On August 20, the Organization for Research Promotion & Collaboration, Okayama University held the first SDGs Science Café. The SDGs Science Café is a new effort to think about science from the perspective of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), differentiating it from conventional Okayama University Science Cafés , and focuses on discussions between general citizens and researchers/specialists. At this event, which was the first SDGs Science Café event, attended by approximately 100 high school and university students and general citizens, lectures and discussions were held under the theme of “Think about the future of the sea from a scientific viewpoint,” based on SDG Goal 14, “Life Below Water—Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development,” one of the 17 Goals of the SDGs. After the speech by Mitsunobu Kano, Vice Executive Director and Professor of the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, who serves as Chair of our university’s SDGs Initiatives Planning Committee, Professor and Director Tatsuya Sakamoto of our university’s Ushimado Marine Institute and others gave lectures.

After the lectures, with Vice Executive Director Ken Aoo, who is a lecturer of the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems of our university, and Miyuki Yoshikawa, who is a practical-type educational planner of the Academic and General Okayama University Regional Research Association joining as facilitators, the three speakers, three students from Okayama Prefectural SETO Senior High School, and three students of the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology of our university held a panel discussion. After making presentations on their impressions of the lectures, high school and university students exchanged opinions on themes related to the sea.