NT KURIOCITY
Students and faculty from DCT’s Dhempe College of Arts & Science, Miramar, recently participated in the Sakura Science Exchange Program at Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan. The initiative was led by principal and professor, Dhempe College Ramu Murthy and professor of Meijo University, Takahiro Maruyama.
Organised by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the program promotes scientific collaboration, academic exchange and cultural interaction between Japan and partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Seven students from Dhempe College, namely Ojaswi Durbhatkar, Prachi Chopdenkar, Anoushka Fernandes, Kareena Naik, Diksha Naik, Vaibhavi Divkar and Shruti Chaves, attended the program from December 11 to 21, 2025, accompanied by assistant professor of Chemistry, Chandan Naik.
Meijo University, known for its advanced research facilities and Nobel laureates including professor Akira Yoshino, professor Isamu Akasaki and professor Hiroshi Amano, has a long-standing partnership with Dhempe College. A Memorandum of Understanding formalises the collaboration and supports joint research and academic activities.
The program included lectures by top researchers, including Professor Sumio Iijima, the inventor of carbon nanotubes. Students also received hands-on training in chemical vapour deposition, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Students also participated in a research symposium with poster presentations.
Students visited the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology, the Aichi Synchrotron Radiation Centre, Nagoya Castle, and Koshoji Temple. They also tried Japanese calligraphy. These activities gave them a better understanding of Japan’s scientific achievements and cultural heritage
Chandan Naik described presenting his research in Japan as a great honour and praised the disciplined research environment and strong mentor-student interaction. The program concluded with students presenting their research findings and receiving certificates.
