(Dean's log) Lecture series for Junior and Senior High Schools: Miyazaki Prefectural Gokase Secondary School

On 22 November 2024, the lecture was attended by students from the entire school, from first-year junior high school to second-year high school level, as well as by six third-year high school students and their parents.

As soon as the lecture began, the students were completely captivated by the warm tone of the professor's voice, as well as by his rich experiences and research from his student days. There were cheers from the audience, and the atmosphere was very exciting. After the lecture, we received many comments of gratitude, such as: "The lecture was very interesting and informative, and it broadened our imaginations and made us aware of possibilities when considering our future career paths, such as how to approach study, how to be a decent human being, cutting-edge research, and what we really want to learn". Another comment we received was: "I knew that I couldn't get in with my current degree of motivation, so I hadn't really thought about the University of Tokyo at all, but today's lecture really got me interested". Parents also left their comments, including: "The words from Dean Kato, 'Don't set limits for yourself,' made a deep impact on me. It was a great learning experience not only for the students, but also for us adults. I thought I would like to put what I have learned to use in my work and private life from tomorrow". During the Q&A session after the lecture, the students were very enthusiastic and raised their hands in rapid succession to ask questions. Each student spoke seriously about their own thoughts and concerns, and Dean Kato answered them all carefully.

This lecture was not only a great opportunity to learn about the Faculty of Engineering, but also valuable time spent by the students participating in a unique learning experience that motivated them for the future.

Midori Aoki (Metaverse School of Engineering)