Column
Title: Work Efficiency for Educators and Researchers - Between Passion and Time
Author: Professor Junichi Kikuchi, Biomedicinal Science, Division of Materials Science
A friend of mine who works in a company recently told me about this. It seems that the topic of "work efficiency" often appears as an essay topic in company promotion exams. I wonder if the questioner expects you to logically state how you can improve your work efficiency. My conclusion is that educators and researchers should not think about improving work efficiency.
I recognize that my main duties are teaching and research. In addition to this, I am required to perform various administrative tasks, or "chores. Of course, some chores are important. However, there is also quite a bit of useless work to satisfy someone else's need for formality. In order to improve work efficiency, first of all, the quality of supervisors who do not give their subordinates unnecessary work must be questioned. Depending on the nature of the work, it is important to devise ways to improve efficiency. However, when it comes to educating students, the more time spent, the more effective the education will be. Of course, it is only natural that the people involved have a passion for education. The same is true for research. There are many researchers in the world who conduct research with a businessman's mentality, but they can only conduct second-rate research.
Some years ago, I had the opportunity to observe up close the work of an engineer who was one of the key players in transforming a venture company into a medium-sized company that the world recognizes for its original product development. He was considerably older than myself, and although he was retired from the front lines at the time, the sparkle in his eyes when he talked about his work was like that of a young boy. He was engaged in the development and research of new measurement devices based on his own original ideas, and he was single-handedly involved in everything from the development of operation programs to the design and assembly of devices, polishing optical lenses day in and day out in order to improve measurement sensitivity. His strong will as an engineer that does not allow for compromise was evident. It is people like him who have made Japan the technological powerhouse that it is today. I learned from him what a researcher and engineer should be. I feel as if I could hear his voice saying, "Mr. Kato, don't think about making your work more efficient.
