On November 11th and 12th, a Joint Symposium on Materials Science was held at RIKEN’s Wako campus in collaboration with four Chinese research institutions—the Institute of Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), the Institute of Physics of CAS, Peking University, and Tsinghua University. Materials science, which has been the main area of collaboration between RIKEN and several of the guest institutions in the past, is expected to lead to solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing humanity today, such as energy and environmental problems, and the theme of the symposium was “contribution to a sustainable society.”
During the two days, 19 researchers from the five organizations gave presentations in a wide range of areas including biofunctional chemistry and materials, nanoscience and energy, physics, functional organic materials, and green chemistry and catalysis.
In her closing remarks, RIKEN Executive Director Maki Kawai expressed her hope that the symposium would lead not only to further collaboration between RIKEN and the Chinese institutions, but also among the Chinese institutions themselves, noting that a research trip overseas often provides researchers with new opportunities to interact with colleagues from one’s own country, but working in different fields.
Approximately 100 people in total attended the symposium, and there was a large crowd at the poster session, where more than 30 young researchers from RIKEN presented their latest research. Following the events, the guests from China were invited to have individual meetings with colleagues at RIKEN or to tour laboratories working in their field.