Japan Society for the Promotion of Science – Fellowship for Research in Japan (7-22 May, 2010)

The academic activities involved a wide range of work including: (1) presenting 4 seminars at four different universities: - Kagoshima University, Kagoshima - Kyoto Prefectural University, Kyoto - Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Tokyo - Meiji University (Ikuta campus), Kawasaki, Tokyo - the seminar presentations were ~50 minutes in duration with questions and discussion for up to ~30-40 minutes following the presentations (2) presenting a ~40-minute public lecture in Kirishima City (attracted audience >250) (3) presenting/co-presenting two oral papers and two poster papers at the international INTAV-J tephra conference “Active tephra in Kyushu” in Kirishima City (4) co-organising and chairing a special session (at the INTAV-J conference) on the Eyjafjöll eruption of Iceland eruption - session attracted southern Kyushu TV and newspaper coverage (5) leading and taking part in discussions (throughout the INTAV-J conference) on tephrochronology and its application to the study of environmental change and archaeology including commenting on papers by Japanese students and many other participants (6) taking part in field work and associated discussions with academics, geoscientists (including volcanologists), archaeologists, and students in Kyushu over 5 days during field excursions associated with the INTAV-J conference (7) undertaking discussions with academics and graduate and undergraduate students, and others, at four different universities listed in (1) above (8) co-editing a tour guide and writing/co-writing 5 abstracts before the trip, and editing several abstracts by Japanese participants; assisting organising committee in planning and preparing for the INTAV-J conference; co-writing 2 newsletter reports after the tri