1｜Inclusive Science Communication and STEAM Education
- Inclusion of people with low interest in science and technology
- Women in STEM
- Inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families
- Culturally relevant STEAM education
People
Connecting research and practice across disciplines and institutions.
Principal Investigator｜Kei Kano
Professor, Science Communication Laboratory, Faculty of Education, Shiga University Visiting Fellow, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University
Kei Kano works at the intersection of science, education, society and policy, with a particular focus on making science communication and STEM/STEAM education more inclusive, culturally relevant and responsive to social change.
Kano holds a PhD in life science and has worked as a life-science researcher, part-time high-school teacher, preparatory-school instructor and university professor. Across disciplinary and institutional boundaries, Kano collaborates with researchers, educators, broadcasters, policymakers and community organisations to connect research with educational practice, public engagement, resources, media and policy.
Three research areas
2｜Traditional and Indigenous Knowledge for a Sustainable Society
Kano’s current work centres on Kakishibu and tea and connects traditional knowledge, local culture, sustainability education and green innovation. Earlier work has also used Kyoto vegetables and wagashi in culturally grounded science learning.
3｜Responsible AI in Education
Kano studies the design, introduction and governance of AI and EdTech through teacher and learner agency, educational data, ELSI/RRI, inclusion, equity and accountability.
UNESCO Chair
As Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on STEAM Education for Braiding Traditional Cultural Resources with Science, Kano leads international research, education, community engagement and mobility connecting education, culture, and science, technology and innovation.
International and professional roles
- Member, UNESCO International Expert Group on Scientific Literacy and Science Popularisation
- Member, PCST Network Scientific Committee, 2025–2029
- Co-chair, PCST Network Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee
- Contributor to the OECD Teaching Compass
- Visiting Fellow, Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University
Educational television and media collaboration
Kei Kano served on the programme committees of NHK Educational TV’s Think Like a Crow—The Scientific Method and Viewpoint Science, contributing to production, development and research support. The programmes’ approaches were extended into lessons, workshops, a card game and books.
Selected awards
Kano received the Prize for Science and Technology from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology twice, in 2014 and 2017, for achievements in science communication practice and research. Other recognition includes awards from the Japan Society for Science Education for practice, conference presentations and audience-diversity research.
External profiles
Current members
Staff
- Kei Kano | Professor
- Rie Sano | Technical assistant
Students
- Haruka Makizawa | Doctoral student (Year 3)
- Ryuki Asako | Undergraduate (Year 4)
- Sora Ishihara | Undergraduate (Year 4)
- Chika Miyamoto | Undergraduate (Year 4)
- Rise Matsuyama | Undergraduate (Year 3)
- Aina Yokoi | Undergraduate (Year 3)
Alumni and former members
Names are listed in Japanese as on the Japanese page.
| Name | Period / year | Destination |
|---|---|---|
| 城 綾実 | Apr 2017–Mar 2018 | University of Shiga Prefecture |
| 一方井 祐子 | Apr 2017–Dec 2017 | The University of Tokyo |
| 馬場 美恵子 | Apr 2017–Dec 2017 | — |
| 山川 結衣 | Apr 2024–Mar 2026 | — |
| 井上 蓮 | Graduated March 2026 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 中村 脩雅 | Graduated March 2026 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 松田 燎 | Graduated March 2026 | Bangkok Japanese School |
| 金城 璃咲 | Graduated March 2025 | 株式会社ケニス (company) |
| 中島 和瑚 | Graduated March 2025 | 株式会社ヴィリング (company) |
| 高塚 真利奈 | Graduated September 2024 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 中西 一雄 | Completed doctoral programme March 2024 | Fukuoka University of Education |
| 有馬 大 | Graduated March 2024 | Graduate School of Teacher Education, Kanazawa University |
| 森崎 龍之介 | Graduated March 2024 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 萩原 希泉 | Graduated March 2023 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 都志 柚奈 | Graduated March 2023 | Elementary school, Kyoto Prefecture |
| 南 悠穂 | Completed March 2022 | Kaiyukan Co., Ltd. / NIFREL |
| 石川 愛加 | Graduated March 2022 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 田中 季奈 | Graduated March 2022 | Junior high school, Miyazaki Prefecture |
| 山田 拓史 | Graduated March 2022 | Shiga Prefectural Government |
| 永安 佑吏 | Graduated March 2021 | Junior high school, Osaka Prefecture |
| 西田 実侑 | Graduated March 2021 | Elementary school, Hyogo Prefecture |
| 木下 和咲乃 | Graduated March 2020 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 柴田 陸斗 | Graduated March 2020 | Private company |
| 米村 太壱 | Graduated March 2020 | Private company |
| 川崎 文資 | Completed March 2019 | Miraikan – The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation |
| 近藤 美里 | Graduated March 2019 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 目木 優基 | Graduated March 2019 | Elementary school, Hyogo Prefecture |
| 平出 亘 | Graduated March 2019 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 坂本 義明 | Graduated March 2018 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 京近 拓哉 | Graduated March 2018 | Junior high school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 森 祐輝 | Graduated March 2018 | Junior high school, Kyoto City |
| 加島 靖之 | Graduated March 2017 | Elementary school, Osaka Prefecture |
| 小西 綾乃 | Graduated March 2017 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 土井 祐磨 | Graduated March 2017 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 當眞 萌 | Graduated March 2016 | Junior high school, Okinawa Prefecture |
| 西田 賢仁 | Graduated March 2016 | Elementary school, Shiga Prefecture |
| 神田 賢人 | Graduated March 2015 | Notre Dame Gakuin Elementary School |
| 杉山 将崇 | Graduated March 2015 | High school, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| ヘイチク パベル | Sep 2012–Mar 2014 (specially appointed lecturer) | Moved to the Kyoto University Museum |
| 岡本 雅子 | Sep 2012–Mar 2014 (specially appointed lecturer) | Moved to the Center for the Promotion of Excellence in Higher Education, Kyoto University |
| 佐々木 孝暢 | Completed March 2014 | Returned to previous post (had been seconded) |
| 中西 一雄 | Completed March 2014 | Returned to previous post (had been seconded) |
| 北川 絵里加 | Graduated March 2014 | Like You Co., Ltd. |
| 高田 基正 | Graduated March 2014 | Hotoku Gakuen Junior and Senior High School |
| 西村 祐治 | Completed March 2013 | Elementary school, Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture |
| 上地 由紀子 | Graduated March 2013 | Elementary school, Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture |
| 河原 綾佑 | Graduated March 2013 | Elementary school, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture |
Join the lab
Prospective PhD students, JSPS candidates, visiting researchers and collaborators can find detailed information on the Join page.