35
The Thailand Unit was successfully conducted in collaboration with the Asian
Institute of Technology (AIT). Students from UT and AIT were mixed to form
groups to tackle their own tasks in the fi eld. The outcomes of the three groups were
presented as posters in the 10th International Symposium on Southeast Asian Water
Environment held in Vietnam in November 2012.
This type of APIEL fi eld exercise should be designed to provide structured
knowledge, as well as the practical skills and experiences that are needed for fostering young professionals with strong motivations to meet environmental challenges.
Through the education experience of the Thailand Unit 2012, faculty members also
learned how to better organize the course program and how to stimulate student
discussions during group work. For example, faculty members in many cases, made
appropriate comments and suggestions on students work according to their background and knowledge; on the other hand, faculty members observed the obstacles
and struggling among students group work from time to time.
During the group work and presentation meetings, some students showed a marked
improvement in integrating information and knowledge and coordinating different
opinions through good communications with other students. They had acquired the
high level of skills needed to explain their ideas clearly and logically while using
good examples. This demonstrates to us that collaborative work with suffi cient
discussion time in a working group environment provides the essential opportunity to
strengthen and expand the abilities that are required for environmental leaders.
2.4 Strong Leadership in a Task Force After the Tsunami
8
2.4.1 Background
A massive tsunami hit the coast of northeastern Japan following the Great East
Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. This was a tragic disaster for Japan, and
many Japanese volunteered to help people in the devastated area. As a professional
in environmental engineering, the author had serious concerns over the water environment in the area a few weeks after this tragic event. Although critical problems
such as food, medical care etc. were being dealt with by various organizations
including volunteer groups, water environment issues remained unsettled and drew
less attention as they seemed to be less urgent.
The earthquake had a profound impact on the Japanese people, and the scientifi c
community was no exception. The fi rst emergency recommendation regarding the
response to the Great East Japan Earthquake was published by the Science
Council of Japan on March 25, 2011. The Japan Society on Water Environment
8 This section is based on the personal experiences of one of the authors, Hiroyuki Katayama from
Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
2 The Concept of Environmental Leader
The Thailand Unit was successfully conducted in collaboration with the Asian
Institute of Technology (AIT). Students from UT and AIT were mixed to form
groups to tackle their own tasks in the fi eld. The outcomes of the three groups were
presented as posters in the 10th International Symposium on Southeast Asian Water
Environment held in Vietnam in November 2012.
This type of APIEL fi eld exercise should be designed to provide structured
knowledge, as well as the practical skills and experiences that are needed for fostering young professionals with strong motivations to meet environmental challenges.
Through the education experience of the Thailand Unit 2012, faculty members also
learned how to better organize the course program and how to stimulate student
discussions during group work. For example, faculty members in many cases, made
appropriate comments and suggestions on students work according to their background and knowledge; on the other hand, faculty members observed the obstacles
and struggling among students group work from time to time.
During the group work and presentation meetings, some students showed a marked
improvement in integrating information and knowledge and coordinating different
opinions through good communications with other students. They had acquired the
high level of skills needed to explain their ideas clearly and logically while using
good examples. This demonstrates to us that collaborative work with suffi cient
discussion time in a working group environment provides the essential opportunity to
strengthen and expand the abilities that are required for environmental leaders.
2.4 Strong Leadership in a Task Force After the Tsunami
8
2.4.1 Background
A massive tsunami hit the coast of northeastern Japan following the Great East
Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011. This was a tragic disaster for Japan, and
many Japanese volunteered to help people in the devastated area. As a professional
in environmental engineering, the author had serious concerns over the water environment in the area a few weeks after this tragic event. Although critical problems
such as food, medical care etc. were being dealt with by various organizations
including volunteer groups, water environment issues remained unsettled and drew
less attention as they seemed to be less urgent.
The earthquake had a profound impact on the Japanese people, and the scientifi c
community was no exception. The fi rst emergency recommendation regarding the
response to the Great East Japan Earthquake was published by the Science
Council of Japan on March 25, 2011. The Japan Society on Water Environment
8 This section is based on the personal experiences of one of the authors, Hiroyuki Katayama from
Department of Urban Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan.
2 The Concept of Environmental Leader