The institute

The Institute for Study of the Earth's Interior (ISEI) is a leading institute equipped with state-of-the-art experimental and analytical facilities. Active researches are being conducted in the basic research areas of isotope and trace element geochemistry, high-resolution geochronology, and high-pressure and temperature materials science, aimed at understanding the origin, evolution and dynamics of the Earth. The institute is rapidly developing into an international research center for solid earth sciences through the embarkation of the Center of Excellence for the 21st Century (COE-21) program (Program Leader: Professor Eizo Nakamura), sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT) in 2003, and is now constantly the host of a significant number of leading collaborative researchers from around the world. The institute is located in Misasa town, which is well known in Japan for its hot-spring spa. For more information about ISEI, please visit the following website: http://www.misasa.okayama-u.ac.jp/.

About the program

The annual Misasa International Student Intern Program for advanced undergraduate (3rd to 4th year) and master’s course students has been planned to promote international collaborative research and education. During the intern program, students will work closely with ISEI faculty members and their research groups on currently active research projects at ISEI. Researches at ISEI generally fall into one of the following areas:

1. Geochemistry, cosmochemistry and geochronology (major/trace element and isotope analyses of crustal and mantle derived magmas, xenoliths, melt inclusions and meteorites using SEM, ICP-MS, TIMS, SIMS, XRF, etc. to unravel the origin, evolution and dynamics of the Earth and the Solar System)
2. High-pressure experimental mineral physics (including high-pressure experiments using multi-anvil press, and phase equilibrium, electrical conductivity, elasticity and rheological property measurements)
3. Magmalogy and crystal chemistry (including high-pressure experiments using DAC/multi-anvil press/piston cylinder/IHPV, and NMR/Raman/IR spectroscopic measurements of minerals, melts (glasses) and fluids)

Perspective applicants are encouraged to contact ISEI faculty member(s) for more information. It is hoped that through this program, the participants will acquaint themselves with the state-of-the-art research facilities and activities at ISEI, and gain first-hand scientific research experience. At the conclusion of the program, an intern symposium will be held for all the participants to deliver oral presentations of their work (in English).