“UT-MIT International Lectures: Introduction to Material Engineering”

The College of Arts and Sciences and The Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, in coordination with The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have implemented the program “University of Tokyo – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (UT-MIT) International Lectures: Introduction to Material Engineering”. Since the beginning of the joint lecture program in 2010, this university has been visited by students and faculty members from MIT for the purpose of furthering academic exchanges. Particularly, during the visits, students meet for the “MIT-UT International Joint Symposium”. Several engineering themes are established, and groups of students (1 group: 2-6 students) conduct presentations for each theme that are related to engineering trends moving forward. Presentations are based on the results of the students’ independent examinations of the subject. As both universities collaborate on common themes, active discussions have been held between students.

This year, the 5th symposium was held on May 24th, 2014 (Saturday) from 10:00 to 16:30 at the Hongo Campus School of Engineering in the Materials Engineering Seminar Room (Engineering Building No. 4, Room 205). 22 undergraduate students from MIT participated along with Professor L.C. Kimerling. From The University of Tokyo, 23 undergraduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences, 3 teaching and administrative staff members, and 1 graduate student (TAs) participated. After a greeting from Professor Yasuhiko Ishikawa, Department of Materials Engineering, 5 student groups from The University of Tokyo and 6 groups from MIT carried out presentations. Each presentation was allotted 25 minutes. After each presentation, the lively discussions occurred, it proved to be a very meaningful symposium. Professor Kimerling provided a recap of the symposium at the end of the meeting.

From last year, students from The University of Tokyo have visited MIT. Visits took place at the beginning of MIT’s fall school term, and visitors attended lectures in which MIT students were also enrolled. This year, on the second of these visits, 16 students and 2 staff members visited. Scheduled from September 20th, 2014 (Saturday) to September 26th, 2014 (Friday), participants attended four lectures over three days (September 22nd – September 24th) and toured both MIT and nearby Harvard. Having a happy reunion with the students who came to Japan in May for the symposium helped further deepen our academic and cultural exchanges. Each student had the impression that the visits were very significant. The experience of visiting a foreign country is exciting, and it gives the students a new sense of encouragement for their studies and research as well as hope and inspiration for the future.

October, 2014
The University of Tokyo School of Engineering
Department of Materials Engineering
Associate Professor Yasuhiko Ishikawa

"Introduction to Robotics" with Prof. Asada      Harvard tour with UT OB 

In front of MIT Dome                        Get together party with MIT students