For contact details of all experts below, please email [email protected]
THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION IN IRAN
Dr. Henelito Sevilla from the University of the Philippines Asian Center is available to comment on the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Dr Sevilla received his PhD from University of Tehran on a Scholarship by Iran’s Ministry of Culture, Science and Technology. His research interests include Middle East Political Economy, Iranian Politics, Economic and Culture, Iranian Foreign Policy and the Islamic World, Persian Gulf Security Issues, U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East, European Foreign Policy in the Middle East, Politics of the Caspian Sea regime, Oil and Gas Security and Terrorism. His PhD and Masters thesis written in Persian were on “Middle East Energy Security and Its Impact on Asia- Pacific Economic Development” and “The United States Policy of Engagement: It’s Impact on Philippine-Iran Relations” Dr Sevilla is advisor to the Filipino-Irano Community Association in Tehran which conducts community programs and was President-elect of the association. Together they organized the National Recognition of Outstanding Filipinos in Iran and the First ASEAN + New Zealand Cultural and Tourism Seminar held at University of Tehran. He was involved in activities to introduce the Philippines and region to Iranians, information dissemination in Iran and organising Philippine cultural exhibitions in different universities in Iran.
On a similar subject, you may also be interested in Waseda University’s Institute of Islamic Area Studies http://www.islam.waseda.ac.jp/en/centers/wias/. To contact the Institute, please write to Waseda University at [email protected] (Office of Information & Public Relations)
VALENTINE’S DAY
On matters related to love and Valentine’s Day, you may like to speak to Professor Tomonori Morikawa who teaches Mate Selection Theory at Waseda University. He has also written papers on Mate Selection and Evolution among other things. Prof. Morikawa specialises in Public Choice Theory, International Relations and Politics. You can read his article on College Students and the “Scientific Study of Love” on this link:
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/wol/dy/opinion/society_081201.htm
(Reproduction of the article is permissible with full acknowledgement of the author and Waseda University) To contact the Prof. Morikawa, please write to Waseda University at [email protected] (Office of Information & Public Relations)
THE OSCARS
Dr. Rolando Tolentino of the University of the Philippines Film Institute is available to comment on the Hollywood Oscars.
Dr Tolentino was Acting Director for the University of the Philippines Film Institute and is currently based at the Department of Film and Audiovisual Communication. He has published extensively on film and popular culture including Cinema, Law, and the State in Asia, Screening Asian Americans, Animation in Asia and the Pacific, Cinema and Urban Societies, Queer Asian Cinema: Shadows in the Shade. He also writes fiction with an upcoming book Mondo Marcos due to be published in 2009. He has also won an award for Best Film Criticism Book, Managing Editor for the Encyclopedia of Philippine Arts and Culture, Kultura Magazine: A Forum for Artist, Critic and Audience and Film Reviewer for National Midweek Magazine Sunday Globe Magazine
On a similar subject, you may be interested to read the article by Prof. Kohei Ando of Waseda University on “The Demise of the System Known as Film Studios”, available on this link
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/wol/dy/research/kyoso_080708.htm
(Reproduction of the article is permissible with acknowledgement of the author and Waseda University) To contact Prof. Ando, please write to Waseda University at [email protected] (Office of Information & Public Relations)
WORLD AGRICULTURAL FORUM’S WORLD CONGRESS IN AFRICA
RIKEN Plant Science Centre in Japan has been making great strides in their research on high-yield, environment and disease resistant plants. Their research is directly connected to the daily life of people such as dealing with the food crisis, promotion of environmental conservation, production of new substances and effective use of secondary metabolites.
Since the 20th century, industrial activities have made life more convenient and the world population has rapidly increased. At the same time, agriculture has caused desertification, the accumulation of salts and the contamination of rivers. Agricultural land has decreased through urbanization and desertification, and has deteriorated due to salts. Because of these, agricultural productivity is approaching its limit. The Center is promoting basic research to establish new scientific technologies to solve the food problem through the development of high yield varieties and varieties which are resistant to harsh environmental conditions and/or diseases. The Center also aims at creating a plant system capable of contributing to environmental conservation, developing highly efficient biomass production systems (mainly to provide new types of fuel and industrial raw materials incorporating useful new ingredients) and also technologies to produce rare natural substances with a complex structure for use as raw materials for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, aromatics and cosmetics. They are also developing functional plants, including food, for the next generation for a society with a long life span and good health. If you would like to know more about RIKEN’s research in drought tolerant plants and and other aspects of their research, please contact
Ms Saeko Okada
RIKEN Global Relations Office
Phone: +81-48-467-9443; Fax: +81-48-467-4715
Email: [email protected]
Link to RIKEN Plant Science Centre: http://www.psc.riken.jp/english/
On the same subject of Agriculture, you may also contact Professor Gemma Masahiko, who teaches Food and Agricultural economics at Waseda University and is currently researching on the efficient use of water resources and transition economies. She has written on subjects like Stabilization Value of Groundwater, Reducing Obesity: What Americans can learn from the Japanese, Is Obesity a Result of Faulty Economic Policies? The Case of the United States and Japan, Policy Reforms and Agricultural Development in Central Asia, Market Reform and Producer Responses in Central Asia, Private Sector Development in Uzbekistan Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities
To contact Prof. Masahiko, please write to Waseda University at [email protected] (Office of Information & Public Relations)
END OF U.N. INTEGRATED MISSION IN TIMOR-LESTE (EAST TIMOR)
On this subject, you may contact Professor Yukio Kawamura who teaches International Law and International Cooperation in the APEC region at Waseda University. To contact Prof. Kawamura, please write to Waseda University at [email protected] (Office of Information & Public Relations)
