GCSU international student offers assist as interpreter at state science fair

Published 7:00 am Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Imagine your job takes you to a country overseas. 

While there you have to broker a deal with representatives of another company. None of them speak English, and you can’t speak their language either. How, without an interpreter, do the two sides have a productive dialogue and agree to terms? 

Now imagine that instead of being an adult having to fulfill a work obligation thousands of miles from home, you’re in the fifth grade preparing for a science fair where answering judges’ questions could mean the difference between winning a trophy or leaving empty-handed.

That was the scenario laid out before Sosuke Nishimiya ahead of the Georgia College & State University grades K-5 Science & Engineering Fair held on Friday. Nishimiya, whose family moved from Japan to Macon for his father’s job less than two years ago, is still learning English. The fifth-grader at Bibb County’s Springdale Elementary School had qualified for state with his insightful project studying the use of pigment from red cabbage to test the acidity and alkalinity of various materials. His work was to be one of more than 300 projects among the rows and rows of tables inside the Centennial Center Friday. 

But Nishimiya also knew the language barrier would make it difficult to answer questions during the necessary face-to-face with judges. That interaction component makes up 15% of students’ scores. 

“Without being able to effectively communicate, it would be really difficult to get one of the top prizes,” said Dr. Catrena Lisse, director of GCSU’s Science Education Center and organizer of the elementary state science fair.

Nishimiya’s school reached out to see if an interpreter could be found, and Lisse got to work. She put together a social media post and sent out an email to any GCSU departments and clubs with “international” in the name.

“Kids struggle enough with science,” Lisse said. “I knew I had to find a way to knock that barrier out of his way. I do not want language to keep someone from being able to present and succeed. The kids are always so excited and proud of what they accomplished. I wanted to give this young man the same opportunity to showcase his excitement.”

Lisse’s search turned up Rihito Uda, a Japanese junior studying abroad in America from his home university in Osaka. Feeling as though it would be the honorable thing to do, the 21-year-old Uda said yes when asked if he would help out young Mr. Nishimiya. Uda remembers what it was like learning a non-native language, and he was also happy to meet the Nishimiya family since he does not run into many Japanese people here in the states. 

Even speaking through Uda, the science-loving Sosuke was a little nervous talking to reporters Friday. The interpreter took care of the language barrier, but there were still some difficulties since Uda with his business background was trying to convey complex scientific vocabulary and concepts. The pair was on the same page by the time judges came around though as Nishimiya took home multiple awards Friday evening – a medallion in the Grand category and a trophy for “Best of Chemical and Material Science.”

“It was a great opportunity for Rihito to step in as a role model and was a win-win for everyone,” added Lisse.