News
Osaka University Symposium -- Machikane Crocodylidae Summit
2014.11.21 Fri
  • ALL

Osaka University Symposium -- Machikane Crocodylidae Summit

On Sunday, November 16, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the Machikane crocodylidae fossil during the construction of the School of Science on the Toyonaka campus, the Machikane Crocodylidae Summit 2014 was held at Toyonaka City Aqua Bunka Hall. Machikane Crocodylidae (Toyotamaphimeia Machikanensis) fossils are currently housed and displayed at the Museum of Osaka University. In the summit, the current status of fossil research, especially research pertaining to the Machikane crocodylidae, was introduced along with discussion of unsolved mysteries surrounding it.

Part 1 of the summit began with a keynote speech by Christopher Brochu, Associate Professor, University of Iowa, USA.

In Part 2, lectures were delivered by TAKEKAWA Ai (Waseda University), KAWANO Shigenori (Researcher, Tochigi Prefectural Museum), KOBAYASHI Yoshitsugu (Associate Professor, Hokkaido University), IIJIMA Masaya (Hokkaido University), HAYASHI Shoji (Curator, Osaka Museum of Natural History), OHARA Masaaki (Chief Curator, Wakayama Prefectural Natural Museum).

In Part 3, a panel discussion was hosted by EGUCHI Taro, Visiting Professor, Osaka University.

Various related events were also held. These included: an panel exhibition, a photo session with the official mascot characters of OU (Dr. Wani) and Toyonaka city (Machikane-kun), an exhibition of recycled art by Sakurazuka Senior High School students, a performance of "Machikane Crocodylidae Boogie" (in which Teshima Kindergarten children, Toyonaka Community Hall Branch-related people, Machikane-kun and others sang and danced with piano accompaniment by MIYAMOTO Takana). Various other collaborative events with Toyonaka City were also held.

Prof. Christopher Brochu

Panel discussion

Photo session with Dr. Wani (on the left) and Machikane-kun

share !