NanoJapan International Resaerch Experience for Undergraduates Program Overview
The NanoJapan IREU is a twelve-week summer program that annually selects sixteen freshman and sophomore science and engineering students from US universities for nanotechnology research internships in Japanese university and government laboratories. This research internship program focuses on nanotechnology research as it relates to nanoscale semiconductor devices, nanophotonics, and carbon nanotubes and includes the following:
NanoJapan Pre-Departure Orientation in Houston
Immediately prior to departure for Japan all students participate in a one-day Pre-Departure Orientation held at Rice University. This program includes a health and safety orientation to Japan, introduction to inter-cultural communication skills, and introduction to the Japanese research lab environment. Participants are responsible for their own domestic travel to/from Houston with round-trip group international airfare arranged by NanoJapan.
Nanojapan Orientation Program in Tokyo
The NanoJapan Orientation Program is designed to introduce students to the field of nanotechnology and the competencies required to work successfully in the global research community. The orientation program will also provide students with a solid foundation in basic language and intercultural skills that they can then build upon during the research internship period.
The three-week orientation program consists of three short courses including:
- Introduction to Nanotechnology Seminar: This seminar has been developed to introduce students to the basic nanotechnology theories and concepts necessary to successfully carry-out their planned summer research project. Taught by NSF-PIRE faculty or graduate researchers from Rice University, the University of Florida, and/or Texas A&M University, this seminar series is supplemented by guest lectures by the lead professors from NanoJapan host research groups in the Tokyo-area.
- Intensive Japanese Language Seminar: NanoJapan participants will complete 45 hours of small-group, intenstive Japanese langauge study. Taught by instructors from the Association for Japanese Language Teaching (AJALT), these lessons are designed to provide students with beginning Japanese-language skills with an emphasis on basic conversation for essential everyday situations. Students who have prior Japanese language experience will be placed into the appropriate intermediate or advanced language classes.
- Introduction to Japanese Culture & Society Seminar: This seminar aims to provide students with an introduction to Japanese culture, society, and history through guest lectures, special events and activities, and company site visits.
During the three-week orientation period the NanoJapan program provides lodging and daily breakfast at the Sanuki Club hotel in the Azabujuban neighborhood of Tokyo. The central location of the Sanuki Club, just a five minute walk from the Tokyo Metro, also makes it easy for students to explore Tokyo on their own during free time.
International Research Experience for Undergraduates (IREU) in Nanotechnology
Immediately following the three-week orientation program students travel to their Japanese research host laboratories to begin their summer research internship projects. During the research internship students conduct a hands-on nanotechnology research project that relates directly to the study of nanoscale semiconductor devices, nanophotonics, or carbon nanotubes. The projects are arranged by Prof. Junichiro Kono in consultation with the Japanese research host advisors prior to departure for Japan and close attention is paid to the placement of students in the research lab that best matches their academic background and research interests. The Japanese host labs are selected for their willingness to mentor a young undergraduate student, compatibility of research with NSF-PIRE research projects, and desire to increase the international diversity and intercultural competencies of their own Japanese group members by providing them with an opportunity to work with an American undergraduate.
The IREU provides an opportunity for NanoJapan students to:
- Conduct hands-on research in nanotechnology through collaboration in an international research effort;
- Further develop their Japanese language and inter-cultural skills through placement in a Japanese research laboratory;
- Establish strong research networks to facilitate further study and international collaboration in the field of nanotechnology;
- Complete an IREu at prestigious Japanese institutions focused on nanotechnology research as it relates to nanoscale semiconductor devices, nanophotonics, and carbon nanotubes
Research host advisors/institutions and research projects will vary in each year of the program and host institutions are located throughout Japan. While there may be up to 3 NanoJapan participants placed at a single institution all students will be working in individual research labs and assigned to a individual research project. All host institutions to date are listed below. See the Student Profiles page to learn more about the research projects of past NanoJapan participants.
Keio University - Itoh Group
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology (AIST) - Suenaga Lab & Iijima Lab
RIKEN - Advanced Device Laboratory
RIKEN - Nanophotonics & Metamaterials Laboratory
National Institute of Materials Science - Nano Physics Group
NTT Basic Research Labs - Fujiwara Group
Tokyo Institute of Technology - Munekata Research Group
University of Tokyo - Arakawa & Iwamoto Lab
University of Tokyo - ISSP Hasegawa Lab
University of Tokyo - ISSP Solid State Physics Group
University of Tokyo - ISSP Takeyama Lab
University of Tokyo - Maruyama-Shiomi Lab
University of Tokyo - Quantum Semiconductor Electronics Lab
University of Tokyo - Tarucha Lab
Chiba University - Ochiai & Aoki Group
Osaka Institute of Technology - Semiconductor Electronics Lab
Osaka University - LaSIE
Osaka University - ThZ Photonics Laboratory
Kyoto University - Solid State Spectroscopy Group
Shinshu University - Endo Laboratory
Hokkaido University - Fukui Lab
Hokkaido University - Laboratory of Interfacial Electrochemistry
Hokkaido University - MOVPE Nanostructure Group
Hokkaido University - Nanoelectronics Laboratory
Hokkaido University - Nano-scale Electron Device Laboratory
Hokkaido University - Yoh Lab
Tohoku University - Institute for Materials Research
Tohoku University - Nojiri Lab
Tohoku University - Saito Lab
Tohoku University - Quanta and Information Group
Cultural Programming & Further Language Study
The orientation program includes organized excursions to major cultural sites and activities such as Japanese tea ceremony, martial arts, Noh drama and calligraphy; participation in festivals in Japan; and company visits to nanotechnology firms in the Tokyo-area such as STS Elionix. Students convene in July for a mid-program debriefing in Kyoto and also participate in guided walking tours of key historical and cultural sites in Kyoto.
Finally, most students continue their Japanese language study during the period of their internship through classes available at their research host university or enrollment in language classes or tutoring programs offered by their host community or local Japanese language schools. See While Abroad - Language Resources for more information on opprtunities to continue language study during the research internship period.
Nanotech Symposium & Re-Entry Program
Upon the conclusion of the IREU, students return to Rice University for the Rice Quantum Institute Summer Research Colloquium, where they present posters on their research experience in Japan along with other students who have completed nanotechnology-related summer research experiences at Rice University. In addition to the colloquium, students also participate in a program that provides them with information on re-entry to the US and methods to make the most of their international experience throughout their academic and professional careers.
Broader Impact: nanoJapan Follow-on Projects
As a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation, NanoJapan seeks to have a broad and long-lasting impact. We particularly seek to encourage diversity, broaden opportunities, and enable the participation of all citizens - women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities- in science and research with the ultimate goal of contributing to the development of a generation of globally-competent U.S. engineering and science workforce. The program also seeks to encourage students to pursue further study and research in a nanotechnology-related field at the graduate level.
To broaden the reach of the NanoJapan Program participants will be required to carry out a follow-on project that broadly promotes the NanoJapan program to students at their home university, in their academic field, or in their local community. Projects should seek to encourage students to pursue international study and research opportunities such as NanoJapan and, more broadly, to pursue study and research in the field of nanotechnology at the undergraduate or graduate level. Projects may be single or multi-part and can build upon organizations, campus outreach, or other programs that students may already be involved in.
Students will submit a Follow-on Project Proposal as part of their NanoJapan application and projects will be completed during the academic year immediately following participation in NanoJapan. Participants will be required to submit a final project report. We encourage participants to be creative, innovative, and have fun with the development and implementation of their NanoJapan Follow-on Project Proposal.
Some project options include, but are not limited to:
- On-campus presentations on NanoJapan to student organizations, professional society chapters, academic departments, etc.
- Hosting a table on NanoJapan at campus study abroad, research, a summer opportunity fair, or related event.
- Submitting a paper or article on your NanoJapan experience to relevant international education journals such as Abroad View, Glimpse or your campus paper, departmental or school newsletter, or study abroad/international engineering office newsletter.
- Submitting a paper or article on your summer research experience to undergraduate peer-reviewed publications such as Catalyst, the Journal of Young Investigators, the Fourm on Education Abroad Undergraduate Research Awards, the Global Hub, etc.
- Presenting on your NanoJapan Research Experience at relevant conferences or events in your field such as the Sigma Xi Annual Meeting.
- Giving a presentation on NanoJapan to local middle or high-school physics or science classes that highlights the international and research opportunities available to young students majoring in engineering or physics.
NanoJapan Program Schedules & Guides
Exact program schedule, speakers, and events will vary each year though interested applicants may want to review the previous NanoJapan program schedules to gain a better understanding of our program overall.
| NanoJapan 2009 Program Schedule |
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| NanoJapan 2008 Program Schedule |
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| NanoJapan 2007 Program Schedule |
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| NanoJapan 2006 Program Schedule |
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Other program logistics
All students receive a stipend of up to $3,500 funded by the NSF to partially cover their international airfare, living, and travel expenses. Group international airfare is arranged by Rice University and housing, typically in university dorms, is arranged by their hosting research labs in collaboration with the NanoJapan Program Representative in Japan.
All NanoJapan students will be required to purchase International Health Insurance through the CISI policy offered by the University of Tulsa. This insurance will be valid for the duration of your time in Japan and provides medical illness or accident coverage along with medical evacuation and repatriation of remains. Since your US cell phone will not work in Japan all participants are also required to rent a Japanese cell phone through Piccell Wireless.
See Pre-Departure Resources for more information.
Academic research/internship credit
In lieu of a program fee all NanoJapan participants will be required to register for at least 1 research/internship credit through the Rice University Summer School for College Students.
NanoJapan participants must enroll for at least 1 research/internship credit but have the option of enrolling for up to 2 research/internship credits and must meet the following academic requirements:
- 1 Credit: Successful completion of all aspects of the NanoJapan program (Pre-Departure, Language & Culture Orientation, Research Internship, & RQI) including submission of all required weekly internship reports and related assignments.
- 2 Credits: Successful completion of all aspects of the NanoJapan program (Pre-Departure, Language & Culture Orientation, Research Internship, & RQI) including submission of all required weekly internship reports and related assignments. PLUS submission of a final Research Internship Project Report/Paper that will be published via Connexions.
The cost of tuition and any related application fee (for non-Rice students) must be paid for individually. More information on course enrollment will be provided to selected recipients.
Upon successful completion of the program students will receive a letter grade and be issued a Rice University transcript. Non-Rice university students should speak with their academic advisor, study abroad office, or registrar's office to determine if credit received will be eligible for transfer. |
