During the February 8th ILC Symposium, the University of Tokyo joined up with Iwate University (Morioka City) to broadcast the event locally. Young people from around the region were able to ask questions directly to researchers that work around the world, and deepened their understanding of the ILC and particle physics.

Nobel Laureate and special professor emeritus Kobayashi Makoto (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)) and others answered question in real time, while Dr. Peter Higgs (professor emeritus of the University of Edinburgh) was pre-taped answering questions beforehand.

Nakamura Toshiki, a second-year student at Morioka #1 High School, asked Dr. Higgs: “Could you tell me how to organize your thoughts whenever you think about complicated things?” Dr. Higgs responded, “Actually, my thoughts tend to run on from thing to thing, and I’m always wishing I could organize them. Perhaps that is actually the key factor behind my research (that predicted the Higgs particle).”

Afterwards, Nakamura seemed inspired: “I saw that even a famous physicist has trouble when thinking about complicated things, and I felt how important it was to have a broad base of knowledge and interests. I also felt Dr. Higgs’ hopes for the ILC.”

Ozaki Shun, a third-year student at Morioka #1 High School, asked researchers at the Tokyo venue what was necessary in order to convey the important of the ILC to a great amount of people. Afterward, he talked about his hopes had grown: “Through the realization of the ILC, we’ll have a stable influx of people and a stable economy. Should it be realized, I’d like to teach elementary and middle schools about the ILC’s research.”