Activity Report of Open Application Course vol.5
Electronic Engineering Summer School & Plasma Nanotechnology Seminar 2018
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Systems, Kyoto Institute of Technology
Report from Associate Professor Kazuo Takahashi
The Electronic Engineering Summer School & Plasma Nanotechnology Seminar was held at Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT) from July 9th to July 20th, 2018. This seminar was held for the second time following the last fiscal year. In addition to the 7 students who came to Japan including 6 students who received the support of “SAKURA Exchange Program in Science” from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KNU, Kazakhstan), 7 students from Orleans University Polytech Orleans (France), 1 student from Kazakh-British Technical University (Kazakhstan), 1 student from Donghua University (China), 2 students from Mahasarakham University (Thailand), 15 students from KIT participated in this program, and shared their time with the KNU students for 2 weeks.
At the Electronic Engineering Summer School, 8 teams were organized consisting of members from 3 or 4 countries, and each of these teams created various electronic equipment systems enriched with international ideas, by making full use of electronic circuits, computers and programming on the theme of “Make something”. The students from Kazakhstan were specialized in academic fields other than Electronic engineering such as Physics, but they were interested in the work and actively participated in it, making full use of electronic circuits and programming.
Nanotechnology attracts attention in Kazakhstan like other countries, and a research institute in KNU was established by the government. A seminar on Plasma Nanotechnology was planned based on the requests from KNU. Professor Laifa Boufendi was invited from France, and he gave his lecture on the basics of plasma and applied technology.
attending the lecture by Professor Laifa Boufendi
In particular, questions were focused on the detection process by asbestos plasma aimed at preventing health damage. The questions asked, with the consciousness of national policies, showed high interest in the materials related to health and energy and its plasma process. After the lecture, they visited the plasma source that is underway against the background of development of atomic layer etching process. They participated in particle plasma experiments related not only to material creation but also to space physics, and were able to blow up their image of nanomaterial creation in plasma. Kazakhstan is well known not only for crude oil extraction but also for possessing rich earth that produces various agricultural produce. The students looked at the possibility that plasma could be applied to agriculture, and it seemed to have evoked a lot of interest in promoting germination and growth by irradiating seeds with plasma.
In addition, opportunities were created for the students participating in the program, to introduce their countries, their universities and research contents, and to talk about mutual collaboration in the future, including research activities.
During the 2 week period, the process of promoting international understanding, mainly through English based communication, while interweaving with Kazakh (Russian), French, Thai, Chinese and Japanese languages which are the mother tongues of the respective students, has brought valuable experience to all the participating students.
A review of this program has already been performed this fiscal year at KNU. The program is getting a formidable reputation as a means for getting a high level of satisfaction that satisfies the interests of students, and as a good opportunity to promote human resources exchange with Japan in the future.