OIST hosts 4S Workshop

4S Workshop participants in front of the Seaside House

From March 14 to 18, OIST hosted the “Sun, Sea, and Science Student Workshop,” or what soon became known to all as the 4S Workshop, at its Onna campus. 20 graduate and undergraduate students from across Japan participated in the program to learn what it is like to be a research scientist, not by reading about it, but by actually rubbing shoulders with researchers at OIST.  By taking part in the activities in the labs they started to understand the skills and qualities needed to become a world-class scientist. They also had time to make new friends and create a network of contacts around Japanese universities. The students followed a program of presentations on OIST as an institution and the future graduate school’s scientific goals.

Mr. Liew Seng Pei, a junior student from Malaysia studying particle physics at the University of Tokyo, said he enjoyed meeting people with diverse backgrounds and found OIST researchers very lively. Mr. Kaname Fukuoka, a senior at Hokkaido University whose expertise is behavioral ecology, also commented that he was inspired by meeting fellow students in different scientific fields. Ms. Mariko Matsuura, a senior student studying evolutionary genetics at the Tokyo Metropolitan University, said she was surprised to learn that OIST owns five next-generation genome sequencers. All students expressed their interest in pursuing Ph.D. studies, and said classes taught in English at OIST were a great attraction.

Each student had won their place on 4S by writing an essay in English on “The multidisciplinary approach to solving complicated problems in science and technology today.” After their time at 4S, mixing with scientists working in a multidisciplinary environment, the students could compare the original ideas in their essays against real experience. 

Dr. Takeda of the G0 Cell Unit explains how to use a fluorescent microscope to see the intracellular localization of proteins
Dr. Takagi of the Cellular and Molecular Synaptic Unit shows a living neuron on an infrared camera system
Dr. Eguchi of the Cellular and Molecular Synaptic Function Unit demonstrates how to prepare a thin brain slice
Dr. Price of the Developmental Signalling Unit discusses stained wing imaginal discs of a Drosophila larvae		Students take a close look at a Drosophila sample
Dr. Kawashima of the Marine Genomics Unit		Dr. Hikami (arriving Principal Investigator) interacts with the students during break
Dr. Asai of the Open Biology Unit at a lunch meeting		Dr. Hasegawa of the Developmental Signalling Unit at a lunch meeting with students
OIST short-term student research assistant, Chris Reinke, with a student		Dr. Price, 4S participants and OIST staff in the Center Court