2024 Activity Report vol.4:Kwansei Gakuin University

Activity Report of Open Application Program 2024 vol.4 (Course A)

Experience in Advanced Nanotechnology for the Sustainable Energy Society

Report from Kwansei Gakuin University

 From September 11th (Wed) to 17th (Tue), 2024, we have invited students from Biyani Group of Colleges, India to Kobe Sanda Campus, Kwansei Gakuin University (KGU) for an international exchange program, the Sakura Science Program sponsored by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). The program is designed for the invited students to experience advanced nanotechnology for energy devices establishing a sustainable society.

 Since 2015, faculty members of the Materials Science Program have introduced the cutting-edge educational and research environment of Kwansei Gakuin University as well as Japanese culture to students invited from Asian regions under the Sakura Science Program. In the 2024 program, invited students have experienced experimental and theoretical studies on fuel and solar cells for a sustainable energy society and visited the world's largest synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8, a killer tool for the characterization and design of materials.

 On the 12th (Thu), Profs. H. Tanaka and T. Ogura introduced research on fuel cells through experiments and simulations. The invited students studied the microscopic reaction mechanism through experiments and calculations in fuel cells. They also observed a fuel-cell vehicle exhibited at the campus as a practical application of fuel cells.

Activity Report Photo 1
Experiments on fuel cell operation

 On the morning of the 13th (Fri), Prof. A. Fujiwara gave a lecture on electronic devices for energy, solar cells, fabricated by chemical methods. An Indian student of KGU introduced the fabrication procedures of solution-processed solar cells.

Activity Report Photo 2
Introduction of solar cell characterization experiments by an Indian student

 In the afternoon, one of the invited students presented their expectations for Japan-India exchanges at the KGU-India Forum "The Future of Japan and India through Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration in Kansai", which was organized in conjunction with the Sakura Science Program and was attended by H.E. Mr. Sibi George, Ambassador of India to Japan.

Activity Report Photo 3
Presentation by one of the invited students at the KGU-India Forum "The Future of Japan and India through Industry-Government-Academia Collaboration in Kansai"

 On the 14th (Sat), the invited students visited SPring-8 which is intensively utilized by Kwansei Gakuin University faculty and visiting faculty for research. Prof. A. Fujiwara introduced diffraction/scattering beamlines (experimental facilities) for structural analyses, and visiting Prof. D. Matsumura introduced spectroscopy beamlines for electronic structure analyses. They experienced the enormous research facility and studied how the instruments are used.

Activity Report Photo 4
Introduction of SPring-8 facility

 On the 15th (Sun), the invited students experienced culture in Kyoto. They were exposed to not only Japanese science and technology but also culture and the kindness of the Japanese people.

Activity Report Photo 5
Kyoto tour

 On the 16th (Mon), after a laboratory tour and an introduction to the study abroad program, the invited students were divided into three groups to report on what they had learned in the program and to present their prospects after the program. After the presentations and Q&A session, a graduation ceremony was held where all participants were presented with a certificate of completion.

Activity Report Photo 6
Graduation ceremony

 On the 17th (Tue), the delegates departed for their home countries. Participants from both sides were inspired by each other by the experience, making it a fulfilling international exchange. We hope that some of the students here will come to Japan to study at Kwansei Gakuin University in the future.

[Contact information]

 EngMS<at>kwansei.ac.jp (Please replacewith @, the at symbol)
 Web site: https://sci-tech.ksc.kwansei.ac.jp/en/