37
The author is a secretary of the HRWM study group, and was appointed as a core
researcher to lead the Study group. This is a rare situation for a researcher, since this
activity is not only related to research but is also closely associated with social
problems.
2.4.2 Key to Success: Integration of Multi-Stakeholders
Our research team from the Department of Urban Engineering, UT had been conducting onsite fi eld surveys in foreign countries, including collecting samples and
analyzing microbial water quality, as well as simple water quality parameters. This
experience was a great help for organizing fi eld surveys in Tohoku, where no adequate experimental facility was available at the time. For the fi eld surveys, a virus
concentration method was developed and applied to a large volume of water and
then modifi ed for application outside the laboratory. Many things had to be done
quickly for the fi eld survey, and teamwork was especially important. However, students on a research team should have independent research themes, and most of
them had independent scopes of research.
The culture in our research team includes the practice of “on-the-sampling training.” For a water quality survey, new graduate students help with surveillance, while
senior laboratory staffs instruct and advise them. Unlike lectures at the university,
this advice contains unwritten knowledge about the area of the surveillance.
Experience outside the laboratory also allows the students’ eyes to be wide open to
the real situation and gives them the opportunity to view their own research from a
wider perspective. The senior members experienced this training before, and they
are transferring their experience to the new students. Through day-by-day work in
this laboratory culture, mutual trust was developed among the team members; the
team is now always ready to receive a request of surveillance.
Communication is also an important factor. Advice from a wide range of people
was gathered by senior professors from different universities in the JSWE headquarters, helping to further improve communications with stakeholders. Stakeholder
groups included the local wastewater departments, and the local fi sheries departments and fi shermen’s cooperatives in Miyagi Prefecture who all responded positively to our involvement. With strong support from these stakeholders, our proposal
was submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
(MLIT), and to the Ministry of Environment. The two ministries agreed to give us
funds for research and surveillance of the wastewater system and the coastal area
that receives discharge from the sewer systems.
2.4.3 Key to Success: Application of Scientifi c Knowledge
The fi rst step was to select a target site for the fi eld survey. Ishinomaki City was
selected for the following three reasons: a lot of people remained producing wastewater, commercial fi shing had restarted, and the wastewater treatment plant was not
2 The Concept of Environmental Leader
The author is a secretary of the HRWM study group, and was appointed as a core
researcher to lead the Study group. This is a rare situation for a researcher, since this
activity is not only related to research but is also closely associated with social
problems.
2.4.2 Key to Success: Integration of Multi-Stakeholders
Our research team from the Department of Urban Engineering, UT had been conducting onsite fi eld surveys in foreign countries, including collecting samples and
analyzing microbial water quality, as well as simple water quality parameters. This
experience was a great help for organizing fi eld surveys in Tohoku, where no adequate experimental facility was available at the time. For the fi eld surveys, a virus
concentration method was developed and applied to a large volume of water and
then modifi ed for application outside the laboratory. Many things had to be done
quickly for the fi eld survey, and teamwork was especially important. However, students on a research team should have independent research themes, and most of
them had independent scopes of research.
The culture in our research team includes the practice of “on-the-sampling training.” For a water quality survey, new graduate students help with surveillance, while
senior laboratory staffs instruct and advise them. Unlike lectures at the university,
this advice contains unwritten knowledge about the area of the surveillance.
Experience outside the laboratory also allows the students’ eyes to be wide open to
the real situation and gives them the opportunity to view their own research from a
wider perspective. The senior members experienced this training before, and they
are transferring their experience to the new students. Through day-by-day work in
this laboratory culture, mutual trust was developed among the team members; the
team is now always ready to receive a request of surveillance.
Communication is also an important factor. Advice from a wide range of people
was gathered by senior professors from different universities in the JSWE headquarters, helping to further improve communications with stakeholders. Stakeholder
groups included the local wastewater departments, and the local fi sheries departments and fi shermen’s cooperatives in Miyagi Prefecture who all responded positively to our involvement. With strong support from these stakeholders, our proposal
was submitted to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
(MLIT), and to the Ministry of Environment. The two ministries agreed to give us
funds for research and surveillance of the wastewater system and the coastal area
that receives discharge from the sewer systems.
2.4.3 Key to Success: Application of Scientifi c Knowledge
The fi rst step was to select a target site for the fi eld survey. Ishinomaki City was
selected for the following three reasons: a lot of people remained producing wastewater, commercial fi shing had restarted, and the wastewater treatment plant was not
2 The Concept of Environmental Leader