What's Happening at the Water and Environment Technology Conference 2024 (WET2024) at Okayama, Japan

​Representatives from MECOH attended the International Water and Environment Technology Conference (WET) held at Okayama University (Okayama City, Okayama, Japan), on the 20th-21st of July 2024. This conference was organized by Nagare Hideaki and his team from the Japan Society on Water Environment (JWET) and sponsored by the Swing (水ing) corporation. Topics related to the water environment were the main focus, and a hybrid-type (short oral presentation & poster session) forum was the main mode of scientific communication to promote the exchange of information, ideas, and knowledge among scientists, engineers, and students. 

For this conference, Prof. Dr. Anwar Hossain led the entourage of multinational MECOH students including Ngure Kagia, Dan Joseph Logronio, Md. Shafiujjaman, and KyleYoung from Kenya, The Philippines, Bangladesh, and Malaysia respectively.  The group traveled by car through the beautiful countryside of Shikoku, crossed the Seto Ohashi Bridge, and arrived at the bustling city of Okayama. The road trip helped the group gain a deeper appreciation for Japan. 

The great Seto Bridge (瀬戸大橋, Seto Ōhashi). The Seto Ohashi Bridge is an engineering marvel that can resist tidal currents, typhoons, and earthquakes.  It is one of the world’s largest combined road and rail bridges comprising six bridges that link the approximately 9.4-kilometer strait area running from Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture to Sakaide City in Kagawa Prefecture. Pictured: the guys 

On the first day, participants delved into diverse topics on water environmental analysis, toxicology and health concerns, treatment and recycling, and other general subjects in water and environment. For both Shafiujjaman and KyleYoung, it will be their very first international conference in Japan. Thanks to the unique hybrid-type forum, our MECOH representatives were given an equal opportunity to present each of their studies.  The participants were able to enjoy both presentation styles and engage in intellectual discussions.  

​Of course, a conference will not be complete without opportunities to network with fellow researchers and students. The conference also featured a gala dinner that has everything for everyone. Japanese cuisine, halal food, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, etc. 

Cheers!

​"​WET 2024 was my first hybrid-style scientific conference. The three parallel sessions with presenters from different nationalities, 172 presentations all within 30 hours were exciting and intense. Networking and meeting up with other African students in Japan was an added bonus together with the scenic drive to and from Okayama. I'm looking forward to many more!"

- Ngure

​The concluding day featured further discussions and an award ceremony. Importantly, Dan received the excellent presenter award from the President of JSWE Prof. Dr. Ike Michihiko. Well done Dan!

​"​I would like to thank the WET international conference for providing me the opportunity to share my research on eDNA and hyporheic zone. I was able to talk with other researchers from different fields such as sociology and environment, ecotoxicology, and in industries. This allowed multi-disciplinary discussions about water and the environment and may pave the way for future research collaborations."

- Dan

​We are all about building bridges, not walls. The WET conference is one of the international cooperation opportunities that we hope to dedicate far into the future. See you in the next one!