On 20 December 2024, 540 first- and second-year high school students gathered in the gymnasium.
The students looked nervous at first, but their expressions gradually changed as they adjusted to the atmosphere. We received feedback from the students such as, "I had given up on going to the University of Tokyo and becoming a researcher because I am terrible at math, but listening to Dean Kato’s lecture made me realize that there's a world out there where you can challenge the boundaries and get where you want to go", and “The lecture made us realize that in order to tackle problems like Japan's debt and the future of Japan, instead of relying on others, we have to change the future ourselves. All in all, I was so impressed”. The feedback indicated that the lecture was very useful for thinking about further education and the future. We also received the comment, "I was surprised to learn that Dean Kato is a leading expert on rare earth resources, something I had only read about in textbooks. I realized that it is not just something to dream about. After meeting Dean Kato, who has overcome many difficulties, I strongly felt that I would like to be a person who can achieve something".
The lecture inspired students to set high goals. Approximately 60 students wanted to talk more with Dean Kato, and the teachers expressed their deep gratitude to him for answering sincerely the many questions raised by the students, ranging from the entrance exams for the University of Tokyo to life counseling.
Midori Aoki (Metaverse School of Engineering)