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Friends of UTokyo, Inc.

Category: FUTI News

Category: FUTI News

The FUTI Board Appoints Dr. Norio Matsuki as a New Member

At the Board meeting held on April 23, 2017, the FUTI Board elected Dr. Norio Matsuki as a new Director. He succeeded Dr. Ken Furuya, former Executive Vice President of UTokyo, who had been a FUTI Director since March 2015. Norio Matsuki is an Executive Vice President at the University of Tokyo, as well as a project professor at the university’s Policy Alternatives Research Institute. Prior to his appointment as project professor, from 1997 to 2014 he was professor of chemical pharmacology at the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Science. Matsuki received his doctoral (1979), master’s (1976), and bachelor’s (1974) degrees in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Tokyo. After attaining his Ph.D., Matsuki joined the University of Tokyo’s faculty as a research associate at the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. That same year, he took a leave of absence and moved to Iowa City in Iowa, USA, to become a postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Pharmacology of the University of Iowa. In 1981 he then took up a research associate position at the Department of Pharmacology of Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Upon returning to Tokyo, Matsuki continued his research associateship at the University of Tokyo until 1989. He went on to teach as an associate professor at the Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences until 1997, during which time he was awarded the 1996 Outstanding Work Award for Young Researchers by the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. Matsuki is also a recipient of The Pharmaceutical Society Award 2015. He currently serves as the chair of program committee of World Congress of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and was previously president of the Japanese Pharmacological Society and the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. His research interests are pharmacology and neuroscience, especially macro- and microscopic analysis of brain function.

New York Lecture by Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi, Recipient of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine

On April 21, 2017, Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi, Professor Emeritus of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, gave a lecture in New York titled “Reflections Since Receiving the Noble Prize”. The event  was organized by Satsuki-kai America and supported by Friends of UTokyo, Inc. More than 50 participants, including alumni, high school students, researchers, and pharmaceutical professionals, attended the lecture held in the office of Paul Hastings, LLC in mid-Manhattan. Professor Ohsumi, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2016 for his work on “Elucidation of the Mechanisms of Autophagy,” received his B.A. from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo, before receiving his doctorate from its science division (Rigakukei Kenkyuka). He subsequently enrolled at Rockefeller University in New York as a post-doctoral fellow for three years after which he returned to his alma mater as first a research assistant and then lecturer in the science division (Rigakubu) where his area of focus was the  intracellular transport of vacuoles in yeast. In 1988, he was appointed associate professor at the UTokyo’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences where he started his research on autophagy (the mechanism by which cells break down and recycle cellular components) which ultimately led to his  receipt of the Nobel Prize. For a detailed account of Prof. Ohsumi’s accomplishments, please refer to the Nobel Assembly’s press release, https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2016/press.html Following opening greetings by Ms. Yuriko Suzuki, Vice President of Satsuki-kai America, Dr. Ohsumi discussed  his various thoughts after receiving  the Nobel Prize.  He began by stating his belief that “Science is the whole of knowledge accumulated by mankind. It cannot be separated from man’s desire for knowledge. Science is also a reflection of man’s role and moment in history.  He went on to use his experience researching autophagy over nearly 30 years as a case study of scientific exploration and  stressed the importance of basic research for science. During the Q & A session, the audience, especially young researchers, asked many questions, resulting in a lively exchange of viewpoints. Dr. Ohsumi commented, “It is important to create a society where young people challenge (existing knowledge and practices). It is society’s responsibility to create an environment which encourages and facilitates the efforts of graduate  students to thrive. “  A standing ovation followed after he concluded his talk by stressing “the pleasure and importance of pursuing what one truly believes in to the very end.”

FUTI Announces 2016-17 Fundraising Campaign

Let’s be a part of the FUTI 2016-17 campaign and keep our programs thriving! FUTI has grown steadily over the years and contributed to the globalization of UTokyo. Since its inception in 2007 FUTI has cumulatively supported 52 UTokyo students who studied in the US and 57 US students who undertook internships or studies at UTokyo, providing them with invaluable experiences. The programs were made possible solely because of the generosity of supporters like yourself.   Please see below the full texts of letters from Dr. Yamada, President  and Dr. Kuwama, Vice President. Dear Supporters of Friends of UTokyo, Inc. (FUTI): I hope you are all in good health and enjoying continued success in life as we experience a warmer than usual autumn. We are grateful for the generous support we receive every year to keep the FUTI scholarship programs thriving. FUTI is nearing ten years since its inception. Thanks to our supporters, there is steady growth, and as we reported in Newsletter No. 15, the 2016 FUTI Scholarship Program gave solid support to more than 20 outstanding students. In addition, this year marked the beginning of the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.-FUTI Scholarship, making it possible to support a total of 24 scholarship recipients. The Summer Program Scholarship was awarded to six UTokyo students and eight U.S. university students, the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.-FUTI Scholarship was awarded to nine UTokyo students, and the Program in English at Komaba (PEAK) Travel Grant was awarded to one U.S. high school graduate. This summer, I also participated in a one-week joint academic activity partnered between Princeton University and the University of Tokyo where intensive lectures were given by professors from both universities for a U.S.-Japan collaborative research workshop. I strongly felt that the most effective way for students to internationally grow is for them to interact with other students of their generation at their study abroad or exchange. It appears that the student dormitory or place of stay is a melting pot of students from all different countries and through their conversations and exchange of ideas, they naturally acquire a broader international point of view. This is apparent when reading the reports from the FUTI scholarship recipients as well. Research grants were provided again this year to the University of California, Berkeley; Columbia University; and Yale University to support academic research exchanges with the University of Tokyo. This also is made possible because of the contributions from our kind supporters, and I would once again like to express our gratitude for your generosity. UTokyo alumni groups such as the Akamonkai and Ichokai are established not only in New York but all over the world and offer exchange opportunities to UTokyo students. It is the objective of Friends of UTokyo, Inc. to cooperate with these organizations and work toward the aim of enabling as many of our young colleagues as possible to become future global leaders in Japan and the world. It is our hope that you will join us in our purpose and continue to support FUTI in 2017 to keep our programs growing. Masaaki Yamada President, Friends of UTokyo, Inc. ========== A Message from the Treasurer: The rapid growth of activities at Friends of UTokyo, Inc. was largely supported by two sizable donations, but to accept these gifts we must stay qualified as a public charity. Maintaining this status requires that the total amount of individual donations be at least a third of all donations. Donations from our individual supporters have become even more essential. In a sense, individual donations are the foundation for the large donations, making every individual donation worth three times more. I urge as many of our supporters as possible to contribute. I believe the easiest methods of donating are either online by making a secure credit card payment or sending a check by mail. For those who prefer sending a wire transfer to FUTI, please email donationfriendsofutokyo.org. We will send you the necessary FUTI account information to complete the transfer. Yuichiro Kuwama Vice-President and Treasurer, Friends of UTokyo, Inc.

Lecture gathering by Prof. Ken Furuya: "The Expanding Ocean Desert"

6:00pm to 8:00pm at Morrison & Foerster LLP 250 West 55th Street, New York, NY 10019-9601 *Please note this lecture will be in Japanese Lecture: “The Expanding Ocean Desert” Lecturer: Ken Furuya, Professor in the Department of Aquatic Bioscience and Executive Vice President of The University of Tokyo See Prof. Furuya’s biography here. This lecture gathering was planned around Prof. Ken Furuya’s visit to New York at the end of September. We encourage UTokyo alumni to attend, and welcome friends and family as well. Prof. Furuya is a Director and Executive Vice President of UTokyo, and also serves as a Director of Friends of UTokyo, Inc. Prof. Furuya, a renowned marine biologist, will give a lecture on “The Expanding Ocean Desert.” He will discuss how the ecosystem reacts to global climatic changes and plans to end the lecture with a message to the younger generation. Since it is a timely topic with anticipation of many questions from participants, ample time is factored in for a Q&A session. Fee: $30 General; $20 Students (includes refreshments) Registration: Please register at this page by September 26. Seating is limited so please register early.

Six UTokyo Students and Nine U.S. Students Receive FUTI’s 2016 Summer Scholarships

The FUTI Award Selection Committee has selected six UTokyo students and nine U.S. students for this summer’s scholarship program. A list of these students is shown at the end of this article. The number of UTokyo award recipients declined significantly from nine in 2015 to four this year. This may be attributed primarily to the newly implemented semester system at UTokyo. To the award committee’s disappointment, while last year three attended English language programs and two attended Global Summer Programs (GSP) in the US, no UTokyo students have been selected for these programs this year. FUTI hopes award recipients in these categories will increase in coming years. Six UTokyo students will participate in regular summer courses at U.S. universities, such as Yale University, MIT, University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), Stanford University and University of Michigan. Of the six award recipients, two are science or engineering majors, three are social science majors, and one is a PEAK (Program in English at Komaba) student. Four are undergraduates and two are graduate students at the time of FUTI application submission. The award committee has selected six U.S. awardees to support their summer internship at UTokyo’s laboratories. Three of these recipients will participate in the University of Tokyo Research Internship Program (UTRIP), which is hosted by professors in the School of Sciences at UTokyo. One is going to participate in the University of Tokyo Internship Program in Kashiwa (UTSIP-Kashiwa) hosted by the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences and two in other internship programs. They are all juniors or seniors majoring in science or engineering and come from Indiana University, Pennsylvania State University, Bates College, University of Southern California, UC Berkeley, or University of Florida. The selection process for FUTI awards was highly competitive. For instance, the four UTRIP participants have been selected from over 40 U.S. undergraduates, many of whom were top students from leading universities in the U.S. In addition to these internship students, two Yale students (both juniors) and one UC Berkeley student (sophomore) have been selected to participate in the Global Summer Program (GSP) courses offered by UTokyo. The FUTI summer scholarship award, a.k.a. the “FUTI Global Leadership Award (FUTI-GLA),” is designed to nurture future global leaders of Japan and the U.S. One of the selection criteria is a demonstration of leadership quality. List of Scholarship Recipients Summer Courses at U.S. Universities (6 UTokyo Students) Ayaka Seki (Science III, Freshman): Yale University Regular Summer Session Nonoko Kawabata (Clinical Psychology, Senior): UC Berkeley Regular Summer Session Yuchen Yan (PEAK, Sophomore): Stanford Summer International Honors Program, Stanford University Yurika Doi (Engineering, Senior): Graybiel’s Lab, McGovern Institute of Brain Research, MIT UTRIP at UTokyo (3 U.S. students) David Burke (Indiana University, Chemistry, Junior): Professor Mitsuhiko Shionoya Rocco Vitalone (Pennsylvania State University, Physics and Mathematics, Junior): Professor Ryo Shimano Niccolo Bigagli (Bates College, Physics and Mathematics, Junior): Professor Hirofumi Sakai UTSIP Kashiwa Program at UTokyo (1 U.S. student) Roxanne Lai (University of Southern California, Geological Sciences/Environmental Studies, Junior) GSP Program at UTokyo (3 students) Grace Pan (Yale University, Physics, Senior): Nanoscience Jeffrey Gau (Yale University: Mechanical Engineering, Senior): Nanoscience/Japanese Language Tianyi Dong (UC Berkeley, History, Sophomore): Japan in Today’s World Other Internship Programs at UTokyo (2 students) Meng Luo (UC Berkeley, Physics, Senior): Prof. Masaki Ando Nicholas Pasternack (Univ of Florida, Neuroscience, Senior): Prof. Haruhiko Bito

Ten Recipients Selected for the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.-FUTI Scholarship

With the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. as the financial sponsor, this year marked the first year of the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.-FUTI Scholarship program. Because this is a new program for FUTI which supports University of Tokyo students/alumni to study in a U.S. university for one semester or more, we were initially not certain as to whether an adequate number of applications would be submitted, but in the end we received many applications from highly capable students. This was surely made possible by the efforts of staff at the University of Tokyo administration, departments, and graduate schools, and to them we are very grateful. Although the scholarship is also open to U.S. university students wishing to study mid- to long-term at  University of Tokyo, there were no applications from U.S. students this year. In reviewing the application submissions received in this first year, it became clear that there were three main targets. First, UTokyo students who, after graduation, wish to study at a U.S. university in a specific field such as architecture or design; second, those who have already graduated UTokyo and are currently studying at a U.S. university and in need of financial assistance; and third, UTokyo undergraduate students who for various reasons were not eligible in the UTokyo undergraduate study abroad system. All three categories reflect those who did not fit in the current UTokyo study abroad support system. The Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship, which has a relatively early application deadline, is a popular scholarship that UTokyo undergraduate students apply to, but the scholarship has a restriction where recipients may not accept other scholarships exceeding the amount given by JASSO. This stipulation limits how much FUTI can award. Due to the large number of applications from highly qualified students, there was a reluctance among Scholarship Committee members  for selecting only a very small number of award winners. Therefore, members of the Committee carefully considered all of the applicants, and as a result decided upon giving nearly full support to two students and partial support to eight, totaling in ten recipients. It was decided that the scholarship will only be for this academic year, even though there are students likely to continue their study next year. Those still requiring assistance for the following year were asked to reapply next year. Support for most of the recipients start in this fall semester, but some start in the summer semester and have already received their first payment. As we were able to select outstanding students, the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. and FUTI both share a sense of fulfillment. It is our hope that each of these highly qualified students will meet or even exceed our expectations. List of Scholarship Recipients The following list includes the student’s major, year (at the time of application) or year of graduation at/from UTokyo followed by the program at the US university where he or she plans to study under the support of the Ito U.S.A.-FUTI scholarship. UTokyo Doctoral Candidates: 2 students Xu, Bochen (Advanced Social and International Studies, Doctoral program, 2nd  year): To be determined. Schumacher, Kim (Environmental Science, Doctoral program 3rd year): Government/ Comparative Policy, Harvard University UTokyo Past Graduates: 3 students Asai, Junpei (Master of Civil Engineering, 2015 ): Landscape Architecture, Master program, University of California Goto, Minami (Bachelor of Art History, 2015): Film /Creative Producing, Master program, Columbia University Yamashita, Ayako ( Bachelor of Education, 2009): Social-Organizational Psychology, Master Program, Columbia University UTokyo Graduating Seniors: 2 students Nishikawa, Hiroya (Physics, Senior): Physics and Astronomy, Doctoral Program, Johns Hopkins University Furusawa, Eri (Architecture, Senior): Architecture and Urban Planning, Masters Program, Columbia University UTokyo Undergraduates: 3 students Kusakabe, Natsuki (International Relations, Sophomore): Undergraduate Exchange Program, University of Illinois Nishiyama, Nozomi (Mechanical Engineering, Sophomore): Undergraduate Exchange program, MIT Kim, Myeongok (PEAK /Natural Sciences II, Sophomore): Undergraduate Exchange Program, Swarthmore College