The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) has opened a new marine science research and collaboration hub, OIST Sea neXus, located at the Seragaki Fishing Port in Onna Village, Okinawa. The facility was established with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) under the Program for Facility Development Supporting Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration at Core and Distinctive Research Universities.
Attendees at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (From left) OIST Provost, Professor Amy Shen; Cabinet Office, Okinawa Promotion and Development Bureau, General Affairs Department, OIST Office Manager, Yukihiro Morishita; OIST President and CEO, Dr. Karin Markides; Onna Village Mayor, Yoshimi Nagahama; Onna Fishermen’s Cooperative, President, Haruki Kinjo; MEXT Science and Technology Policy Bureau, Industry-Academia Collaboration and Regional Revitalization Division, Regional Innovation Promotion Office Manager, Hiroki Hirano; Okinawa Prefecture Government, Planning Department,Director of Planning and Promotion, Eigo Yamazato.
Attendees at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (From left) OIST Provost, Professor Amy Shen; Cabinet Office, Okinawa Promotion and Development Bureau, General Affairs Department, OIST Office Manager, Yukihiro Morishita; OIST President and CEO, Dr. Karin Markides; Onna Village Mayor, Yoshimi Nagahama; Onna Fishermen’s Cooperative, President, Haruki Kinjo; MEXT Science and Technology Policy Bureau, Industry-Academia Collaboration and Regional Revitalization Division, Regional Innovation Promotion Office Manager, Hiroki Hirano; Okinawa Prefecture Government, Planning Department,Director of Planning and Promotion, Eigo Yamazato.
The opening ceremony, held on November 5, was attended by OIST representatives, officials from Onna Village, members of the local fisheries cooperative, and partner institutions, who celebrated the launch of this new research hub.
The mission of the OIST Sea neXus is to open the doors to science and facilitate social co-creation in the scientific process. In the coming years, the facility will host joint research programs with regional, national, and international research institutions, companies, and public organizations in the fields of marine and related sciences. It will also serve as a hands-on learning environment for students, interns, and early-career researchers, contributing to the training of the next generation of marine scientists.
The new facility is a single-story building with a total floor area of 711 square meters, drawing seawater directly from the ocean for experimental use. Expanding the functions of the existing OIST Marine Science Station, Sea neXus is designed to host ten independent laboratories, each capable of individually adjusting environmental conditions like water temperature. This allows researchers to conduct advanced experiments under natural-like conditions. Compared with the existing facilities at the Marine Science Station, where multiple researchers share larger spaces, the new design enables more flexible and precise experiments tailored to each research project. The facility can simultaneously accommodate a wide range of studies, including coral biology, fish and cephalopod research, microbial ecosystems, aquaculture technologies, and the development of marine technologies.
Participants joined a tour of the new facility, which features ten independent labs with individually adjustable environmental conditions.
Participants joined a tour of the new facility, which features ten independent labs with individually adjustable environmental conditions.
In addition to the experimental spaces, Sea neXus features a dedicated area for interaction and dialogue among local stakeholders, industry, academia, and government. This space is expected to foster collaboration, inspire new research ideas, and serve as a venue for workshops and outreach activities – acting as a core element in strengthening connections between science and society.
A spacious, light-filled area designed to encourage interaction and dialogue.
A spacious, light-filled area designed to encourage interaction and dialogue.
At the ceremony, OIST President and CEO Karin Markides expressed her hopes for the new facility: “Sea neXus embodies OIST’s vision to connect the local and the global, and to bring together science, technology, and society. The word “nexus” means connection – and this facility is designed to serve as that link: between researchers from around the world and the oceans of Okinawa; between scientific discovery and social contribution; between the prepared minds of our researchers and the lifelong learning of the community; and between the present and the future. Here, researchers will collaborate across disciplines to deepen our understanding of the ocean, generating knowledge that will benefit both Okinawa and the world.”
Dr. Shannon McMahon, Research Support Leader of the Marine Science Section and the facility’s manager, joined in: “The long-term vision is for Sea neXus to be not just a facility, but a center for collaboration, linking people, ideas, and solutions across Okinawa and beyond. This new facility allows us to tackle a wider range of questions that are important to Okinawa, from reef resilience and coastal management to sustainable resource use and local livelihoods. We look forward to seeing the discoveries, partnerships, and opportunities that begin here.”
OIST Sea neXus Website: https://www.oist.jp/research/open-innovation-facilities/sea-nexus
AloJapan.com