Summer School 2014

Tohoku University invited high school teachers and prospective students to Future Global Leadership (FGL) Summer School again this year, from the 4th to 6th of August. 21 Participants joined the event from 7 high schools in China, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

During the three-day program, participants got detailed information on Tohoku University, FGL courses, the application process, and even the city of Sendai.

On the 2^nd and 3^rd day, participants took a tour of the labs in each faculty of the FGL program: the Advanced Molecular Chemistry Course (AMC), Applied Marine Biology Course (AMB) and International Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Course (IMAC-U).

This is one of the labs in AMB. Students are working on research in the field of Integrative Aquatic Biology.

Students also learnt Japanese flower arrangement (Ikebana). This Ikebana class was taught by Prof. Chen. She is a professor of Nanomechanics in the School of Engineering of our university!

Thank you so much for joining the event. See you again!

Student interview: Leo J. Che of AMB

Leo J. Che, an AMB student from the US, was always interested in the ocean, and especially in fish.  When asked if his career decision had something to do with his home town in California, he not only agreed, but also told us about his other reasons. “I used to go to Monterey Bay Aquarium, famous for its display of the bay, and my father took me fishing from time to time.” Then he talked about the special topography of Monterey Bay in California, where a large number of diverse marine organisms exist. This had a tremendous impact on him, and helped him to choose marine biology for his research.

However, there are more interesting and, in a way, unique reasons as to why Leo came to Tohoku University. The first is that the ocean is shared by many countries, meaning it would be advantageous if he can prepare to work internationally in the future, considering his specialization in marine biology. The second is Fukushima. “It is the first nuclear incident to have happened near the ocean. The Chernobyl accident was not near the ocean, and no other previous nuclear event has occurred on this scale. So it creates a unique opportunity to research things that we otherwise might not be able to explore,” he said. In fact, the nuclear power plant in Fukushima is about 100km from Sendai. Thus it is at far enough to allow one to safely live in Sendai while still being able to meet and learn from many professors in multiple faculties of Tohoku University who continue working on themes related to the disaster of March 2011.

Although many FGL students are hard workers, Leo told us about prior knowledge will definitely help prospective students in their studies. “Be strong at mathematics,” he said with conviction. “You will be required to work with numbers in different ways than you may expect. In addition, it may be difficult for students who aren’t familiar with statistical concepts to understand certain lectures. Some of the lessons seem to assume that you know something that you might not necessarily know,” he advised.

One of the good things about Leo noted about the FGL program is housing. All FGL students seeking bachelor degrees can live at University House Sanjo for two years. While the kitchen has to be shared, each student is allotted a private room. This is a clear difference from the US, where students who live in dorms usually share rooms. “So it is very nice,” he says.

 

Having accomplished the fall semester by now, Leo is slowly getting a picture of his future career. “I’m sure I want to study ichthyology. After the lab tours with the agricultural department that I did this semester, I’m now looking forward to investigating my field of interest and and clarifying what I'll specialize in.” The Great East Japan Earthquake and following accidents were definitely disturbing occurrences, but many people have set themselves straight and started learning from them. Leo embraces this and intends to keep working across international borders, like the ocean.

FGL Summer School 2013, VISIT US!

 Tohoku University’s summer school, “Future Global Leadership Program, Tohoku University Summer School 2013: VISIT US!” was held From August 5 to 7. It was a three-day program for high school teachers and prospective students, and nine high schools from six countries (Indonesia, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Singapore and Thailand) participated in this event.

Student interview: Chairul Akmal, Applied Marine Biology

The first year student Chairul Akmal came from Indonesia, which he calls “a marine country like Japan.”  So it was very natural for him to decide on studying marine biology in Japan.  He is now very busy with the Liberal Education classes, which all first year students have to go through.  He, however, has a vision of obtaining deep insights into the ocean, and is already absorbing knowledge from his professors.

“Gleadall Sensei is one of the best teachers whom I’ve met in my life,” Akmal says.  Professor Gleadall mainly teaches him marine biology as well as physiology.  Akmal especially enjoys his lectures about the future of the ocean and environmental issues.

Akmal mentions the wide range and availability of food both on campus and in Sendai City itself. At the cafeterias on campus, halal food is prepared, and grocery stores as well as restaurants for non-pork eaters are in walking distance to those living at the students’ dormitory. 

Even so, one of Japanese dishes he has been enjoying the most lately is Sushi.

Having lived in Sendai for four months, Akmal finds a major difference between Indonesian and Japanese culture—the reticence of the Japanese.  But he respects it, and regards it as a matter of custom.  His humbleness does and will let him enrich himself through new cultures anywhere he goes.

A (Belated) Welcome to 2011's New FGL Undergraduates!

This autumn, Future Global Leadership welcomed some 17 international students into its undergraduate programs. Descriptions of the courses and pictures of the new recruits are as shown below.

The AMC Welcome Ceremony

AMC: The Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science offers the Advanced Molecular Chemistry Course. Most students enrolled in this course are assigned to the Institute for Materials Research, the Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, and Advanced Institute for Materials Research from the latter half of their third year to prepare their graduation theses. 

This year's new AMB students

AMB: The Faculty of Agriculture offers the FGL Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree in Applied Marine Biology. It combines a solid general education with a practical grounding in marine biology through stimulating research in the laboratory and in the field. 

IMAC-U: The International Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Course undergraduate course (IMAC-U) is specifically designed for international students. Students are required to learn technical drawing and to familiarize themselves with experimental procedures and the use of machine tools. TAs will coach international students, as necessary. 

New IMAC-U students and their professors

-FGL Staff