サマープログラムの動画 A short film summarizing our summer program

今年の夏に開催した国際サマープログラム『ビッグデータ時代における持続可能な水管理』の要約ビデオ（2:30）です。もし良かったらご覧ください。

現在、ムラ先輩の原案をもとにしたレポートも作成中です！

A short film summarizing our summer program, entitled "Sustainable Water Management in an Era of Big Data" organized by The University of Tokyo / UTokyo and ICHARM.

川崎

DIASって何？

当寄付講座では、東京大学のデータ統合・解析システム（DIAS）を基盤として、1) 水循環と水関連分野の学際的研究を推進し、2) そこで得られる科学知を体系化した教育を行うとともに、3) 国内外での調整を通したDIASの広範な社会実装および公共的利益を創出する広域ネットワークを確立すること、をミッションとしています。

「そもそもDIASって何？」

この質問に応えるべく、DIASの概要や構成、これまでの取り組みを紹介するとともに、DIASの研究開発における今後の方向性についてまとめた論文を発表しました。以下のリンクより全文をご覧いただけますので、DIASへご関心がありましたら、ご一読いただけると幸いです。

科学技術振興機構『情報管理』誌、Vol.58、No.6（9月号）

「地球環境情報統融合プログラムDIAS：データ共有に基づく社会課題解決」

DIAS Official Website
http://www.diasjp.net

川崎

Myanmar official visit ( SATREPS Workshop and field survey) - Day 8 (24-August-2015)

Day 8

Good morning!

It was the last day of the Myanmar trip and finally I had half-day today of free time (until noon). Ichihara san proposed a plan to visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most famous pagodas in the world and certainly the main attraction of Yangon. We (Ochii san, Ichihara san and myself) left Hotel at 7:30 am. It wasnt too far (just few mins by taxi).

The famous Shwedagon Pagoda

The sleeping Buddha

It was my first time to visit a Pagoda. It was really beautiful, huge, quiet and well-managed. It was magnificent, I was impressed. We went in circles to visit all the places inside. Took turns to visit our Deities (animal), based on the day of the week we were born.

Yes, I was born on Monday!

Ochii san and Ichihara san

At noon, we checked out of our hotel and went to visit the Yangon port. It was raining, so we couldnt see/visit everywhere.

Shipping containers at the Yangon port

Panorama of the Yangon port

It was windy and raining

At 1:00 pm, we had our lunch at Hotel The Strand, a 5 star hotel. I tried their "Authentic Mohinga". It sure was delicious. After the lunch we continued to prepare for the next meeting to be held at the JICA office, later that afternoon.

Authentic Mohinga @ Hotel The Strand

We arrived at the JICA office at around 3:30 pm. We had a long and fruitful meeting with the JICA officials. It finished at 5:30 pm.

For dinner, we had an appointment with other friends and colleagues working at Yangon.

Last dinner at Yangon

At 7:30 pm we left for Airport, our flight was at 9:45 pm.

The 8 days long trip was finally over and I was happy that it was a success! I really enjoyed each and every aspect of this Myanmar visit (workhop and field trip). The Burmese people are really kind and very helpful. My knowledge about Myanmar, especially Bago region, was immensely improved as well. It would certainly help me for my research!

Thats all for this trip. I hope I was able to give you some insight about this trip. Please dont hesitate to comment if you want to know something about this trip or any other general topic.

Until my next blog. Bye!

Seemanta (サム)

Myanmar official visit ( SATREPS Workshop and field survey) - Day 7 (23-August-2015)

Day 7

Good morning.
A field trip is not a field trip without interviews with local people/residents. Am I wrong? I guess no!

So there we were, eagerly waiting to interview some local residents of the flooded area!

We checked out of the hotel and headed to two near-by monastries. For better communication and understanding, we also hired a professional translator to translate Japanese-Burmese-Japanese. We conducted many interviews with local residents of the flood affected areas.

Interview with local residents

Local resident showing the flood water level for 2015 and the year before.

Our group also donated to both the monastries

Donations at 1st Monastry

Donations at 2nd Monastry

Area devasted by the recent flood

The picture shows the same location during the 2015 flood.

Local resident showing the 2015 flood water level

Just a random pic! Can you guess what it is? Please post a comment with your answer! :)

Then we visited the DMH regional office for the Bago region. They explained about their data collection system. Like all the other visits to offices, we were again served some foods/fruits. Since this meeting was completely in Burmese and Japanese, I just got some idea of what was going on (thanks to my poor Japanese skills). So I just ate a complete plate of watermelons (it was so delicious, I couldnt stop!).

Later on I cross-checked my understanding of the meeting with the DMH official, and yes I got most of the things correctly!

DMH official explaining about the recent rainfall pattern

Sensor at the Bago bridge

Kawasaki sensei giving a souvenir to DHM official

Then we left for Yangon. On the way to Yangon, we stoppped at the Shwe Pyi restaurant (a very famous restaunrant) for lunch.

Lunch time!

We reached YTU at around 5 pm and bid farewell to the YTU group. We really appreciate their arrangements and also for accompaning us for the trip. Without their help, the field survey/trip wouldnt have been a success!

Finally cheecked-in in a hotel in the Yangon downtown area, and (yes you guessed it right) another meeting at Hotel lobby!

A view from my window

For dinner, we went to a near-by Shan restaurant. I tried sticky noodles with chicken and Som Tam, one of my favourite Thai food (oh I really miss Thai food!).

And finally some rest after a very tiring and productive day.

Thats all for the day. Good night!

Myanmar official visit ( SATREPS Workshop and field survey) - Day 6 (22-August-2015)

Day 6

The day started with Mohinga, again! We went to a local restaurant near our hotel for breakfast. But this time it was a different variation (may be typical of Bago township), with a slightly different stock/soup. It was really nice.

Mohinga @ Bago township

On the way to the lock gate

Our most reliable assets for the trip

The next stop was the lock gate operated by the Irrigation Department (ID). It was contructred in 1875 by the British govt.

ID officials explaining about the lock gate

We, in front of the lock gate

Dr. Win explaining the technical details of the lock gate

We were served many delicious foods

Next we visited 3 of the 4 sluice gates along the retention canal. The gates are manually operated (by using wiches). There was no automatic system to open/close the gates.

They use a winch there to open/close the gate underneath it

Some pictures of the sluice gate cum road bridges

At around 1 pm, we reached the another ID office, located in a rural area. It was raining very heavily. After having a meeting there (and some delicious food) we headed to an old bridge. It was one of the oldest bridges constructed and yes it had railways tracks on it too. 

Meeting at ID office

Its an old historic bridge and its no longer in-operation (only some bikes or cars can pass, there were security personals at the bridge entrance). 

Once, there were trains running through this bridge

Kawasaki sensei was well prepared for the rain

At around 4:30, we stopped for a lunch-cum-dinner. Even though we had some food during our last meeting, I guess it wasnt enough. This time, however, all the food items were completely new to me. I have never tried those dishes before. 

More food!

And it was the time to bid farewell to U Myint Soe and U Ko Ko Oo, from ID. We really appreaciate their  time, effort and cooperation for the 2 days field trip in the  Bago division. 

Kodake san presenting some souvenirs. Sorry I couldnt get the camera angle right.

We reached hotel around 6 pm and took some rest.

At 8 pm, we had a combined group meeting with the Japanese group and the YTU group. We shared all the information/data we collected/recieved during the last 2 days. Later, I had a discussion with Miss Shelly (PhD student @ YTU). We share similar study areas for our research. We exchanged data and research results.

After that I had another meeting with Dr. Win and her student, working on General Circulation Models (GCMs).

By the time the meetings were over, it was 11 pm already!

Well, thats all for the day. Time for some rest.
Good night!

Myanmar official visit ( SATREPS Workshop and field survey) - Day 5 (21-August-2015)

Good morning everyone! Its me Seemanta again. I'll post the blogs for the Bago field visits during our Myanmar trip below.

Day 5

I didnt realised that it was Friday already. 4 days went so fast!

So it was time for the field survey. We checked-out our hotel rooms (Yangon) at 8 am to leave for Bago township. Six members (two faculties and 4 students) from YTU also joined this field trip.

The first checkpoint of the day was the Sit Pin Zeik Channel. We met two officials from Irrigation Department (ID) there. They explained the status of the channel and also its purpose and operation system.

At Sit Pin Zeik Channel

The next checkpoint was the Zhauntu weir. Officers from ID explained the operation system of the weir. A lot of questions were asked and they answered them all, in detail. They also prepared very nice Myanmar snacks and fruits. I tried all of them, some of them were very familar to my taste buds.

Everyone was busy taking notes

Next, we visited the Relief and Resettlement Department (RRD). We had a short, yet informative meeting there.

Group picture at RRD, Bago

At around noon, we reached the Royal Taste restaurant at Bago Township. We were served many traditional Myanmar and chinese delicacies. 

The food was really nice!

The next destination was the General Administrative Department (GAD), Bago district. The head of the office is a very busy person, especially now because of the current flood situation. He was kind enough to take out some time from his busy schedule for a meeting with us. He also explained how the relief supplies are distributed to the affected people. He asked us to visit the near-by padoga where all the supplies were stored.

GAD office meeting

We visited the padoga. We saw rice bags, cooking utensils, mosquito nets and other supplies. Apperently, the padogas play an important role in the distribution process. Private donations are also collected there.

Relief materials stored in Padoga

After that we reached our Hotel. We checked-in, took some rest and then headed to Royal Taste restaurant, again. It seems, its one of the good restaurants in Bago townshiop. The food, ofcourse, was good. 

Group picture to end the tiring day after dinner

Thats all for the day. Good night!