The Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, conducted an online exchange program with an Indonesian partner university, Widya Mandara Catholic University Surabaya (WMCUS) (Associate Professor Osamu Shimomura was in charge of the program). This program was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) under the Sakura Science Exchange Program.

For three days, January 20, 25, and 26, faculty members from OIT and WMCUS gave lectures on cutting-edge research and shared information on their respective research fields. Four faculty members and 18 students from OIT and five faculty members and 45 students from WMCUS participated in the program. The titles of the lectures are as follows;

◇January 20 (Thu)
“Liquid marble: from nature to technology” by Dr. Shuji Fujii of OIT
“Formulation and testing of castor oil-based microemulsions as carrier for astaxanthin for possible application in topical drug delivery” by Dr. Chintya Gunarto of WMCUS

◇January 25 (Tue)
“Artificial Photosyntheis towards Hydrogen Society: from basics to Applications” by Dr. Shinya Higashimoto of OIT
“Enhanced Enzymatic Hydrolysis of PET by Recombinant Hydrophobins and PET Surface Functionalization via PETase Hydrolysis” by Dr. Nathania Puspitasari of WMCUS

◇January 26 (Wed)
“Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Metal Complexes and Their Applications” by Dr. Masanari Hirahara of OIT
“Highly efficient Ni-based catalysts as noble-metal-alternative for (de)hydrogenation reactions” by Dr. Wiyanti Simanullang of WMCUS

Although the content of the lecture was very specialized, the participants from both universities asked many lively questions. We hope that the two universities will continue to deepen the partnership in the future.