Testimonials from NenoNe Program Participants
ComoNe hosts a diverse range of projects, with new teams undertaking activities every three months.
What kinds of changes have participants experienced through their projects? Here, we introduce some of their stories.
Airi Mori — “Let’s Get Glycans into Textbooks!” Project
STORY
I applied to the NenoNe Program because I thought it would be a great opportunity to share our research with the general public.
Since starting the project, I’ve been surprised to hear people say that the shapes of glycans are cute. I’ve also connected with a schoolteacher I met at ComoNe, which led to an opportunity to hold a workshop outside ComoNe. By communicating with people from outside our field, I’ve been able to rediscover what makes glycans—the subject of our research—so fascinating. These interactions have also given us new opportunities to share the appeal of glycans with others.
Another great thing about the program is how easy it is to communicate with other members of the first cohort and the program secretariat. Even when I’m unsure how to proceed, I can talk things through with someone and keep moving forward.
ABOUT PROJECT
We want people understand that glycans—the “chains” of sugars—are an essential part of life, just like DNA, a chain of nucleotides, and proteins, chains of amino acids. Our goal is for glycans to become widely recognized as one of the fundamental chains of life, to the point that they are included in junior high school science and high school biology textbooks.
Our bodies contain three important biological chains: DNA, made of nucleotides; proteins, made of amino acids; and glycans, made of sugars. Yet compared with the other two, glycans remain relatively understudied and are far less familiar to the general public. In reality, glycans play important roles in our bodies, our daily lives, and the environment. Glycan researchers are constantly thinking about how to help more people understand their importance.
DNA, the first chain of life, and proteins, the second, are already covered in junior high and high school textbooks, so most people are familiar with them. They are recognized as fundamental functions and universal characteristics shared by all living organisms, form the foundation of modern biology, and are connected to everyday life and society.* What many people don't realize is that glycans are just as important.
Textbook editors, educators, and the general public are largely unaware of the importance of glycans. We believe that, to help more people understand glycans as the third chain of life, we must overcome a major hurdle: getting them included in textbooks.
Our dream is for glycans to become common knowledge, just like DNA and proteins. As a first step toward that ambitious goal, we want to introduce as many people as possible to the existence and importance of glycans.
*Partially quoted from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Commentary on the High School Course of Study: Science and Mathematics (announced in 2018).
Tokai Junior and Senior High School Robotics Team Project
STORY
Through our activities at school and participation in international competitions, we’ve had more opportunities to learn from other people's technical skills ideas. These experiences have also inspired us to further improve our robots using 3D printers and other digital fabrication tools.
The NenoNe Program we’re excited to have the opportunity to use 3D printers and laser cutters—tools that were previously difficult for us to access—to further develop and improve our robots.
We’ve also been surprised by how many opportunities there are to connect with people at ComoNe. For example, a researcher approached us while we were exhibiting our work, and we’ve had opportunities to communicate with university students. We’d be happy if more people could learn about what we do.
ABOUT PROJECT
We are a robotics competition team made up of students attending a general academic junior and senior high school. Through developing robots using LEGO, we take on the challenge of competing on the world stage.
By participating in the NenoNe Program, we aim to take on following challenges:
- Developing robots for international competitions.
- Exploring advanced mechanisms and design using digital fabrication equipment.
- Sharing the excitement of robotics competitions through interactions with visitors.
- Finding ways to expand our team's ability to communicate and share our activities.
Here’s why we want to take on these challenges:
- We want more people to learn about the activities of the Tokai Junior and Senior High School robotics team, which have received limited public attention until now.
- We want to explore the possibilities of our robots by gaining access to new production environments and equipment through FAB facility.
- We believe that meeting researchers, visitors, and children who love robots will bring us new inspiration and learning opportunities.
- We want to share the joy of taking on challenges and encourage cultural exchange through robotics.
- Through our work at ComoNe, we want to see how far our robots can develop and what new possibilities they can achieve.
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Masanari Tsuji — “Where the Body and Dance Are Headed, and Where They Are Now”
STORY
At first, I thought I might use ComoNe as another place to promote my social activities.
But when I started coming to ComoNe, I discovered that all kinds of people there. Whenever I visit, I find myself observing the people around me.
If I’m going to spend time at ComoNe, I want to do something that can only happen here. These days, I observe the people who visit ComoNe and explore questions about society and human connections together with them. Through these interactions, I’m working on creating something that can only emerge specifically from this space.
ABOUT PROJECT
This project explores how we can rethink our relationships with others, with ourselves, and with society through the body as a medium.
I believe the distance between people is constantly changing. Yet, without even realizing it, we often find ourselves bound by ideas of what a “right relationship” or an “appropriate distance” between people.
That’s why I’m exploring how we can use the body to loosen these fixed ideas and question them anew. There is no single right answer, which is precisely why I want to explore and experiment together with others.
