Tag Archives: Materials Science

Award, Culture, Event, Fun, International

NAIST Students on Santa Claus’ Mission

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Christmas is one of the most important holidays in Christianity, and it has also been adopted by other cultures worldwide — including Japan. Historically, over 2000 years ago, a new star appeared in the sky and lightened the way of people to Vifleem/Bethlehem to come and meet their Saver and Missiya/Messiah. Among one of the first visitors of a newborn baby were three wise men. They traveled a long way from the Far East as they expected this event. They brought to Jesus three presents – gold, frankincense, and Mirra. Since then, giving presents on Christmas has had a very special meaning.

Even though Christianity is not popular religion in Japan, people still like to enjoy Christmas and have fun. The GSK Association of NAIST students decided to celebrate Christmas with our precious staff members from various departments. Christmas presents were given to the staff across campus as a sign of appreciation for their service and hard work for the students.

Gift wrapping the Christmas presents

The journey began by visiting the offices of three academic divisions of NAIST: Biological Science, Information Science, and Material Science. These divisions play a crucial role in supporting student and faculty members in their research endeavors, producing significant academic breakthroughs. Additionally, they provide invaluable assistance to students, guiding them through their studies and offering support on various matters. After spreading joy in these divisions, the students continued to share presents with other NAIST offices and facilities.

The students went to the office of Biological Sciences and thanked them for their hard work.
Merry Christmas to the Information Science Office!
Season’s greetings to the Materials Science office

These offices include the International Affairs Office, which serves as an essential cornerstone for foreign students studying in Japan. Their tireless efforts contribute to creating a welcoming environment and helping students integrate seamlessly into the NAIST community. The Career Services office also deserves special mention, as they guide and support students in their pursuit of future job opportunities in prestigious companies and universities after their time at NAIST. The Student Affairs section plays a vital role in enhancing the overall campus experience, providing valuable resources and support for students’ daily lives. Moreover, the Planning and General Affairs division assists students with research administration, ensuring the smooth progress of their academic pursuits. Even the Health Care Center, always ready to provide medical care and support during times of illness or injury, deserves our gratitude. Finally, the students also thanked the cafeteria (shokudo) and convenience store (konbini), who cook and sell food and essential daily items that are readily available to sustain us.

Wishing the International Students Affairs Section a Merry Christmas
Bringing the Christmas spirit to the Career Services Office
Giving thanks to the Planning and General Affairs Division
Giving gratitude to the Health Care Center for caring for us when sick/injured.
Sending thanks to the NAIST shokudo (cafeteria) and konbini (convenience store)
Thanking the Student Affairs office

As students of NAIST, represented by the NAIST GSK Committee, we are immensely thankful for the outstanding services and unwavering support provided by the NAIST faculty, staff, and administration. Through this Christmas gift-giving mission, we aimed to express our deep gratitude and spread joy throughout the campus. The spirit of Christmas embodies the values of love, appreciation, and togetherness, and we are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate this wonderful season with our NAIST community. May the warmth and happiness of this festive season continue to brighten our lives throughout the year.

The NAIST GSK committee celebrating Christmas

Event, Fun, International, Living

NAIST Study Abroad Fair 2021

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Last October 9, 2021, NAIST held an online international study fair. Students from all over the world joined in a virtual gathering to learn and ask about life and studying at NAIST. Over 100 participants joined, and several of the NAIST faculty, staff, and student ambassadors attended in order to carry out the event.

At first, the NAIST President recorded a message for the event, and Masako Shimamoto, Ph.D. from the Division for Global Education gave a general introduction of NAIST. The presentation showcased the campus demographic, and as of writing, the Graduate School of Science and Technology accommodates 697 Master’s and 349 Ph.D. students, 196 faculty, and 167 administrative staff. This high staff-to-student ratio is one advantage of being in a tight-knit community like NAIST.

Proudly, NAIST is part of two flagship projects of MEXT, namely: the Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research and the Top Global University Project. These programs fund NAIST to promote international and global research and higher education. In addition, NAIST has also produced thousands of graduate alumni who went into careers in academia, industry, and other worthwhile professions. Aside from the top-notch academics and research, Dr. Shimamoto also presented that NAIST has a sizeable international community that is well taken care of. Thus, the prospective students and applicants were very excited to know more about NAIST, and afterward, they were given useful information on the admissions process.

Each division then gave a brief overview of their research and laboratories. Prof. Taku Demura gave a presentation about the Division of Biological Science which features research areas in Plant Biology, Medical Biology, and Systems Biology. Prof. Demura highlighted that NAIST’s biological research tackles multiple levels of life from single molecules to whole organisms, and from basic to applied research. Next, Prof. Yoichiro Hosokawa gave a talk about the research of his division: Materials Science, which studies the structure, properties, and functions of materials — ranging from the subatomic scale to entire molecules and whole devices. Researchers interested in the fields of physics, chemistry, biomaterials, device engineering, and materials informatics will find a good program here with a focus on interdisciplinary photonic nanoscience. Finally, Prof. Keiichi Yasumoto presented the Division of Information Science, which was the first established graduate school in NAIST. The division offers a wide range of courses and projects covering Computer Science, Media Informatics, and Applied Informatics to any of those interested. With an internationally oriented program and the latest research facilities, NAIST truly offers a very good place to pursue graduate studies.

Finally, the most fun part of all was when the participants were able to go into different breakout rooms based on the three divisions and other extra topics. They were able to meet first-hand the faculty, staff, and students of NAIST for Q&A. Here, many of the interested students were curious about further details regarding both academic and non-academic life. Evidently, prospective students looked for a strong balance between research work and extracurricular activities such as campus life and international events. Thus, the organizers exhibited facilities such as the NAIST University Union, student dormitories, sports facilities, and leisure spaces. Overall, the event was a great way for NAIST to attract new international students and gave the opportunity for people abroad to see what life in NAIST is like despite the pandemic. This virtual event was a nice way to connect with those from far away, and hopefully, we get to see them in person once they become part of the institute we all know and love— NAIST.

International, Research

NAIST Materials Science Study Abroad Program for Doctoral Students

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The Division of Materials Science (DMS) of NAIST provides its students with excellent opportunities to experience research culture and practices outside Japan through the Study Abroad Program, more commonly referred to as a lab stay.

University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu campus, on a beautiful sunny winter day!

Doctoral students from the DMS are required to earn credits under the set of courses called Internationalization Subjects. Two of the most commonly taken subjects are the Practical English for Materials Science (UC Davis English Program) and the International Internship. Students who participate in the lab stay program earn two credits under the International Internship subject. Many students, however, opt to do both, first participating in the UC Davis English Program then proceeding with the lab stay. The latter functions as a training ground for new English communication skills acquired in the previous program.

Magical landscape created by the sun, the leafless trees, and thick sheets of snow that definitely makes you feel like you’re in Finland!

In preparation for the lab stay program, a student can either choose to go to NAIST Academic Partners or look for another university, depending on the compatibility of one’s research topic with the hosting institute. NAIST has more than a hundred academic exchange agreements with foreign universities and research institutes spread over multiple countries.

Communication with a potential supervisor can be established by the laboratory supervisor (at NAIST) or the student himself. Through this, a potential research topic can be discussed and necessary arrangements such as invitation letter, hosting agreement, student housing, etc can be made. Visa application may be necessary depending on the student’s nationality and the country of destination. Moreover, scholars would be delighted to know that NAIST covers most of the major expenses, such as the airfare, visa-related fees, and an accommodation subsidy. A comprehensive overseas travel insurance is also provided by NAIST to ensure the safety of the students during the entire lab stay program.

Joensuu City Theater, located in the city center, was built in the National Romantic style of architecture that flourished in the Nordic countries in the late 19th century.

I spent my two-month lab stay at the Institute of Photonics, Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Eastern Finland (UEF) in Joensuu, Finland. My host supervisor was Assoc. Prof. Matthieu Roussey, the team leader of the Integrated Optics Group. Under his guidance, I worked on an interesting topic: slot waveguide integration of Bloch surface wave platforms. It was a productive and enjoyable two-month stay within Prof. Roussey’s group.

The snow-covered path that I take to get to the UEF campus everyday!

Last year, two other students from my laboratory joined the lab stay program. Christian Mark Pelicano spent two months at the RWTH Aachen University in Germany while Keisuke Yano worked under the Department of Physics, University of Cagliari in Italy.

It snowed almost everyday in my two-month stay in Joensuu.
The temperature ranged from 0°C to -24°C.

Indeed, more and more students each year are opting to go on a lab stay because of the tremendous opportunities it opens. It can definitely further one’s research and allows one to build a network for collaborative research work. I was blessed to have an open-minded and optimistic host supervisor who saw my research visit in his group as a starting point for further collaboration between NAIST and UEF.

Helsinki Cathedral. Probably the most iconic landmark in Finland.

Apart from the research aspect, the lab stay program is also an amazing opportunity to explore another country. During my stay in Finland, I was able to visit Helsinki and other major cities and learn more about Finnish culture and history. Immersing in a new culture, meeting people with different beliefs and customs, and interacting with a totally different society is a rewarding and humanizing experience. As student-researchers, this allows us to see better the world that we are trying to improve with our individual research, whether it be in physics, chemistry, or engineering.

Clock tower of the Helsinki Central Station, the main transportation hub in Finland.

International, Research

Nanomagnetism and Beyond: The 405th Photonic Nanoscience Special Lecture

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Materials Science is inherently an interdisciplinary field. It combines theories, principles, and techniques in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Engineering to design and fabricate new and novel materials, structures, and systems and to study the behavior and dynamics of devices made up of these various material components. Continue reading Nanomagnetism and Beyond: The 405th Photonic Nanoscience Special Lecture →