Greetings

Greetings

The Joy of Satisfying Pure Intellectual Desire in Science

    Science is a discipline that explores the truth of nature by unraveling various mysteries and wonders in a wide range of natural sciences; pure intellectual desire can be satisfied through science. The intellectual desire to know is born out of pure curiosity and inquisitiveness. Curiosity and inquisitiveness are innate, and when our intellectual needs are satisfied, our hearts are naturally filled with joy and excitement. When we know a thing, we are curious to know the next. Acquiring scientific knowledge can be compared to ascending to a higher elevation point. From this elevated position, we gain a broader and clearer perspective than we had at lower levels of understanding. This makes us want to stand at a higher place. We can also see more than we could at a lower place, and the boundaries between what can be seen and what cannot be seen expand. This leads to the discovery of things beyond one's own knowledge, stimulates curiosity and inquisitiveness, and gives rise to a strong intellectual desire. The study and research of science is the repetition of discovering and clarifying the unknown, leading to a far-reaching understanding of a wide range of natural sciences. By sharing the findings of one person with many others, humankind has accumulated knowledge in the natural sciences and expanded its scope of scientific knowledge. The expansion and accumulation of knowledge in natural sciences is essential for enriching our minds and lives. The study and research of science are activities that satisfy intellectual desires. We can engage in scientific research with joy and excitement when we maintain a strong sense of curiosity and inquisitiveness. If we continue to learn science and conduct scientific research with the joy of knowing, we can see things in science that no one has ever seen before and learn things that no one has known before. We will then be able to experience immense joy and excitement.

Learning and Challenges at the School of Science and Graduate School of Science at the Osaka Metropolitan University

    The School of Science and Graduate School of Science at the Osaka Metropolitan University are among the largest schools of science and graduate schools of science in Japan, established in April 2022 through the merger of Osaka City University and Osaka Prefecture University. The School of Science and Graduate School of Science consists of six departments–Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geoscience, and Biological Chemistry–that conducts educational and research activities in all fields of science. The School of Science and Graduate School of Science are equipped with the latest facilities and the most advanced instruments to support education and research. The International Research and Education Center (IREC) was established in 2024 to promote the internationalization of education and research in science. The IREC is committed to developing human resources that function globally. Faculty members from the Graduate School of Science who are active researchers in their respective fields are responsible for scientific education and research.

    Learning in the School of Science and Graduate School of Science begins with the study of the accumulated scientific knowledge. Students climb the ladder of knowledge to satisfy their intellectual curiosity and view the broad scope of natural sciences. Since there is a limit to what can be understood from existing knowledge, as learning progresses, students encounter unsolved problems and questions that "no one knows" and "no one can answer.” In other words, students find problems that cannot be answered or solved simply by accumulating existing knowledge. At the end of their studies at the School of Science, the students were challenged to find answers to unsolved problems under the guidance of faculty members. In the Graduate School of Science, students face the challenge of solving various unsolved problems through proactive engagement in cutting-edge research. Through the results of their research activities, "what no one knew" becomes clear and "what no one could do" becomes possible. Through scientific educational and research activities, students can accumulate knowledge, acquire logical thinking skills, satisfy their intellectual desires, and gain a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Memory and the ability to apply existing concepts are important in learning for exams. However, humans do not match for artificial intelligence in these areas. In contrast, originality and creativity are important in scientific research, which requires the ability to create new concepts that did not exist before. This ability is peculiar to human beings and is possessed by all human beings. Studies and research at the School of Science and Graduate School of Science help students improve their creativity.

    At the School of Science and Graduate School of Science, we challenge ourselves to discover what no one knows, make possible what no one has been able to do, and share our discoveries with the world. The starting point of our activities is the satisfaction of our intellectual desires, and the joy and excitement that we experience are the sources of our strength to move forward.