Kashiwa Campus Open Days 2024

The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus Open Days 2024, titled “Tomorrow’s Science Awaiting in Kashiwa,” was held on October 25 and 26. We received nearly 10,000 visitors during the two days. The three divisions of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Transdisciplinary Sciences, Biosciences and Environmental Studies held exhibitions of cutting-edge research along with interactive and hands-on activity workshops. We spent time discussing the future of science with visitors of all ages and received positive feedback. For example, some visitors stated, “The activities are fun because we cannot experience things like that,” and “It was interesting to know various kinds of research.” The campus was adorned with colorful signs and flags, and staff members wearing GSFS T-shirts and talking with visitors made the atmosphere festive—very impressive for this year. Additionally, the entrance exam committees organized a new special event, “Let’s Talk, Future Graduate School Students!” to provide young visitors with opportunities to talk with current students. We hope this inspired the next generation to consider entering graduate school.

Tsubasa Kodaira
Lecturer and Chair of the GSFS Open Days 2024

Special Lecture by Prof. Riki Honda: “Considering the Resilience of Society Damaged by Natural Disasters”

Grow the GSFS Tree!

Future Electric Vehicles

Microscopes for Observing Atoms

Catch a Crocket!

Chiba-kun, Chiba prefecture’s mascot, came to campus.

“Inhabiting a Wood, Inhabiting the Moon: Transparent Building Construction Designs for a Lunar Base”

Craft-Making Workshop (Little Boat That Moves by Waterpower)

Online Workshop on Socio-Technological Imaginaries, Science and Ethics 2024

https://rinri.edu.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/

This series of workshops aims to inspire and encourage a radical reexamination of research ethics through discussions. On November 18, Professors Koichi Matsuda and Susumu Yoshizawa discussed ethical issues of life and its computerization as the first theme of the workshop: “Computerization of Life: Intersection of Humans and Bacteria.” For the second theme, on November 29, Professors Yasutoshi Makino and Qi An discussed ethical problems that engineering intervention brings to sense and sensibility: “Engineered Sense and Sensibility: Intersection of VR Device and Chair”.

From left to right: Prof. Mayumi Fukunaga (the workshop coordinator), Prof. Koichi Matsuda and Prof. Susumu Yoshizawa
The workshops and the “graphic records” can be viewed at https://rinri.edu.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp/

An Event to Encourage Young Women to Choose Science Courses: “Let’s Look into the Future!”

On October 26 at Kashiwa Campus, the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the Institute for Solid State Physics and the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institutes jointly held “Let’s Look into the Future!” Over 50 applications, exceeding the actual venue’s number of seats, demonstrating that female junior high and high school students have great interest in choosing science courses. We received positive feedback, such as: “The event inspired me about scientific research,” “I was motivated to study,” “It expanded my options of interest and curiosity” and “all the talks were so fascinating.”

Luncheon meeting with current female graduate students, which the GSFS organized on the same day, was also successful.