Evan Thomas conducting research in Japan this summer

By: miker on: Tue., July 16, 2013 10:17 AM EDT (8703 Reads)

Virginia Tech grad student Evan Thomas is conducting research with SuperDARN colleagues in Japan with the support of a scholarship from the NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) program.

Evan is being hosted by Dr. Keisuke Hosokawa at the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo. He will also visit with Dr. Tsutomu Nagatsuma of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (also in Tokyo) and with Dr. Nozomu Nishitani at the Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory of Nagoya University.

An EAPSI award provides U.S. graduate students in science, engineering, and education: 1) first-hand research experiences in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) an orientation to the society, culture and language.

Evan is pictured here at the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine in Kyoto (photo taken by Evan's girlfriend Rachel).

Evan traveled to Japan shortly after the conclusion of the 2013 SuperDARN Workshop in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Here is the link to a video Evan recorded of a sumo tournament in Nagoya:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKj9sC7D_cw

Evan: "This was pretty typical of your average sumo match, where they would get down in their stance and then walk away several times. The duration/type of ending were also pretty typical of the 6-7 hours of matches we watched."

SYNOPSIS OF EAPSI PROGRAM

NSF and selected foreign counterpart science and technology agencies sponsor international research institutes for US graduate students in seven East Asia and Pacific locations at times set by the counterpart agencies between June and August each year. These Summer Institutes (EAPSI) operate similarly and the research visits to a particular location take place at the same time. Although applicants apply individually to participate in a Summer Institute, awardees become part of the cohort for each location. Applicants must propose a location, host scientist, and a research project that is appropriate for the host site and duration of the international visit.

An NSF EAPSI award provides U.S. graduate students in science, engineering, and education: 1) first-hand research experiences in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) an orientation to the society, culture and language. It is expected that EAPSI awards will help students initiate professional relationships to enable future collaboration with foreign counterparts.

The award includes participation in a pre-departure orientation, a summer stipend, and travel expenses to the research site. EAPSI partner agencies pay in-country living expenses during the Summer Institutes.

Link to the NSF EAPSI web site:

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5284

Evan Thomas conducting research in Japan this summer

Sidebar