ようこそレーザー研へ！ Bersales先生 着任インタビュー

2023年3月から、附属マトリクス共創推進センターに、Bersales Jose Eleazar先生が教授として着任しました。フィリピン セブ島ご出身のベルサレス先生に、これまでの研究や今後レーザー研でどのような研究をしていきたいのか、お伺いしました。

What is your research theme or field?

My research field is anthropology. Under this field is archaeology and this is where my research is currently done. Archaeology involves not only excavating the material remains of the past that are buried under the ground. It largely involves analyzing what we excavate and relate them to why we are what we are today in our society.

Where and what kind of research did you do before coming to ILE?

During the last 20 years, I have been involved in archaeological studies in Cebu. As Director of the University of San Carlos Museum since 2018, I have also pursued active collecting of Japanese ethnographic materials from second-hand shops in Cebu. I am also involved in the preservation of historic buildings and heritage sites. At the same time, since I head the national association of museums in my country, I am also involved in museum-related activities as well as in providing technical expertise to museums who need help in terms of designing exhibitions as well as collections management.

What kind of research would you like to do at ILE?

I’m very honored to contribute to the use of high powered lasers in the analysis of ancient ceramics that were excavated in Cebu where I come from as well as other parts of my country. This research involves determining the material components of porcelain exported to the Philippines from Japan, China, Vietnam and Thailand. This research is very important because there has been almost nothing published on studies about this topic that I am aware of.

What is your message to students and young researchers?

Invent. Innovate. Publish. It is alright to go to higher education in order to serve one’s basic needs, like getting wealthy in order to live a comfortable life in the future.

But as students, you must also go beyond personal ambitions and need and think of the larger society and how each of you can contribute to make life better for all others. The way to do this is to invent new things. Or, if they already exist, to innovate and make them even better.

And, at the end of the day, we all die but what we leave behind can still live on if we publish the studies and research we have carried out. Publishing them will not only leave a part of us behind for others to read and remember. What we write can also be used by others to improve or innovate on what we did as knowledge moves ever forward. New knowledge, after all, builds upon the knowledge contributed in the past.

ベルサレス先生がレーザー研で取り組むレーザー文化財調査。文化財を分光学的に分析することで、新たな視点での文化財保護や文化の変遷を考察できるという、これまでになかったレーザーと新しい分野との連携がスタートしています。

写真）紫外線を当てることによって文化財の本物と偽物の違いが分かります。

ベルサレス先生、ありがとうございました。今後の活躍を期待しています！