From June 22 to 27, 2025, we had the pleasure of welcoming our current Mercator Fellow, Sotaro Kita, for the first of two extended research and networking stays as part of his Mercator Fellowship.
Kita’s journey began in Cologne, where he gave an inspiring lecture that sparked much interest among gesture researchers at the University of Cologne. The following day offered a diverse and intensive program with engaging discussions and lively exchanges with various project teams working on gesture-related research. The program was further enriched by interesting project presentations, a joint lunch, and stimulating conversations over coffee and cake. His stay provided many valuable impulses and new ideas for everyone involved.
His second stop was Frankfurt, where the program combined academic and cultural highlights. Kita gave a well-received talk at the local Semantics Colloquium, and was available for numerous one-on-one meetings. Many researchers and students from the field of gesture studies and related disciplines took the opportunity for in-depth discussions with him.
We are already looking forward to Kita’s second stay in September 2025, during which he will visit further ViCom projects in Berlin, Leipzig, Frankfurt, and Barcelona. We anticipate another fruitful and inspiring exchange.