[2025.01]

For GIMBC students Paul Cheng, Winnie Huang, Trinh Ngo, and Smriti Mavar, January was a month of incredible learning and cultural immersion when they participated in a month-long study-abroad internship at Tohoku University in Japan!

Our students jumped right into hands-on projects, exploring cutting-edge research in fNIRS, olfactory imagery, and gut-brain signals. Each week was packed with insightful group meetings with Sakai Sensei, engaging lab meetings, and fascinating seminars. We also had the opportunity to tour Tohoku University’s impressive facilities, including the linguistic lab, REIC, and olfactory lab.

But it wasn’t all work! Our students were treated to the warmest Japanese hospitality, enjoyed delicious home-cooked hotpot and takoyaki at welcome parties, and savored soba and zunda mochi at their warm-hearted farewell celebration.

The experience provided a unique opportunity to learn about a different academic environment and research style, expanding their knowledge and perspectives. Most importantly, they felt incredibly welcomed and at home, making it hard to say goodbye.

A huge thank you to Sakai Sensei and everyone at Tohoku University for making this internship such a memorable and enriching experience! We can’t wait to see what our students accomplish with the knowledge they gained.