work atuniversity

Work atuniversity

Work atuniversity

Pick up my firstchild and have
lunch

13：00

Read books and read/
write papers
Read and write e-mails

22

Have breakfast

21
20

16：00

Sleep

Conduct survey
and research in mylaboratory

17

14

13

Have dinner
Take a bath

Have dinner
Take a bath

Have dinner
Take a bath

Have dinner
Take a bath

Have dinner
Take a bath

Have dinner
Take a bath

Have dinner
Take a bath

21：00

Play with mychildrenPlay with mychildrenPlay with mychildrenPlay with mychildrenPlay with mychildrenPlay with mychildrenPlay with mychildren

23：00

Read books
and read/write
papersRead and writee-mails

Read books
and read/write
papersRead and writee-mails

Read books
and read/write
papersRead and writee-mails

Read books
and read/write
papersRead and writee-mails

Read books
and read/write
papersRead and writee-mails

Study on myown (e.g. learn
Japanese)

Study on myown (e.g. learn
Japanese)

0 ：00

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

I was born in a family with many persons works in the construction industry.
Since my father is an architect, I liked playing with his drawing tools andwatching him working at his drawing desk. I tried drawing a building by myself
and dreamed of being an architect at a very early age. While studying for a
graduation project, my supervisor told me that I am suited better to work as
a researcher, since he found I was very interested in digging for data in the
document phase of the project and took a long time to proceed to the next
phase.(these words influence my perception of myself a little). After receiving a
Japanese Government Scholarship for a masters course and successfully applied
the same scholarship to proceed to a doctor course, I was determined that I
would work as a researcher after my very long study time.

7

12

8

Prepareforclasses
Class

11

6

9
10

Do exercise/clean rooms
in my house/go to work

20：00

Why did you choose your current job?

5

Have breakfast

Lunch
break

15

18：00

22：00

4

Wake up

17：00

19：00

3

Go home18

Go shopping to
get food for the
week

15：00

2

Play with mychildren

16

14：00

1

Have dinner andtake a bath

19
Frequently travel a long way,for example,
to Daisen or
Izumo, together
with my family.

0

23

What was useful in what you
learned?
During an undergraduate study, I learned basic skills
and was equipped with initial knowledge to work ina real context through many design projects. I also
understand that the difficulty of creative work is
not in the workload but in the disappointing selfevaluations when my own effort is not recognized. The
doubt about self-ability should be controlled well toenjoy work. During my graduate study, I learned thatwhat I was studying has been studied by many others
and the work done by a team would have a greaterachievement than an individual's work. I learned tokeep tracking of others' works and communicate toclarify what I should do and contribute to.

What do you recommend students tolearn?
I would like to recommend students to spend more time to learn from theprofessional world that they will work for after their graduation to have full
preparation and equip themselves with the necessary skills and knowledge. It
helps them become confident and less doubtful about their ability. The mostimportant thing to learn is his/her desire, the skills, and knowledge needed tosatisfy that desire.

Message to students
Knowing you and believing in you is the key, and do not
avoid a difficult thing. Try doing and overcome a thing
will make a new version of yourself.

CASE of NGUYEN THU LAN

07

04

CASE of TERUKO ISHIBASHI

Everything is an experience.
Whatever it is, do your best and enjoy yourself.
Vice President, The University of Shimane

Teruko Ishibashi

Profile 【Academic Background】
Master’s Program in Nursing Science, Graduate School of Health Science Studies, Kibi
International University【Career】
Nurse at Shimane Prefectural Koryo Hospital (Psychiatry)/Part-time lecturer at
Shimane Prefectural Iwami School of Nursing (practical training in psychiatry)/Nurse at
Shimane Prefectural Central Hospital (digestive surgery)/Instructor of practical trainingat Shimane Prefectural Central Hospital/Full-time faculty member of the Facultyof Nursing of the present University of Shimane/Part-time lecturer at the National
Hamada School of Nursing

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

2nd half of my 30s

1st half of my 40s

2nd half of my 40s

1st half of my 50s

Late 50s

Earned a doctoral degree.

Became a nurse at the department of psychiatry, Shimane Prefectural Koryo Hospital.
Assigned to the ward for elderly patients.

Inaugurated as the firstfemale vice presidentof the Izumo Campus.

Married andchild wasborn.
Birth through vocational college

Working professional

Major
events[Elementary school]
Played a leadershiprole as a class representative.
[Junior high school]
Became passive andsusceptible to otherpeople’s influences.
[High school] Had noconcrete idea of what
I wanted to be in the
future.
[Vocational college]
Wanted to be an
independent woman,but did not have aconcrete goal of what
I wanted to pursue as
a nurse.

My experience ofattending to patients on
their deathbed drove me
to make more sincere
efforts as a nurse.
Became aTransferred to the ward
nurse atfor chronic-stage psychithe Depart- atric patients.
ment ofHad two children in my
Psychiatry late 20s.
of Shimane Came back to work
Prefectural immediately after mymaternity leave.
Koryo
Held a monthly case
Hospital.
study meeting with myAssignedto the ward colleagues and seniorfor elderly nurses.
Held study meetings
patients.
regularly to read anddiscuss nursing theories
and specialized journals.
Participated in academic
conferences.

Transferred to the ward for
acute psychiatric patients.
Became a part-time lecturer
at Shimane Prefectural Iwami
School of Nursing while working as a practical trainer.
Participated in a 45-day
workshop held in Hiroshima
for the Chugoku and Shikoku
region’s practical trainers.
Sought a transfer to Shimane
Prefectural Central Hospital,
where I worked as a nurseof digestive surgery, in orderto participate in a six-monthtraining program to foster
teachers.
Became a practical instructor
after completing the training
program.

Became a full-time
lecturer at Shimane
Nursing College.
Entered the Master’s
Program in Nursing
Science, Graduate
School of Health
Science Studies, Kibi
International University,and earned a Master’s
degree.

Establisheda clinicalnursing
study groupso as notto losemy senseof clinicalnursing,
and metnursesworkingin clinicalsettings
and healthnursesworking forcompanies
to examinevariouscases ona monthlybasis.

Events,books,
people, etc.
affectingme[Birth-High school] My
mother.
[Vocational college]
Friends at the nursing
school.

Seniorcolleaguesof the sameward.

My transfer from the department of psychiatry to thetrauma department helpedme broaden my perspective.

My students.
Studied under theteacher of the nextdoor lab.
Learned how toapproach research andeducation activities.

I think I was able to advancein my career by learning the People with mental disskill to put practical training orders who participatedinto words and receiving
in research.
help from my colleagues.

Had a class reunion after
completing the training program.
Took a correspondence
course inspired by mycolleagues on the training
program.
Sought to receive training for
fostering nursing teachers.
Worked with seniorcolleagues and doctors forpost-notification care ofpatients with progressive
cancer.
Found my experience as a
psychiatric nurse useful.

When I saw my students
grow immensely as
nurses through theirthree-year college
lives, I thought it might
be another choice topursue my career as an
educator.
My experience of
encountering the deathof a mentally disorderedpatient reinforced mybelief that it was necessary to clarify what kindof ability was required
for nurses to notice thechange of a patient’s
condition before it was
too late.
My research plan basedon this belief acquired
research funds from two
external organizations.

The clinical nursing
study group was positively resolved to form
a narrative study group,
consisting of nursing
teachers, educationteachers, clinical nurses,
and teachers of schools
for the disabled; thestudy group met every
two months.
At present, the participants include graduate
students.
Collaborative researchwith an agriculture
research centerand a mental healthcenter served as anopportunity to create anorganization to provide
job assistance to people
with mental disability.

Discovered cancer too late in
one of the inpatients with amental disorder.
This experience made me feela deep sense of regret, whichbecame my research theme.

Transferred to Shimane
Nursing College.
I had hoped to continue
to engage in clinicalpractice, but I had toaccept the transfer
since I was a government employee.

PeriodExperiencesofsuccesses[Vocational college]
Felt pressure and had
Experiences an inferiority complexof mistakes to my colleagues
due to their strong
awareness.

08

C A S E of TERUKO ISHIBASHI

Treatedkindlyat theworkplacebecausefew
registerednurseswishedto work
for thepsychiatricdepartment
immediately after
graduation.
Steadyincome.
Fully
enjoyeddays-off
after night
shifts.

My patients with Alzheimer’s and their families.
My colleagues and seniornurses.

Although no home careor deathwatch system
had yet been established,provided visiting careto one of my patientsand helped his family
who wished to be by his
bedside when he died.
Reported this case in an
academic conference.
This experience helped
me develop a newperspective of nursing
and acquire the ability toanalyze various nursing
phenomena.

Enrolled in
the Doctoral
Coursein Health
Science ofHiroshima
University asa research
student forthree years,
and earned
a doctoral
degree.

Wrote a book jointly withclinical nurses based oncase studies, while pursuingresearch and education
activities.
Continued to pursue
research activity while acquiring KAKENHI (Grants-inAid for Scientific Research).

Worked on application for theestablishmentof Master’sand doctoral
Assigned as a professor. programs ofStarted to engage in
the graduate
KAKENHI (Grants-in-Aid school.
for Scientific Research) Established aapplication screening as course to foster
an examiner.
highly skilled
Launched a job
practitioners
assistance network forin the Master’speople with disabilities course of
called “Tsuwabuki,” asthe graduatea corporation engaged school.
in specified non-profit
Providedactivities.
research guidance to graduate students
in a psychiatricnursing seminar.

My experience
as a KAKENHI
application examiner proved
to be helpful.

Meetings andother university
administration
events madeit difficult tospend my timeon research.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Ishibashi

Daily Schedule of Ms. Ishibashi

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

6 ：00

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

7 ：00

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

8 ：00

Meeting

Meeting

Meeting

Meeting

9 ：00

Check e-mail

10：00

Paperwork,
reporting

Paperwork,
check e-mailUndergraduates’ researchpresentation
meeting

11：00
12：00
13：00
14：00
15：00

Move to theHamada Campus by train

Deal with visitors

Extraordinary
board of directors’ meeting

Prepare for
lecturesResponse to
President at
workManagement
committee
meeting

PR committee
meeting

Class: consultation theory

18：00

Return home

Field meeting

19：00

HouseholdchoresResearch guidance for graduate
students

20：00
21：00
22：00
23：00
0 ：00

Prepare for the
next day’s work

Class for graduInterview withate students
teachers

19

Entranceexam-related
work

Research project meeting

Research guidInternational
ance for graduate exchange comstudents
mittee meeting

17：00

20
Compensation
day off

Meeting with adPhysical checkministration officials
up

Move to Izumo
by train

16：00

21

Go to work

Check e-mailJoint campus
meeting22

Day off
I switch my mind
between on- andoff-duty and fully
enjoy myself.

Check e-mail1

Prepare for the next day’s work

Household chores

2
3

Sleep

18

Research guidance for graduate
students

17

Meeting

16

Check e-mailBreakMeeting

14

13

4
5

Return home, dinner

15
Meeting withacademic
affairs staff

0

23

Wake up, makebreakfast, take care of 6
the dog, get ready forwork
7
Meeting
Paperwork
8
Check e-mailPrepare for lectures
9
Confirm meeting materials
10
11
12

Return home

Return home

Prepare for the
next day’s work

Free time

Household chores

Return home,
household chores

Return homeFree time

Free time

Free time

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Household chores

How did you get into yourcurrent job or career path?

What kind of learning did you findmost useful?

At first, I aimed to achieve financial independence.
After going out into the world, however, I thought

I found it most useful to consider the concerns found clinically in thenursing was a lifelong work. I learned a lot from myform of case study and understand what significance they have. Thisencounter with various patients and was determinedtraining was very helpful in developing insights and interpretation

to pursue a career in this field.

capability.

What do you encourage students
to learn? (Recommendation)

Message to everyone who isgoing to join the workforce

I advise you to train yourself to verbalize what you havedone through research activity, which will help you achieve

Positive thinking is very important in pursuing your career.

consistency between nursing practice, nursing research, andEverything is an experience. Whatever it is, do your best andnursing education.

enjoy yourself.

CASE of TERUKO ISHIBASHI

09

05

CASE of SHIORI FUKUDA“Asking for help” is a key
means of helping yourself.
Assistant Professor, Department of Health and Nutrition, Faculty of
Nursing and Nutrition, the University of Shimane

Shiori Fukuda

Profile 【Academic Background】
Shimane Prefectural Izumo High School
School of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Tokushima University
Master’s Program in Human Nutrition, the Graduate School of
Nutrition and Bioscience, Tokushima University
Doctoral Program in Human Nutrition, the Graduate School of
Nutrition and Bioscience, Tokushima University

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

Discovery of
the new me.

Poorest grade in
my school life.

10

PeriodFrom birth to elementary
schoolJunior high school

High school

University/graduate school

Working professional

Major events

Took interest in various things.
Learned badminton, soccer, andthe electronic organ.

Entered the school chorus.
Served as vice president of thestudent council.

Entered my first-choice highschool.
Made lifelong friends in the threeyear science and mathematics
class Joined the school chorus.

Started to live alone.
Enjoyed studying with classmates
sharing the same dream.
Encountered nutrition research.
Took a part-time job at a restaurant.

Started to work at the University of
Shimane in my hometown.
Married and started to consider mywork-life balance in the future.
Reunited with local friends.

Unwilling to study; had mypoorest grade when I was in thefirst year of junior high school.
This gave me an opportunity toconsider my future career.

When I was in the first year of
senior high school, listened to alecture about a university professor about nutrition science andtook an interest in the discipline.
Failed the national university
entrance examination, but passed
the exam to enter my first-choice
university.
This experience taught me how
important it is to stick to mybeliefs, and not be influenced byothers.

Club activity members.
People with whom I becameacquainted in my part-time job(still maintaining a family-likerelationship with them).
Teachers, seniors and juniors in
my graduate school lab.

All those involved at the University of Shimane.
Meeting students and local
residents in particular gives me
the vigor to work harder.
Since I’m from the local community, I have many opportunities tosee my friends at work, which is ahuge stimulus for me.
Easy to gain my husband’s understanding of my work, because heis a fellow employee.

Discover the new me in my parttime job.
Went to graduate school andearned a doctoral degree innutrition science.
Entered a nationwide competition(Club activity).

Obtained KAKENHI (Grants-in-Aid
for Scientific Research).
Community activities withstudents.
Support from local friends.

Came into conflict with my friends
because I asserted myself too
much (Good memory).

Became aware that I have many
weak points through activities
that were different from those in
my graduate school days (Great
experience).

Events,books,
people, etc.
affecting me

I thought I tended to leave things
unfinished, but I discovered what
I love to do (play the electronicorgan).

Experiencesof successes

Entered an electronic organ
competition, in which I felt
nervous but enjoyed a sense ofaccomplishment.

Received Japan’s No. 1 award
in a nationwide competition.

Entered a nationwide competition.
Met my future husband.

Experiencesof mistakes

Became tired of everything, except playing the electronic organ.

Failed a test in my first year of
junior high school.
Failed the national university
entrance examination.

Failed the national university
entrance examination.

C A S E of SHIORI FUKUDA

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Fukuda
Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Daily Schedule of Ms. Fukuda

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

22

6 ：00
7 ：00

Wake up, getready for work

Wake up, getready for work

8 ：00

Go to work

Go to work

Prepare forclass (practical
work)

Class (practical
work)

9 ：00
10：00

Wake up, getready for work

Go to work

Go to work
Prepare for
class

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

14：00
15：00
16：00
17：00

Research
activity(experiment,
etc.)

18：00
19：00

22：00

Dinner, bath,watch TV

Return home

Go to bed

MeetingDinner, bath,watch TV
Go to bed

Wake up, getready for work

Go to work
Class

Lunch break

Lunch break

Class (practicalwork)

Prepare forcommunity
activity

Community
activity withstudents

Return home
Grocery
shopping

Clear up afterclass (practicalwork)
Research activity

Return home
Grocery
shopping

Return home

Dinner, bath,watch TV

Dinner, bath,watch TV

Go to bed

Go to bed

20
Wake up, getready for work

19

2

Shopping

18

Lunch

17

Return home

Relax at home

Relax at home3
Dinner, bath,watch TV

Research activity(experiment, etc.)
Prepare for community
activity
Meeting to prepare for
class

Dinner, bath,watch TV

Go to bed

Go to bed

56
7
8Class (practical work)

9

15
14

Dinner, bath,watch TV

4
Sleep

16

Research activity
Research activity

Makearrangements
for class(practical work)
Research activity (experiment)

23：00
0 ：00

Class (practical
work)

Return home

20：00
21：00

Wake up, getready for work

Class (practical
work)

13：00

1

21

Class

11：00
12：00

Wake up, getready for work

0

23

13

12

11

10

Dinner, bath,watch TV

Go to bed

How did you get into your current

What kind of learning did

job or career path?

you find most useful?

I have loved eating since I was a child. When I was a senior high school
student, I had a dream to be a managerial dietician, and started to think
about getting involved in education and research activities in the fieldof nutrition science and getting a job in my home prefecture, Shimane.
When I was a graduate school student, I knew that the Department
of Health and Nutrition of the University of Shimane was going to bereorganized from a two-year program to foster nutritionists to a fouryear program to foster managerial dieticians, and I was lucky to takemy current post.

Partly because I was not good at arts subjects inhigh school, I took a math and science course.
Once I started research activity at university, I
recognized the fact that English and Japanese skills
play a more important role than math and scienceskills. Language skills are indispensable in providing
education to students and conveying my research
results to others. It is also very important to develop
the habit of thinking for yourself and forming yourown opinion.

What do you encourage
students to learn?

Message to everyone who is(Recommendation)

going to join the workforce“Asking for help” is important, whatever field you are in.
Of course, depending on other people all the time is not
good. When things are not going well despite your serious
efforts, ask for help (verbally), and you may find a solution
easily.

It may not be easy to imagine yourself going out into thereal world. My advice is to find one thing you love to do.
You might stumble in the future, but please remember thatafter something bad there has to be something good. I lookforward to working together with you in the future.

CASE of SHIORI FUKUDA

11

06

CASE of HIROMI MATSUTANIHave a lot of different experiences by interactingwith various people!
Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Nutrition, theUniversity of Shimane

Hiromi Matsutani

Profile 【Academic Background】
Izumo-Nishi High School/Nursing Department, Shimane Nursing College/
Major in Community Health Nursing in the Special Course, Shimane Nursing
College/Master’s Course in Nursing Science, the Graduate School of
Medical Research, Shimane University/Currently enrolled in the Doctoral
Course, the Graduate School of Nursing Science, the University of Shimane【Career】
Health Promotion Division, Misato-cho Town Office, Shimane Prefecture

My Career
0 – 9

10s

Often listened to stories told by
my grandmother who had worked
as a midwife.
Met a “health nurse” througha workplace experience in mysecond year of junior high school.

1st half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

2st half of my 30s

Birth of our second
child: took one-year
maternity leave.

Met my futurehusband.

Did various
part-time jobs.

Enjoyed Japanese more thanmath and science!

2nd half of my 20s

Gave a lecture
as an alumna
at my former
school.

Birth of our first child;took one-year maternity leave.

Joined the table
tennis club, spent
my time playing
table tennis.

PeriodFrom birth toelementary school

Major events

Had various experiences, including
in volleyball, table
tennis, Japanesecalligraphy, andabacus.

Events,books,
people, etc.
affecting me

Experiencesof successes

Experiencesof mistakes

12

My brothers,classmates andtheir parents, club
instructor andclubmates.

JuniorhighschoolFriends.

Awarded a prize ina Japanese calligraphy competition.

Was not good at
abacus and quit
my abacus school.

C A S E of HIRKOMI MATSUTANI

Was
unable toperform
well inindividualcompetitions.

High school

University/graduate
schoolWorking professional

Found study
interesting,and tookthe mathand science
course, rather
than thehumanities
course, without hesitation.

Entered Shimane
Nursing College tostudy nursing science(three years).
Went on to the special
course to become ahealth nurse.

After graduation,
employed as a healthnurse by the Misato-cho
town office.
Started to live alone.

Quit my job after
I got married,and gained employment with
the University of
Shimane.
Entered graduate school.

My club activity’s instructor
and clubmates(seniors andjuniors).

My encounter witha teacher who had
a great influence onme.
Many university
friends.
Chief of the store
where I worked parttime.

Met senior health nurses
who served as rolemodels for me.
Had various experiences
as a town official.
Learned a lot from local
residents.

Superiors,colleagues,
graduate school
supervisor,
graduateschool mates,
people withwhom I becameacquainted
through my research activity.

Completedthe Master’scourse whileworking.

Was in a position to convey
the concerns I
had had whenworking as ahealth nurse to
my students.

Supervisor.
Seminarmembers.

Participated in aninterscholastic
athletic meet(as a reserve
for a teamcompetition).

Worthwhile activities asa health nurse.
Worked hard to win theacceptance of people in
the town.
Came to enjoy working
as a health nurse, andcame to be addressedby my first name!.

Obtained
KAKENHI(Grants-in-Aid
for Scientific
Research).

Found my job
rewarding.
Found my pastexperience
helpful in providing student
guidance.

Was unable toperform wellin individualcompetitions.

Was unable to get used
to living alone, causing
me to develop irregulareating habits.
At first, felt discouraged
because I was not
accepted by the local
people.

Worriedabout thebalancebetweenchildcare andwork after
returning towork.

Worried about
the balance
between childcare and work
after returning
to work.

Felt frustration in mypractical work at a
hospital.

Went on to thedoctoral course
while working.

Struggled withthe balance
between work
(research) andchildcare.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Matsutani
Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

6 ：00

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

7 ：00

Take child toTake child toTake child toTake child toTake child to
day-care center day-care center day-care center day-care center day-care center

8 ：00

Daily Schedule of Ms. Matsutani
Sat.

Sun.

Wake up

Wake up

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Breakfast

Breakfast

Prepare/organize materials

Prepare for
lectures

Meeting

Meeting withorgans forpractical work

LectureGo to a parkwith child

Outing withchild

Lunch breakCommittee-related work

Lunch break

Post-lecture
work

Lunch

Committee meeting

Research-related meeting

Lunch break

Take a nap withchild

Committee meeting

Meeting

Give child a bathand put them to bed 22

21

9 ：00
10：00
11：00
12：00

Lunch break

13：00

Student
research guidance (assistant)

14：00

Lunch break

16：00
17：00
18：00

Seminar at
graduate school
Lecture at
graduate school

19：00
20：00

Return home

Return home

DinnerDinnerDinnerDinnerPut child to sleep

Put child to sleep

Put child to sleep

22：00
Go to bed

Attend alecturePlay with child

Go to bed

DinnerDinnerPut child to sleep

Put child to sleep

Go to bed

Go to bed

Reading
Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

2
3

Sleep
Dinner, free time

Pick up my child from day-care
center and return home

45Household chores,
breakfast6
Committee and other universityPrepare to take child torelated work
day-care center
7
17
Return to the university,
Go to medical institution
check e-mailfor practical work
16
Practical work
8
Work with students andconference
interact with patients
9
15
Lunch
10
14
11
13
12

18

Study forgraduate school

Pick up my child
Pick up my child
Pick up my childfrom day-care center from day-care center from day-care centerand return homeand return homeand return home

Reading

21：00

23：00

Prepare for
lecturesLunch

1

Research work

20
19

15：00

0

23

Work with students andinteract with patients

Check students’practical work records

0 ：00

How did you get into your current job orWhat kind of learning did

career path?

you find most useful?

Resigning from my former job after getting married was one of the major factors.

As a student, I was not good at making presentations

I sometimes worried about my work as a health nurse because I was too busy

in front of other people or expressing my opinion. Afterto review the work I did every day. I also had a lot to think about in terms ofentering university and going out into the real world,

supporting people with mental disorders in the local community, which madewe have more opportunities to express opinions thanme feel conflicted. At that time, I was asked by my former university teacher

we think. It is quite important for both healthcare

about my willingness to work as a teacher at a nursing college. I thought thisworkers and researchers to acquire the skills required

would be a good opportunity to stop and confront the issues and challenges

to get their own ideas across. Please try to pay more

I faced, and decided to pursue a career as a university teacher and researcher.

attention to communication with your family members
and friends in everyday life.

What do you encourage students to learn?
(Recommendation)
I encourage you to get involved in what you are interested in. I understand that

Message to everyone who isgoing to join the workforce

it takes guts to take a step forward and that it is more comfortable not to do so.

Please be proactive in going out into various fields,

However, stepping forward will give you an opportunity to see an unexpectedinteracting with various people and having various

side of yourself, spark a new interest, explore something new for you, or broaden

experiences. Accumulating such experiences fromyour perspective. Although I’m living in Shimane Prefecture, there is a lot abouta student would be helpful in your work, research

Shimane that I don’t know. It is important to know more about the community

activity and private life. It is quite important to take on

you live in, before learning about others. Please participate in various local

new challenges in front of you, even if you are reluctant

events more actively to learn more about your local community and its people.

to do so.

CASE of HIRKOMI MATSUTANI

13

07

CASE of YUKO SERIKAWA

Someone is surely watching
you taking on a challenge.
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environment Engineering, National Institute ofTechnology, Matsue College

Yuko Serikawa

Profile 【Academic Background】
Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Fukui College/
Environmental Design, College of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University/
Master’s Course in Environmental Design, Graduate School of Natural Science andTechnology, Kanazawa University/Doctoral Course in Environmental Design, Graduate
School of Natural Science and Technology, Kanazawa University/Research Fellow (DC
2 and PD) of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

Met Prof. Yoshida
and Prof.
Miyajima.

Failed to enter
my first-choicedepartment.

PeriodHigh school

Graduate School

Working professional

Started playing
Kyogi Karuta (acard game using
Hyakunin Isshu(one hundred
poems by one
hundred poets)and volleyball.

Entered thevolleyball club.
Student body
activity.
Participated in
the Kyogi Karuta
tournament as therepresentative of
Fukui Prefecture.

Entered the volleyball club / student-body
activity (vice president) / female head of
the cheering group / worked part-time ata major supermarket / worked part-timeat a local soba restaurant / selected earthquake disaster prevention as the themeof my graduation work / studied abroad
for a short time (first overseas travel) /set the goal of becoming a teacher at the
National Institute of Technology.

Started living alone / Selected an earthquake engineering lab to continue to pursue the research I started at
the National Institute of Technology, Fukui College /attended academic conferences in Japan and abroad/wrote a paper / conducted fieldwork in affected areas(Kumamoto, Hokkaido, Indonesia) / ran a full marathon/ took graduate school entrance exams (twice) / took
exam to go on to the doctoral course.

Assigned to the National InstituteTechnology, Matsue College(realizing my dream).
Served as an advisor to thefemale volleyball club.

Volleyball.

Was afraid of myclub advisor (Goodteacher).
Learned about
hierarchical relationships throughclub activities.

Learn about interpersonal relationships
through club and student-body activities
and part-time jobs.
Encounter with Professor Masaho Yoshida,
who served as supervisor of the lab.
Bitter memory of my retirement match.

Met Prof. Masakatsu Miyajima, who served as supervisorof the lab / met many friends through circle and club
activities and at the lab / delivered a presentation at the
National Institute of Technology, Hakodate College andlearned about other schools by visiting Nagaoka College
and Maizuru College under the internship program /became interested in marathons by participating in the
lab’s annual jogging event / spent one week in an English-only environment with students from universities
ranked highly in the OIST Science Challenge 2016.

Meetings (discussions in themeetings gave me a shock) /made connections with female
researchers active in various
fields, and students and faculty/
staff members of the National
Institute of Technology, Matsue
College.

Experiencesof successes

Won a prize inthe annual Kyogi
Karuta tournament
every year fromthe first year ofelementary school.

Selected as thejunior high schoolteam representing
Fukui Prefecture forthe Kyogi Karuta
tournament and won
second place.
Successfully entered
the National Instituteof Technology, Fukui
College.

Won the school president award for club
activities.
Won the cheering prize and the overall
championship at a sports meet.
Was able to balance my part-time jobs
and club activities.
Increased my savings.
Fully enjoyed my school life.

Exempted from tuition for graduate school/exemptedfrom paying back student loans.
Graduated early from the doctoral course.
Ran a full marathon five times in four months.
Fully enjoyed school life.
Conquered Japan’s three sacred mountains.

Became involved in the same
sports club activity as I had
engaged in as a student.
Was able to have interactions
with students through classes
and club activities.
Fully enjoyed my teaching life.

Experiencesof mistakes

My eyes went bad
quickly because ofwatching too much
television.

Failed to enter
my first-choicedepartment ofmaterial scienceand engineering →Won admission to
my second-choicedepartment.

Applied for transfer to the university under
the recommendation system → declined→switched to a written exam (passed theexam).
Experienced the danger of being heldback in my first year of technical college.

Failed to reserve a hotel room when visiting Chile toparticipate in an international conference.
Failed a graduate school exam → passed a secondary
exam.

Found the area that I live in to bevulnerable to flooding.

Major events

Events,books,
people, etc.
affecting me

14

From birth toelementary school Junior high school

Failed a
graduateschool entrance exam.

C A S E of YUKO SERIKAWA

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Serikawa

Daily Schedule of Ms. Serikawa

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

6 ：30

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Breakfast

Breakfast

Club activity

Grocery
shopping,
householdchores

7 ：00

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

8 ：00

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

9 ：00

Confirm schedule E-mail, deskwork

10：00

E-mail, deskwork

Research

Class (exercise)Class(graduation
work)

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Research

Class (experiment/practical
work)

11：00
12：00

15：00

Class (lecture)

Research

Lunch
Lunch

Class (exercise)Class (graduation work)

21
20

Club activity

Research

Club activity

Club activity

Research

18

Supervise club activities

DinnerDinnerDinnerDinnerDinnerDinnerDinner

20：00

Running

21：00

Bath, watch TV

Bath, watch TV

Bath, watch TV

RunningBath, watch TV

Bath, watch TV

Bath, watch TV

Bath, watch TV

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed5
Wake up
6
Breakfast, get ready for work

Lunch,
free time

Running

14

7

Go to work, confirm
schedule, e-mailingwork

Researchmeeting

15

4

Sleep

Research

16

2
3

Jogging, exercise

18：00
19：00

1

Bath, watch TV

Dinner17
Watch TV, go
out with friends

0

23

19

Lunch

Grocery
shopping,
householdchores, etc.

16：00
17：00

Long-distancerunning along
Lake Shinji
when weather
permits

Class(graduationwork)

E-mail, deskwork

13：00
14：00

Class (lecture)

22

13Class (lecture,
exercise)

12

11

8
9

10

22：00
23：00
0 ：00

How did you get into your

What kind of learning did you

current job or career path?

find most useful?

I was able to improve myself through various experiences
during my technical college days. I was also fortunate enoughto meet wonderful teachers. I wanted to be a technicalcollege teacher who could have an influence on my students.

I did not make a special effort to learn something, but I
had many experiences during my school days from juniorhigh school to technical college, university and graduate
school. They include various experiences in my club
activities, student-body activities, internship, part-time jobs,
conferences in Japan and abroad, short-term study abroad,and work as a teaching assistant. I still retain the knowledge,
connections (with teachers, friends, seniors and juniors), andinterpersonal relationships I built through these activities.

What do you encourage students
to learn? (Recommendation)
The following is what I acquired in my school life.
（1） Busy days writing reports and doing assignments →I developed the habit of meeting a deadline in any
situation.
（2） Internship, study abroad → I can keep my connection
with companies and other schools.
（3） Club activities → I developed the habit of setting a goal
and thinking and acting toward the goal.
（4） Part-time jobs → I realized how hard it is to earn money
and learned common sense.
（5） Play with all my strength → I can make time however
busy I am.
（6） Connections with teachers → Teachers have limitless
information and a network of personal connections.

Message to everyone who isgoing to join the workforce
To become the person you truly wish to be, you need toconsider what you should learn and what kinds of skills you
should acquire, and then act toward them. Since I didn’tknow what the correct answer was, I tried many different
things. Sometimes they exceeded my capacity, but many
people helped me to continue my efforts to pursue mycareer. Someone is surely watching you taking on a challenge.
Strongly believing this, I want you to devote your best efforts.
Enjoy and go for it!

CASE of YUKO SERIKAWA

15

08

CASE of KEIKO AMANO

It is very important not togive up, no matter what happens.
Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, National Institute ofTechnology, Yonago College

Keiko Amano

Profile 【Academic Background】
Graduate School of Nara Women’s University【Career】
Public research institute/National university

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

Met a professor infieldwork abroad.

First step as aworking woman.
Spent four hours
a day commuting.

Met mysupervisor.
Took care of my father.
Frequently traveled
between Kansai and
Shizuoka.
Visited my father in hospital while job hunting.
Was afraid about myfuture because of fixedterm employment.

From birth toelementary
schoolPeriodChangedschools.

Major events

Events, books,
people, etc.
affecting me

Junior highschoolTook upsome form oflessons every
day.

High
schoolUniversity

Did nothing
but study.

Supervisor.

Master’s
program

Did nothing
but carry out
research.

Doctoralprogram

Did nothing
but carry out
research.

16

C A S E of KEIKO AMANO

Had a hardtime becauseof fixed-term
employment.

Working professional
First step as aworking woman.
Worked as a
researcher
and part-time
instructor
under a five-year
employment
contract.

Professor who
helped me in
my fieldwork
abroad.

Took care of myfather until his
death.
Frequently traveled between
Kansai and myhometown in
Shizuoka.

Changed jobs
and becamea university instructor undera fixed-term
employment
contract.

Considered how
to spend my life.

Superior inthose days.

Found it hard
to settle inat my newschool.

In my women’s university
days, had few
opportunities
to converse
with men,
except for amale convenience-store
clerk.

Spent four hours
a day commuting.

Conducted job
hunting while
taking care of
my father.
Sometimes
visited my father
in hospital after
having a job
interview.
Filled with
anxiety as the
expiration of
my employment term
approached.

Made a career
move tomy current
post before
completingthe term of
the former
employment.

Married andhad a stablejob.
Selected for
KAKENHI(Grants-in-Aid
for Scientific
Research)(Foundation“C”).

Selected for
KAKENHI(Grants-in-Aid
for Scientific
Research) (foryoung scientists“B”).
Found joy in pursuing research.

Experiences ofsuccesses

Experiences of
mistakes

2st half of my 30s
Married and had astable job.
Selected for KAKENHI(Grants-in-Aid for
Scientific Research)(Foundation C).

Had a hardtime due tothe wide gap
between myduties andmy field ofspecialization.

Transferredaway from myhome immediately after mymarriage.
Returnedhome every
weekend.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Amano
Time

Mon.

6 ：00

Wake up

7 ：00

Commute towork by limited
express train

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Wake up

Wake up

Class

Class

Class

Class

Research

HouseholdchoresHouseholdchores

8 ：00

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Daily Schedule of Ms. Amano
Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

22
21
20

9 ：00
10：00
11：00
12：00

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Class

Prepare forclasses, provide guidance
to students

Prepare forclasses, provide guidance
to students

Class

Prepare forclasses, provide guidance
to students

Meeting

Meeting

Meeting

Meeting

ResearchResearchResearchResearch

13：00
14：00
15：00
16：00
17：00
18：00
19：00

Meeting

Return home

Return home

Return home

Return home

Return home

Householdchores,prepare for the
next day’s work

Householdchores,prepare for the
next day’s work

Householdchores,prepare for the
next day’s work

Householdchores,prepare for the
next day’s work

Spend with myfamilyResearch

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

23：00
0 ：00

16

Wake up, make/eat breakfast, getready for work
Commute to workby limited express
train

5
6
7

Class

Class

Spend with myfamily

20：00

4

Sleep

Meeting

8

Lunch break15

Commute towork by limited
express train

21：00
22：00

17

2
3

Dinner, work preparation,
free time

Write papers

18

Spend with myfamily1

Return home

19

Hobby

0

23

14

13

9
11

12

10

Go to bed

How did you get into your

What kind of learningcurrent job or career path?

did you find mostuseful?

I had been engaged in study work at a public research
institute and work to promote projects at a national
university. I decided to work at the National Instituteof Technology, Yonago College to pursue my career as a
researcher while serving as a teacher in the Departmentof Architecture.

It is important to pursue your own interests,
but I’d like to advise you to take interest in
many different things because your workrequires a lot of interaction with people.

What do you encourage

Message to everyone

students to learn?

who is going to join the(Recommendation)

workforce

I encourage you to have various experiences. You may
find the enrichment lessons you took in your childhood
to be very useful.

It is very important not to give up, no matter
what happens. Also, treasure every encounteryou have with every person.

CASE of KEIKO AMANO

17

09

CASE of MICHIKO ENDO

Working on the Internet is not enough.
You cannot start without interacting with people.
Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science, National Institute of Technology,
Yonago College

Michiko Endo

Profile 【Academic Background】】

Department of Human Life and Environment, Faculty of Human Life and Environment, Nara
Women’s University/Currently enrolled in the doctoral program of the Graduate School of
Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University【Career】
Chiyomusubi Sake Brewery Co., Ltd./National Research Institute of Brewing/Food
Development Research Laboratory, Tottori Institute of Industrial Technology

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

2st half of my 30s

Created cost-saving cooking
recipes.

Left homeand enjoyeddormitory life.
Served as classpresident, department head, committee chairperson, etc.

18

PeriodFrom birth toelementary school

Junior highschoolHigh school

University

Working
professional

Major events

Practiced trackand field andswimming
during thesummervacation.

Felt exhilarated by climbing
Daisen.
Joined the soft
tennis club.

Got my driving
license andcame to enjoy
driving.
Challenging
study at thetechnical college → Found
pleasure in
studying.

Transferred intomy third year atuniversity.
Fully enjoyedtemple sightseeing tours.
Made manyfriends.

Worked for a
local brewing
company.

Events, books,
people, etc.
affecting me

Duties as classpresident,
department
head,committee
chairperson,
etc.

Oshita-san’sability to cheer
people up.

Adviser to thetea ceremonyand flower
arrangement
circle.
Gained thepraise ofphotographer
Shoji Ueda forthe pictures I
took.

University
teachers,
friends,
seniors.
Friends
from nearby
universities.

Experiences ofsuccesses

Won many
prizes inJapanesecalligraphycompetitions.

Won first placein the school’s
choir contest
for threeconsecutive
tournaments.

Received acertificate ofcalligraphy.
Became thehead of thetea ceremonyand flower
arrangement
circle, which
was upgradedto a club.

Left homeand enjoyeddormitory life.

Experiences of
mistakes

Chased bya dog; sincethen, I’ve
been scaredof dogs.

Broke a bonewhile playing
soft tennis.

Missed a train
which runs
once an hour(a few dozen
times).

Gained a lotof weight
throughovereating
and drinking.

C A S E of MICHIKO ENDO

Became apart-time
employee of
the National
Research
Institute ofBrewing.

Createdcost-savingcookingrecipes.
Startedstudying for aqualification.

Took a local
government
employment
exam.
Purchased a
car.

Employedby Tottori
Prefectural
Government
and engaged
in food-related
research.

Became ateacher of
the National
Institute ofTechnology,
YonagoCollege.

Met people
engaged in
brewing sake.
Became apart-time
employee of
the National
Research
Institute ofBrewing.

Talked withexperts in
brewing.
Fellowcolleagues
speaking
passionately
about refinedsake.

D. Carnegie’s
Book How tostop worrying
and start
living.

Laboratory
director.
Scary seniorcolleagues.

Many students
and teachers.

Appointed as
the person
responsible forthe soy sauce
brewery.

Had enoughtime to exercise and cook.

Made theeffort to get
to know
scary seniorcolleagues by
hanging out
with them.

The first bonus
I received
made me feelrich.

Resumedresearch that
had worriedme for five
years.

Succumbed tothe pressureof being
responsible forthe soy sauce
brewery.

Cut down on
my spending
because I
wasn’t a regular employee.

My car broke
down.
Failed aqualification
exam.

Overwhelmed
by a lot of
duties and mydisorganizedhandling ofthem.

Went on tograduateschool whileworking.

Failed to balance my study
and work anddecided totake a leave ofabsence fromuniversity.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Endo
Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

7 ：00

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

8 ：00

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

Class

10：00

Research

12：00

Lunch, take a walk

Lunch

Research work
guidanceClass

Meeting

16：00

Lunch

Research

20：00
Return home

22：00

Literature
research, etc.

23：00
0 ：00

Go to bed

Return home, go to bed

20
19

Lunch

Prepare forclasses, etc.

Prepare forclasses, etc.

ResearchResearch

21：00

21

Lunch

Prepare forclasses, etc.

17：00

19：00

22

Wake upOutingTravel to home

Dormitory
eventsSpend time withfamilyReturn home

Return home
Relax

Literature
research, etc.

Literature
research, etc.

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

1

Return home, eat
dinner, conduct
literature research, etc.

2
3
4

Sleep

5
6
Wake up17

Return home

16

Graduation work
guidance, etc.

15

Return home

018

Attend a lecture

Dinner23

ResearchResearchResearch meeting

13：00

18：00

Sun.

ResearchClass

Prepare for classes

15：00

Sat.

Go to university

School duties indormitory

11：00

14：00

Fri.
Wake up

6 ：00

9 ：00

Daily Schedule of Ms. Endo

Return home
Outing

Biochemistry class(DNA structure)
Prepare forclasses, etc.

Lunch

14

13

7

Go to work

12

11

8
9

10

Spend time withfamilyGo to bed

How did you get into your current job orWhat kind of learning did

career path?

you find most useful?

I’m very interested in food and microorganisms. Some people say, “Youshouldn’t turn what you love into a job.” I believe that only a few people canpersonally grow microorganisms, take effective ones from them, and put themout into the world. Researchers belonging to a company or any other organization
can do the same thing and achieve results in less time because they exchange
views and opinions at the research stage. When I was working as a prefectural
government official, I recognized that food accidents could be reduced byproviding the food manufacturer staff with careful guidance concerning analysis
and sanitation methods. This experience made me determined to be a teacher todevelop human resources who could play an active role immediately after goingout into the real world. At the same time, I also wanted to pursue my career asa researcher.

After five years’ of study in a technical college, I
transferred into the third year of university. I studied
chemistry (organic chemistry, high polymer chemistry,etc.) and physics at the technical college, and learned
about a variety of food-related fields—ranging fromfood chemistry to food hygienics, nutrition science,and microbiology—at the university. You may thinkfood cooking and storage, hygiene control, and in vivo
metabolism have nothing to do with chemistry, butthey cannot be explained without referring to organic
compounds and chemical reactions. I think that thebasic chemical knowledge I had learned helped me
acquire expertise in food and microorganisms in asmoother manner.

What do you encourage
students to learn?
(Recommendation)
I encourage you to get qualifications. Some responsible
positions in the workplace require a certain qualification.
It is not easy to study to get qualifications while doing afull-time job. It is also a good idea to go abroad during
your college years. Go somewhere a long way fromJapan, somewhere you wouldn’t normally go, which
will help you broaden your perspective. Working on
the Internet is not enough. You cannot start without
interacting with people.

Message to everyone who is going to join
the workforce
I switched jobs many times, which gave me opportunities to interact with many
people, gain a lot of information and eventually expand my knowledge. I don’tmean to encourage you to change your job. What is important is to interact
with many people in various different fields. You may like to chat throughSNS. Try talking to teachers you don't like very much, senior colleagues andfriends, and you may get a new clue or idea. (Don’t push yourself too hard!) Try
doing as many different things as you can, and you will be able to expand yourhorizon. Such challenges are allowed only to students!

CASE of MICHIKO ENDO

19

10

CASE of RIKO HAYAMIFirst year at the company
Those who have experienced adifficulty or mistake are mighty!
Band Steel Plant, Yasugi Works, Hitachi Metals, Ltd.

Riko Hayami

Profile 【Academic Background】
Regular Course, Hyogo Prefectural Kobe Takatsuka
High School
Materials Science and Engineering Course,
Department of Chemistry and Materials Engineering,
Faculty of Chemistry, Materials and Bioengineering,Kansai University

My Career
0 – 9

10s

First half of my 20s

Stimulated to strive
to study in a facultyof engineering.

Rather preferredJapanese andwas good at the
subject.

20

Joined Hitachi
Metals.
Moved to Shimane
Prefecture.

PeriodFrom birth to elementary
schoolJunior high school

High school

University

Working professional

Major events

 ould not establish stableC
personal relations because of myfrequent changes in schools.
Did not like science or mathematics, and rather preferredJapanese and was good at the
subject.
Did not have any specific targets.

Entered a public school whose
deviation value was high.
Developed a dislike for studying
due to a gap in academic background with other students.
Had few friends because otherstudents regarded me as a rival inentrance examinations.

Entered a regular course of a public high school whose entrance
examination I had taken as a
backup to the school of my first
choice.
Had many friends who always
thought positively, unlike in myjunior high school days.
Had many positive-thinking
friends, and experienced a newworld.

Could not keep up with university
classes because I had almost
stopped studying in the spring of
my third year at high school after
my successful admission to theuniversity by recommendationfrom my high school.
Studied every day with tears inmy eyes at the university’s library.
Began research on coral in my
fourth year at university.

Joined Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
Moved to Shimane Prefecture,
which was the first time for me tolive outside the Kansai region.

Events,books,
people, etc.
affecting me

Joined an open-school event ofKobe City College of Technology,
leading me to vaguely dreamthat I could study machinery andmetals.
Was good at Japanese and social
sciences (history and civics).

Encouraged by my career counselor and class teacher to strive
to study in an engineering facultyof a university.

Studied in my university’s facultyof engineering.
Studied engineering every day.
Hunted for a job while comparing
many companies from a broader
perspective than other students
did.

Working in a much better in-houseand workplace environment than I
expected, and receiving guidancefrom excellent senior coworkers.

Experiencesof successes

Established the target of studying
at the college of technology.

Studied industriously for three
years and maintained the top
position! Accepted by theengineering (materials) faculty ofthe private university of my first
choice through a recommendation from my high school.

Interacted not only with university faculty but also with manyother adults, including corporate
workers, through my research oncoral.

Joined Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
Assigned as a female engineer
for the first time in the history ofYasugi Works.
Involved in a big project despite
my experience of less than a year
at the company.

Experiencesof mistakes

Failed the entrance examinationof the high school of my first
choice.

Almost stopped studying after
successful admission to theuniversity by recommendationfrom my high school.

Cannot secure sufficient time
for learning a foreign language,
though it is not directly associatedwith my work, because I have notyet become accustomed to mydaily work, and this makes mebusy and tired.

C A S E of RIKO HAYAMIOne Day of Ms. Hayami

One Week of Ms. Hayami
Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

6 ：00

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

8 ：00

Go to work

9 ：00

#1

11：00

Attend a morning
meeting andcheck the shipment of products
completed during
the weekend

12：00

Have lunch

Have lunch

13：00
14：00
15：00
16：00
17：00

Prepare for the
manufacturing
test to be conducted the nextday (calculation,
simulation, etc.)# 3

Go to work

Go to work

Go to work

# 2

# 2

Attend ameeting, etc.

Check a manufacturing site

Have lunch

Have lunch# 3
Observe theAttend a
manufacturing
meeting
test of products Respond toinquiries
andinwhich I am inspection requests
charge of# 3from customers
Check the test#
4
results
Attend ameeting# 3
Prepare a to-do list
Go home andcook a meal

19：00

Respond to inquiries Prepare a to-do list Prepare a to-do list
and inspection
requests from
Go home andGo home andcustomerscook a mealcook a meal

20：00

Prepare a to-do list

Have the meal

Have the meal

Take a bath

21：00

Go home andcook a meal

Take a bathTake a bath

22：00

Have the meal

Free time

Free time

23：00

Take a bath

Learn a foreign
language

0 ：00

Sleep

Sleep

18：00

Sun.

Check my to-do list, identify
unfinished tasks, and prepare a
new list of such tasks and what 23
to do the next day.

22

21

Wake up/have breakfast

7 ：00

10：00

Sat.

Have the meal

Sleep

Free time

Sleep

What made you select yourjob (company)?
Although I attended career fairs both on and off
campus, I felt that something was different, andmoreover, I was busy conducting my research.
Accordingly, my job-hunting efforts did not go assmoothly as I had expected. In that environment,
Hitachi Metals rescheduled an interview date for me
many times. On the day of the interview, they gave a
sympathetic ear to the future career that I wanted todevelop and my dream of becoming an engineering
sales representative. Encouraged by their saying ,“Wecould help you realize your dream,” I decided to join
the company.

What knowledge and skills do
you think will be beneficial?
(Recommendation)
You should find someone with whom you can consult
about anything. (Just one such person would be
sufficient.)
In the future, there will be a time when you will worry
about your career or life plan (marriage, childbirth,etc.). If you find someone with whom you can shareyour worries and to whom you can disclose your real
feelings, whether it is your family, a friend, a seniorcoworker, a coworker who joined the company in thesame year, or your romantic partner, you might be able
to further improve your life.
If you face some difficulty or have some trouble, I thinkthat you can fully rely on such a person.
Instead, if you are relied on, you should support theperson with your full strength.

Make preparations

Sleep

Sleep

20

0

1

2

Take a bath and enjoy free time.

3

Have a meal/watch TV (sometimes havea phone conversation with family).

4

Go home/cook a meal.
Move to Osaka

Have lunch

19

Have breakfast
Do shopping
Wake up/and have lunch have breakfast
Make preparations
in Osaka
Free time

Conduct
recruitment at
my alma materMove to
ShimaneHave lunch withcoworkers whojoined the company
in the same year

Go home

Go homeFree time
Cook and havea mealMeet withfriends from myuniversity

Take a bath

Free time

Sleep

Sleep

17

16
15

Have breakfast andprepare for going towork.

Attend an afternoon
Check e-mails
meeting and check
check to-do list.
the progress of
my and seniorObserve a
coworkers’ tasks. manufacturing test of
products which I am
Have in charge of.
lunch

Attend a meeting on products
which I am in charge of.

13

5
6

Attend a meeting.
Respond through e-mail toinquiries from customers.

14
Free time(Have a meal,take a bath,
etc.)

11

12

7
8

9

10

Attend a morning meeting, visit amanufacturing site together with an OJT
instructor, and check the shipment of
products which I am in charge of.

# 1 Attend a morning meeting and check my to-do list
Check the shipment of products which I am in charge oftogether with senior coworkers

Go home andtake a bath
Free time

18

Sleep

Prepare a report on an
inspection request from acustomer.

Sleep# 2 Attend a morning meeting and check my to-do list
# 3 Check the progress with senior coworkerssenior coworkers# 4 Respond to an inspection request

What knowledge and skills that you have obtained
do you find beneficial?
Although I love talking with people by nature, I’ve learned how to communicate
with people of various generations through my experiences as a sales clerk at a
department store and as an instructor at a private-tutoring school.
Students might be able to manage everything somehow on their own, but thisapproach does not work at companies.
When proceeding with your job, you need to communicate with a wide variety ofpeople, such as senior coworkers who are older than your parents and manufacturing
staff members who are younger than you, to inform them of what you would liketo do.
Although this might be a stereotype, STEM students are not very good atcommunicating with others. (This is my personal feeling..)
I hear that STEM students with sufficient communication skills are regarded as
valuable talent in the recruitment process. I feel that if engineers can engage inmanufacturing while involving people around them and talking about their ideas inan easy-to-understand way, this will make them even more attractive.
If you tend to stay away from communicating with others, doing a part-time job inthe service industry might be a good option!

Do you have any message for students preparing tobecome working professionals?
I feel that those who have experienced a difficulty or mistake are mighty!
By contrast, I guess those with many successes but without sufficient painful failuresfrequently go through difficulties after starting their careers as working professionals.
An experience of making a mistake and overcoming it will give you some hints
about various things, such as how to handle mistakes, how to maintain your mental
condition, and what to do to avoid mistakes. I feel that if you have such an experience
before graduating from university, you might be able to make a bold selection after
starting your professional career and manage to hold on even when everything is new
to you after beginning to work. Put simply, though this might sound slightly harsh,
nobody can continue to avoid making a mistake forever. In my opinion, the later you
experience a mistake, the more severe the injury you will have and the later you will
recover from it.
So, I recommend you to make many attempts and experience a few mistakes.

CASE of RIKO HAYAMI

21

11

CASE of KANA MORISHITA

Even if you make a mistake, youwill find it a source of learningin the future.
Solution & Engineering Center
Yasugi Works, Hitachi Metals, Ltd.

Kana Morishita

Profile 【Academic Background】
Intelligent Production System Engineering Department, Faculty ofEngineering, Kumamoto University Doctoral Course, Interdisciplinary
Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Shimane University【Career】
Hitachi Tool Engineering, Ltd./Hitachi Metals, Ltd.

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

Spent almost every day together
with my club members, who felt
like my family, and enjoyed fulfilling days.

2nd half of my 20s

Major events

22

From birth toelementary
schoolGrew up while
seeing my selfemployed parents working
nearby.

JuniorhighschoolHad many
more friends
than I had atelementary
school, andenjoyed myeverydaylife.

University

Working
professional

Enjoyed studying
mathematics andphysics, leading
me to choose a
STEM course.

 egan to live
B
alone after entering university
for the first timein my life.
Studied metallic
materials.
Enjoyed my daily
life together
with my clubmembers andmy femaleclassmates withan interest inmaterials.

Joined Hitachi
Tool (presently
MOLDINO) andmoved to Chiba
Prefecture.

Movedfrom Chiba
Prefecture
to Shimane
Prefecture due
to my in-housetransfer.

Began to climb amountain almost
once a week
as a memberof a mountainclimbing club.

My class teacher
often said to me,“Is that the best
you can do?”stimulating me to
study harder.

My club members
My femaleclassmates withan interest inmaterials (There
were only six
female students
in my classof about 50
students.)

Stimulated by myclassmates working hard as new
employees andmy coworkers
who joined thecompany in thesame year.

My supervisor
said to me,“If you aren’t
sure whichpath to take,choose thetougher one,”stimulating me
to work harder.

The membersof me mountainclimbing club
My supervisor
advised me
to become aworking professional with adoctoral degree,
stimulating myinterest in earning a doctoral
degree.

University
faculty members
whose advice
My husunderpinned
band
the promotionof my research

Assigned to adevelopment
and research
department, justas I desired.

Gave a presentation at an inhouse presentation session
attendedby many
people, giving
me slight
confidence in
expressing myown opinions.

Climbedmountains in
the Northern
Japanese Alpsand other mountains, making
me feel a senseof achievement
when reaching
the summits.

Admitted to adoctoral course
through a reporton research
results that I had
accumulated bythen.

Had a great
difficultycompleting my
doctoral thesis
due to a lack ofknowledge.

My neighbors
often
supported me,
enabling me
to learn aboutcompassion.

Experiencesof successes

Felt a sense ofachievement
by being
praised or
receiving someallowance
when helping
someone withhis/her work.

Passed the entrance examinationof the university of
my second choice.

Experiencesof mistakes

Was not
Was not good good at
adapting to
at expressing
a new enmy own opinions, and often vironment,
and felt blue
experienced
right after
failure in
explaining how enteringjunior highI felt.
school.

Could not obtain asufficient score on
the National Center
Test for University
Admissions, making me give up on
the idea of taking
the examination
for the universityof my first choice.
(Now I feels that
this was good forme.)

C A S E of KANA MORISHITAMy classmates

Got married.

High school

Events,books,
people, etc.
affecting me

Made friends,
with whom
I spent time
together like myfamily.

Rejected by several companies
while hunting
for a job. (Now
I feel that thiswas good forme.)

Felt disappointed
that unlike in
my university
days, I did nothave anyone I
knew aroundme, excluding
coworkers

2nd half of my 30s

Earned adoctoral degree.

Transferredfrom Chiba to
Shimane.

Climbed Northern Japanese
Alps and other mountains, andappreciated a sense of fulfilment
when reaching the summits.
Period

1st half of my 30s

Enrolled in
graduateschool (doctoral
course).
Sent on loan to
Hitachi Metals.

Transferred permanently
to Hitachi
Metals.
Got
married.
Earned adoctoraldegree.

Transferred toa productionengineering
department.
Had a baby.

Has returned
to work.
Has beentransferred toa development
and research
department.

Stimulated by achange in my job
responsibilities,
which required
me to respondto product andequipment
trouble.
My son, whosebirth enabled
me to enjoy
various eventsin my new life.

Stimulated
by my friends
and coworkers
working hard
while bringing
up theirchildren.

Earned adoctoraldegree.
Gotmarried.

Completedan equipment
transfer asscheduled.

Currently
proceedingwith my work
efficiently,
despite thereduction of
my working
time from that
before mychildbirth.

Sometimes
experienced
unsmoothprogresson otherthemesthat I
worked on
while making efforts
to earn adoctoraldegree.

Could notcomplete all thenecessary tasks
before taking
maternity leave.

Took sometime getting
accustomed toworking again.

One Week of Ms. Morishita
Time

Mon.

6 ：00

Wake up/makepreparations/have breakfast

7 ：00

Go to work

8 ：00
9 ：00
10：00

Wed.

Wake up/make Wake up/makepreparations/preparations/have breakfast/ have breakfast
leave home
Go to work

Thu.

Fri.

Wake up/makepreparations/have breakfast

Wake up/makepreparations/have breakfast

Go to work

Go to work

HospitalWork

Go to work

Work

Work

Work

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Sat.

Lunch break

Lunch break

Sun.

Sleep

Sleep

breakfast

breakfast

19

Stroll18

Have lunch

14：00
15：00

Work

Work

Work

Work

Aquarium
Work
Free time

16：00
17：00

Go home

18：00

Shopping

Go home

Have dinner/take abath/do householdchores/lull my child to
sleep

5

Wake up/breakfast/
make preparations
Work

16

14

Go home

13

12

6
7

8

Work

9

Lunch break

19：00
20：00

4
Sleep

Go home15

Go home
Go home3

17
Shopping

2

Shopping

Have lunch

13：00

1

Free time21

Do household chores/playwith my child at home

0

23

22

20

Work

11：00
12：00

Tue.

One Day of Ms. Morishita

11

10

Have dinner/take a bath/do household chores/lull my child to sleep

21：00
22：00
23：00
0 ：00

Free time
Sleep

Free time
Sleep

Sleep

Free time
Sleep

Free time

Free time

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

What made you select your job

What knowledge and(company)?

skills that you haveSince I was a child, I have been interested in making things, making me
feel like creating something new and useful for people. While hunting fora job, I heard from a faculty member of my university that Hitachi Tool(presently MOLDINO), a cutting tool manufacturer, was a good company
and employed students from my university every year. This led me tojoin the company through the recommendation of the faculty member.
Afterwards, I was transferred permanently to Hitachi Metals, which was
the parent company of Hitachi Tool in those days and manufactured
metals and other materials.

What knowledge and skills do you
think will be beneficial?
(Recommendation)
I feel that you should study English. When I face something that I’m notsure about, I sometimes do some research in English, making me feel thatsuch research gives me more information from around the world thanresearch in Japanese and enables me to learn a lot. To proceed with my job,
I sometimes check papers and patents in English and try to see whether
what I’m going to do is new or not in society, but I have great difficulty
doing so.

obtained do you findbeneficial?
My job often requires what I learned at university,
so I feel that I’m lucky that I obtained basic
knowledge of metallic materials. However, there
are many things that I have forgotten or could notunderstand at university, and I read my textbooks
once again each time.

Do you have any message
for students preparing
to become working
professionals?
Even if you make a mistake, you will often find it asource of learning in the future. All hard work willlead to a good result. Please try a wide variety ofthings and enjoy yourself!

CASE of KANA MORISHITA

23

12

CASE of HARUKO FUKUITo broaden your perspective means to expand
your own potential both in your work
and in your personal life.
Team leader (responsible for PR and planning and development), General Affairs Department,
Kanatsu Engineering Construction Co., Ltd.

Haruko Fukui

Profile 【Academic Background】
Master’s Program in Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Shimane University【Career】
Shimane Environment & Health Public Corp./Shinkou SunRise Ltd. (as an on-loan
employee)

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

2nd half of my 30s

1st half of my 40s

Entered Kanatsu Engineering
Construction Co., Ltd.

Troubled by myweak subjects.

PeriodFrom birth toelementary
schoolJuniorhighschoolHigh school

University

Major events

Memorized
the chemical
symbols forthe elements
before I started school.
Loved reading.

Played in
the brassband.

Went on to a local highschool.
Was a real bookworm
and read many booksof various genres.

Entered the Department of Chemistry,
Faculty of Science,
Shimane University.
Got busier in mystudies as my grades
improved, anddevoted myself toexperiments.

Events, books,
people, etc
affecting me

My father anda biographyof Madame
Curie.

Friends inmy schoolclub activities

Experiences ofsuccesses

Won a prize
for my essay
on a biography of Madam
Curie.

Experiences of
mistakes

24

Ice age for job hunters

C A S E of HARUKO FUKUIWorking professional

Entered a Shimane prefecture-based company as a
non-regular engineer.

Teachers and friends

Superiors and friends

In those days, there were
few employees specializing
in chemistry.
Taking advantage of thiswork environment, I madeefforts to assimilate andprovide chemistry-related
information; my knowledge
was appreciated at work,
providing me with many
opportunities to perform
fieldwork.

Met good teachersand friends.
As a graduate school
student, won aposter prize for two
consecutive years
in an academic
conference held by
the Chemical Societyof Japan.

Participatedin a brassband contest (bassclarinet).

Felt that some subjects
at senior high school
were my weak points,
partly because I didn’t
study hard until myjunior high school days.
Although I was notgood at mathematics,
I chose the science
course because I
enjoyed studying
chemistry.

Regretted that I
didn’t devote all myenergy to studying
for the university
entrance exams.

Temporarilytransferred
Moved to Kanatsu Engineer- to Shinkou
ing Construction Co., Ltd.
SunRiseLtd. (Group
company).

Due to the so-called “ice age
for job hunters,” it was very
difficult for women in particular
to get a stable, satisfying job.
By the time I completed my
two-year master’s course, it
was more difficult to secure
employment.
I was considering what I should
do because there were few
R&D-related job opportunities
at local companies.

People andfriends whom
I met throughworkshops/
seminars held
outside thecompany

Assignedfrom theEngineering
Dept. to the
Planning &Development
Dept. ofKanatsuEngineering
Construction.

Assigned to theGeneral Affairs
Departmentof Kanatsu
Engineering
Construction.

Various local community-based
activities (steering committee
member, secretariat staff, etc.)

Gained a great variety ofexperience ranging from R&D
to administrative work indevelopment projects jointly
conducted with governmentalorganizations and academic
institutions.

Although I don’t
have many opportunities to use
my science-related knowledge inmy present work,
I feel satisfied
with my everyday work in the
General Affairs
Department because I find theability to thinklogically, which
I developed
through myexperience with
development
work, to behighly useful.

We e kly Sc h ed u le of Ms . Fu ku i

Daily Schedule of Ms. Fukui

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

5 ：00

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Sat.

Breakfast, get ready for work, go to work

6 ：00
Travel by car

Travel by car

Travel by car

Travel by car

Travel by car

Wake up

8 ：00

Arrive at work

Arrive at work

Arrive at work

Arrive at work

Arrive at work

Breakfast, etc.

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Householdchores, break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch break

Lunch

9 ：00
11：00
12：00

22

Wake up

7 ：00

10：00

Sun.

15：00

Work

Work

Work

Work

Work

Return home

19
Local community activity

18：00

Leave office,drive home

19：00

Return home

20：00
21：00
22：00

Shopping,
dinner, bath,
etc.

23：00
0 ：00

Go to bed

Grocery shopping, etc.
Exercise(yoga, etc.)
Dinner, bath,etc.
Go to bed

Leave office,drive home

Leave office,drive home

Return home

Return home

In-house work, check e-mail17 (paperwork, meeting material
preparation, etc.)
Meeting withexternal staff

16

Dinner, bath,etc.

Shopping,
dinner, bath,etc.

Go to bed

Go to bed

15

Travel time

Meeting,socializing

14
Dinner, bath,
etc.

2
3

Travel by car

18

Return home

17：00

1

Shopping, dinner,bath, etc., local
community activityrelated work (talks onSNS), reading

20

Shopping, etc.

16：00

0

21

Breakfast,householdchores, etc.

13：00
14：00

23

Dinner, bath,
etc.

Sleep

4
5

Wake up, make breakfast,
get ready for work, go towork
Travel by car

67In-house work, PR
activities (maintenance 8
of websites & SNS, reportwriting, etc.)
9Lunch break
10
11
13
12

Meeting with externalorgans in the city (current
fiscal year status, businessplan for the following
fiscal year, etc.)

Return home, bath, etc.
Go to bed

How did you get into your current job

What kind of learning did you findor career path?

most useful?

I had been interested in chemistry from a young age. When I was auniversity student, I devoted myself to research activities, centering
on lab work. I wanted to pursue a career as a researcher or an engineer.
I entered Kanatsu Engineering Construction Co., Ltd. with a desire to
become involved in development work. In those days, most engineersof the company, which was a general constructor and a generalwastewater operator, were from the civil engineering and construction
field, with few engineers specializing in chemistry in their student
days. Taking full advantage of my specialization in chemistry, I decided
to work hard to acquire the most detailed knowledge and specializedskills within the company. I made continuous efforts to hone my
specialized skills through my work and my personal life.

After entering the company, I was first assigned to development
work, which required me to develop and implement a plan andsummarize its results for consideration. Despite differences in
the areas of specialization, I was able to use the same approaches
as I used in the research activities I conducted in my university
days. After many years of experience in various fields of work,
I am currently working in general affairs, in which I have few
opportunities to directly use the chemistry knowledge I gained atuniversity and graduate school. However, I find logical thinking,an ability I acquired through the study of science, to be very
useful in promoting business improvement by implementing the
PDCA cycle.

What do you encourage students to learn?

Message to everyone who is(Recommendation)

going to join the workforce

I think it is very important to connect with various people outside the workplace
and pursue knowledge outside of work and through a hobby. To broaden yourperspective means to expand your own potential both in your work and yourpersonal life. Speaking from experience, I believe your hobby may give you
something to talk about when you meet new people in business situations,or you may have the opportunity to work with some of the people you got
to know through local community activities you participated in several years
before. Your knowledge in a totally different field may help you spark a new
idea at work.

You are going to spend most of your day, except for yoursleeping hours, at work. Since work carries a large weightin your life, it is very important to consider how to makeyour work fun. We all have to work, so you might as well
do what you want to do. I’d like to encourage you tochoose what you would like to do, rather than avoiding
what you would not like to do. I want you to avoid taking
the easier path but to make a career choice that you will
not have any regrets about in the future.

CASE of HARUKO FUKUI

25

13

CASE of AKI KODAI

Fully enjoy your work, and you will make yourpersonal life more fun.
Special Senior Research Fellow, Material Research Department, TechnicalInstitute, Corporate Technology Division, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Aki Kodai

Profile 【Academic Background】
Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University
Master’s Course of the Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University【Career】
Kawasaki Technology Co., Ltd. (as an“on-loan”employee)

My Career
0 – 9

10s

Read many books.
Enjoyed science
fiction collections forchildren in the higher
grades of elementary school.

PeriodFrom birth to elementary
schoolMajor
eventsRead many books.
Events,Enjoyed sciencebooks,
fiction collections
people, etc for children in thegrades ofaffecting me higher
elementary school.

Juniorhighschool

1st half of my 20s

Entered juniorhigh school(co-ed), which
required a
1.5-hours’ commuting time.

High school

Met mylife-longfriends inclass.

26

C A S E of AKI KODAI

University/
graduateschoolLived in aboarding
house witha low rent(\15,000
per month)and meta lifelong
friendthere.

Did not participate
in any club activities
to ensure I had
enough time to
study; in retrospect,
I thought I shouldhave experienced
such extracurricular
activities at highschool.

1st half of my30s

2nd half of my 30s

One of the prototypes I created
was used for the
Suzuka 8 Hours
Endurance Race.

1st half of my 40s

2nd half of my 40s

1st half of my 50s

Bought a motorbike
and started touring
on motorbike withmy husband.

I’m expected to
become the Technical Institute’s firstfemale employee
who will reach themandatory retirement age.

Working
professional

Entered Kawasaki
Heavy Industries,
Ltd. and was
assigned to theTechnical Institute.

Great Hanshin-Awaji
Earthquake.

Became amanager.

Was suddenly
ordered to go on
business trip on
the very day when I
came in to work incasual clothes; sincethen, I have decided
to wear commuting
clothes suitable fora business trip.

Married.

Assigned to a managerial position.

Transferred to Kawasaki
Technology (analysis& research survey
company) as an on-loan
employee.
Section head

Went abroadto accompany
Production Dept.
staff as an expert
in materials.
Visited several
companies in Europe and collect information throughcommunication in
English (Sometimes
I spent the whole
day gathering
information independently.).
Scored my highest
mark ever in the
TOEIC test I sat
immediately after
returning to Japan.

Drove toIzumo, thebirthplaceof tatara(an ancient
Bought a PC and airon-making
secondhand car with method)
my first salary, andand home
expanded my circle to manyof friends throughiron-making
PC communication
facilities,(Internet not yetwith a friend
available in those
and without
days).
a plan,therebysparking myinterest inancient ironmaking.

Successfully tooka photo of
the earliest
stage ofupper
bainiteformation(which wasused in myteacher’sbookpublishedin 2015).

Experiences Passed the juniorhigh school entranceofsuccesses exam.

When I was aroundseven years old, myparents gave me
Experiences a Licca-chan dollof mistakes house even though
I wanted a toy gas
station for miniature
cars.

Since I was the Technical Institute’s firstfemale engineer, I was
sometimes confused.

Lived inlodgings
Clubfrom myactivities
third year
mandatory
at universiin bothty to gradusports and Passed the entrance ate school
liberal(M 2 ).
exam
forseniorhigh
Acquiredarts;
school.
the basicenteredknowledgea softballand skills ofclub andthe thermal
a dramatreatment
club.
of metal in
the lab.

Had firsthandexperience with apersonal computer,which had just become popular, in thehouse of my friend
whose father was auniversity professor.

2nd half of my 20s

Returned to
the TechnicalInstitute of Kawasaki Heavy
Industries.
Became a Senior Research
Fellow.
Became moreaware ofthe need tohand down
techniques
to juniorcolleagues.
Promoted toSpecial SeniorResearch
Fellow.
Started tothink about
my retirement
after reading abook authoredby Yukiko
Kishimototitled Teinen
Joshi: 60
wo sugite
hataraku toiu
koto (Womenof Mandatory
Retirement
Age: Workafter 60).

First patentapplication
filed for thetechnology I
developed.

Passedtheexam tobecome amanageron thesecondtake oneyear later.

Purchased a houseand realized mylong-awaited
dream of creatinga book storeroom.

Managed a department
consisting of 20 engineers while struggling
with “customers, sales
and profits,” matters I
had never faced at theTechnical Institute.
Felt fulfilled in theworkplace, where I wasable to use my technological capabilities andknowledge and havebroad discretion over
my work.

Wasn’t able
to go to work
due to theGreat Hanshin-Awaji
Earthquake.

Failedmy first
exam tobecome amanager.

Often worried about how toproceed with R&D and its
progress.
Came to feel that working longhours was physically toughand felt exhausted.

Since I didn’t think I
was cut out to be a
manager and lacked
special management
skills, I experienced
various failures despite
my best efforts. It was a
hard time for me.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Kodai

Daily Schedule of Ms. Kodai

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

6 ：00

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Wake up, breakfast

Sleep

Sleep

7 ：00

Commute to work

Commute to work Commute to work Travel for business trip Wake up, breakfast

9 ：00
10：00

Wake up, breakfast
Household chores

8 ：00
Travel forbusiness trip

Travel by ShinkTravel for
ansen
business trip

Travel forbusiness trip

Meeting at
Kobe Plant

HouseholdchoresClean a local park
Shopping

11：00
12：00

Lunch, reading

Lunch

Lunch, reading

Lunch, post
office

14：00
15：00

Lunch
One-day motorcycle touring Household chores

Travel forbusiness trip

Meeting on
development
progress at the
Chiba plant

Travel forbusiness trip

Travel forbusiness trip

Return home(gym on theway home)

Return home(grocery shoppingon the way home)

Household chores

Household chores

Return home(see a doctor on
the way home)

DinnerDinnerHousehold chores

Travel forbusiness trip

Free time

16：00

18：00

Return home(grocery shoppingon the way home)

19：00

Household chores

20：00

Dinner

17：00

21：00
22：00
23：00
0 ：00

Bath, household chores,etc.
Go to bed

Travel by Shinkansen (dinneron the train)

Bath, household chores,etc.
Go to bed

Bath, household chores,
etc.

Bath, household chores,etc.

Go to bed

Go to bed

21

23
Bath

0
Reading

1

2

Watch TV, read newspapers, checkpersonal e-mails
20
DinnerSleep
Wash dishes, laundry, dinner (at thesame
19 time)3
4

Return home

Travel (lunch on
the way)

13：00

22

Household chores

Household chores

DinnerDinnerSpend with myfamilySpend with myfamilyBath, household chores,
etc.

Bath, household chores,
etc.

Bath, household chores,etc.

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

18
Drink with colleagues after work

Wake up, breakfast

5
6

for experiment
Commute to work 7
17 Meeting
report and review
Lunch,
Check/returne-mail,reading
Travel by train for
paperwork
16 a business trip to8
another plant
Direct/witness an experiment9
Meeting Conduct a
15
technical study,
preparematerials
10
14
11
13
12

DinnerHow did you get into your current job or career
path?
Since I belonged to a lab dealing with steel materials in university and enjoyed the research
activities there, I wanted to pursue a career as a company researcher specializing in materials.
At the same time, I wanted to live in the Kansai region. I conducted job-search activities witha focus on two steel companies and one heavy industrial company, all of which had labs in
Kansai.
Finally, I decided to enter the heavy industry company I’m now working for because I
thought that, although a steel company must have many specialists in steel, a heavy industry
company would have fewer, and that it might be interesting to pursue material research fromthe perspective of using steel materials, rather than manufacturing them. (Note: In thosedays, obtaining a recommendation letter from university was an absolute condition for job
hunting. Only one recommendation letter was given to each student.) After entering thecompany, I was luckily treated as a “rare and valuable” material engineer, and was given
the opportunity to be involved in the manufacturing of a wide variety of products. I felt
reassured that my idea in those days was right.

What kind of learning
did you find mostuseful?
How to conduct and proceed withexperiments, and how to take care oflaboratory equipment. The importanceof doing things yourself and seeing foryourself.

Message to everyone
What do you encourage students to learn?
(Recommendation)
It is important to develop the skills required to exchange information via e-mail, etc.
in an efficient and reliable manner. To work with other people, however, face-toface communication is also definitely important. To ensure information exchange andcommunication through conversation, it is necessary to make yourself understood toothers smoothly on the spot. Some people are good at oral communication. If you are notgood at it, I would like to encourage you to learn techniques to improve your information
communication. English conversation would also be useful in practice. Sometimes, I wish I
had acquired the English skills required to understand presentations and lectures deliveredin English.

who is going to join theworkforce
The period you spend after entering thereal world is much longer than your student
days. Once you get a job, you will spend
a fair amount of time in the workplace
every day. That’s why I encourage you tofind a job you like, and fully enjoy yourwork while facing various challenges anddifficulties. I believe that if you can fully
enjoy your work, you will be able to makeyour personal life more fun.

CASE of AKI KODAI

27

14

CASE of NATSUKI AKIYOSHI

It would be useful if you
could develop the ability tolisten to others and look at
yourself as others see you.
Chief researcher at Department of Applied Biological Science, Shimane
Institute for Industrial Technology

Natsuki Akiyoshi
Profile 【Academic Background】
Department of Health and Nutrition, the University of Shimane JuniorCollege/Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental
Sciences, Shimane University/Master’s Course in Biotechnology andLife Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences,
Shimane University

My Career
0 – 9

10s

1st half of my 20s

2nd half of my 20s

1st half of my 30s

Learned manners through
Naginata, one ofJapan’s traditional martial arts.

Got married and had a baby.
Raised awareness as amember of society throughinteraction with superiors (researchers) in the workplace.
Fully enjoyed a very fulfilledlife both at work and in my
private life.

Was shy around newpeople and wasn’t
good at getting alongwith people.

PeriodFrom birth toelementary school

Junior highschoolMajor events

Due to my father’sjob, spent the timefrom age 5 tothe middle of mysecond year ofelementary schoolin Germany.
Attended a local
kindergarten andelementary schoolin Germany.

Enjoyed cooking and entered theDepartment of Health and Nutrition, the University of Shimane
Entered an integrated junior high andJunior College.
senior high school.
Entered the third grade ofJoined the track club and participated in Shimane University to pursue aFirst worked for thean ekiden relay race.
career as a researcher.
City branch ofWhen I was a senior high school student, Did part-time jobs as a hospitali- Hamada
the Institute.
started together with my friend to learnty/event staff member.
the Naginata, one of Japan’s traditional In the first year of the Master’smartial arts.
course, was employed by theinstitute I currently work for anddecided to leave graduate school
without a master’s degree.

Events, books,
people, etc
affecting me

My father who is ascience researcher.

Experiences ofsuccesses

Experiences of
mistakes

28

Struggled toread and write inJapanese.

C A S E of NATSUKI AKIYOSHIHigh school

Learned manners
through Japan’s
traditional martial art
Naginata.

University

Working
professional

Sought to pursue a career as a
researcher due to the influenceof Prof. Hiroki Otani in the Faculty Senior colleaguesof Medicine, Shimane University. (researchers).
Made my best friends at juniorcollege.

Got married
to one of myseniors atuniversity.

Moved to the Institute’s headquarters in
Matsue City and gavebirth to our first child.

Gave birth to our
second child.

Project leader at thattime.

Fully enjoyed my school life, with study
being a secondary pursuit.

Overcame my problem of shyness around strangers throughpart-time jobs, and became able
to get along with people.

Raised my awarenessas a member of society
by interacting withsuperiors (researchers)in the workplace.

Obtained a qualification as a professional
evaluator of refinedsake.

Was shy around new people and wasn’t
good at getting along with people.

Didn’t have enough researchknowledge.

Entered the company
without really growing
out of the student
spirit.

After giving birth to myfirst baby, took childcare leave for about
six months; taking
time off from work was
tougher for me.

Took maternity leave
only for my second
child, and returned towork two months after
giving birth by leaving
the baby at a day-care
center.

Weekly Schedule of Ms. Akiyoshi

Daily Schedule of Ms. Akiyoshi

Time

Mon.

Tue.

Wed.

Thu.

Fri.

6 ：00

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

Wake up

7 ：00
Breakfast, get ready for work, take child to day-care center

8 ：00
9 ：00
10：00

ResearchResearchResearchResearchResearch

Break

Break

Break

Break

Break

11：00
12：00

Sat.

Sun.

Wake up

Wake up

Breakfast, getready for work
(take child to
day-care center
when I have towork on Sat.)

Breakfast, getready for work

Play withchildren (workwhen I have towork on Sat.)

Play withchildren

15：00

ResearchResearchResearchResearchResearch

Lunch

Lunch

16：00
17：00

Play withchildrenPlay withchildrenPick up child from day-care center

18：00
19：00
20：00
21：00

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep

0 ：00

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep20

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep

Go to bed

Go to bed

0

23

1

2
3

Organize things,
time for myself

19
18

Pick up child from day-care
center5
Wake up

16

14

Break

13

6

Breakfast, getready for work, 7
take child to daycare center

Do my own research

15

4

Sleep

Dinner, bath, play,
put child to sleep

Do work forcompanies,
includingcommissioned
research

12

11

8
9
10

Organize things, time for myself

22：00
23：00

Dinner, bath,play, put childto sleep

21

17

13：00
14：00

22

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

Go to bed

How did you get into your current

What kind of learning did you

job or career path?

find most useful?

I had a keen desire to become an unsung hero who provides
support for those who are active, rather than standing in the
spotlight or playing a leadership role. Shimane Institute forIndustrial Technology is a technology support organization that
not only conducts progressive R&D to develop new technologies
but also offers advice and counseling to companies facing
various issues in manufacturing scenes or challenges in thedevelopment of new products. I decided to work here because
I thought this institute would provide me with opportunities touse both the biochemistry knowledge I learned at university andthe certification I gained as a nutritionist.

Up until the time I was in high school, I thought that
communication—including how to interact with people,
how to show concern for people, and what relationships
are most comfortable—was my weak point. After entering
university, I was able to overcome this weak point by
doing part-time jobs. I’ve found this experience to be very
useful in working here as a researcher because my job isto connect people to people. So, I believe communication
skills are very important for going out into the real world.

What do you encourage students
to learn? (Recommendation)
While you are a student, I would like to encourage you todevelop the ability to listen to others and look at yourself
as others see you. Please try to make conscious efforts toenhance your communication ability in everyday life, including
picking up the real meaning in conversation, and objectively
thinking back over what you have said.

Message to everyone who isgoing to join the workforce
Being good at studies does not always mean being good atwork, which indicates the difficulty of going out into the realworld. I encourage you to identify your strengths and enhancethem while you are a student. In addition to studying, it is also
important to actively participate in club activities and interact
with your peers and friends, through which I hope you canfigure out what you want to be in the future.

CASE of NATSUKI AKIYOSHI

29

Women Role Models in Science vol.5
March 2021
Publisher: Diversity Promotion Office of Shimane University
1060 Nishikawatsu-cho, Matsue, Shimane 690-0854
T E L ：0852-32-6018
WEB：https://diversity.shimane-u.ac.jp/

The SAN’IN Diversity
Promotion
Network Conference

独立行政法人国立高等専門学校機構

松江工業高等専門学校
National Institute of Technology, Matsue College