On January 24, 2025, an online networking event was organized as part of the MIRAI 2024–2026 initiative, focusing on Materials for Energy Conversion and Storage. This event aimed to connect researchers from Sweden and Japan to foster new collaborations and encourage applications for the MIRAI Seed Funding Call. Roman Selyanchyn (Kyushu University, Japan) and Leteng Lin (Linnaeus University, Sweden) were the main organizers of this exciting event.
Event Overview
The event was held online from 08:30–11:30 (CET) / 16:30–19:30 (JST). It featured three-minute pitch-style presentation sessions intermixed with breakout room discussions to facilitate networking. Each participant introduced their expertise and collaborative interests, emphasizing keywords related to energy research.
- Number of registered participants: A total of 30 researchers (10 from Japan, 20 from Sweden)
- Number of attendees: A total of 23 researchers (10 from Japan, 13 from Sweden)
- Participating universities: Kyushu University, Linköping University, Linnæus University, Karlstad University, Uppsala University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Sophia University, Nagoya University, Hiroshima University (9 out of 17 MIRAI Universities represented)
The event webpage was published independently and played a key role in ensuring its success. It provided an overview of participants in advance, including links to their research profiles and areas of interest, helping them prepare for the networking sessions. After the event, the webpage was updated to include participant emails, allowing continued communication and collaboration.
Participants and Representation
The event drew researchers from various disciplines relevant to energy research. While the number of registered participants exceeded those who attended, we had significant engagement throughout the three-hour event. Participants represented both Sweden and Japan, with early-career researchers and several PhD students actively participating. This group especially appreciated the interactive format and praised it more engaging than typical webinars.
Activities and Feedback
It is both interesting and challenging to organize and initiate scientific discussions among researchers who have met for the first time via distance. After the first warming-up breakout session, subsequent thematic breakout rooms proved highly effective, generating lively discussions and promoting deeper engagement. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with several attendees highlighting the value of structured interactions.
Conclusion and Suggestions
The networking event successfully promoted collaboration between Swedish and Japanese researchers, helping to lay the foundation for future joint projects. Based on this experience, further opportunities will be planed incorporating interactive components, such as thematic breakout rooms in Zoom, in similar online events to maintain engagement and encourage productive discussions.