It’s not just the outside world that’s on my mind.

When we think of research topics, we might imagine investigating things outside ourselves, such as natural phenomena or social issues. However, what troubles you personally, or things you feel are a little different from those around you, can also be the starting point for research. The Science Castle Research Grant DE&I Award was established in 2023 with the desire to support individuals in transforming such personal, urgent feelings of unease into research or development.

The discomfort I felt can become the starting point of research.

What might seem like a small discomfort to others can be a deeply felt, serious discrepancy for the individual. Observing these personal significant issues, articulating them, and turning them into questions that can be shared with others – that is the "self-research" that this program values. Even something you thought was a personal issue can, through research and sharing, lead to increased understanding from those around you, or become a help to someone else experiencing similar discomforts. In previous DE&I awards, themes born from students' own experiences and feelings have been researched, such as the reasons why they find it difficult to initiate conversations, the conditions under which they feel safe in classrooms or infirmaries, and their patterns of procrastination.

By trying small things, questions grow.

The starting point for self-research lies within oneself, not in those around you. It's okay if, at first, you can't quite put your feelings into words. Observe and record when and where that sense of discomfort arises and with whom. Listen to others, try out tools, and make small changes in your behavior. From these small steps, research and development themes will grow. After acceptance into the program, experts and LiveNess staff will act as research coaches, accompanying participants and helping them organize their questions and think about how to proceed. For example, a student who wanted to create a device to help a loved one with hearing difficulties initially struggled with the thought, "If similar products already exist, is there any point in me working on this?" Through mentoring, they began to focus on everyday inconveniences that existing devices couldn't fully address. They also realized they could start with small prototypes rather than aiming for a finished product, leading them to develop glasses that transmit information through vibrations. The program's great appeal lies in the opportunity to re-engage with issues you thought were beyond your control through research. In this process, you may discover what you can do and find your approach to challenges changes.

Meet peers who are also focusing on self-research.

Facing one's own questions is also a challenge, sometimes proceeding with the doubt of "Is this okay?" That's exactly why this program values encounters with peers who have started their research based on similar feelings of unease, and with adults who listen attentively to those questions. We've received feedback from past participants such as, "Having people who listen to my research, and who listen with a warm attitude, truly became a source of strength for me." These encounters are not about dismissing someone else's discomfort as "no big deal" or immediately imposing an answer. Rather, such encounters become the strength to continue facing one's own questions.
Even a vague sense of unease that you can't yet put into words can be the start of research if it feels urgent to you. I want you to look at the thoughts and feelings of unease within yourself, and try to shape them into research and development. (Text by Yuki Oshima)