Multidisciplinary International Student Workshop 2021 held by three engineering Schools

Tokyo Tech hosted Multidisciplinary International Student Workshop (MISW) 2021 online on August 5 and 6, bringing together 49 students from the Institute with 11 students from institutions in the Asia Oceania Top University League on Engineering (AOTULE). MISW, held for the 12th time and organized by Tokyo Tech Student Committee members, united mainly graduate-level students from the Institute's three engineering Schools — the School of Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, and School of Environment and Society — and AOTULE partner institutions to encourage innovation across disciplines via a research-based workshop and promote cross-cultural understanding.

The two-day workshop kicked off with an opening message by Tokyo Tech President Kazuya Masu, which was followed by five-minute introductions of the eight AOTULE universities. Professor Miki Saijo from Tokyo Tech's School of Environment and Society continued with her talk on "Communication Design: A Methodology for Managing Innovation Processes" during the plenary lecture. Saijo's lecture aimed to serve as a methodology for students and faculty members with various research backgrounds to consider the societal application of their research, and active discussions among participants soon followed.

From the afternoon of the first day to the morning of the second, participating students presented their research via Zoom. These presentations were evaluated based on a variety of criteria by faculty from the Institute's three engineering Schools. Twenty of the best speakers were presented with awards by Professor Masahiro Susa, dean of the School of Materials and Chemical Technology and head of international affairs for Tokyo Tech's three engineering Schools.

The five winners of the highest accolade — the Outstanding Presentation Award — were as follows.

From the 20 award winners, 10 Tokyo Tech graduate-level students were invited to attend the AOTULE Student Workshop, which is scheduled to be held online by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) on November 10, 2021.

The following Student Committee members were responsible for overseeing the preparations and smooth execution of MISW 2021.