June 2025 Interim Reports of the Graduate major in Materials and Information Sciences ＆ TAC-MI Research Findings Presentations
Doctoral students from the Academy for Convergence of Materials and Informatics (TAC-MI) and doctoral students from the Graduate major in Materials and Information Sciences presented their latest research findings at the Multi-Purpose Digital Hall on Ookayama Campus on June 19, 2025. This is the first presentation held since the establishment of interdisciplinary graduate major, ” Materials and Information Sciences,” in April 2025. Approximately 120 TAC-MI program staff members, Faculty members, students, and industrial collaborators tuned in to the presentations. This event was held in hybrid format for both in-person and online participants.
Part 1: Presentations of research findings by 1st-year doctoral students
In the first half of the event, twelve 1st-year doctoral students from the Academy for Convergence of Materials and Informatics and seven doctoral students from the Graduate major in Materials and Information Sciences gave presentations on the progress of their research and future prospects based on the fusion of materials and information. Head of graduate major Takeo Yamaguchi kicked things off with some opening words. After the opening remarks, the presentations started under the guidance of 2nd-year doctoral students who chaired the session. The seven-minute presentations, followed by four-minute Q&A sessions, provided all students the chance to appeal to the audience regarding the findings of their research thus far. In particular, students were able to rethink how they can convey their research to people from different fields. Following each talk, the students received challenging but positive questions from the audience, making the most of this opportunity to present their research findings to industry players.
Part 2: Presentation of Self-Designed Thesis progress by 2nd-year doctoral student
In the second part of the event, chaired by TAC-MI’s Associate Professor Kazuaki Kuwahata, three 2nd-year doctoral students gave presentations on the progress of their TAC-MI Self-Designed Theses. For the Self-Designed Thesis, students choose a topic different from that of their dissertation and conduct research on their own initiative. They present these findings upon completion of their doctoral degree program, and faculty members at TAC-MI review the presentations. Through this process, students acquire the ability to conduct unique research independently based on new ideas supported by knowledge of materials science and information science, transcending their individual specializations. TAC-MI students present their research progress in English at either this event in June or December during the second year of their doctoral program. The rest of TAC-MI’s 2nd-year doctoral students will give presentations in December 2025.
Three students receive TAC-MI Special Award for Excellence
At the end of Part 1 and Part 2, students who have attained remarkable achievements in their educational and research activities received the TAC-MI Special Award for Excellence. This award, presented once a year to a carefully selected group of students, comes with additional financial support as a supplementary prize. As a result of rigorous screening, three students were selected for the award in academic year 2025.
TAC-MI Special Award for Excellence recipients
- Marie Sugiyama, 1st-year doctoral student
- Kazuki Miyasita, 2nd-year doctoral student
- Yuto Morita, 3rd-year doctoral student
TAC-MI students’ interviews with industrial mentors
In the third part of the event, TAC-MI students including course students conducted interviews with and received advice from their industrial mentors. TAC-MI students have the advantage of evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in face-to-face meetings with researchers, developers, technical experts, product planners, and marketing professionals from various industries. One industrial mentor is assigned to each student. Throughout the duration of this program, each student has an industrial mentor who continuously guides the student from enrollment to program completion. This time, sixty-one TAC-MI students conducted interviews with their industrial mentors.
Inauguration party for New Graduate Major
At the end of the event, a commemorative party for new graduate major was held to celebrate the establishment of the Graduate major in Materials and Information Sciences. The event began with opening remarks from School of Materials and Chemical Technology Dean Yoshitaka Kitamoto. The commemorative party saw approximately 100 attendees, including faculty members of the graduate major, TAC-MI program staffs, industrial collaborators, TAC-MI students including course students, as well as TAC-MI Graduates and prospective master’s students planning to join the graduate major. The gathering provided a valuable opportunity for networking and deepening connections among attendees.
Additionally, feedback sheets from industrial collaborators and faculty members were shared with the presenting students after the event. The opportunity to receive advice from industrial collaborators through interviews, exchange meetings, and feedback sheets after presentations was a valuable experience for the participating students.
Through exchange events with corporate partners, this program continues to cultivate multi-talented individuals required by industry who apply a broad, global perspective to understanding new social services and innovating new ideas.
