Researchers

University of the Ryukyus

Professor Tsuji
Professor at the University of the Ryukyus. His lab takes part in joint lab meetings with the Economo Unit every two months.

Professor Tatsuta
Cooperative research – Professor at the University of the Ryukyus. In order to promote collaboration, OKEON project’s coordinator Dr. Yoshimura gave a lecture introducing OKEON to his students, and two members of the sorting team (Toshihiro Kinjo and Shinji Iriyama) gave lessons on how to sort insects.

Professor Shiba, Associated Professor Akamine, Assistant Professor Takashima (Subtropical Field Center)
The Subtropical Field Centre at the University of the Ryukyus provided advice on site selection, facilitated in obtaining permission for site setup, and maintains the field.

Hokkaido University

Professor Kawamoto / Dr. Ikeda
Cooperative research and support in science communication – researchers at Hokkaido University, devised a system to develop and measure sorter skills over time.

Professor Hiura / Professor Niwa
Professors at Hokkaido University. Provided advice on setting up an arthropod monitoring system.

Konan University

Instructor Goto
Future cooperative research – instructor at Konan University and specialist in ants, collaborates with OKEON to develop an ant identification tool. Her students may take part in conducting data analysis on OKEON data and improving identification tools.

Hyogo Prefecture University

Professor Ikeno
Cooperative research – professor at the Hyogo Prefecture University, developing a Collambola automatic counting system.

Assistant Professor Kimura
Cooperative research – assistant professor at the Hyogo Prefecture University and specialist of image analysis, developing a Collambola automatic counting system.

Associated Professor Yamauchi
Future cooperative research – assistant professor at the Hyogo Prefecture University and a taxonomist who specializes in the insect order Neuroptera.

Obihiro Chikusan University

Assistant Professor Akasaka
Cooperative research – specialist in mammals studies, will assist in species identification and analysis of the camera trap data.

Museums

Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum

Jinya Yamazaki
Curator of the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum. Assisted in exhibition setup and provided space to stock OKEON samples. The museum invited OKEON to participate in the summer 2016 exhibition over 1.5 months, which attracted approximately 10,000 visitors.

Okinawa Municipal Museum

Kunikazu Shinzato
Director of the Okinawa Municipal Museum. Provided us permission to set up sites at Tekiyambaru.

Kiyokazu Higa
Curator of the Okinawa Municipal Museum. Facilitated contact with managers of Sefa Utaki.

Yuichiro Kawazoe
Curator of the Okinawa Municipal Museum. Provided various insights, facilitated networking, and negotiated with the city hall for permitting site setup at Tekiyambaru.

Koichi Tone
Curator of natural history at the Okinawa Municipal Museum and organizer of a future exhibition where OKEON will be setting up a booth.

Masakazu Sano
Curator of natural history and the contact person for the museum.

Takeshi Terada
Curator of natural history at the Okinawa Municipal Museum and the organizer of an exhibition (Microlepidoptera) where OKEON had set up a booth.

Ikumasa Ganaha
Temporary employee at the Okinawa Municipal Museum. Assisted in planning the 41st exhibition at the museum.

Chatan Town Hall Education Department

Akinori Fuji
Employee at the Chatan Town Hall Education Department, also a plant specialist. Provided advice on setting soil sensors and weather devices, and assisted in obtaining permission for site setup in Chatan.

Nago Museum

Naofumi Murata
Curator at the Nago Museum, also a freshwater fish specialist. Assisted in site selection and site setup and provided the site in Genka.

Higashi-son Museum

Shoko Tokuyama
Curator at the Higashi-son Museum. Assisted in site selection and site setup and provided the site in Gesashi, also set up a meeting with the local people to inform them about OKEON.

Onna Village

Noriaki Goto
Curator of the Onna Village Museum. Provided the site in Kenmin-no-mori.

Hyogo Prefectural Museum

Yoshiaki Hashimoto
Curator at the Hyogo Prefectural Museum. Provided advice regarding management of the OKEON system, exhibition setup and design, and collaboration with the government and local people.

Fujukan

Takeshi Sasaki
Curator of the Ryukyu University Museum. Provided advice regarding the project concept and collaborative brainstorming, and assisted in locating field sites.

Hokkaido University Museum

Provided reference books and identification tools for the sorting team.

Professor Ôhara
Professor at Hokkaido University. Provided the initial material to set up an insect sorting system and sorter training system as well as advice on human resources development.

High Schools

Hentona High School

Mitsuo Tazato
Principal of Hentona High School. The school is a partner of the University-High School collaboration program and it provided a site.

Kouhei Takara
Teacher at Hentona High School who also studies ants. Attended a training program in place to further collaboration with OIST to develop the students’ and teachers’ research skills. Students of Mr. Takara have been involved in an ant research project for the past year by using Time-Unit Sampling, collecting materials which will be shared with OKEON.

Futenma High School

Motoki Nakamura
Teacher at Futenma High School who has been working on ant research with his students for the past year and organizer of the high school teacher training program in place to further collaboration with OIST and to develop teachers’ research skills.

Kyuyou High School

Kaori Toguchi
Teacher at Kyuyo High School who has been working on ant research with her students for the past year. Attended a high school teacher training program in place to further collaboration with OIST to develop teachers’ research skills.

Kaiho High School

Yoshio Kondo
Teacher at Kaiho High School who has been working on ant research with his students for the past year. Attended a high school teacher training program in place to further collaboration with OIST to develop teachers’ research skills.

Yomitan High School

Shunichi Kawabata
Teacher at Yomitan High School who is starting an ant research project with his students to collect materials which will be shared with OKEON. Attended a high school teacher training program in place to further collaboration with OIST to develop teachers’ research skills.

Others

Okinawa Prefecture Board of Education, Cultural Resource Division

Chihiro Tominaga (Manager), Satoru Tominaga (Group Leader), Kaori Furugen (Director), Yoshiaki Amano (Director)
Employees at the Okinawa Prefecture Board of Education. Provided site recommendations and set up meetings for site permission, among other collaborative activities.

OKinawa Prefectural Government, Department of Planning Science and Technology Promotion Division

Itsumi Nakamoto
Director at the Department of Planning Science and Technology Promotion Division. Manages the site Kenmin-no-mori and provided assistance in obtaining site permissions.

Okinawa Prefectural Government Promotion Center of North Agriculture、Forestry and Fisheries, Forest Maintenance Conservation Division

Mr. Chinen
Employee at the Promotion Center of North Agriculture、Forestry and Fisheries,Forest Maintenance Conservation Division. Provided the sites Kenmin-no-Mori and Katsuu-Dake.

Okinawa Prefectural Govenrment, Department of Environment,Protect Nature and Promote Forest Conservation Division

Mr. Kikkawa
Employee at the Department of Environment, Protect Nature and Promote Forest Conservation Division. Oversees site set up to ensure the traps are not set up within the wildlife refuge and that mammals and birds are not trapped as by-catch.

Okinawa Prefectural Government, Department of Environment, Renaturation Environment Division

Koji Kuda
Employee at the Department of Environment, Renaturation Environment Division. Provided the site Heiwasozo-no-Mori.

Okinawa Prefectural Government, Department of Civil Engineering and Construction, Urban Planning and Monorail Division

Kodai Uehara
Employee at the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction, Urban Planning and Monorail Division. Provided the site Nagojoshi Park.

Okinawa Prefectural Government, Department of Civil Engineering and Construction, Management of Kurashiki Dam

Tomohiro Nakama
Employee at the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction, Management of Kurashiki Dam. Provided the site Kurashiki Dam.

Okinawa Prefecture Board of Education, Cultural Resource Division

Yasushi Hamakawa
Employee at the Board of Education, Cultural Resource Division. Provided the site Gesashi (Natural monument specific permission).

Mr. Shinzato
Ward mayor of Gesashi. Provided the site Gesashi and held a meeting to inform the local people about the OKEON project.

Onna Village Office, General Affair Division

Satoru Miyahira
Employee at the General Affair Division. Provided the site kenmin-no-Mori.

Mr. Yamazaki (Ward mayer)
Ward mayor of Katsuyama. Provided the site kenmin-no-Mori and held a meeting to inform the local people about the OKEON project.

Nago City Board of Education, Cultural Resource Division

Hinako Gushiken
Employee at the Cultural Resource Division. Provided the site Katsuu-Dake (Natural monument specific permission).

Nanjo City Board of Education, Cultural Resource Division

Kohei Yokoyama
Employee at the Cultural Resource Division. Provided the site Se-fa Utaki (World Heritage Site) and granted permission, also facilitated networking.

Mr. Nakama & Mr.Shinzato
Ward mayor and vice ward mayor of Kudeken. Held an informational meeting to explain the OKEON project to the local people.

Nago City Hall, Department of Industries, Agriculture,Forestry and Fisheries,Forest Division

Mr. Ohshiro
Landowner of Katsuu-Dake. Granted permission to use the site.

Uruma City Hall, Department of Construction, Conservation Division

Mr. Tamanaha
Employee at the Department of Construction, Conservation Division. Provided the site Bird Forest Nature Park and granted permission.

Naha City Hall, Department of Conservation, Flower and Green Division

Shota Matayoshi
Employee at the Department of Conservation, Flower and Green Division. Provided the site Sueyoshi Park and granted permission.

Naha City Hall, Department of Conservation, Park Management Division

Mr. Senaga
Employee at the Department of Conservation, Park Management Division. Provided the site Sueyoshi Park and granted permission.

Naha City Hall, Department of Environment,Protect Nature and Promote Forest Conservation Division

Hiro Kakazu
Employee at the Department of Environment, Protect Nature and Promote Forest Conservation Division. Assisted in site selection within Sueyoshi Park and helped set up meeting with the Naha City Hall Environmental Section.

Nakagusuku Park

Masakazu Higa
Employee at Nakagusuku park. Provided the site Nakagusuku park and assisted in site selection.

Tamagusuku Youth and Children’s Center

Mr.Nakamura
Chief of the Tamagusuku Youth and Children’s Center. Provided the site Tamagusuku and expressed interest in developing a collaborative environmental education program.

Mori-no-ie Minmin

Haruhiko Fujii
Employee at Mori-no-ie Minmin. Assisted in site selection within Sueyoshi Park and provided information on the natural environment of the site.

Southeast Botanical Gardens

Aiko Suzuki
Employee at the Southeast Botanical Gardens. Provided the site Southeast Botanical Gardens.

Ohyama Yam Farm

Tatsuyoshi Ishikawa
Landowner of site, a taro farm farmer and the head of taro farm society. Assisted in introducing the OKEON project to the rest of the group.

Masaru Miyagi
Landowner of site and a taro farm farmer.

Masao Higa
Landowner of site and a taro farm farmer.

Individuals

Hidetsune Takamine
Ant taxonomist who spent over forty years collecting ant specimens in Okinawa and who donated his collection to the Economo Unit laboratory.

Kenji Takehara
Retired high school teacher who also conducts bird research. Provided local contacts as well as insights for site selection (Katsuu-Dake) and set up.