"KNIT a Network! Role Model Roundtable" is a project that invites various guests involved in the world of science and research, and interviews them to talk about their lives, work, and more.
The fifth session, held on August 27th (Thursday), featured a remote interview with Kaori Ota, Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering at Muroran Institute of Technology Graduate School and Excellent Researcher at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, on the topic of "Research, Child-rearing, and Me."
The professor conducts research on the "IoT: Information Network," a world where everything is connected to the internet. This includes research on devices that can be worn on the body without batteries, and proposals for emergency information and communication networks using drones.
Viewers asked questions such as, "How can you break down the prevailing atmosphere that women don't need to study because they have marriage and childcare responsibilities?" and "How do you change your mindset when you feel discouraged, such as when your application is rejected?"
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor Ota for his many valuable insights and encouraging words. We received applications and participation from approximately 60 people, not only from within our university but also from Kitami Institute of Technology and Muroran Institute of Technology. Thank you very much.
Please see the "Report" below for the rest of the story.
The next KNIT a Network! Researcher Exchange Meeting will be held on Thursday, September 10th, from 12:20 to 12:50. Our guests will be Rikako Shirono and Mika Chiwaki, Industry-Academia Collaboration Managers at the Industry-Academia-Regional Collaboration Promotion Organization.
We look forward to your participation!
For details, please see “Notices from the Career Support Office” onCLICK HERE
Report
The fifth session, held on August 27th (Thursday), featured a remote interview with Kaori Ota, Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering at Muroran Institute of Technology Graduate School and Excellent Researcher at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, on the topic of "Research, Child-rearing, and Me."
Professor Ota hails from Aizu-Wakamatsu, a city that was the stage for the Boshin War during the late Edo period. He attended a local university and is now immersed in the world of computer science.
During his doctoral studies, Professor Ohta worked as a researcher in Canada, and his host professor and his wife were both conducting research together, which apparently served as a role model for Professor Ohta and his wife today.
After joining Muroran Institute of Technology, she took maternity and childcare leave twice. She appreciates the flexibility of a university teaching position in terms of time management, but finds it difficult that the performance-based system doesn't take into account the gaps in her work schedule due to her child's illness or other reasons.
To put it bluntly, she emphatically stated, "Balancing work and childcare is impossible without the help of others!"
She says she receives support from her parents, in-laws, and the daycare center, as well as assistance with hiring assistants during life events, support from her husband who is also in the same field, and online communication with other female researchers both domestically and internationally.
She describes herself as a laid-back type, so she always puts herself in situations where she's taking on challenges. When asked how she manages to change her mindset when she feels discouraged, such as when her application is rejected, she replied that she doesn't have time to dwell on it because she's so busy raising children, and that actually helps her to change her mindset.
In response to the question of how to overcome the prevailing attitude that women don't need to study because they have marriage and child-rearing responsibilities, she said that because female researchers are few in number, they stand out for better or for worse, so if they produce solid results, they can be in an advantageous position as female researchers. She added that this is a free era. The world that others oppose is a narrow world, so if you have a dream, you should take the plunge, as you might be surprised to find people who understand you, and she urged everyone to take on the challenge.
When asked if she felt pressured or anxious because her research wasn't progressing while raising children, she replied that while research is important in her life, raising children is her main priority right now. She said that her child-rearing will be over in a few years, and after that, she wants to dedicate herself to research.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Professor Ota for his many valuable insights and encouraging words. Furthermore, we received applications and participation from over 60 people both inside and outside the university. Thank you very much to all the participants.
