The Undergraduate Research Student Program of the III held a study camp from October 8 to 10 at the Yamanaka Dormitory–Naito Seminar House of the University of Tokyo in Yamanashi Prefecture. A total of 30 students participated in this camp which was held for the first time in four years.

The Research Student Program offers a class called “Special Seminar,” in which independent seminars consisting only of research students are held based on topics chosen by the students. The camp was a mid-term presentation of these seminars and an opportunity for exchange among the students. This year’s independent seminars have seven different themes: “Gender,” “Politics,” “Journalism,” “Media Analysis,” “Local Regions,” “Education,” and “VR”. Each seminar prepared a report on their discussions to date and presented it at the camp.

The presentations held on the second day of the camp lasted for 9 hours and featured a wide variety of stimulating presentations. During the question-and-answer sessions following each presentation, feedback was given by older students with practical work experience, and intense debates took place. The following is a partial list of the topics presented:

• Comparative textual analyses of Tabelog and Google food reviews
• Reinterpretation of “regional revitalization” through textual analysis of articles and interviews
• Analysis of changes in gender consciousness in advertisements
• A study on train announcements prohibiting passengers from getting off the vehicle
• A journalistic and statistical study on student interns as secretaries to Diet members
• A study on Metaverse space design combining Ken Suzuki’s Nameraka na Shakai to sono Teki (“なめらかな社会とその敵”) and modern architecture

The three days were not spent merely on the presentations ––students had plenty of time to socialize.
One of the most attractive features of the III’s Research Student Program is the diversity of its student body, spanning over 40 years in age difference. Undergraduate students consist not only of UTokyo undergraduates but also of students from other universities. There are also students who have gained professional experience and are currently engaged in journalism, mass media, ICT and other media-related industries.

The face-to-face interactions at the camp provided an opportunity to deepen the friendship among the research students and to encourage new encounters. For example, one student researcher experienced virtual reality for the first time with a VR kit brought by a retired research student; a sophomore asked another working mature student for advice on future careers; another time, students engaged in a heated discussion about the My Number system and privacy rights over snacks.

On the final day, students divided into two groups, one for a walk around Lake Yamanakako and the other for a soak in a hot spring. The camp was truly an event that encapsulated the unique Research Student Program experience.

Text: Kazuki Nishimoto (Undegraduate Research Student, The University of Tokyo)