For the fifth year, and the largest workshop to date, a delegation from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo and the University of Toronto joined McMaster faculty and students for three days of research-focused activities.
The workshop included 59 presentations and 23 poster displays on research related to nuclear energy, biomedical engineering, and materials sciences, providing an opportunity to elevate the visibility of each university’s infrastructure and research capacity. Participants also toured McMaster’s state-of-the-art facilities including the Centre for Advanced Nuclear Systems, McMaster Nuclear Reactor, Canadian Centre for Electron Microscopy and McMaster Centre for Advanced Light Microscopy.
Shinya Nagasaki, Professor of Engineering Physics at McMaster University, is an alumni and a Fellow of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, and is responsible for establishing and cultivating the workshop opportunity for students and faculty.
An expert in nuclear fuel cycle, radioactive waste management and nuclear proliferation and security, Nagasaki has seen the tri-institution workshop yield positive learning outcomes.
The workshop is a platform for exploration of research happening at other likeminded universities and offers an opportunity for cross-cultural connection.
“Dr. Kazuki Morita and Dr. Kenichi Ishikawa from the University of Tokyo and Dr. Jun Nogami and Dr. Jane Howe from the University of Toronto have been integral to establishing this successful partnership.”
Nagasaki also recognizes the contributions of Arina Deboer, a graduate student in Materials Science Engineering and Chris Liu, a graduate student in Engineering Physics. The student leaders worked with peers at the partner institutions to ensure a meaningful and valuable experience for workshop participants.
International collaboration through the formation of novel partnerships and support of diverse perspectives is a priority for McMaster Engineering, as codified in the Faculty’s strategic plan, Engineering a Brighter Future. Hosting duties for this workshop are shared – in past, students from McMaster Engineering traveled to the Tokyo, Japan to present their research.
“This is a unique student-focused partnership which enhances the students’ perspective and learning and opens the way for many global mobility opportunities,” says Hatem Zurob, Professor and Chair of the Materials Engineering Department at McMaster. “We look forward to continuing our partnership for future iterations of this workshop.”
