Event | Mechanics and Design of Composite Materials (Narita, Kurita & Wang Lab.) | Department of Frontier Sciences for Advanced Environment, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Tohoku University

Apr.: Welcome Party and Hanami We held our annual cherry blossom viewing party, which also served as a welcome event for new members. Although the flowers hadn’t bloomed yet due to a sudden drop in temperature, we enjoyed delicious food and deepened our friendships.
May.: Nagashi-Somen Party We held our annual nagashi-somen noodle party! Thanks to all the hard work of the B4 members, everything was perfectly prepared, and we were able to enjoy ourselves to the fullest. Thank you so much!; BBQ & Baseball Practice We had a barbecue to kick off the summer season! Unfortunately, it rained, so we couldn’t practice baseball. 😢 Just like last year, Professor Narita kindly brought us some fresh seafood, and we enjoyed an incredibly luxurious barbecue together. Last year, our team finished third in the baseball tournament, so this year we’re aiming for the championship!
Jun.: Kevin's farewell party It’s finally time to say goodbye to Kevin, who always brought smiles and positive energy to Narita Lab. We’ll miss you! Stay healthy and happy back in France, and thank you for everything you’ve done for us!; B4 students "Otsukare-Party" B4 students, thank you for all your hard work in preparing for and presenting at the magazine club meeting! Let’s take this time to relax and recharge before the graduate school entrance exams and our ongoing research.; Japanese Sake Tasting Event A group of volunteers gathered and held a sake party, each bringing their favorite sake to share. Along with a wide variety of sake, there were cakes, puddings, and plenty of delicious food. It was a really fun and lively evening! 　; Baseball Tournament (Preliminary league) Following last year, we successfully finished first in the preliminary league again! The final league is scheduled to be held around autumn, after the graduate school entrance exams. Let’s do our best to win the championship this year!
Jul.: Graduate school entrance exam katsudon We ate katsudon to wish our B4 students good luck on their graduate school entrance exams! Go for it, B4!; Nabe-jiro Thanks to B4’s great planning, we enjoyed a wonderful Nabe-jiro party! Everyone ate so much and left completely full. The next day, though, many people came into Room A looking a bit tired! 😆; Open Campus 2024 On August 30th and 31st, an open campus event was held across the entire university. At the Narita, Kurita, and Oken laboratories, we hosted a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) bookmark-making workshop! The event was so popular that all the reservations filled up quickly, making for two very enjoyable and lively days.
Sep.: Euro Sensors Conference in Poland Four members from our lab participated in the EuroSensors conference held in Poland. Everyone successfully completed their presentations — great job! After the sessions, we enjoyed some local beer while taking in the beautiful city views!; Symposium on Composite Materials in Kagawa Professor Kurita and two first-year master’s students participated in the Symposium on Composite Materials held in Kagawa. It was our first academic conference, so we were quite nervous, but we successfully completed our presentations! And of course, the udon was amazing.; Summer Trip in Yamagata For our annual summer trip, we visited Yamagata this year! Over the two days, we enjoyed a variety of activities such as wine-making, rafting, and SUP, as well as delicious local foods including soba noodles and Yamagata beef. Some members seemed to keep the party going late into the night (or early in the morning)! We were also delighted to have M1 and M2 alumni who had graduated from the Narita Lab join us, making it an unforgettable and fulfilling trip. We’re already looking forward to next year’s summer adventure!
Oct.: Autumn Science Kids Program We hosted the Autumn Science Campus for Kids on October 15-16. This year’s theme was "Generating Lightning and Converting Everyday Impacts into Electricity." Students enjoyed crafting electric toys using unique materials. It would be wonderful if this experiment encouraged them to explore fields like piezoelectricity and energy harvesting in the future.; Ekiden Relay Race Our lab took part in the traditional Materials and Development Ekiden Relay. Once again, Narita Lab Team A secured 1st place overall, marking our second consecutive win! With three teams participating from our lab, it was a great opportunity for everyone to stay active and bond under perfect weather. We look forward to continuing our training to aim for a third straight title next year!; Science Workshop at Tohoku University Festival During the Tohoku University Festival held on October 25-26, our lab conducted a hands-on science workshop titled "Converting Marble Vibrations into Electricity." It was a great success with a large number of participants enjoying the experience of making piezoelectric toys. We truly appreciate the overwhelming interest in our research!
Nov.: Donut Number (DN) This year, we were excited to host our "Donut Number" gathering. It was a 2-hour all-you-can-eat feast where everyone enjoyed a wide variety of donuts. The highlight of the event was a staggering record of 18 donuts and 3 drinks by a single member! We are all impressed by such a legendary appetite!; Imoni-kai We hosted our traditional Imoni-kai on the 8th. The menu was quite diverse this year, including hot pot and "menchi-katsu" alongside the classic stew. Despite the cold weather, the warm steam from the pots created a cozy atmosphere, allowing everyone to relax and bond. It was a perfect way to recharge both mind and body!; Materials and Mechanics Conference in Kumamoto Eight members of our lab attended the Materials and Mechanics Conference held in Kumamoto. Despite the pressure of presenting, each member did an excellent job. Following the conference, we had the opportunity to explore Kumamoto’s rich culture and food. Meeting Kumamon, the city's famous mascot, made our stay even more memorable!; Blind Vanilla Ice Cream Tasting We held a blind tasting event featuring seven varieties of vanilla ice cream. While it seemed easy at first, it was quite a challenge; our top scorer got 5 out of 7 correct. The sight of everyone in eye masks concentrated on the taste was both charming and funny. It was a wonderful way for the lab members to bond and have fun!; Baseball Tournament: Runners-Up in the Final League Our team participated in the Final League following the preliminary rounds held this summer. We played our best with the goal of winning the title, and we are proud to have secured 2nd place, improving our standing from last year. We are grateful for the emotional and hard-fought games in the semifinals and finals. Thank you to everyone for your support!; Takoyaki Party To celebrate our performance in the baseball tournament, we hosted a "Takoyaki Party"! Everyone turned out to be quite skilled at cooking, perfectly shaping the savory octopus balls into golden spheres. There was nothing better than biting into a fresh, piping-hot takoyaki together. It was a wonderful way to reward ourselves for the hard work!; 2025 JOINT SYMPOSIUM in Taiwan Three of our members traveled to Taiwan to participate in an international conference. Although it was our first time presenting on an international stage and we were quite nervous, we successfully completed our presentations! We were even honored to receive an award, making it an incredibly rewarding experience. Our "girls' trip" outside the conference was also a fantastic way to bond and enjoy the local culture!; Sushi Number (SN) We hosted a "Sushi Number (SN)" event! It was a dream-like time as everyone enjoyed their favorite sushi to their heart's content. We saw a mind-blowing record of 84 plates in just 100 minutes! Many pushed their limits, and some found it hard to even move afterward because they were so full (lol).; Joint-Symposium on Mechanics of Advanced Materials & Structures 2025 in Kyoto Our lab members traveled to Kyoto to attend an academic conference. We are very proud to announce that our D3 senior received a prestigious award for their presentation! A huge congratulations on this well-deserved honor!
Dec.: Hot Pot (Huo Guo) Party We hosted a Chinese Hot Pot (Huo Guo) party, enjoying a feast of spicy broth, sushi, and drinks! As the winter cold has truly set in, the warm meal really hit the spot and warmed us to the core. A huge thank you for the slightly spicy yet incredibly delicious hot pot—it was the perfect way to spend a chilly evening!; Blind Beer Tasting We held a "Blind Beer Tasting" event with 13 different varieties of beer! It proved to be a real challenge for everyone to tell them apart. I wonder which one was the crowd favorite? Personally, I love The Premium Malt's!; Year-end Party We held our traditional year-end party! Thanks to our energetic B4 students, the event was a huge success and filled with laughter. The "Secret Santa" gift exchange was definitely the highlight of the night! Let’s leave any of this year’s troubles behind and start the new year with a fresh mindset. We’re ready to give our research our all in 2026!; Homemade Wine Tasting Party The wine we crafted during our summer trip is finally ready, so we held a tasting party! It was fascinating to see how the color and sweetness varied from person to person as we sampled each other's creations. Sipping wine while reminiscing about our summer memories made the experience truly special.