The two-day event aimed to give people of all ages a chance to experience the wonder and depth of scientific research through open laboratories and lectures. The campus was lively with visitors of all ages and backgrounds, from elementary and high school students to prospective university applicants and members of the general public. Marking the 50th anniversary of Suzukakedai Campus, this year's event expanded on its usual lineup of open labs, science experiment classes, and lectures, with new special programs in collaboration with the Faculty of Dentistry. Over 2,500 visitors attended over the weekend.
The Suzukakedai Open Campus was also held on the same weekend, and included the second
2025 Graduate School Briefing Session organized by the Science and Engineering departments at Institute of Science Tokyo, along with individual information sessions and campus tours from each school, department, and program.
Lectures
On Saturday, May 17, a lecture titled Shaping a New Future through Medicine, Dentistry, and Engineering was held, showcasing a selection of interdisciplinary projects supported by the TMDU and Tokyo Tech Matching Fund. All of these projects combine the expertise of researchers from the former Institute of Technology and the former Tokyo Medical and Dental University. About 70 people attended the event, which featured talks by Professor Hideyuki Tsukagoshi from the Department of Systems and Control Engineering, and Associate Professor Yusuke Nakagawa from the Department of Cartilage Regeneration.
On Sunday, May 18, a lecture titled What Is a Decarbonized Society? was held, offering attendees an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the increasingly relevant topics of decarbonization and a carbon-neutral society. Professor Yoichi Murakami from the Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy and the Science Tokyo GXI, along with Professor Manabu Ihara from the School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Head of Science Tokyo InfoSyEnergy consortium, delivered lectures on approaches to realizing a decarbonized society from their respective fields, with around 70 attendees joining the session.
The Q&A sessions on both days featured active engagement from the audience, demonstrating a high level of interest in the topics discussed.
Thirty-five laboratories open their doors to the public
A total of thirty-five laboratories from a wide range of research fields participated in the open lab sessions. Drawing from their daily research, the members from these labs demonstrated experiments using familiar materials and microorganisms, presented insights into diseases affecting everyday life, and showcased brand new research facilities. Visitors listened with great interest to the explanations given by students and researchers, deepening their understanding of cutting-edge research.
About 120 elementary school students join in the Kurarika science workshops
The Kurarika science workshops, organized annually by volunteers from the Kuramae Kogyokai Alumni Association, aim to spark children's interest in science through engaging, hands-on activities based around creative themes. The two experiments presented this year were "Magdeburg Hemispheres" and "Chemical Pens."
In the "Magdeburg Hemispheres" workshop, participants used plastic bottles and pudding cups to create a vacuum and observed how the hemispheres stayed together due to atmospheric pressure. Additional experiments, such as crushing cans and demonstrating how a cup can hold water without spilling, allowed participants to explore the principles of vacuum and atmospheric pressure in an engaging and memorable way. These are concepts often overlooked in daily life, but the class made them fun and easy to understand.
In the "Chemical Pens" workshop, participants conducted experiments using solutions with acidic, neutral, and alkaline properties to observe how pH affects color changes. When an alkaline solution was sprayed onto coloring sheets with indicators, the children were amazed and excited to see the colors change instantly. According to a post-workshop survey, almost all the children who participated answered that they wanted to take part again, indicating a growing interest in science.
New collaborative events with the Faculty of Dentistry
This year marked the first Suzukakedai Science Day held since the university became Institute of Science Tokyo, and featured two new collaborative programs with the School of Dentistry: Let's cure tooth decay! and Let's take photos of tooth models! In the "Lets cure tooth decay!" activity, participants got hands-on experience applying resin fillings to model teeth. After completing the activity, they were able to take their completed models home as a keepsake. In the "Let's take photos of tooth models!" activity, participants had the opportunity to try out an intraoral scanner - the same device used in dental treatments at Institute of Science Tokyo Hospital - on model teeth. Guided by dental faculty and students, participants performed careful scans of the tooth models and checked the resulting 3D images displayed on the computer.
Both programs were a great success, particularly among children. Many adult participants also showed keen interest, asking thoughtful questions about the latest in dental care.
In addition, the Supercomputer "TSUBAME 4.0" was open to the public, and student groups set up mock shops. Visitors were able to see the latest computing equipment up close and interact with students, fully experiencing the atmosphere of the Suzukakedai Campus.
We look forward to welcoming you next year with a variety of fun and engaging events aimed at helping more people enjoy and get to know Suzukakedai Campus.
