Science is an intellectual pursuit devoted to elucidating the fundamental principles and universal laws that govern the natural world, thereby deepening our understanding of truth. Engineering, by contrast, seeks to translate such knowledge into technological innovation, addressing societal challenges and creating new forms of value. If science asks, “Why does this phenomenon occur?”, engineering asks, “How may it be realized and applied?” Though distinct in their roles, the two are intrinsically interdependent, forming an inseparable and mutually reinforcing continuum.

A particularly lucid example may be found in my own field of astronomical observation using artificial satellites. Observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation, which probe the earliest stages of the universe, represent a profoundly scientific endeavor aimed at approaching the very origins of the cosmos. Yet the realization of such inquiry depends critically upon engineering: cryogenic systems capable of sustaining ultra-low temperatures, millimeter-wave instrumentation sensitive enough to detect exceedingly faint signals, autonomous systems that can operate with stability over extended durations in the harsh environment of space, as well as rocket technology and orbital engineering to deliver these systems into their prescribed trajectories, supported by advanced communication technologies. Scientific inquiry advances toward answers—and gives rise to new questions—only through observation enabled by engineering, while engineering itself achieves further refinement and innovation in response to the exacting demands of science. This dynamic is by no means confined to space science; across numerous domains that underpin contemporary society—semiconductors, information and communication technologies, environmental systems, among others—the convergence of scientific insight and engineering realization continues to generate new knowledge, novel technologies, and enduring societal value.

To those who pursue their studies at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering at Saitama University, I urge not only the rigorous cultivation of expertise within your chosen discipline, but also an openness to the broader horizons that emerge through engagement with other fields of scholarship. Our graduate school is designed to foster precisely such an intellectual environment. In addition to its full-time faculty in the sciences and engineering, the School is enriched by affiliated faculty drawn from a distinguished array of partner institutions, including Institute of Physical and Chemical Research（RIKEN）, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), the National Institute for Environmental Studies, the National Institute for Materials Science, the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, the National Center for Child Health and Development, the Saitama Cancer Center, the Center for Environmental Science in Saitama, the Saitama Industrial Technology Center, the Graduate School of Medicine at Jichi Medical University, and the Graduate School of Science at Rikkyo University. Together, approximately 250 faculty members span a wide spectrum of academic inquiry, from foundational research to applied investigations aimed at addressing pressing societal challenges. Alongside discipline-specific education and research, the School offers a rich array of interdisciplinary programs, including the “ Interdisciplinary Education Program for Applied Science and Technology in Global Environment” and integrated six-year curricula spanning undergraduate and master’s studies. Several of these initiatives further benefit from the participation of experienced professionals from industry, providing perspectives firmly grounded in practice.

We aspire to be a graduate school that remains steadfast in its devotion to the pursuit of knowledge while remaining open to new and evolving possibilities. It is our sincere hope that those who are committed to shaping the future of science and technology will, through their studies and research here, cultivate the insight, creativity, and resolve necessary to lead that future forward.