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Some 30 undergraduate students from partner universities took part in this year's STEM Summer Programme (TSSP), an interactive exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, from June 17 - July 12.

Through a mix of lectures, laboratory visits and cultural workshops, the students got an overview of the various STEM courses offered at Tohoku University, and a glimpse into student life here.

"I enjoy exploring all kinds of different sciences, so these last few weeks have been really fun," said Joseph Mizenko from Penn State University.

"When I came into this programme, I was decently set on bioengineering as my major, but I feel like I've learnt new and different aspects of engineering which I think can be incorporated into my life," said Ivy Lee from the University of Washington.

In addition to the perennially popular sessions on materials science, aircraft design and robotics for space exploration, the students also heard lectures on quantum theory, active tactile sensor systems and expeditions to the Antarctic.

"The professor who gave the lecture on her research in the Antarctic had great anecdotes," said Conner Wallace of the University of California Riverside. "She talked about how she would eat some of the Antarctic seafood she caught, like 'I got to taste my samples!' That was a really fun session!"

The students were also engaged in a lecture on the origins of life and made a quick stop at the Tohoku University Museum, where they had a "treasure hunt" to spot various exhibits addressing the evolution of life on Earth.

"The origin of life is an open question for geoscientists, chemists, molecular biologists, physicists, astronomers and researchers in many other fields. Having a multidisciplinary approach to finding answers is important," said Associate Professor Yoshihiro Furukawa of the Department of Earth Science, who gave the lecture. "The group had many different opinions, and we had a good discussion. Their questions were very good."

Former university president Hideo Ohno also remarked on the students' enthusiasm during his lecture on spintronics. In it, he explained how magnets can be reversibly switched through low power electrical means driven by the phenomena of spin-transfer torque and spin-orbit torque. "Teaching is fun, and I always enjoy these opportunities to engage with students from around the world and hear their opinions," he said.

Taking the occasional break from science, the TSSP students attended weekly Japanese language classes and workshops on flower arrangement (kado), Japanese tea ceremony (sado), origami and aikido.

"My favourite session was the tea-making ceremony because the explanation of the different steps was interesting and I really like Japanese tea," said Cassandra Friend from Penn State University. "I'm from the United States which is a relatively new country, so I think it's really nice to see the deep appreciation that Japanese people have for their traditional culture and history."

Field trips included visits to a swordsmith's workshop, the Toyota Factory and to the historical Rinno-ji temple to learn about Zen Buddhism. The group also spent a day in the coastal areas affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.

"I think Japan is special in terms of how disaster mitigation touches so many different areas of STEM," said Sachal Shaikh from the University of Washington. "Like we had lectures on the tsunami and yesterday we also had a lecture on radiation and we talked about the Fukushima disaster and how that was related to the 2011 tsunami."

"These exchange programmes are designed to show students what Tohoku University can offer, but I also hope that they gain an appreciation for Japan and want to come back," said Professor Yumiko Watanabe, one of the organisers of TSSP.

For more information about Tohoku University's exchange programmes, please visit:
https://www.insc.tohoku.ac.jp/english/exchange/