Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology — Attraction in Onna

I spent three months at OIST as a TSVP visitor during my sabbatical.

I've been continually so impressed. I won't mention its obviously fantastic world-class facilities... My biggest surprise was the warmth and camaraderie of the community! Attending faculty promotion talks and celebrating graduates at their ceremonies and after-parties was really a highlight. (Those moments reminded me of Caltech’s collegial atmosphere when I was a PhD and a postdoc, in total 10 years.)

I believe OIST’s small size is its greatest asset. Like Caltech, its compact campus and thoughtfully designed buildings foster chance encounters among students and faculty. This is enough to induce cross-disciplinary chats. Some of them can lead to high-risk & high-return interdisciplinary collaborations. In larger institutions, ironically, this is a lot more difficult. We often gravitate toward people with similar mindset and similar interests. This in turn unintentionally stifle diversity of thought. At OIST, serendipity thrives.

I’m eagerly looking forward to returning for the second half of my sabbatical after...

One of the best spots to visit in Okinawa. 100% worth visiting if you like architecture and academics. Beautiful architecture and a well-designed campus. I totally admire what I see here. Free admission is also open for visitors by 5 pm. You need to come to the visitor center to get the admission card. The reception untie / gentleman, Mr. Uehara, is really kind and knowledgeable enough to share a lot of attractive things about the OIST, too. A simple campus tour made a lot of impression. No doubt to be satisfied and happy to stay here if you're a student or a professional studying and working in this...

I didn't expect to find such place in the middle of Okinawa. It is such and international place dedicated to science, with the best minds of the world commiting to do research in here. You can apply to PhD programs and even internships, all funded by the government who doesn't have trouble to destined a hefty budget in order for OIST to be a well renowned leader...