People who convey voices from the sea
People who convey voices from the sea
I want to know more about the sea.Out of curiosity, he eventually became an expert on marine litter issues.
Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment Department of Marine Resources and Energy Professor Keiichi Uchida
I want to know more about the sea.
From that curiosity, someday
To Marine Litter Experts
School of Marine Resources and Environment Undergraduate Course of Ocean Sciences
Professor Keiichi Uchida
Speaking of SDGs number 14, many people may think of the problem of marine litter.At Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, we are conducting surveys on floating microplastics, drifting litter, and revised litter using an affiliated training ship.Professor Keiichi Uchida, who is working on these surveys as an expert on marine debris problems at our university.He is now very active in interviews and visiting classes, but he actually wanted to be a school teacher since he was a child.We asked Dr. Uchida, who has continued research unrelated to marine litter, such as fishing gear and navigation studies, why he became a marine litter expert even after entering university.
Biography
Keiichi Uchida(Uchida Keiichi)
Academic Assembly Department of Marine Resources and Energy Science Professor
Graduated from the Faculty of Fisheries, Tokyo University of Fisheries.
Completed the first term of doctoral course at the Graduate School of Fisheries Science.
Adopted as a junior third officer for the Tokyo University of Fisheries training ship Umitakamaru.
After working as a navigator on a training ship for five years,
Became an assistant at the Department of Marine Production, Tokyo University of Fisheries.
After that, he completed the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University.
In 2005, he obtained a doctorate (informatics).
Since 2017, Associate Professor, Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
From 2022, Professor at the Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
Keiichi Uchida(Uchida Keiichi)
Academic Assembly Department of Marine Resources and Energy Science Professor
Graduated from the Faculty of Fisheries, Tokyo University of Fisheries,
Department of Fisheries at the same university,
Completed the first term of doctoral course at the Graduate School of Fisheries Science.
Adopted as a junior third officer for the Tokyo University of Fisheries training ship Umitakamaru.
After working as a navigator on a training ship for five years,
Became an assistant at the Department of Marine Production, Tokyo University of Fisheries.
After that, he completed the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University.
In 2005, he obtained a doctorate (informatics).
Since 2017, Associate Professor, Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
From 2022, Professor at the Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
- Q What department do you belong to?
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- In this department, students learn comprehensively about exploration, utilization, and development methods of the ocean and seabed (including energy resources) on the premise of environmental conservation, and develop human resources who can play an active role in practice.However, in my laboratory, we are working on the problem of marine debris and ultrasonic underwater positioning systems (biotelemetry, a method of investigating the behavior of organisms living in water), so it may be a slightly special field even within the department. .They all have in common that they use a platform called a ship for research and ultrasonic waves necessary for underwater exploration.
- Q What kind of classes do you teach?
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- I am in charge of "Information Literacy" and "Applied Informatics". In "Applied informatics," we provide lectures on the basics of ship operation technology and navigation information required for normal navigation and ocean observation of ships, which are platforms for marine surveys and observations.In addition, we share omnibus-style classes and practical training.The Faculty of Marine Resources and Environment, which the Department of Marine Resources and Energy belongs to, has a practical training called the "Freshman Seminar" in which all new students participate.For the past two years, we have not been able to hold overnight seminars due to the influence of the new coronavirus, but originally, we will stay at a training facility in Minamiboso, Chiba Prefecture, and come into contact with the sea.Another feature of our university is that there are many hands-on experiments and practical training.
- Q What kind of research are you doing?What do you find interesting about that research?
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- Currently, I am mainly conducting research on understanding the actual situation of marine litter (so-called marine litter) by ships.In the first place, even in the case of marine litter, research on litter washed ashore on beaches began before the year 2000.However, no matter how much debris is cleaned up, it will return to the state before cleaning after a while.This garbage is washed up from offshore.So what is the situation offshore?You need a boat to explore offshore.As a result, the university's training ship, which conducts training voyages around Japan in the summer, attracted attention.Then, in 2014, a full-scale survey of the drifting litter in offshore areas began under commission from the Ministry of the Environment.I was put in charge of the survey because I used to collect data on floating debris while working on a ship.Until now, there had been no systematic surveys of the offshore area, so it was a series of new discoveries.As I continued my research, I realized that this problem is not only limited to Japan, but is common throughout the world through the sea.People all over the world are now trying to solve this problem.I feel the interest of this research in the fact that garbage is a familiar problem, but it is connected to the world through the sea.
- Q What inspired you to do this research?Please tell us about the episodes that you fell in love with, the episodes that lead to your current research, etc.
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- Actually, when I was an undergraduate, I was doing research on fishing gear.After graduating from the Graduate School of Fisheries, I was hired as a navigator and boarded the university's training ship.My research on marine litter is a remnant of that time.In ocean voyages, it takes several days to reach the destination, but just moving around consumes a lot of fuel.I felt that it would be a waste to spend every day doing nothing, so I observed various things such as the sunrise and sunset with the students and the drifting state of marine litter.Then, one day, I noticed that the distribution of garbage also has a tendency.By mapping the results of visual observations, I discovered that various things in the open ocean are distributed according to a certain law. I feel like
A ship encounters various phenomena while running, so I never get bored.The more I run, the more I encounter new things, and when I think that this is the only ship that can collect that as data, I thought that nothing would be wasted.I was often told that I collect junk because I collect everything.As a result, my curiosity at that time led to my current research on marine litter, and I am now an expert in it.
When I was a navigator, I looked for something with binoculars.Is it a ship, a sea animal, or is it garbage?
- Q What number of SDGs is your research related to?How will your research help society?Also, what kind of occupation or work do you think it will lead to?
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- Goal number 14.How is the marine plastic problem in the ocean where the general public can not see it?We clarify the actual situation and use it for problem solving.We believe that this will lead to occupations such as research (government), environmental assessment, and international cooperation.Also, I think it is important to have a teaching job that spreads what you have learned at university to the younger generation.
In addition, as I introduced later in the question about an episode from my student days, when I was a student in the Department of Fisheries at this university, I caught a giant fish called a rosemoon in Australia.At that time, the owner of a fishing gear store in Australia gave me a scale (ruler) for general anglers to measure the size of fish.
The memorable fish ruler I got 26 years ago
This ruler clearly indicates the number of fish that can be caught for each species and the size that must be released even if caught.There are similar standards in Japan, but they are not necessarily widely known.When I was fishing in Australia, a local brought me a fish and asked me to measure it.Since it was nearly 25 years ago, I was surprised that the awareness of ecosystem maintenance has taken root among the general public.I think Japan is behind in this respect.Speaking of which, I recently noticed something about this ruler.Inside the ruler was written in bob博彩公司_申博体育在线-投注*官网, "Don't throw plastic into the sea."The problem of marine litter has been attracting attention recently, but it has actually been a problem for a long time.And now I am doing research on marine litter.I feel that many things are connected. - Q What are your future goals as a researcher?What kind of "dream" do you want to give to the world through your research?It doesn't have to be realistic.Please tell me your dream of becoming a teacher.
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- I would like to monitor various phenomena in the ocean by applying the latest ICT technology.As an example, I would like to automate the actual survey of marine plastic waste from a ship underway.I also want to convey the beauty of the sea.Actually, I was going to be a school teacher until I graduated from undergraduate school.In the end, I became a researcher, but even now, apart from my university classes, I am still giving classes on the marine litter problem at elementary schools in places such as Kesennuma City, Miyagi Prefecture.As expected, elementary school students have different questions and impressions than college students, and it's interesting.If you ask a question, everyone raises their hand to answer.However, the marine litter problem is rather negative research.We have to investigate and tell the negative aspects that there is so much garbage and that it is polluted.In the past, only the negative aspects were conveyed, and some children thought that the fish in Tokyo Bay could not be eaten.However, the current Tokyo Bay has become clean and rich, and the harvest is delicious.After all, I want children to come into contact with the sea, experience its fun, splendor, and the richness of its ecosystem, and see the true nature of the sea with their own eyes.I also hope that if they know how wonderful the ocean is, they will think and act on their own so that this state of affairs will continue forever.
A scene from a visiting class at an elementary school.Do you want your children to feel this way?It's always a tough fight.
- Q: Looking ahead to 2030, what kind of research would you like to do with incoming students?
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- Various efforts are underway around the world to solve the marine plastic problem.I would like to work with you on research that contributes to problem solving by properly evaluating the effects of enhancing the offshore surveillance network.Above all, I would like to study the problems facing the sea with the students who will support the future, so that we can enjoy the blessings of the sea forever, and enjoy our relationship with the sea.
- QXNUMX.What made you decide to enroll?
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- Born and raised in Shonan, I have been interested in the sea and fish since I was a child.When I was in high school, I was warned when I went fishing off the coast of Enoshima in a pool rubber boat.When I was in elementary school, I belonged to a fishing club, went fishing with my teachers, and made fishing rods.I learned about Tokyo University of Fisheries when I was taking university entrance exams.At that time, a recommendation entrance examination had just been introduced, but after consulting with my high school and receiving a recommendation, I entered Tokyo University of Fisheries.While I was interested in the sea and education, I was able to actually go out to sea on a training ship and acquire a teacher's license and a navigator's license. I was attracted to
- QXNUMX.What was your school life like?Please tell us about a memorable episode.
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- As part of my club activities (cutter club), I spent my student life feeling the ocean by rowing out to sea every day.
Also, when I was a freshman in college, I went to the Shimanto River to catch my dream fish, Akame.The reason why I chose Akame is that this fish appeared in the manga "Tsurikichi Sanpei", which can be said to be the bible of my life, and I felt the romance of its scale.And without any clues, I headed to the site relying only on comic books.At the nearest station, when I showed the manga to the driver, he took me to the exact same place as the stage, and I remember being moved just like it was yesterday.After all, it was not easy to catch Akame.Because of this, I chose the Shimanto River as my field for my graduation thesis.I'm currently researching the problem of marine litter, but when I was an undergraduate, I was researching fishing gear.I wanted to research shibazuke fishing (fishing where thin branches (shiba) are bundled and submerged in the river to bring out shrimp and other living things), so I was looking for a laboratory that would give me guidance. Tadashi Tokai, currently a professor at the Division of Marine Bioresources, found this research interesting and went with me to the Shimanto River for a preliminary inspection.I had nothing to do with the local area, but I jumped in and negotiated directly with the fishermen and obtained a provisional acceptance of acceptance for one month.It seems that the locals didn't really think they would come.
The sunset at the mouth of the Shimanto River, where I conducted my graduation thesis, and Shibazuke fishery, the subject of my research
Going back to the story, I couldn't give up on my dream of catching akame.After graduating from undergraduate school, I went on to study fisheries at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.I was really happy when I caught an 80 cm rose moon there. - QXNUMX.Is there anything you would like to say to high school students who are wondering whether to take the entrance exam for Marine University?
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- It's a very interesting university where you can experience things you wouldn't normally experience, and there are many stimuli.No other university has as many platforms (vessels) for going out to sea.If you want to actually go out to sea and feel the sea with your skin, please come to our school!
[Additional questions for teachers from this university]
[Additional questions for teachers from this university]
