This academic year, the newly established Department of Smart Communication Engineering in the Faculty of Faculty of Science and Engineering offers practical learning from the first year, aiming to cultivate individuals who can connect people, things, and the world digitally, based on a foundation of engineering knowledge, and who are conscious of their connection to society and can integrate and utilize knowledge and technology from related fields.
The required first-year course, "Science Communication" (taught by Professor Shigeyuki Ganeno), aims to cultivate the ability to correctly understand (input) information related to science and technology and to communicate it clearly (output). Through practical exercises, students will learn logical thinking skills and how to adapt their communication style to their audience in order to provide explanations that everyone can understand.
On Thursday, June 11th, as part of a lecture series, a "Science Cafe" was held at the university's cafeteria, the Clubhouse, where students could discuss science while enjoying drinks. The discussion topic was "Do aliens exist?" Assistant Professor Narushi Enomoto of the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, who specializes in the study of the early universe, was invited as a guest speaker. He presented clues for the discussion, such as gravity and individual size related to the origin of life, and the number of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Through dialogue, the students explored the scientific basis for the hypothesis of "existence/non-existence." They were seen actively engaging in the discussion, consciously constructing their opinions while being mindful of the basis of the information, and seeking ways to express themselves in a way that would be easily understood by others. After the discussion, they moved to a classroom where Professor Ganno conducted a follow-up session, introducing ways of thinking to approach the topic more scientifically and equations used to scientifically examine the existence of aliens.
With the advancement of AI and digital technologies making the "ability to disseminate information" increasingly important, this course is positioned as an entry point for systematically learning communication skills that connect information and society.
[Department of Smart Communication Engineering]
