Okayama University’s Educational Center for Researchers of the Next Generation and URA hosted a lecture titled “Understanding the Beauty of Crystal Structures” (10th URA International Seminar) on January 5 at the 50th Anniversary Hall. As part of MEXT’s "the Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Research Universities," the URA International Seminar has been held since 2014, featuring lectures by global top level researchers. It provides a venue to encourage joint research and international collaboration.
This time, Dr. Jean-Louis Hodeau of the NEEL Institute in Grenoble, France, was the speaker, giving a lecture titled “Understanding the Beauty of Crystal Structures.” Dr. Hodeau conducts studies focusing on the relationship of structure to the physical profiles of minerals, and has been advancing research into the development of original methods that utilize the characteristics of synchrotron beams, combining several traditional structural approaches with the latest technology. Touching upon the relationship between crystal structures’ physical, chemical and biological properties in artificial materials such as nanotechnology and real-world materials, he introduced the role of crystallography in modern times and discussed its possibilities. The researchers and students in attendance participated in a lively exchange of views.

Dr. Hodeau also produced the exhibition titled ”Journey into Crystals” at the museum of Natural History of Grenoble in 2009 to share the importance of science and beauty of matter in the crystalline state. The exhibits were translated into more than a dozen languages and presented at various places as the traveling exhibition.
In 2017, the works were also translated into Japanese for the first time by Japanese high-school students, the participants of the Global Science Campus in Okayama (GSCO) program, interacting with Université Grenoble Alpes, one of our partner universities, and an international school in Grenoble. Okayama University was chosen for JST’s Global Science Campus Program, and this exhibition was held as one of GSCO’s activities at the Sci-pia: Okayama Prefectural Science and Humanity Museum for the Future from 6th to 8th of January 2018.