The field of Martian science is currently experiencing renewed global interest following the report published in September 10, 2025 issue of Nature. Recent findings have renewed efforts to understand Martian habitability and geological evolution.
These landmark discovery advances and motivates our upcoming international symposium, "Understanding the Martian System Through Biosignatures, Surface Processes, and Internal Dynamics," supported by J-PEAKS (Program for Forming Japan’s Peak Research Universities) initiative.
At the Institute for Planetary Materials, newly commissioned Martian surface simulation facilities enable experimental studies of biosignature preservation under Mars-analog conditions. In parallel, constraints from the InSight mission have refined our understanding of Mars’s interior and thermal evolution.
This symposium brings together international researchers to integrate surface, interior, and environmental perspectives. Finally, this event is integral to our strategic initiative to strengthen research synergy with Okayama University's Advanced Research Institute (ARI) across the Space, Earth, and Planetary Science domain. We look forward to fostering new collaborative frameworks that leverage the advanced research capabilities within the university system.
We look forward to welcoming participants in February 2026.
Sincerely,
Takashi Yoshino
Director, Institute for Planetary Materials
Okayama University
This symposium will focus on “Planetary surface and internal environments” and “Habitability” as revealed by recent and future planetary explorations and aims to generate interdisciplinary discussion while touching on cutting-edge research results.
We welcome participation from a wide range of planetary science fields, including planetary geophysical observation, remote sensing, development of their instruments, geological and geomorphological analog studies on the Earth, water-rock reactions, and astrobiology.
Duration: 10:00 on February 26 (Thu.)- 13:00 on Feb 27 (Fri.), 2026
(IPM Lab tour 13:30-16:00 on Feb 27, 2026)
Place: St. Palace Kurayoshi, Tottori [LINK]
Please see the access page on our institute website for more information on getting to Kurayoshi. However, remember that the hotel and venue is in Kurayoshi and so you do not need to continue to Misasa onsen, where IPM is located.
Anyone is welcome to make a presentation during the poster session. Participation is free. Lunch on Feb 26 and Feb 27 will be provided for participants. We will also provide accommodation for students/graduate students during the stay in Misasa, but unless there is a special reason, it is encouraged to make a poster presentation. If you have any questions or requests, please contact us: misasa-9@okayama-u.ac.jp
Please complete the registration from the following links by Feb 8, 2026.
If you intend to make a presentation, please download the template file (click here) and submit it by Feb 15, 2026 to LOC (misasa-9@okayama-u.ac.jp). The title of the email should be “Abstract submission_Misasa9_Your name”. The file name of the attached Word file should include the name of the first author. If you have any questions or need additional information regarding the preparation of your abstract, feel free to contact LOC.
The program and abstracts will be released in mid-February.
We are planning the following events during the symposium. If you would like to join, please make a registration in advance via the registration page (check “Registration & Abstract Submission”).
Takashi Yoshino (Executive Committee Chairperson)
Keisuke Onodera (Chair of the local organizing committee)
Christian Potiszil
Trishit Ruj
Makiko Ohtake
Jun Kameda
Matthew Izawa
