STELLA Program 2026

On Saturday, October 3rd, about 30 students participated in the STELLA Program workshop held at OIST, where they engaged in hands-on learning designed to deepen their interest in science.

As part of the workshop, students explored how animals have traditionally been classified based on their physical characteristics and learned how modern scientists use DNA analysis to understand relationships among species. Through hands-on activities, they discovered how genetic information can provide insights that go beyond observable traits, sparking curiosity about the natural world and scientific inquiry.

The session featured Lenard Szantho and Oliver Schick from OIST’s Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit. Their engaging presentations introduced students to the structure and function of DNA, as well as the role of genomics in studying evolution and classifying living organisms, providing valuable insights into the world of evolutionary biology and genomics.