Initiatives Relating to Fostering the Next Generation

In recent years, international comparative studies addressing academic ability and awareness of scientific subjects have identified a drift away from science in developed countries. Japan is no exception to this trend. This raises the concern that Japan's strengths in manufacturing and innovation will be endangered.

In order to address this situation, Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. launched the "Fujieda Science Education Support Project" in 2009 to support science teachers, who are true education professionals, in cooperation with a company that has a factory in Fujieda City through industry-government-academia collaboration.

Here we introduce recent main activities.

In fiscal 2022, we held an online factory tour with the cooperation of Sumitomo Forestry Crest Co., Ltd., showcasing the manufacturing process of products like decorative sheets and storage furniture, outlining our SDG initiatives, and highlighting the benefits of wood. Participating teachers gave feedback such as: “I learned so much and gained a lot of knowledge for myself, and I hope to teach this information to children.”

In January 2020, the 11th Fujieda City Science Education Support Project was held at Kaken Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s Shizuoka Plant. A lively exchange was held among a large number of participants that included not only science teachers from public junior high schools in Fujieda City, but also staff from the Education Department and Industrial Promotion Department of Fujieda City as well as employees from companies located in Fujieda City. Kaken Pharmaceutical introduced participants to the agrochemicals that are one major pillar of its business by combining together accurate information and practical demonstrations concerning their roles, effects, risks, and safety.

On January 19, 2018, the 9th Fujieda City Science Education Support Project was held in the Tokai Plant of Meiji Corporation. As with previous years, the event drew a large number of participants that included not only science teachers from public junior high schools in Fujieda City, but also staff from the Education Department and Industrial Promotion Department of Fujieda City as well as employees from companies located in Fujieda City. Meiji Corporation gave a presentation on chocolate and explained the botany of cacao beans and the characteristics of oils used in chocolate, among other topics.

On January 20, 2017, the 8th Fujieda City Science Education Support Project was held at the Tsuiji Plant of Murakami Corporation. As with previous years, the event drew a large number of participants that included not only science teachers from public junior high schools in Fujieda City, but also staff from the Education Department and Industrial Promotion Department of Fujieda City as well as employees from companies located in Fujieda City.

The first workshop was held in 2009 at Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd.. At that time, the workshop was targented for about ten teachers who were members of the Fujieda Science Department Supervisor's Association at the time. Thanks to the efforts of the Director of the Science Department, participation expanded to teachers other than Supervisors from the second year. Now, four years on, it has grown to include nearly all of the science teachers at the ten junior high schools in Fujieda (about 30 teachers). To mark the occasion of the fifth workshop, it was held at Sumitomo Bakelite Co., Ltd. again.

We presented a lecture on genetics with a simple experiment using DNA chips showing what you can learn about a person by examining their genes.