Category: Outreach

Arilab on TV!

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別冊アサ（秘）ジャーナル, Bessatsu Asahi Journal, is a Japanese variety show produced by TBS. As of 2013 they have been focusing on the topic of schools and universities around Japan and the subject of their monthly, 90-minute program in February 2016 is OIST, including Arilab! The episode was broadcasted on February 28, 2016 in the Kanto region of Japan. On top of describing the OIST campus as “007”-like, the TV show introduced various labs and their research, one of which was Arilab. They interviewed Yoshi and Evan and gave a tour on ant specimens, the ecology of ants and 3D ants.

Click here to see the video (Arilab-related content starts around 28:00)

OKEON project featured in Ryukyu Shinpo

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Ryukyu Shinpo, an Okinawan local newspaper, reported on the OKEON project in its education section on January 29th. The article describes the project in depth, from the importance of biodiversity with an emphasis on insects and the project’s role in furthering our knowledge, to the technological aspects of the project including the use of databases and weather stations, to the process of setting up the network including communicating with collaborators, planning the sites and setting up traps.

OKEON project not only serves as a monitoring network of the terrestrial ecosystem in Okinawa, it also exemplifies one of OIST’s goals of “Contributing to the promotion Okinawa (沖縄振興への貢献)” as the project provides local knowledge back to the local people. In particular, the article emphasized the role of Masashi Yoshimura and Masako Osagawara, a staff scientist and a technician of the Economo lab, as they served as links between the project and the local people. For example, they have involved local high school students in the project and taught them about insect biodiversity and collecting methods.

Full article can be accessed here

Takamine Ant Collection Donated to OIST

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Image attribution: OIST

Image attribution: OIST

Mr. Hidetsune Takamine is a well-known Okinawan ant expert who has been collecting ants in Okinawa for around 40 years. His collection includes 116 species, 30 of which are endemic to Okinawa.

On November 26, 2015, Mr. Takamine donated his ant collection to OIST at a handover ceremony that took place at the Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit and will be stored in the unit’s specimen shelf as the Takamine Collection.

Dr. Masashi Yoshimura and Prof. Evan Economo expressed their gratitude towards Mr. Takamine, emphasizing how much this donation would contribute to academic research and more specifically how it would improve the scientific research on Okinawan biodiversity and help us understand how the diversity of Okinawa fits into the broader picture.

 

 

OPEN CAMPUS November 2015

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The biodiversity and biocomplexity unit participated in OIST’s November 8th 2015 Open Campus and set up a booth to exhibit the “Wonders of Ants”.
Displays ranged from live ant specimens to pinned ant specimen that could be viewed under a microscope to stereographic ant images that becomes 3D with proper glasses. A novel aspect in this year’s event include a slam trap display, which is meant to demonstrate to the public a method we use to collect ants which is also the main method being used to collect insects for the OKEON project. Two 3D printed ants along with the original specimens from which they were made were also exhibited. It was a successful event once again.

‘Wonders of Ants’ booth at Open Campus, February 2015

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2015年2月、オープンキャンパスで「アリのふしぎ」の展示をしました

Submitted by Yoshimura-san

The Economo Unit once again setup the booth, “Wonders of Ants,” at OIST’s Open Campus, which took place on February 1st, 2015. We displayed 2D and 3D ant images, research posters, ant trivia, ant specimens and live colonies to show our ant research. Many visitors enjoyed the displays, and learned about the diversity of ants and their important role in the ecosystem. Some people were surprised to see the stout head of the Okinawan trap-jaw ant, Odontomachus kuroiwae. Some were amazed by the high diversity of ants found on Okinawa Island. Many kids were glued to the live colony displays, and to the 3D image. We also asked visitors to draw ants. By the end of the day, we had three large posters filled with colorful drawings of ants!

We would like to thank all the volunteer staff for their hard work!

2015年2月1日に行われたOISTのオープンキャンパスにおいて、私達のユニットでは「アリのふしぎ」をテーマに展示を行ないました。アリの写真や３D画像、国際学会で発表したポスターや、不思議なアリの豆知識を集めたスライドショー、そして沖縄から実際に採られたアリの標本や生きているアリのコロニーなどを展示しました。たくさんの人たちが訪れてくださり、私達が研究対象とするアリ類の多様性や生態系のなかでの重要性を楽しく学んでいただきました。オキナワアギトアリの大きくて厳つい顔に、つい驚いて悲鳴を上げてしまったり、私達が住む島のアリ類の多様性に興奮したり。子供たちは生きたアリのコロニーやアリの３D画像の前に目を奪われてなかなか動けませんでした。また、私達の展示を訪れてくれる人たちに、アリの絵を描いてもらうコーナーを設けました。夕方には、用意した3枚の大きな模造紙は素敵な色とりどりのアリの絵で埋め尽くされました！

今回の展示の準備から片づけまで、元気なボランティアスタッフにたくさん助けていただきました。足を運んでくださった皆さんにも、とても感謝しています。ありがとうございました。

More information about Open Campus 2015: [English|日本語]

Photos from the booth (courtesy Cong Liu):