POLYMERS Vol.68　No.1 January 2019

POLYMERS　Vol.68　No.1

COVER STORY
Polymer Scientists, be Connected to the World!

Wherever one goes in a research laboratory of a Japanese university, a research institution, or a company, it is common to see researchers in Japan from abroad. It seems that this tendency will become even stronger in the future, and we expect to improve the international cooperation and interaction abilities of Japanese researchers working with them. We are sure that “being connected” to the world will be a much more essential concept for polymer scientists in the future. On the other hand, quite often there was little opportunity for such foreign researchers themselves to talk about issues like e.g. the reasons of coming to Japan, their experiences in the research life in Japan, the process to get the current position, the Japanese research system in general, how to acquire research funds, talk about the comparison with their home country such as the educational system, describing the positive points in Japan and what might need improvement, address the problems of language and/or childcare, their future dreams, and the messages they want to give about all to the students in their home countries. This time, we would like to assemble a special collection with experiences of researchers who are currently engaged in polymer research in Japan and also various scientists who worked in Japan before and presently are research leaders in their home or other countries. Through this special issue we would like to take an opportunity to look back on polymer research in Japan and into the future.

Editors: MASHITA, KUROKAWA, TAI, and NISHIHARA

New Year’s Message from the SPSJ President

Polymer Towards New Development

Takashi KATO

Digest for English Readers

Hot Topics in Polymer Science in SPSJ

Commentary

Peopole is Alive by Moving

Ren-Hua JIN

COVER STORY: Highlight Reviews

Japan as a Dream	Ann-Christine ALBERTSSON	7
A Short Essay on My Research Spreading Through Japan	Won Jong KIM	10
Polymer Research in Bangladesh-A Gleam of Hope	Md. Abu Bin Hasan SUSAN	12

PolyMANGA

COVER STORY: Topics and Products

Maneki-neko on My Shoulder	Thierry N. J. FOUQUET	15
It is Better to Travel Ten Thousand Miles than to Read Ten Thousand Books	Xiaobin LIANG	16
Composite Designs for Improving Materials and Society	Daniel R. KING	17
The Unforgettable Memories as a Foreign Student in Japan	Tang Yii SIM	18
Exchange Programs Can Be Life-Altering	Kira B. LANDENBERGER	19
Japanese Students and the English Language	Sathish K. SUKUMARAN	20
From Biopolymer to Socio-Scientific Development	Adolfo J. MOTA	21

Polymer Science and I: A Personal Account

Banking Beautiful Snow!

Takahiro KAKUTA

Messages: “Work and Life”

Active Chinese Female Researchers

Zang YU

Front-Line Polymer Science

Neighborhood of Surface and Interface in Polymer Thin Films Recognized by Nanoimprint Technology

Masaru NAKAGAWA

Messages from SPSJ

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