Journal

   On March 21st, two teams gave their final presentations online.  We were the two groups out of the finalists of “WiDS HIROSHIMA Ideathon 2021”.
   WiDS stands for “Women in Data Science” supported by Stanford University ICME(Institute for Computational & Mathematical Engineering).  The goal is to foster people in the field of data science regardless of sex.
   This year’s theme was “Data Science and Healthcare” and we suggested some ideas for how to utilize data.
   Team Minami’s theme was “To get rid of stress from children” and explained that  pediatric medicine in some areas is insufficient using the figures like “the number of facilities offering medicine per 100000 children in each prefecture” and “the number of pediatricians in each town in Ehime prefecture per 1000 children”.
   We also introduced our branch school’s a hospital art project and how to utilize art in the hospitals.  We suggested using empty houses as medical facilities with art displayed inside.  Fortunately we got the second prize.
    Team Blood Sugar Level Management’s theme was “Project for reduction of diabetes”.  They measured blood sugar levels using factors such as diets, eating speed and eating order.  We can lower the blood sugar levels more by chewing, eating methods and our lifestyles.  We invented an application, “KamuKamu Care”(fuctions include: counting steps, counting the number of chews and calorie management).  We got the third prize.
      

   DIG stands for Disaster, Imagination and Game.  The participants practice considering  possible disasters, their prevention and countermeasures against them using a map.  On March 18th, in the 6th and 7th periods we had the practice online.
   Not only MEs(Maintenance Experts) in Ehime and Gifu prefectures but professors in Ehime University and Gifu University joined the program.  Through this activity we could imagine disasters which we would face in the future and the goal is to have the power to think and act by ourselves to protect our lives.
    Step 1  To find the differences between the present and the past.
    Step 2  To find out the dangerous places and the safe places to evacuate.
    Step 3  What should we do in the case of heavy rain?
   After the practice, we talked about the following themes.
    1  the most potentially disastrous places in Matsuyama
    2  the best way to evacuate
   Prof. Sawada from Gifu University and Prof. Moriwaki from Ehime University advised that it is never too late to think about what we should do and that we must always think about what to do to protect our lives.  They added that we should make the best action plan beforehand by talking with our families.
     

   On March 15th, we had an online presentation meeting with our sister school, Chien Kuo senior high school in Taiwan.  Up to last year we could visit the school and exchange our research.  However, this year we could not due to COVID-19.
   Today four groups performed their presentations and after each presentation we had a Q&A session.  We could check the presentations in advance.  It helped us ask questions.  As we ran out of time, we had another meeting three days later.
                     

   On March 13th, the 4th meeting of the Japan Biology Educational Committee Shikoku branch was held online.  Two groups won motivational prizes.  They not only performed their presentations but also asked many questions about other presentations enthusiastically.  Also, they could shared their opinions with the professors of Ehime University and the staff from Tobe Zoo.
     1  “How a butterfly conserve energy through the unique structure of its wings?”
     2  “How newts learn by sight alone?”