Saturday, March 17, 2018

映画

川崎です。サンパウロ空港にてブラジリア行きの便を待っていますが、出発が大幅に遅れ中。仕事をするほど頭が回らないので、昨日と一昨日のことを記述します。

成田→ニューヨークJFK間(12時間)で、映画を二本観た。『ウィンストン・チャーチル』(2017/UK)と『スラムドッグ$ミリオネア』(2008/UK)。

学生時代は年間100本程度の映画を観ていて、映画館で一日に3〜4作品を観ていたこともある。そもそも子供時代、父が家のテレビを独占していたので、父が大好きな食に関する番組(グルメレポートとか)以外は、常に映画が流れていた(→我が家では常に何本もの映画ビデオをレンタルしていた)。そんな環境だったので、テレビと映画の総視聴時間を比べると、どちらが長かったのかよく分からない。

しかし近年は、年に数回、飛行機内で映画を観る程度になってしまった(機内でも仕事をしていたり、深夜便の移動が多いので、ほとんど見れないけど。。)。

『スラムドッグ$ミリオネア』は2009年にボストンの映画館で観て以来5〜6回観ていて、2009年にブログに感想を書いてからほぼ10年経つけど、その感動は色褪せていなかった(今回は初めて、日本語字幕つきで観たからかもしれない)。
 → 2009年のブログ記事:映画 『スラムドッグ$ミリオネア』

『スラムドッグ$ミリオネア』は、2000年初頭のインドを舞台に「すべての出来事に意味がある」「自分の人生は自分で切り拓く」「優しさ」の大事さを再認識させてくれる愛(?)のストーリー。その背景に、貧困、虐待、犯罪、宗教の問題など大きく変化するインドの姿が織り込まれており、いつ観ても見応えを感じる。

ダニー・ボイルの作品は結構好きで、『トレイン・スポッティング』(1996/UK)も学生時代にビデオを買って何十回も観たけど、『スラムドッグ$ミリオネア』は格別感がある。今度DVD買おうかな(今時はダウンロード?)。


ニューアーク空港のUA搭乗口。座席にタブレット。
マイルで飲み物や食べ物を注文可能。


そして、ニューアーク→サンパウロ間(10時間)でも、映画を二本鑑賞。
『君の膵臓をたべたい』『光』(ともに2017の邦画)。
ユナイテッド航空なのに、邦画が4-5作品もあることに驚いた。


さてブラジリア便、未だに来る気配なし。。
成田空港を出発してから34時間。いつになったらホテルに辿り着けるか。。

Monday, March 5, 2018

Myanmar Field Trip Part 7: YTU & UTokyo

皆さん こんにちは イジャです。
今日は最後のミャンマー記事を書きます〜
Hello, I'm Yi-Chia. This is the last part of Myanmar Field Trip series!

During previous articles, you may wonder: "where has Kawasaki sensei been?" To be honest, I have no idea. But, I have some clues.
Actually, Kawasaki sensei was too busy to enjoy the field trip with us. The first news I got was this picture:
source: 東京大学工学系研究 トピックス
http://www.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/soe/topics/setnws_201802231444032534644842.html
 Yangon Technological University signed the memorandum of understanding with The University of Tokyo School of Engineering. It's said that UTokyo will have more frequent academic cooperation with YTU in the future.
Besides the ceremony, Kawasaki sensei also joined lots of meeting. For example, the meeting with YTU chief of academics:
source: 東京大学工学系研究 トピックス
http://www.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/soe/topics/setnws_201802261613474563952387.html
I finally met Kawasaki sensei again in YTU after few days. I guess you may already know, we met in the meeting. It was a meeting with YTU professors, JICA coordinators, UTokyo professors, and related stakeholders.


After countless meetings, Ralph sensei was still energetic to teach students how to perform precipitation data processing using GrADs.

The YTU student is eager to learn more flood-related research to improve Myanmar's disaster management.

Fun

In the last day of Myanmar field trip, Shelly and Hnin Thiri Myo showed us the beautiful pagoda near YTU. There is a huge Buddha sculpture made from one huge stone. Very impressive!





Yangon International Airport Departure
Saying goodbye to Myanmar is tough. It is a place full of culture and religion that may bring me peace and quiet. In addition, I made many great Myanmar friends!
Thanks to Kawasaki sensei's encouragement, I could have a chance to visit Myanmar and learned so much from the country both in science and culture.

Thanks, all readers finishing Myanmar Field Trip series. I appreciate your time and attention. Hope you enjoy it!




Fun facts: Many buses, trucks, and small vehicles in Myanmar have Japanese characters written on them.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

京大防災研

川崎です。3月1日、京都大学 防災研究所 水資源環境研究センターにて、「発展途上国政府の水害対応能力の向上を目指した国際科学技術協力 」と題したセミナーを開催させていただきました。
田中賢治先生(左)と田中茂信先生(右)
2015年度より、京都大学 防災研究所 水資源環境研究センターの非常勤講師を務めさせていただいておりますが、これが最後の業務になりました。

水資源環境研究センターの田中茂信先生と田中賢治先生には毎回大変お世話になりました。お陰様で、京大防災研の多くの先生方や学生さんと出会い、毎回有意義な議論をすることができ、とても貴重な経験となりました。

祇園の居酒屋 1軒目
毎度お忙しい先生方に懇親会を開催していただき非常に恐縮ですが、今回は祇園に連れていってもらいました。
祇園の居酒屋 2軒目
夜の祇園は初めてですが、雰囲気があって良いですね。
サクラ(北川景子)
田中茂信先生をはじめとする水資源環境研究センターの皆様、3年間本当にお世話になりました!引き続き、よろしくお願いいたします!

Myanmar Field Trip Part 6: Get Your Hands Dirty

大家好,我是益嘉
Good morning, I am Yi-Chia.


Installation

After Ralph’s step by step instruction of weather station installation, it is time for YTU students to lead the whole installation process! YTU members include Prof. Win Win Zin, Prof. Zin Marlar Tin San and Ph.D. students Shelly Win, San Win Mng and Hnin Thiri Myo. Also, two IWUMD representative engineers joined the installation assistance.

The empty site before installation

Everybody starts installing weather station!

Enabling modem for data transfer
First, we installed the solar panel and navigate sunlight direction to gain maximum solar power. Then, the weather sensor was installed.

Secondly, the weather box was installed. To finish the installation of weather box, it’s necessary to match all cables to specific slots to connect weather sensor to the data logger. It is especially essential to activate data logger, sensors, solar panel and wireless modem in weather box.

Lastly, data logger and modem are required to connect a computer to enable data transfer. This step is mostly software manipulation and it ensures that automatic data transfer is successful.

Upper: weather sensor
Lower: solar panel 

Finally, after one hour straight under 35-degree celsius sunlight at noon, we successfully installed Tarwa automatic weather station and data started transferring after one hour. Hopefully, with more weather data from Bago river basin, it will be helpful to conduct more scientific research and solve flood/drought problems.

During the lunch, I asked Shelly about her feeling building weather station from scratch by themselves. “I felt exhausted! My hands and body are burned so much by sunlight. But, I felt excited to finish weather station installation!”



Visit new water level station

After taking a break, we headed to nearby water level station to check data logger and condition of station. It was just built beside Tarwa river last week.
New water level station, shot with Phantom 4 Pro


During the installation process, I took high resolution land use map by using drone. Here is the video showing beauty of Bago.



I discussed with YTU Prof. Win Win Zin and Ph.D. student Ms. Hnin Thiri Myo about research interest and challenges in conducting future climate simulation. Ms. Hnin Thiri Myo loves to share knowledge of climate change and flood assessment. Therefore, her long-term goal is to be a professor in Myanmar. Ms. Hnin Thiri Myo has the strong interest in river runoff inundation model (RRI) to conduct flood assessment under future climate change. She also introduced the high-resolution Global Circulation Model (GCM), which has the 20km resolution. (normally GCM has the roughly 100km resolution).
Currently, Ms. Hnin Thiri Myo is doing bias correction and data processing for future hydrological simulation. Prof. Win Win Zin also showed strong interest in RRI and WEB-DHM application in Bago river basin and this may promote further cooperation between The University of Tokyo and Yangon Technological University. The specific challenges for Dr. Win Win Zin to use WEB-DHM were mostly input of high-resolution DEM to hydrological model. Those challenges may be further discussed with Kawasaki group research members. I also briefly introduced my research about the application of deep learning and downscaling methods. They also give me some feedback and encouragement to build the downscaling model.

Fun

When we were roasted under the sunlight during installation, what could be more relieving than a bowl of watermelon! It’s said that Bago river basin largely produces watermelons. It makes Bago have the abundant low price and good quality watermelon. Indeed, those watermelon slices are sweet. Everybody enjoyed eating watermelon and continued the work of installation!
美味しそう
楽しかった

Fun facts: In Myanmar, buses' doors are always open even vehicles are moving. When it's too crowded in the bus, somebody is half out of the bus with one hand grabbing the door handrail.




Thursday, March 1, 2018

Myanmar Field Trip Part 5: Reunion

皆さんこんにちは イジャです。
Today's goal is the maintenance of automatic weather station in Zaung Tu area. We drove around 40 min from Aroma hotel to Zaung Tu. We met Prof. Win Win Zin, Prof. Zin Marlar Tin San. Also, Shelly, Hnin Thiri Myo, and San Win Mng after our arrival.

The discussion of server and data update system with Dr. Ralph, Prof. Win Win Zin, Prof. Zin Marlar Tin San, Mr. Okasaki and Dr. Aung Than Do
Long time no see Shelly! Shelly visited UTokyo River Environmental Engineering Lab as a short-term researcher in January 2018. It is especially a jubilant experience to meet REEL member again!

Ralph san started the installation of grounding cables for lightning protection
It’s especially impressive that all professors and students participate in all the processes of installation and maintenance. (It’s around 40 degree Celsius in the field)
Ralph san introduced detailed of the weather station
The green cable is the newly installed lightning cable

The cable is connected to the ground to protect weather station

After successful maintenance of weather station, we arrived ITC (Irrigation Technology Center) to hold training session of weather station installation. ITC is a beautiful research center for water-related research.


Ralph explained the comprehensive processes of weather station installation
After Ralph san's lecture, it's time for YTU Ph.D. students to practice on their own!
The hands-on experience for everyone to build weather station from scratch
Finally successful!
It's a great beginning of the training session! Tomorrow, all members will visit Tarwa, where we will build another weather station, and YTU students will build a real one station by themselves! Hopefully, YTU students could teach more locals to install and maintain weather stations in the future. Then, Myanmar could increase human capitals in water-related researches.

Fun fact: The popular sports (or street game) in Myanmar is called “Chinlone”. It's played by kicking a small ball

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Myanmar Field Trip Part 4: Pagoda


Good morning! This is Yi-Chia Chang in Bago, Myanmar.

Day 4 is equipment preparation day! We will have gauge maintenance and training session for gauge installation tomorrow. After the equipment preparation, I have a free half day to go on a tour around Bago. Therefore, I visit some great places, such as famous pagoda and reclining Buddha.

The following picture shows Ralph san prepared the equipment and software testing all day in his room. Please forgive his little messy room. 

The box containing electronic devices is the most complicated part of gauge station. We will install all components in Tarwa and Zaung Tu in Bago.

This is the weather sensor, which could detect temperature, humidity, wind speed, and other atmospheric parameter values.

Kyaikpun Buddha
Shwemawdaw Pagoda
Shwethalyaung Reclining BuddhaKyaikpun Buddha

Fun facts: The yellow decoration that Myanmar locals put on their face is called “Thanaka”. It is the element from trees and mostly looks yellow. It's said that it can protect skins from sunlight and be used as cosmetic.

Saturday, February 24, 2018

京大でのセミナーのお知らせ

2015年度より、京都大学 防災研究所 水資源環境研究センターの非常勤講師を務めさせていただいておりますが、これが最後の業務になります!ご関心お持ちの方は是非ともご参加下さい。
http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/news/10161/

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
日時:2018年3月1日 13:30〜15:00
場所:京都大学防災研究所水資源環境研究センター演習室(S217D)

講演 13:30〜14:30
講師: 川崎昭如  東京大学大学院工学系研究科 特任教授
題目:「発展途上国政府の水害対応能力の向上を目指した国際科学技術協力 」

概要:多くの発展途上国では、気象・水文に関する観測網や解析スキル等を
持ち合わせておらず、水害に対して十分な対応を取ることが難しい。本発表
では、JST/JICA  SATREPSプログラムの一環として、ミャンマーを対象に進
めている研究開発や社会実装の取り組みを紹介させていただく。縦割り行政
が激しい同国政府での部局間連携に向けて、観測施設の共同設置やデータ統
合解析のプラットフォーム開発、能力開発、体制づくりなどの活動も併せて
紹介する。

総合討論 14:30〜15:00

http://www.dpri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/news/10161/