The “Misasa International Student Intern Program (MISIP) 2019” was held at the Institute for Planetary Materials (IPM), Okayama University (in Misasa, Tottori) during July 1 – August 8 for undergraduate and graduate students from both Japan and abroad to participate in frontier researches.

This program has been held annually since 2005 for advanced undergraduate and Master course students from both Japan and abroad, in order to promote international research and education and to foster the next generation of researchers. More than 150 students have participated in this program over the years, and many are now active researchers across the globe. From this year, the MISIP is held as part of the Joint-Use/Joint Research program at IPM. This year, six students from four countries (U.S., Canada, Russia, Japan) were selected among 157 applicants from 44 countries.

The intern students were divided into three groups to participate in three cutting-edge research projects under the supervision of IPM faculty and their group members for six weeks. At the conclusion of the program, a symposium was held for the intern students to present their research during the program. This was followed by a ceremony where each student was conferred a certificate of completion from Prof. Xianyu Xue, the director of IPM, and a farewell party where the intern students enjoyed the last moment of the program with IPM faculty, staff and students.

The following comments were given by the intern students;
“This was my first time to visit Japan. The experience at IPM has been wonderful and a great memory to remember.”,“I would like to put the knowledge and experience during this program to good use after returning to my own country.”,“I hope this program will continue in the future.”

It is believed that the intern students have not only gained experience in experimental and analytical skills, but also fostered passion for frontier research through this program. We hope they will move on to become researchers and serve as the bridge for scientific exchange between IPM and the world.

※The research projects at the MISIP 2019 program are as the following:
1.Water in Martian and asteroidal basaltic meteorites
2.Heat transport in the Earth: Thermal conductivity measurement of ferropericlase under high pressure
3.Experimental and theoretical study of the incorporation mechanisms of halogens in serpentine minerals: Implications for the cycling of halogens during subduction