FRONTIER Newsletter No.10 Mar.2000  IPRC News For the first several months after it was established in October 1997 ,the International Pacific Research Center (IPRC)was quite small,consisting of only five researchers.Since then,it has been expanding,and now,two- and-a- half- years later,the number of researchers and staff is nearly 40 (including 24 Ph.D.s). During this time,about 50 researchers have participated in the IPRC visitor program:their average stay was a little more than 10 days. Three of the original researchers moved on to higher positions outside of the IPRC in search of expanding their horizon forward.  Most of the IPRC members were hired through public recruitment.From my experience in screening of some applicants,I have found a big difference between Japan and the U.S.how the curriculum vitae is written. The U.S.law of equal opportunity does not allow to requesting personal information,such as age,nationality,sex,race,height,weight, family make- up,etc.,which is usually given in a Japanese personal background.To require a photograph affixed to an application form would be out of the question.The idea "factors not directly related to the job must not be considered for selecting a successful candidate" is made very clear in the U.S..When I hired my secretary,a university staff in charge of personnel gave me in advance a copy of a pre- employment inquiry guide with examples of questions prohibited from asking during an interview.There are many taboo questions, asked easily and without thinking :"When did you graduate from the university?""What is your native language?"and "Should I address you as Mr.,Miss,Mrs.,or Ms.?"When I read in the manual "you must not ask whether the person you are interviewing is male or female," I imagined that some applicants'sex could not always be recognized from their looks. If you are interested in the role and function of the IPRC,please read my article entitled On International Exchanges in the Earth Sciences on pages 20 - 21 of Science and Technology Journal (May 1999 ,in Japanese). Motoyasu Miyata (Senior Researcher,ESTO,and Liaison Officer at the IPRC) Dr. Miyata, Liaison Officer (center in back row), his right Dr. MacKeary, Director-General of IPRC. Left end in back row is Dr. Mitsudera, Group Leader.(at SAC meeting) Prev. Index Next