Events
Evening Event in Oxford on Monday 15th November 2004
The UK JSPS Alumni Association held an evening event on 15 November 2004 in Oxford. This was the second event organised by the alumni association after the success of the first annual general assembly in June 2004 held at the Royal Society in London and was the first time for the association to venture out of London.
Approximately forty alumni gathered for the event, which took place in the impressive surroundings of the Eastern Art Galleries of the Ashmolean Museum. Under the gaze of a statue of Buddha, Professor Arthur Stockwin, who has recently retired from St Antony's College and the directorship of the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies at Oxford University gave the keynote speech and focused upon the continuing importance of Japan, the significance of its study and the state of Japanese Studies in the UK today. He also spoke of his experiences of living and researching in Japan and entertained the audience by recalling his most embarrassing moment in Japan - a theme that continued in the speeches that followed. Another theme that emerged in these speeches was people's experience not only of Japan but specifically the Kansai region. Ms Melody Liles and her supervisor Dr Andrew Quantock both of Cardiff University spoke about their time at Kyoto University hospital. Whilst Dr Lakshmi Sharma, who by coming from Japan no doubt completed the furthest distance to attend the event, is a chemist currently based at Kyoto University and living in Osaka. After the speeches, a commemorative photograph was taken followed by a reception and buffet that provided the opportunity to meet old friends and make new acquaintances.
The executive board are always keen to hear suggestions from alumni on a broad range of matters - the content of this newsletter, the kind of events and activities the association could organise in the future and possible venues.
Dr. Hugo Dobson, Executive Committee Member
