Kansai, Japan
At A Glance
Term: A 2007
Project Opportunities: MQP (CS)
Housing: Shared apartments
Director: Professor Robert W. Lindeman
Preparation: 1/6 unit preparation in D 2007 (contact the director if this timing is a problem)
Application Deadline: November 7, 2006 (before 1:00 pm)
Location
Japan is a country of contrasts. From the breathtaking natural beauty of Hokkaido to the frenetic sprawl of the Tokyo megalopolis, from the centuries-old tradition of Japanese calligraphy to the quirky humor of Anime, from kimono-wearing women to purple-haired punk rockers, from world-leading electronic gadgetry to hand-made porcelain, from baseball to sumo, Japan provides something unexpected at every turn. Kyoto, Japan's third-largest city and one of its oldest, is located in the Kansai region of Japan. As a former capital, and one of the places that was spared from war damage, Kyoto is considered the "heart of Japan," with many important cultural sites. Kansai is a convenient launching point for travel to other parts of Japan. The location of the project site is about 45 minutes from Kyoto city, about one hour from Osaka, Japan's second-largest city, and about 20 minutes from Nara, another former Japanese capital, and cultural center.
Projects
MQPs in the Kyoto area will be conducted at ATR International, a leading research center for human communication technology (www.atr.jp). Current projects will involve work in the areas of ubiquitous and wearable computing, knowledge sharing, and human-computer interaction, and will be conducted within the Knowledge Science Lab of ATR (www.atr.jp/ksl/), which "...aims at establishing the fundamental technology to support our everyday processes of creating and sharing working knowledge for our everyday lives." Specific project descriptions will be available in the first half of 2007.
Admission to the CS MQP Program in Kansai is based on the following criteria: academic standing and performance, evidence of maturity and independence, qualifications relevant to the anticipated projects, faculty references, and the results of an interview.
Estimated Expenses:
| Estimated Out-of-Pocket Expenses* | $1,000 $300 $700 $300 $1,200 $3,500 | Travel to site (RT airfare) |
|---|---|---|
| Expenses included on your WPI bill* | + $2,500 | Housing and program expenses plus some local transportation |
| Estimated Total expenses | $6,000 | (tuition and on-campus housing not included) |
* Subject to change due to fluctuations in exchange rate. Also, there is a possibility that the sponsor will help defray some of the costs.
NOTE: In calculating the extra expense to participate in an off-campus project experience compare this figure to expenses incurred while living on campus: (groceries or meal plan, entertainment expenses, transportation, etc.)
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: May 31, 2007 16:31:47