HOPE Meeting 2008 Review

　The first HOPE Meeting was held in February 2008 in Tsukuba, Japan. Its focus was on the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Over 80 doctoral students from 13 Asian-Pacific countries/areas participated in it, engaging in active cross-boarder/discipline exchanges with 13 distinguished lecturers including five Nobel laureates: Dr. Leo Esaki, Dr. Heinrich Rohrer, Dr. Hideki Shirakawa, Dr. Alan Heeger, and Dr. Robert B. Laughlin. The lecturers told about their own experiences, introduced their world-renowned research work, and described the important role played by nanoscience and nanotechnology in advancing science. On another plane, the famous painter Ikuo Hirayama delivered an impressive lecture on how exchange between Japan and the wider Asian community influenced the development of Japanese culture.

In addition to these lectures, the participants engaged each other in discussions in multilateral, small group and poster presentation sessions. Via their participations in these activities, the students were also able to communicate with and received advice from the Nobel laureates, while interacting and networking across nationalities and disciplines with peers.