NEWS

Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, 2015, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)-sponsored seminar for high school students entitled "Hirameki-Tokimeki Science—Welcome to the University Laboratory-KAKENHI" was held at APU. This was the ninth such seminar held at APU.　A total of 52 students from Iwata, Oita Maizuru High Schools, the Oita National College of Technology and Fukuoka Prefectural Miike High School joined the event.

The Hirameki-Tokimeki Science program aims to nurture intellectual creativity in the young minds of future leaders and present research outcomes generated from Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research provided by the JSPS.

In cooperation with the JSPS, APU and the Asia Pacific Innovation Management Center (AP-IMAC), seminar leader Prof. NAKATA Yukihiko (APM) gave a lecture entitled "Japanese Manufacturing and International Management—From LCD Calculators to LCD TVs and Solar Cells". The students learned about the history of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), from calculators to televisions, through the lenses of Japanese manufacturing and international management.

Prof. NAKATA began by discussing the mechanisms of LCDs and Japanese manufacturing in relation to LCDs. Next, with the help of former Sharp Oita Technology Center Director Mr. SHUTO Yoshihisa, students dismantled computers to learn about their inner workings which is something you can't see every day, the mechanisms of LCDs, and semiconductors. With support from domestic and international student Teaching Assistants (TAs), the students watched a video of an NHK "Project X" program that provided a behind-the-scenes look into Sharp's development of the LCD calculator. Afterwards, they engaged in a group discussion and gave presentations on what is required for the research and development of creative technologies and products.

Mr. SHUTO showed the students the world's first desk-top electronic calculator, a device with such historic value that similar ones are also on display at the British Museum.

In the group discussion, the students had an opportunity to refine their ideas about social contribution for a high standard of living by creating and providing innovative technologies. The day’s events served to satisfy the students’ intellectual curiosity and nurture their creativity.

At the end of the session, Prof. NAKATA presented all of the participants with a "PhD of the Future" and encouraged them to become the torch bearers for Japan's world-renowned research and manufacturing prowess.