The 2nd International Symposium of Environmental Leader
(Students' Report)

Mi ZHAO (M2)

    After staying on the airplane for nearly seven hours, we stepped on the land of Vietnam in the evening of December 14th. It was the fi rst time to Vietnam for most of us. Although we were a little tired, every one of us was still very excited. Our guide welcomed us at the airport of Ho chi Minh City and took us to our hotel by bus. On the way to the hotel, many students took out their cameras to record the amazing night scenes along the roads. The guide told us that people in Vietnam were used to “living outside” in the evening to enjoy the soft winds during the hot days. They liked to sit on the roadside to have their meals, talk with their neighbors and friends, and kill time after a busy and tiring day. I could see many happy faces beside the roads and imaged that we would have a wonderful experience in Vietnam.
    The Symposium was opened on December 15th at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology by Professor Tohji from Tohoku University and Professor Truong Chi Hien from Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. During the presentation hours, professors and students from both of the two universities shared their research experience orally or through posters. All of the presentations were interesting and impressive. Among them, the presentation given by Professor Takahashi from Tohoku University moved me most. He talked about the creation of artificial ground with the Fiber-Cement-Stabilized Soil Method by recycling tsunami sludge left from the big earthquake on March 11th. He did very hard and meaningful work after the disaster. Now, they have already carried out the recycling of tsunami sludge in Kesennuma city inMiyagi Prefecture from October 26th to November 2nd. In addition, they would like to release the information of the actual process widely and contribute to the restoration and reconstruction of disaster places. Additionally, the presentations given by students from Vietnam were also very excellent. They were mainly about wastewater treatment and water quality assessment. Although they were undergraduate students, their serious attitude towards science research and wonderful ideas and work left deep impressions on us.