K-State students embark on eye-opening Japan trip to learn about sustainability, engineering design and a new culture.
One of the quickest ways to immerse yourself in a different culture is to experience its public transportation system. That’s exactly how K-State engineering instructor Ayumi Amama introduced her students to life in Japan.
The students hopped onto Japan’s railways and took the train to Osaka, Nara, Kobe, Kyoto, Takayama, Nagoya and Tokyo, exploring industry and research sites like Panasonic Energy, the Tokyo Sky Tree, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and Toyota.
They explored artisan’s shops, aqueducts and even an automated carbon nanotube synthesis machine. Along the way, they learned problem-solving and adaptability skills, as well as unlocking new career paths.
A new train of thought
They also witnessed firsthand the power of engineering when combined with community after visiting the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial in Kobe. Amama, who was residing in Kobe during the earthquake, taught her students about the city’s comeback.
“The city came back not just with engineering and rebuilding, but also people supporting each other,” she said. “So many lives were lost, but those who remained came together to revive the city they loved.”
In Tokyo, the K-State students attended a sustainability symposium with peers from Waseda University. They learned about global perspectives on sustainability and how to integrate new environmentally friendly techniques into their work.
In the end, the journey showed students that innovation knows no borders. Exposure to new cultures, technologies and ways of thinking expanded their perspectives and opened doors to new engineering ideas that could create a meaningful impact.
By Kate Ellwood
Curated from Engineering a global perspective