TUSTEM Provided Various Platforms for International Exchange in the Fall of 2022

TUSTEM (Tohoku University STEM Student Network), an international exchange student organization, was established in 2018 to foster interactions among the STEM student community at Tohoku University. STEM students have relatively heavy coursework and lab work but are eager to have more interactions, especially outside of labs. Hence, all TUSTEM events aim to provide a platform where Japanese and international students can easily interact.

As in the 2022 spring semester, we conducted Weekly Dinner and Language Exchange in person. This weekly session was designed to help students learn English and Japanese and deepen friendships through discussions and other activities. Participants shared their personal experiences and cultural perspectives on the theme a session facilitator chose. There were about ten students on average for each session, and the total number went up to around 100. The participants came from Asia, Europe, and South America, making it a diverse gathering. Many participants mentioned that meeting people from other departments and countries was an excellent opportunity. On top of that, we held our off-campus event for the first time in three years since the pre-COVID era. To provide international students a chance to experience “Momijigari,” which means enjoying beautiful fall leaves, making “Kokeshi,” a traditional wooden doll, and socializing with one another, we organized a Naruko Gorge excursion in November. A total of 11 participants gathered in Sendai in the very early morning and headed for Naruko Gorge. They had a fulfilling day from morning to night, enjoying autumn leaf viewing and Kokeshi doll making. Although we could have an off-campus event only once this fall semester, we would like to increase the number of occasions. In addition, in February we assisted the final research presentation sessions by JYPE and COLABS students, and in March, assisted the workshop hosting guest lecturer and Nobel Prize laureate, Prof. Barry C. Barish from the Institute of California Technology. Both were great opportunities for TUSTEM participants to learn about science and enhance their network of peers.

We will continue to offer chances for international exchange in the upcoming semester.
For more information on TUSTEM upcoming events, please visit the official Instagram
account.
https://www.instagram.com/tustem_official/
(Reported by the TUSTEM leader/representative, Itsuki TSUCHIDA)