The kickoff symposium for the Science Ahead (Kagaku-Sakidori) Global Campus Okayama (KGCO) was held on August 23, 2014 in the 50th Anniversary Hall of Okayama University. The Science Ahead Global Campus Okayama (KGCO) is intended to foster capable, motivated, and energetic high school students as future scientists and engineers who can operate on a global stage. The Science Ahead Global Campus is linked with the national “Global Science Campus project” begun by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in 2014 with the aim of developing the next generation’s science and engineering leaders.

Associate Professor Michinobu Mino of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology and project leader of KGCO, outlined the program, its aims, and its key feature: namely, to give high school students mentorship from leading researchers at Okayama University so the high school students can conceptualize, execute, and report on self-directed scientific projects. Following Dr. Mino’s presentation, Mr. Science Ahead Tetsuya Muroyama, the science commentator for NHK, and Professor Shuji Hasegawa of Tokyo University discussed the development of contemporary science and what will be needed of scientists under the theme of If You Want to be a Science Researcher.

There were around one hundred high school students attending from the Chu-Shikoku region. A panel discussion was also held, bringing together the participants, presenters, and Okayama University faculty covering what sort of work science researchers do and the ethical stance required.