Serial Webinar on Higher Studies and Research in Japan
Co-hosted by INYAS and India Sakura Science Club Alumni Association

Indian National Young Academy of Sciences (INYAS), India organized a series of two webinars (30 January and 06 February 2021) on the “Sakura Science Program”. These events were organized in cooperation with the India Sakura Science Club Alumni Association (ISSCAA) and Japan Science & Technology Agency (JST), Japan. The idea behind this webinar series was to introduce and popularize the Sakura Science program among Indian students and researchers.

These events paved a way for the collaboration among three scientific agencies (INYAS and ISSCAA from India and JST, Japan) from two countries to start an online outreach program amid the present pandemic. Hopefully more of such (online as well as in person) events will be there in future also.

The first webinar by Dr Pham Thi Nu, Program Coordinator In-charge, JST was dedicated for school students. The second webinar was by Mr Yuji Nishikawa, Advisor for International Relations and Cooperation, JST. It was focussed for senior audience (college students, PhD scholars, teachers, researchers, scientists etc.) from the background of science, engineering, education, programming etc.

Both the webinars were well received by the participants with 150 students registered for the first webinar and 260 students/researchers registered for the second webinar from India. Due to the overwhelming response, the webinars were also live streamed on YouTube.

You may use the following links to watch the webinars:

1) For school students by Dr Pham Thi Nu, JST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UwPFyRmSEQ&t=550s&ab_channel=INYASYouTube
2) For senior audience (College/University students, PhD scholars, scientists, teachers etc) by Mr Yuji Nishikawa, JST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ7ldnO5MnQ&t=31s&ab_channel=INYASYouTube

Dr. Pragya Bhatt, who moderated both webinars, is a post-doctoral scholar at the Inter-University Accelerator Center. She is a recipient of Prof S N Ghosh Young Scientist Award 2018 in the field of Atomic/Molecular Physics. She had received fellowships like DST INSPIRE Faculty and D S Kothari PDF. She has been a member of the Sakura Science Club since 2016 when she joined the exchange program. She was selected as one of remarkable researchers to make a presentation at the Second Meeting of India Sakura Science Club Alumni Association (ISSCAA) held February 2020 at IIT Delhi. She is also a coordinator for ISSCAA. The two serial webinars marked ISSCAA’s first independent activity. JST and the SSC Secretariat extend deep appreciation for Dr. Bhatt’s ardour and hope that there will be more such events held by ISSCAA and SSC alumni groups in other countries/regions.