Introduction

     My name is Dione Rossiter and I attended the Remote Sensing Using the GPS colloquium and field trip to Japan and Taiwan. I was born and raised in San Jose, California and I now go to the University of California Berkeley, where I major in Earth and Planetary Science with a track in Atmospheric Science. I am graduating in December and next year I plan on attending graduate school in Atmospheric Science. For the past two years I have been a member of the Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS) program. SOARS is dedicated to increasing the number of African American, American Indian, and Hispanic/Latino students enrolled in masters and doctoral degree programs in the atmospheric and related sciences with the goal of increasing ethnic diversity within the scientific community. Within this program, I have had the opportunity to work under Bill Kuo, Christian Rocken, and William Schreiner in the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) project office. Because I had already been introduced to atmospheric remote sensing through my research, the colloquium and field trip seemed like a wonderful opportunity to extend my understanding of the subject.

Scientific Experience

     In Japan, the GPS Earth Observing Network (GEONET) at the Geographical Survey Institute (GSI) interested me the most. Because my major at Berkeley encompasses all of the Earth sciences, I am interested in all of the Earth's processes, including plate tectonics. I had been introduced to the idea of using ground based GPS systems to study the movement of the Earth's plates because one of my favorite professors at Berkeley does work in that area. To actually see, first hand, the network Japan has built was breathtaking. I would love to see the United States follow in the footsteps of Japan by building a system similar to theirs. I am also enthusiastic about the potential for collaboration between the seismologists and the atmospheric scientist in this area. Improvements in the ability to accurately measure atmospheric properties will potentially mean more accurate readings for the seismologists. Although I presently know more about space-based GPS remote sensing, this common tie between two fields in the Earth sciences excites me to learn more about the ground-based aspect. Each year the receivers were improved and updated, getting a different design. The receivers were also equipped with numerous atmospheric measuring devices.

     In Taiwan, the trip to the National Space Program Office (NSPO) Test and Integration Facility interested me the most. I was able to see the COSMIC satellites actually being built and tested. Because I have worked on the COSMIC project for two summers, I was probably the most excited student during this part of the trip. This experience got me even more anxious for the launch date to arrive. I have also become even more enthusiastic about the COSMIC project and about GPS remote sensing in general. It has been hard to work so diligently on a project that I never actually get to see. I was just working on analyzing data in front of a computer and felt I was never going to be able to see any finished product, not until the launch at least. Seeing those satellites helped me to remember why we were working so hard on making the project as perfect as it could be. Seeing the satellites was much more exciting than seeing a database full of numbers. Also, seeing the Multiple-Mission Control Center (MCC) for the ROCSAT-1 and ROCSAT-2 was very exciting as well. I was interesting to see how much time and energy goes into making sure the satellites are working properly.

     I also thought that the VHF radar and Doppler weather radar facilities on the National Central University (NCU) campus were interesting. The VHF radar is so impressive and just standing next to it, I felt so small. Picture 2 is of the fieldtrip participants and our Taiwanese hosts in front of the VHF radar on the top of one of their buildings. Our COSMIC satellites will be sending data to antennas very similar to this one and therefore it was interesting to see one of these magnificent pieces of equipment up close. It gave me a good perspective of just how much information is transmitted and received from satellites in space that are very similar to COSMIC. The collaboration between different countries is apparent here because of the fact that the VHF radar receives signals from satellites owned by countries other than just Taiwan or China. Seeing the VHF radar also gave me a little more insight on why these antennas are so expensive and why the COSMIC mission is limited in how many ground receivers they can have collecting data.

Cultural Experience

     In Japan, I had a great time in Shigaraki Town where they are famous for producing pottery specialized to their region. We received a tour of the facilities from and old traditional Japanese man who explained how the kiln that is used there is the last of its kind. It is the last wood burning kiln in all of Japan. We later received a demonstration on how to make our own pottery and Picture 3 is me giving it a try. I have never done anything like this, even in the United States, so I really felt like this was a once and a lifetime opportunity. It takes a few weeks for the pottery to set and so it will be a while until we get our pottery in the mail. While the group shopped at the pottery store in the facilities, the traditional Japanese man relaxed by drinking tea and eating Japanese pastries. Although we could not understand each other, the man continued to offer us tea and food. We all sat around a wooden stove hanging from the ceiling eating and drinking in silence. I experienced the hospitality that is intrinsic in the traditional Japanese culture through sitting with this man. Throughout our entire stay in Japan, we were met with hospitality just like this and after arriving back in the United States it was easy to see where Americans lack this particular type of courtesy.

     The group was also able to go out one night in Japan. This was also an interesting cultural experience. Many of the people out late at night were in business suits and were mostly men. This is very different from the men and women who go out in much more relaxed clothing in the United States. The music playing in the bars was all music from the United States. It was very obvious to see the role that the United States plays on the impressionable youth in East Asia, especially regarding popular culture. Picture 4 is some of the fieldtrip participants and our hosts on the streets in Japan.

     In Taiwan the field trip participants were greeted with the same level of hospitality. As soon as we arrived in Taiwan they had a welcome sign waiting, there to be the first thing we saw in Taiwan. It was very nice of them to do that, considering I don't even get that sort of welcome at home. Picture 5 is the United States participants and our Taiwanese hosts with the sign. They seemed so excited to see us, and the moment we arrived they were making plans for us to go here and there. They genuinely wanted us to have a good time and were going to do everything they could for us to see that happened.

     It is hard to do but, if I had to choose my favorite place that we went during the entire trip, I would choose the Taipei marina. It was hot, crowded, dirty, loud, and smelly but I loved it. I had a wonderful time experiencing the real Taiwanese culture that I felt I didn't get in Japan. We were taken to this market to roam free with our hosts, something we hadn't yet done. I bought so many beautiful things and our hosts haggled the prices of the items I bought down to a reasonable bid. I was excited to see the real sites, sounds, and smells of Taiwan and took notice of the fact that I did not see one other foreigner, besides the people in our group, while I was there. Picture 6 is a picture of Erick, another SOARS participant; Vicky, one of our Taiwanese hosts; and I in front of one of the busy streets of the market. We also ate lunch in a crowded eatery where they only served Taiwanese food. Here, I was forced to eat whatever came to me, even though I didn't know what it was. I had a blast diving into the life the Taiwanese people lead at this little market.

     I also want to mention Vicky. Vicky was one of the young Taiwanese women that hosted us on our trip. Vicky and I clicked when we met and became very good friends throughout the remainder of the trip. It was nice to have another female around I could talk to that was intelligent and interested in the sciences like me. I found us asking each other questions back and forth about the difference in the Taiwanese and American cultures. I learned a lot from Vicky and I am sure she would say the same about me. I would love to see Vicky once again because I will be graduating in December, we have talked about me coming back to experience Chinese New Year in Taiwan. She has also expressed her interest in coming to the United States to experience Christmas. We still talk every week and I hope we will maintain a close relationship as our lives progress.

Concluding Remarks

     During many visits to scientific research facilities, we were encouraged to consider the idea of international collaboration in the sciences. It was very inspirational to know that so many people worked so hard to get us there and really encouraged us to keep up the ties we were making. Because I had such a wonderful experience with the Japanese and Taiwanese people, who were so hospitable and inviting, I hope to continue to keep into contact personally with Vicky, and scientifically, with the research facilities we visited.

     I had an amazing time in both Japan and Taiwan. I cried the night before we had to leave back for the United States, I cried in the airport, and I cried on the airplane back. I really fell in love with East Asian culture and there is not a doubt in my mind I will return again.