Summer internship program for the first-year students of Senzoku Gakuen High School was held.
On August 7th, 30 first-year students selected from Senzoku Gakuen High School in Takatsu Ward, Kawasaki City, visited iCONM in the morning to participate in a one-day researcher experience event called the Summer Internship. After receiving an explanation about iCONM/CHANGE, the students learned about four experiments they would experience in the afternoon from Deputy Principal Research Scientist Sabina Quader. They then divided into four groups and had individual meetings with Sabina, Researcher Yukihiro Kanda, Research Support Staff Yuko Kariya, and Communications Manager Makoto Shimazaki. As it was the time for second-year students to choose their science or literature courses, there were active discussions and Q&A sessions regarding this matter and career design. While all students expressed interest in science, many seemed to struggle with whether it would be better to choose the humanities considering the subjects for university entrance exams. For lunch, they reserved the fourth-floor magnet area with a good view and enjoyed the bento boxes they each brought. The four groups rotated through the following experiences: 1) DNA purification through electrophoresis, 2) observation of brain tumor tissue using a confocal laser microscope, 3) size measurement of nanomachines utilizing Brownian motion, and 4) powder manipulation in inert gas using a glove box. All instructors were international researchers from iCONM. Despite the explanations being in English, the students thoroughly understood the significance of the experiments and experienced the daily life of researchers. To conclude the day, there was a discussion session that included Center Director Kazunori Kataoka. The director shared that he also had a humanities inclination until the second year of high school and never dreamed of pursuing engineering, which likely resonated with many students who felt it was important to choose what they are interested in for now.