From Osaka
Hobbies: Astronomy, Radio-controlled airplanes
|
- What is your job
at Subaru?
As the chief of the support scientist division, I manage three
groups: the day crew, the operators, and the support scientists.
It is also an important task for me to arrange the telescope-observing
schedule. I also schedule special projects, such as tests
of the telescope and instruments. I need to change the schedule
as the occasion demands. I am making short and long terms
plans for the telescope observing procedures. For instance,
I am working on establishing new ways of observing.
- What made you work
at Subaru Telescope?
I got my PhD when Subaru Telescope was still in its planning
stage. I decided to join the Subaru project, because I was
interested in building our own large telescope. In 1999, an
observational instrument COMICS, which was made at the Mitaka
headquarters, was transported to Hawaii. I came along with
COMICS. I used to work with the instruments, now I manage
the operations.
- What is your field
of study?
I study the birth of stars and planets. COMICS, which we made,
show us detailed information of proto planetary disks, where
planets are forming, because it is an infrared instrument.
- How do you spend
your time off?
I fly a radio-controlled airplane at a wide-open field in
Hilo. I am still learning how to control an airplane, but
I am working on an original design.
- What advice would
you give to people who hope to find a job like yours?
It is a pre-requisite that you have a doctorate in astronomy
or a closely related field, since a support scientist is an
astronomer. I recommend you to study astronomy or physics
at university.
Born and raised in Akita and Fukushima |
- What is your responsibility
at Subaru?
Right now I wear two hats. One hat is to arrange the work
of the summit day crew. The other is to help run the Director’s
office. For the smooth operation of the telescope, I am trying
to coordinate the daytime work at the telescope site. I am
also sort of a link between the summit day crew, the summit
night crew, support scientists, telescope engineers, instrument
crews, contractors, and so forth. If needed, I go to the summit
on weekends as one of the day crews. During the past winter,
I had to shovel snow off the dome which is 12 stories high.
- What is the crucial
part in your work?
To communicate well with the specialists what they are required
to do. The priority is to keep the telescope running. So I
do not hesitate to walk up to a big guy and give commands.
- Do you have any message
for youth who are interested in working at a telescope like
Subaru?
From my experience with the staff here, I firmly believe that
anybody who is strongly motivated to be creative at research
or engineering, and is also willing to support others’
productivity will do a good job at Subaru. Also it is important
to be aware of the need to share scientific results with the
wider community. Communication is also a big issue. I do not
mean fluency in English. Anybody willing to speak with broken
English, to colleagues or to the general public, is welcome.
Operation Center
Kazuhito Namikawa |
From Osaka
Hobbies: Golf, Motorbike |
- What is your background?
I used to maintain cars
and maintain and sell motor bikes.
-
What made you work at Subaru?
When I was working as an administrative clerk at a national
university in Japan, I was asked to work for Subaru. I came
to Hawaii in January 2000.
-
What is your job at Subaru ?
I worked at the facilities office when I started at Subaru
Telescope. Now, I am working as technical staff since it
suits me better. My job is to go up to Mauna Kea several
times a week, and work on the observational instruments
and the telescope. I am still learning. At the Hilo office,
I schedule jobs for the summit day crew so their work can
be done before observation begins.
- Do you have a message
for youth who are interested in a job like yours?
Learn about anything that comes your way. Technical details
in any field change all the time, so you have to learn them
gradually. If you have good judgment, you can do anything.
Being interested in your job is also important.
