About Mathilde
I’m a geochemist specializing in the recycling of concrete using mineral carbonation, a process that captures CO₂ by forming stable carbonate minerals. My PhD research focuses on understanding the nucleation and growth mechanisms of calcium carbonate crystals within recycled concrete materials, with the goal of optimizing CO₂ sequestration and improving the durability of the resulting products.
Context
The Science Game Jam is coordinated in France by Marc de Boissieu at the University Grenoble Alpes, and its Tokyo edition is co-organized with IPUT (Institute of Polytechnic and University of Tokyo) and the Science and Technology Office of the Embassy of France in Japan.
Designed to make science accessible to a wide audience, the event brings together teams of developer’s students and a researcher who, in less than two days, create a video game that illustrates the researcher’s scientific topic. The 2025 edition took place between November 14 to 16 at IPUT in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
More information can be found on the event website: https://jp-minerals.org/scientificgamejam/jp/
How was it possible?
My trip was partially funded by the French Embassy in Japan through the “Exploration Japon” program, which aims to strengthen scientific ties between France and Japan.
The jam
The team was made up entirely of Japanese students—three developers, two graphic designers, and one sound designer—basically a fully equipped game-making squad. Communication was an adventure in itself (turns out no one in the team spoke English!), but enthusiasm easily bridged the language gap. Everyone was incredibly motivated and excited to bring a scientific research topic to life in game form.
Dr. Nova’s Carbon Quest
The result of our whirlwind weekend is an action game called Dr. Nova’s Carbon Quest. In the story, Dr. Nova is struggling to analyze her samples by diffraction, so she shrinks down and dives directly into the concrete itself. Her mission: capture carbon and concrete fragments to grow the best possible crystals—before she’s completely overwhelmed by rising CO₂ inside the material.
Try it yourself! https://sgj-team6.itch.io/drnovas-carbonquest
Awards
The last day of the Jam was dedicated to presentations, where each team showcased their game to the public. Teams were then recognized with awards in various categories, such as Best Gameplay, Best Sound, Best Graphic Design, and Best Science Implementation.
Our team was honored with the award for Best Sound.
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