Aug 01 2023 24 mins
Dr. Akira Ohkubo joins Zoé in this episode to talk about inclusive science communication at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Tokyo. Akira studied Biotechnology in his home country of Japan. He then moved across the world to France for his Master’s at the University of Strasbourg, before doing his PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Geneva, Switzerland. Akira’s PhD was in the lab of Prof. Jean-Claude Martinou where he focused on mitochondrial RNA processing.
During his international academic journey, Akira was inspired by exchanging ideas, especially across cultures, and after his PhD he combined his passions for communication and science and is now working as a Science Communicator at Miraikan in Tokyo.
Read Akira's recent article to learn more about making museums more accessible to everyone: https://tinyurl.com/mru5ux57
You can connect with Akira via LinkedIn: https://ch.linkedin.com/in/akira-ohkubo-94ba71b3
Time stamps:
01:50 What was your PhD about in a nutshell?
03:10 How was your PhD experience?
04:00 What skills did you gain during your PhD?
09:20 How did you decide next steps you would take after PhD?
11:30 Describe your current role as Science Communicator at Miraikan
12:20 What are your main responsibilities
13:15 What kind of events do you organize at the museum?
14:40 How did you apply for the role?
17:00 What are your roses and thorns?
19:45 What advice would you give to an early career researcher?
21:40 Do you believe in 5-year-plan or go with the flow?
23:30 How can people get in touch with you?