The overhaul of the FUTI website is now complete. The design and implementation have been done by Ms. Amy Vaida of Amy I productions, who also designs FUTI’s eNewsletter.
The website consists of three main pages: “About Us,” “Giving,” and “Grants and Awards.” The “About us” page is divided into subpages: “What is FUTI? What are its Purposes,” “History and Organization,” “Accomplishments,” “Board Members,” and “Advisory Committee.” Biographies of all Board members and Advisors are found by clicking the individuals’ names.
The new “Giving” page is as comprehensive as you may find in any major non-profit organization’s website. In the past two years, individual donors could contribute to FUTI only by mailing personal checks. Now one can make a fast and secure donation online by charging it to his/her credit card through a convenient web-based PayPal system. One will receive an immediate record of payment, followed by a formal acknowledgment and receipt from the FUTI office.
In addition, a donation by wire transfer from your bank account to FUTI’s bank account, donation of securities (such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds), and donation of a distribution from an IRA (individual retirement account) to FUTI are now possible and the latter two options may give the donor tax benefits.
FUTI is also ready to accept gifts from generous individuals and corporations to Endowment Funds to seek a long-term financial stability for its future activities.
The new “Grants and Award” page provides a comprehensive description on how to prepare research grant applications and scholarship applications and when to submit them. As you find in this e-Newsletter, research grants of $30,000 and $10,000 were given, respectively, to the UTokyo-Yale Initiative program and the IPMU (Institute of Physics and Mathematics for the Universe) program at UC Berkeley. As for scholarship awards, FUTI supported seven U.S. students (MIT, UC Berkeley, and Yale) and six UTokyo students who attended summer programs or summer internship programs. The reports of these students are found in this and the November issues of FUTI e-Newsletter. In the fiscal year 2011-2012, FUTI plans to provide similar grants and scholarships as detailed in the web page.
In addition to the “About Us,” “Giving,” and “Grants and Awards” pages, the News section includes such items as the fundraising campaign report and announcements of future lectures and meetings. Back issues of the FUTI e-Newsletter will be posted.
We believe that the website and e-Newsletter are the two most important tools through which FUTI can communicate with all individuals and corporations that support FUTI and researchers and students who will benefit from FUTI’s programs. We are very much interested in hearing your comments and suggestions concerning how our website and e-Newsletter can be further improved. Please write to us by clicking here.
Articles in this newsletter:
- Call for Nominations for new Secretary and Treasurer
- The New Office and Mailing Address of FUTI
- Annual Board Meeting
- FUTI Announces Travel Grants for Graduate Students and Postdocs Involved in the IPMU-BCTP Collaboration
- Reports from the Participants of IARU’s Global Summer Program
- Invited Article: Activities of “Kagakusha Network” (“Scientist Network”) and a Guidepost to Study at U.S. Graduate Schools.
- Fundraising Results and Financial Statements of July 2010 through June 2011
- Revamping of the FUTI Website Completed
- Dr. Masaaki Yamada appointed Director of University Relations