Vol.30

2018.2.26

p.１ I’m a Civil Mum “Dr. Eng. Etri Suhelmidawati ” (Alumna in 2015)

p.２ Super Civil Engineer “Music & Civil Engineers” by Mr. Yoshihiro TAKANO

Topics

Alumni Association of the Civil Engineering

UT Civil E-mail News

The Editorial Team

03-5800-6916（Tel/Fax）dosokai-news@civil.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Chief editor：Ayuko AKAIKE, Associate editor：Yuko SASE

Editors：Takeyoshi CHIBANA, Yuya TAKAHASHI, Akiko SUZUKI

Satomi MORITA, Yuka MUTO（M1 Students)

Advisor：Manabu ITO

Proofreader：Alexander GILMORE (Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Dept.)

Feb 20th, 2018: Gentle sunshine awakens us Spring coming.

I work as a lecturer in the Department of Civil

Engineering, Polytechnics State of Padang, West

Sumatra, Indonesia. This is one of the classes I teach

where female students predominate, unlike the

situation when I was a civil engineering student in

1996. I teach in classes and laboratories, preparing

students for field work. One of our laboratories is for

all aspects of steel work, from designing, through

steel welding, to making simple but useful products.

While teaching, I feel happy if I can motivate them,

based on my own experiences as an alumna, to

always keep reaching for their dreams. They have to

learn a lot, while maintaining a positive attitude. So,

“be disciplined, honest, think positively, do your best

and never give up” is advice that I often give them.

They can be whatever they want, as long as they

have the right attitude. And that’s the reason why I

love to be a lecturer.

As an Lecturer of the Civil Engineering

I’m a Civil Mum

Dr. Eng. Etri Suhelmidawati Page1

2018.2.12

In the Steel Work Laboratory

To be the mother of two girls, both of them in

elementary school now, is really challenging. Actually,

it’s not difficult to find a job after graduation, but

finding the right balance between work and family can

be challenging. Sometimes I have to spend most of my

time outside for meetings, work supervision, business

trips, or teaching on other campuses. My kids always

ask me what time I will be home after work, because

they need my help to do homework, make drawings,

cooking, or just to accompany them to watch Japanese

animations which they like most such as Doraemon,

Precure, Yokai Watch, etc. Or when I have a work

deadline, one of them might have a fever, and I have

to care for them. It’s not easy to build a career while

also bringing up two kids, but I am so happy to have

them in my life because they relieve my stress when I

am back home with their smiles and laughter. To All

civil engineers, wherever you work and wherever you

live, always keep smiling, never give up on your

dreams and be strong for your family, because you can

do your best if you believe in yourself!

As a Mother of 2 girls

Graduation day with my beloved family in 2015

Famous Japanese Conductor’s two fathers

are both Civil Engineers from UT-Civil!

Super Civil Engineer

Music & Civil Engineers2018.2

Mr. Shigeki Yagi

(alumnus in 1984) Flute

Page2

Interestingly, Dr. Watanabe’s son, Takashi

Asahina (1908-2001) is the famous orchestra

conductor called "the Karajan of Japan”; he was

an excellent musician with a special sympathy

for the classics of the Austro-German repertoire

– Bruckner, Beethoven, Mahler and Brahms in

particular.

Dr. Kaichi Watanabe (1858-1932), alumnus in 1883 is known as

‘the Father of the History of Civil Engineering in Japan’. He

graduated top of his class and got degrees in Civil Engineering

and Science at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

He was then involved in the construction of the Forth Bridge,

which is one of the most famous cantilever bridges in the world.

You can find him (center) and the principles of this bridge on the

British 20-pound note, thanks to his important contribution.

Image: Eikoku News Digest

(11 March 2010 vol.1240)

Actually, he was adopted soon after birth by Mr. Rinnosuke ASAHINA (1869 – 1923) , who is also an

alumnus of UT from 1905, the railway engineer and subordinate of Dr. Watanabe. Amazingly, this famous

conductor had two civil engineer fathers!

Note: This topic was suggested by Emeritus Prof. Kenji Ishihara, alumnus in 1957.

By the way, there have been a number of musicians in the Department of Civil Engineering. Someday we

may organize an orchestra of Civil Engineers! (by Yoshihiro Takano, Alumnus in 1979)

Dr. Wataru Takeuchi (alumnus in 1999) Horn

Dr. Kiichiro Hatoyama (alumnus in 2001) Cello