To promote recovery fromradiation disaster with international viewpoint

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Program for Leading Graduate Schools
Phoenix Leader Education Program (Hiroshima Initiative) for Renaissance from Radiation Disaster

Unique program which helps students obtain practical skills
Chika MATSUMOTO

Program Member

aid organization. While seeing many
people around me going to Tohoku
to support the local people there, I
didn’ t have the opportunity toparticipate in such activities
because of my lack of ability towork for local people on the spot,
and I felt frustrated every day. I thencame across this program. One ofthe program’ s most prominent

both Japan and abroad, as well asfrom Hiroshima University. I am now
conducting studies on animal
rescue in case of disaster from asocial psychological perspective. I
hope to make practicalcontributions not only from thestandpoint of my specialization but
also from diverse perspectives, inthe case of disasters in the future.

Shinya MATSUURA
Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine

Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Kazuo AWAI
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Kazuaki CHAYAMA
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Yasushi NAGATA
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Tetsuji OKAMOTO
Chisa SHUKUNAMI Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Motoyuki SUGAI
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Junko TANAKA
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Wataru YASUIGraduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Teiji NISHIO
Nobuyuki HIROHASHI Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Nobuaki SHIME
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Dion CLINGWALL
Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine
Yukihito HIGASHI
Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine
Hiroaki HONDA
Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine
Toshiya INABA
Yoshihiro TAKIHARA Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine
Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine
Satoshi TASHIRO
Fukushima Medical University
Akira OTSURU
Fukushima Medical University
Akira SAKAI
Fukushima Medical University
Koichi TANIGAWA
Fukushima Medical University
Seiji YASUMURA
Tohoku University
Yoshio HOSOI
Noboru TAKAMURA Nagasaki university
National Institute of Radiation Science
Yoshiya SHIMADA
Radiation Effects Research Foundation
Kotaro OZASA

Phoenix Adviser
Rethy K . Chhem
Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) Visiting Professor, Hiroshima university

May Abdel - Wahab
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) / Visiting Professor, Hiroshima university

Gordon H . Sato
Member of National Academy of Sciences /・Manzanar Project

Hiroo DOHI
Japanese Red Cross Society / Visiting Professor, Hiroshima university

Tomoyoshi OIKAWA

Radioactivity Environmental Protection Course

編 集 後 記There was snow on Higashi Hiroshima Campus, buttemperature is gradually rising and trees have started
sprouting.

Program Member’s Voice…P.1

Pro

gra m

e
s Voicberʼ
mMeGraduate School of Science
Graduate School of Science
Graduate School of Science
Graduate School of Science
Graduate School of Science
Graduate School of Engineering
Graduate School of Engineering
Graduate School of Engineering
Graduate School of Engineering
Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Graduate School of Biosphere Science
Graduate School of Biosphere Science
Fukushima University

Professor Satoru Nakashima
Radioactivity Environmental Protection Course

Radioactivity Social Recovery Course
Course Leader

Kiriko SAKATA
Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences

Takehiro HAYASHI
Graduate School of Education
Akiko OGATA
Graduate School of Education
Makoto IWANAGA
Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Hiroshi NITTONO
Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Yoshinori SUGIURA Graduate School of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Makoto KATSUBE
Graduate School of Letters
Masayuki MIURA
Graduate School of Letters
Tomihiro NAKAYAMA Graduate School of Letters
Hideaki GOTO
Graduate School of Letters
Hiroshi GOTO
Graduate School of Letters
Tsunekazu TODA
Graduate School of Social Sciences
Yukio URABE
Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences
Yuji TSUTSUIFukushima university
Tamaki HONDA
Fukushima university
Akiko HARANO
Fukushima university
Itsuki YOSHIDA
Fukushima university
Feb, 2016

Phoenix Letter
Phoenix Letter Vol.6
Edit : Phoenix Leader Education Program Office
Adress : 1-1-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-8524, Japan
TEL : 082-424-4689
E-mail : phoenix-program@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Web : http://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/lp/program/ra/

Student’s Voice and Program Member…P.4

Here is the interview with Dr. Satoru Nakashima, program member.

Kiyoshi SHIZUMAHironori DEGUCHI
Yasushi FUKAZAWA
Satoru NAKASHIMA
Takashi YAMAMOTO
Shuji TAKAHASHI
Satoru ENDO
Takashi TSUCHIDA
Kenichiro NAKARAI
Kenichi TANAKA
Toshinori OKUDA
Toshihiro YAMADA
Norihisa KATO
Takeshi NAGANUMA
Akira WATANABE

Current Activity Report…P.2〜P.3

Vol.6 Feb. 2016

Hiroshima University has established interdisciplinary PhD program s for “Phoenix Leader Education Program (Hiroshima Initiative) for
Renaissance from Radiation Disaster.” This broad educational program was accepted as one of the “Programs for Leading Graduate Schools” by
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT) in 2011. The Radiation Disaster Recovery Studies is a study fieldthat has become a main focus of the world. Hiroshima University is taking the initiative in this field.

Course Leader Graduate School of Engineering

Minamisoma Municipal General Hospital / Visiting Professor, Hiroshima university

4

Contents■Program Director : Kenji KAMIYA Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine■Program Coordinator : Masao KOBAYASHI Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences

Radiation Disaster Medicine Course
Course Leader

features is its inter-disciplinary
curriculum and global nature. This
program offers many practicalcourses and events, including
f r e q u e n t fi e l d w o r k t r i p s t oFukushima Prefecture. Anotherfeature of this program is the fact
tha t it often provides us with
opportunities to learn from many
disaster and radiation experts from▲

Five years have passed since theGreat East Japan Earthquake. Whenthe disaster occurred, I was working
in a Hiroshima-based humanitarian

Phoenix Letter

Radioactivity Social Recovery Course (2nd year student)

Could you explain the relationshipbetween your research focus andrecovery from radiation disasters?
I specialize in chemistry, particularly inradiochemistry. To be more specific, since mystudent days I have pursued research onelectronic states and spin states of chemical
substances using resonance absorption of
gamma radiation. Since I joined Hiroshima
University's Radioisotope Center, I haveengaged in radiation management as well as
chemical research. I began interacting withresearchers in physics and biology, andstarted doing research on environmental
radioactivity. With these backgrounds, I
became involved in the Phoenix Leader
Education Program.
Currently, I supervise four Program students.
My students and I are performing research ontransfer of radioactive materials in the ocean,transfer of radioactive cesium from soil into
rice plants, and decontamination.

What kind of leaders are needed tosupport recovery from radiation
disasters?
For example, teaching members of theRadioactivity Environmental Protection Course,which I'm taking part in, are from diverse
academic backgrounds such as physics,
chemistry, engineering or biology. They eachbring their respective expertise into theirapproaches to support recovery from radiation
disasters. As to environmental protection,
there are many approaches. In addition,
experts from medical and social scientificbackgrounds apply different kinds ofapproaches to support recovery from radiation
disasters.
People who suffered the nuclear disaster at
Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant on
March 11, 2011 must have many feelings
about it. I think it is the leaders who must
listen to their diverse feelings, engage incommunication, discuss and understand awide range of approaches to support recovery
from radiation disasters, and seek andpractice optimal resolutions using their own
expertise.
How can students contribute to recovery
from radiation disasters by studying inthis Program?
Our Program has three pillars: the Radiation
Disaster Medicine Course, Radioactivity
Environmental Protection Course andRadioactivity Social Recovery Course. I'm
working in a natural science field, and caneasily understand the recovery from radiation
disasters approached from the standpoint ofenvironmental protection. I can also
understand medical approaches since I

understand that radiation affects humanbodies. One of the wonderful things about thisProgram is that it includes the Radioactivity
Social Recovery Course and you can learnsocial scientific approaches to recovery fromdisasters. I myself am learning too.
Since students enrolled in the Program cantake studies in all courses, it is extremely
valuable for them that they will be able tounderstand approaches taken from a wide
variety of standpoints. At the same time,
students can delve deeply into their specialty
in their respective specialized courses.
So after they acquire further expertise in
their specialty and learn widely about
approaches from other fields in our Program, I
think they will be able to contribute torecovery from radiation disasters by seeking
approaches using their own expertise while
understanding approaches of other experts.
Would you give a message to students
studying in the Program and those whowish to enroll in the Program?
Students in our Program attend classes of
the Program while pursuing research in thegraduate school that they belong to, to obtaina doctoral degree. For example, students inthe field of chemistry need to undertake highly
specialized research. That is, it is a very toughprogram with the paradox that students must
deeply explore their specialty and study ininterdisciplinary areas at the same time.
However, I sincerely hope students willachieve both. And after completed theprogram, I'd like students to become global
leaders in recovery from radiation disasters,
utilizing their foundation as experts in theirfield and cooperating with other experts in awide range of areas through discussion.
1Current Activity Report

2

Oct.-

Semester start

Oct. 1

Opening Ceremony and Guidancefor 4th enrolled students

Oct. 11-12

2nd Cross-disciplinary Exchange Forum

Oct. 16-17

10th Short Field Visit

Oct. 20-22

Short term fieldwork report meeting

Oct. 24-25

Program forleading Graduate Schools Forum2015

Oct. 26

6th Phoenix Leader
Education Program Seminar

Nov. 1

Future Doctor 3 Minute Competition
2015

Nov. 2

Short term internship report meeting

Nov. 6

4th Liaison Committee of theStudents, Introduction of
Career-portfolio

Nov. 12

2nd Phoenix Leadership seminar,
FY2015

Nov.18

2nd Lunchmeetig

Nov.

Briefing session of Enrollment
・19：Higashi hiroshima campus
・20：Kasumi campus
・26：Fukushima city
・28：Higashi senda campus

Dec. 3

7th Education Seminar

Dec. 5-6

11th International Workshop on
Ionizing Radiation Monitoring(held by Chiyoda Technol Co.)

Dec. 22〜
Jan. 7, 2016

Application for Admission

Jan. 8-9

6th Retreat,
5th faculty andStudent Opinion Exchange meeting

Jan. 12

7th Phoenix Leader
Education Program SeminarJan. 18

8th Phoenix Leader
Education Program SeminarJan. 21

9th Phoenix Leader
Education Program Seminar

Oct. 1

Oct. 2015 〜 Jan. 2016

Opening Ceremony and Guidance for 4th enrolled students

The Opening Ceremony of Hiroshima
University Graduate School Leader Education
Program was held on October 1st, 2015.
4 students from Phoenix leader Education
Program (Hiroshima Initiative) for Renaissancefrom radiation Disaster enrolled this October.
The president of Hiroshima University, Dr.
Mitsuo Ochi, gave the opening address to congratulate and encourage the
newly-enrolled students. “ You will be working on various issues and learning
together not only with students from Hiroshima University but also leading
graduate schools from other universities. I hope that the global leaders fromtwo programs will successfully complete the courses and play an active rolein the international arena, to stand up against adversity and lead the way
toward safer future.”
At the guidance meeting after the opening ceremony, the encouraging
remarks of the person in charge of the program and new students’
self-introduction were followed by guidance on class registration andattendance.

Oct. 16-17

10th Short Field Visit

The short field visit is aimed at providing students during their early days ofstudies at this program with opportunities to deepen their knowledge about
radioactive disasters and experience the importance of an inter-disciplinary
approach. The 10th short field visit started when all participants came
together in Fukushima on October 16, 2015 for advance orientation for
preliminary learning.
On October 17, participants visited places where decontamination was
being conducted and temporary storage sites for resulting materials in Iidate
Village, and then visited Soma Port to learn about recovery from tsunami
damage caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and projects to further
develop local society. In the afternoon, they visited Minamisoma City General
Hospital and learned about conditions and challenges in medical services
during the period from the earthquake’ s aftermath to the present, andobserved an internal exposure examination using a whole-body counter.
After that they went to the mouth of the Ota
River to see the tsunami damage with theirown eyes.
At the review meeting after the entire
process of the visit, students expressed theirviews as follows: “Although I had been to
Fukushima before, I had such a valuable
Advance orientation
opportunity to observe the current conditionsof remaining damage caused by the tsunami
and measures against radioactivity doseswith my own eyes for the first time.” “Seeing
photos taken one or two years ago at theadvance orientation on the day before thevisit helped me to compare the current
situation I saw with the past one.”
Visit to Soma Port under
The two-day visit provided new students at reconstructiont h e p r o g r a m w i t h a v e r y s i g n i fi c a n topportunity to renew and deepen theirunderstanding about the importance ofinter-disciplinary studies for them to become
global leaders in reconstruction fromradioactive disasters.
Observing how to use a whole-bodycounter for children

Program for Leading Graduate Schools “Phoenix Leader Education Program (Hiroshima Initiative) for Renaissance from Radiation Disaster”

Oct. 26

6th Phoenix Leader Education Program Seminar

The phoenix program provides opportunities for its graduate students toattend training sessions such as Interdisciplinary Integrated Seminars in orderto gain a range of knowledge beyond his/her own discipline. As part of this,with the support of IDEC, Hiroshima University and the LBJ School of Public
Affairs, University of Texas at Austin, one Phoenix student together with threeother staff and students from the TAOYAKA program participated in the 2015
summer program: Public management & leadership and politics & public
policy program. Participants attended lectures at both the University of Texas
at Austin and in Washington D.C. During the four and a half weeks program,they also visited a variety of state and federal institutions as well as various
other public agencies.
On October 26th 2015, a seminar was
jointly organized by the Phoenix program
and the TAOYAKA program for participants
to share their experiences and knowledge
from the Austin summer program withthose students who were not able to One scene from the seminar at theattend. In the seminar Dr. Luni Piva, one Higashi-Hiroshima campusof the program participants, gave alecture on Macro-Leadership: Creating
Organizational Future and Culture. Threeother participants, two students and one
staff member, gave presentations about
what they learned and how they
People at the Kasumi campus also
benefitted.
participated in the seminar through theThis seminar was televised to both videoconference system.
Higashihiroshima and Kasumi campus. Forty people including eight Phoenix
program students, fourteen TAOYAKA program students, eight other students
and ten teaching staff attended. Those who attended stated that it was a very
informative and useful discussion and suggested they would like toparticipate in a future summer program if the opportunity presented itself.

Nov. 12Jan. 8-9

6th Retreat,
5th faculty and Student Opinion Exchange meeting

The Phoenix Leader Education Program held its 6th retreat at theHiroshima International Youth House (Aster Plaza) on January 8 to 9, 2016.
The purpose of the retreat was to bring together program members andguest speakers to review the achievements of the program students’ studies
and research thus far, and to discuss their expected future achievements.
Thirty-eight people attended, including the program students and teaching
staff.
Dr. Deguchi Hironori, chairperson of the student life committee, gave theopening address. The attendants were divided into five groups and they
discussed the themes and the panel discussion of the upcominginternational symposium in February.
On the second day, each group made their presentations based on theprevious day’ s discussion. It was a very significant learning opportunity forthe program students who share various research disciplines. Following
these presentations the 5th students’ and faculty opinion exchange meeting
took place with active participation from the floor.
Lastly Dr. Kenji Kamiya, the Program Director, gave the closing address.
This retreat ended successfully having provided the students with a good
opportunity to improve their presentation and discussion skills as global
leaders.

At the meeting venue

Group discussion

2nd Phoenix Leadership seminar, FY2015

The Phoenix Leader Education Program organizes yearly leadershipseminars in order to allow program students the opportunity to consider
future career possibilities following graduation. Lecturers and specialists who
are at the forefront of their area of research, and in a position to act as rolemodels are invited to present to the graduate students.
On November 12th, during the 2nd seminar of the year,
Dr. May Abdel-Wahab, Director, Division of human health,International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), gave a lecture
entitled “Leadership in an international organization” .
Dr. Abdel-Wahab drew on her experience as medical
doctor and researcher to discuss what researchers should be and thedesirable personality traits of a leader. She encouraged an active discussion
with those in attendance. She mentioned in particular that building consensus
among such a diverse team, including people from a variety of different
backgrounds and cultures, represented a particularly important challenge one
faced while working as a director within an international organization. On theother hand, she also stated that due to the nature of the organization, its
projects and their role as scientists involved in policy making, they are in an
excellent position to influence a wider range of people when compared withindividual clinicians. Furthermore, at the IAEA staff are well supported withspecialized training and generous benefits. It is an organization that provides
women an excellent working environment to serve as leader.
Thus far eight students from the
Phoenix program have completed either
short or long-term internships at the
IAEA. The seminar offered theopportunity for students still planningtheir IAEA internship to join in aconstructive discussion. According to participants, Dr. Abdel-Wahab’ s seminar
was a meaningful opportunity to obtain a wide range of information, as wellas hear the ideas and opinions of fellow participants.

Group photoJan. 18

8th Phoenix Leader Education Program Seminar

In the 8th Phoenix Leader Education Program (PLEP) seminar of 2015, Dr.
Masaharu Maeda (Department of Disaster Psychiatry, Fukushima Medical
University), gave a lecture on January 18th entitled “Crisis Communicationand mental health in a radiation accident.”
The PELP seminars are held regularly for the purpose of disseminating
information about the activities of our program by providing open classes
and lectures to Hiroshima University students, faculty and staff.
More than 20 people, including PLEP graduate students, attended theseminar and contributed to a lively learning environment.
In his lecture, Dr. Maeda talked about his research on anxiety and fear
among residents and medical personnel following a radiation disaster. He
also explained the results of questionnaires that had been completed bydisaster affected people.
During the Q & A session, participants discussed the differences in mental
health conditions found in victims of the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake andthose of the Fukushima accident. It was a very stimulating seminar for
everyone involved.

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