On Monday, October 24^th, 2016, the first cohort of GSC Domestic Students gave presentations in English to faculty, staff and students on their research experience in laboratories at prestigious institutions overseas.

Current UTokyo students who are accepted onto the GSC Domestic Students Program are given the opportunity to conduct research at a laboratory abroad for about one month. The five presenting students chose to visit laboratories at the University of Toulouse, Stanford University, the University of Birmingham, Vienna University of Technology and Aalto University.

In their presentations, the students spoke in detail about their research and being part of a laboratory abroad. As this was the first time for many of these students to travel overseas, they commented on the experience as being very positive and meaningful. In particular, students felt it was rewarding to conduct research in their host laboratory and learn more about their respective laboratory's research activities. Furthermore, students enjoyed being able to use English outside of Japan to engage in scientific discussion with others in their research group. Many expressed that their language skills improved and they gained a deeper understanding of people from other countries. Students also mentioned that their time abroad contributed significantly to their research and educational experience, as well as personal growth, and they felt motivated to engage in international research collaboration in the future.

Following the presentations, Professor Kaoru Yamanouchi, the GSC Program Coordinator, gave a final remark, commenting that the presentations were enjoyable and he was pleased that these students took full advantage of the international opportunities offered through GSC. He hoped that through learning about the successful experiences of these five students, those interested in the GSC Domestic Students Program would have a better understanding of the benefits associated with engaging in research overseas.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to each hosting professor and their laboratory members for kindly welcoming our students and providing them with such memorable experiences.

Information about host professors and their laboratories is as follows.
Tsukasa Usuki: Research Director Azzedine Bousseksou, Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, The University of Toulouse (France)
Ryo Kinegawa: Professor Brian Kobilka, Kobilka Lab, Stanford University (USA)
Naoaki Shinjo: Professor Richard E. Palmer, Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory, The University of Birmingham (England)
Makoto Mizui: Professor Andrius Baltuska and Dr. Markus Kitzler, Ultrafast Laser Group Photonics Institute, Vienna University of Technology (Austria)
Shishin Mo: Professor Maarit Karppinen, Research Group of Inorganic Chemistry, Aalto University (Finland)