This is Kakizawa, a second-year master’s student.

From July 20 to July 26, 2024, we attended the 40th International Symposium on Combustion (CI’s International Symposium on Combustion) held in Milan, Italy. Professor Moroi and our lab’s alum, Mr. Akiba, gave oral presentations, while I presented a paper poster, and the other members of our team presented Work in Progress posters. This time, we participated as a large group consisting of all the students from our lab.

The International Symposium on Combustion is renowned as the world’s premier conference on fundamental combustion research, providing a rare opportunity to hear about cutting-edge research from around the globe. Many distinguished researchers, including both famous veterans and outstanding young scientists, attended, and I believe everyone was greatly inspired through interactions with them. Personally, I had fruitful discussions with many attendees during my poster presentation, reconnected with international students I had met at previous conferences, and had an exhilarating encounter with a renowned researcher whose papers I frequently read during a Thursday social event. It was truly an enjoyable conference.

When it comes to Italy, it’s all about the food!! During our free time, we tried various pasta and pizza dishes at different restaurants. The authentic flavors, even at relatively low prices, were incredibly satisfying. The supermarkets had sections overflowing with prosciutto, cheese, and pasta, which was a delightful surprise compared to Japan.

Using this experience as a stepping stone, I am motivated to work even harder in the future!
See you next time!