Work Experience Program for Unna Junior High School and Izumi Junior High School

Two students from Unna Junior High School and Izumi Junior High School participated in a work experience program at OIST on July 1 and 2, 2026.

During the two-day program, the students gained a broad understanding of OIST’s research environment through experiences in both research units and research support roles.

As part of their research experience, the students visited the Cognitive Neurorobotics Research Unit, where they had the chance to operate robots and learn about robotics research. At the Protein Engineering and Evolution Unit, they toured the laboratory, learned about the work of research technicians, and gained insight into how scientists and technical staff work together to support research.

The students also gained insight into research support and science communication. They attended a social media workshop to learn how OIST communicates its research to the public in an engaging way, and participated in an interpretation workshop to experience the important role of interpreters in OIST's multilingual environment.

Through these experiences, the students gained a better understanding of the wide range of careers and how researchers and professional staff work together to support scientific discovery.