◇ December issue
◇◇ Department of Complexity Science and Engineering
◇◇◇ Hayashi Yuki, Assistant Professor
My name is Hayashi, and I assumed the position of Assistant Professor in the Department of Complex Science and Engineering this April. I am pleased to meet you all.
I worked at the National Institute for Fusion Science in Toki City of Gifu Prefecture until March this year. This institute has a close connection with the local community, and regularly hosts events such as public information sessions and open campus days. I participated in these events actively and came to realize that, for researchers, the ability to explain research in an understandable way to people without a technical background is a vital skill. Additionally, I found that these efforts can provide an inspiration for the research itself.
In academic or research fields, it is not rare for people like me, who relocate to a new workplace when transitioning to a new position. In such cases, it is very important to make sure there is a smooth handover of responsibilities to colleagues. In order to avoid burdening my colleagues and my supervisors, I tried my best to transition the duties as smoothly as possible, but the reality was that (because of my schedule), cleaning and organizing my belongings in preparation for moving made the process hectic.
In my case, I was fortunate to have approximately four months before the handover, which allowed me to begin preparations relatively early. Nonetheless, it took longer than I expected to prepare the necessary documents and manage the files. Specifically, I identified suitable people to take over roles such as asset management, experimental equipment supervision, coordination of joint research projects, and participation in internal committee activities, and I asked them to assume these roles. Especially the experiment equipment, which is something only I was familiar with. I tried as much as possible to document them with words and photos, and I provided on-site instructions as well.
For researchers continuing their careers, it is common not to completely conclude the research themes from a previous workplace but rather to carry them forward as part of their work in a new role. In such cases, it is important to maintain a good relationship with the previous workplace, and I felt the handover process itself serves as an important first step to the new position
