Last month, 23 students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) visited our Tokyo office as part of the Innovation Discovery Japan (IDJ) program, designed to deepen students’ understanding of Japanese technology and business.
This was the third time that KF welcomed MIT students to our office, but it was the first visit since we moved to our current office in Heiwajima, Tokyo. Unlike our previous office, our current office is directly connected to our R&D laboratory, giving the students a firsthand look at the cutting-edge work that we are currently advancing.
This blog highlights this visit with a couple of photos!
Starting with an Introduction by an MIT Alum
To begin, we guided the students through the KF R&D area on the way to the presentation room. Many were curious about our techy experimental setups and vacuum pumps, and stopped to take a closer look.
When we said, “Our engineer will explain everything in detail later,” their faces lit up with expectation as they headed toward the lecture space.
Once everyone was seated, we kicked off the session with a presentation by Cherry, who holds a Ph.D. from MIT and now works as a Senior Specialist in our Business Development and Operations Division.
She first introduced the fundamental principles of fusion energy, then outlined our business domains, and briefed the group on our current technological developments.
A Guided Tour of the Frontlines of Fusion Development
After the presentation, students were divided into two groups: one for a guided tour of the R&D laboratory led by Alex, a Fusion Engineer working on fusion fuel cycle systems, and the other for a Q&A session with Cherry.
During the tour, Alex explained the roles of various equipment, experimental processes, and what makes fusion technology development so compelling from an engineer’s perspective — the students leaned in close to the equipment, listening intently.
Since many of the students specialize in energy or aerospace engineering, they actively asked insightful technical questions such as:
- What challenges arise when scaling up?
- Why did you choose this particular approach?
- How do you control temperature and pressure?
In post-event surveys, we received comments such as:
“Kyoto Fusioneering was unique. I enjoyed the different perspective on the fusion industry.”
“I liked how Kyoto Fusioneering has a global presence and the different sites work together with research institutions globally.”
—reflecting the strong interest students had in our work.
Q&A Session with Cherry
In parallel with the tour, Cherry led a Q&A session. Students lively asked a wide range of questions: challenges on the path to realizing fusion energy, the work environment at our company, and more.
Several participants were also curious about working in Japan, prompting questions like:
“What is it like to work in Japan?”
We were delighted to welcome MIT students again through the IDJ program and honored by the students’ deep interest in fusion energy and in Kyoto Fusioneering.
We look forward to continuing to strengthen our connections with MIT and partners worldwide as we push forward on the global stage toward the realization of fusion energy.
[About IDJ]
- Through Innovation Discovery Japan (IDJ), MIT students and researchers visit Japanese industry, startups, and research institutes to learn and engage with technologies and businesses in Japan. IDJ provides the opportunity for students to establish their network and to find future collaborations or jobs in Japan.
- Web: https://sites.mit.edu/idj/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mit.idj/
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