Following a visit to the university last year, I traveled to Meiwa High School-Affiliated Junior High School on May 28 to conduct a chemistry outreach lecture titled “The World Built by Carbon” for approximately 70 first-year students and a few second-year students. It was quite a challenge to teach first-year students who had not yet studied chemistry at all, but I gave the lecture with the aim of conveying three key points: 1. Everything around us is made of carbon, 2. Chemistry is closely related to society, and 3. Research is fun. The students were particularly engaged by topics related to recent Middle East affairs, oil, and naphtha. They were very active with quizzes, questions, and raising their hands to speak, and many students asked questions during the break as well. I hope they enjoyed it! Afterward, I provided advice on the research activities of the second-year students currently engaged in inquiry-based learning. I felt that the school had gathered the cream of the crop from Aichi Prefecture, and I was truly impressed by their enthusiastic attitude toward the session. Keep up the great work, everyone!
*Photos were published with permission.
