Message from Dr. Masako Egawa
At the advent of knowledge society, “knowledge” created by the university has enhanced its value, and the global competition among universities has become increasingly fierce. Internationalization is of utmost importance to UTokyo, which aspires to be among the top academic institutions in the world. We are executing various international projects, and making efforts to exchange and nurture researchers and students around the world. As we clearly state in our “action scenario,” we consider it our first priority task to nurture UTokyo students to be resilient, equipped with a vision of international scale and a sense of responsibility for the public. Friends of UTokyo, Inc. (FUTI) is helping the University of Tokyo accomplish this. FUTI is supporting UTokyo not only by providing grants to joint research and education programs between UTokyo and U.S. universities, but also by focusing its effort on fostering global leaders of the future by awarding “FUTI International Leadership Awards” to promising students. Those of you who work in the U.S. may often feel that UTokyo must become more globalized. I hope that you will endorse FUTI’s mission to support UTokyo’s determination to “nurture strong global leaders,” and I would like to ask for your continued support of FUTI. Finally, I would like to thank you for the generous support given to our rescue programs in the aftermath of the great East Japan earthquake. At the University of Tokyo, our staff and students continue these support activities under the motto “To live, together.” Executive Vice President, University of Tokyo Dr. Masako Egawa November 2011 Articles in this newsletter:
We need your support of FUTI: Message from the President
As stated in the above message of Dr. Masako Egawa, the arrival of the knowledge society era has brought fierce competition among major research universities on the globe because the quality of research at universities and quality of students that the universities send out will greatly determine the destiny of the nation. UTokyo is making great strides to become one of the world’s best universities. When we seriously think about Japan’s political influence and economic competitiveness in the world scene of tomorrow, it should be clear that as many students of UTokyo and other leading universities as we possibly can identify must be encouraged to aspire to become global leaders of the future. It is equally important for future leaders of America to get exposed to Japan and become interested in working with their Japanese peers. Given the grave fact that the Japanese Government’s budget for education will be on the steady decline in the years ahead, it will be increasingly our responsibility, as alumni or friends of UTokyo, to invest in the human capital of tomorrow. As discussed in Mr. Masahiro Ono’s article in the current issue, many students at UTokyo and other major universities in Japan seem eager to find opportunities to study overseas, apparently contrary to what some mass media mistakenly report simply because many youngsters, and possibly a majority of adults, are introverted. As reported in this and the September issues of the FUTI e-Newsletter (back issues are available in the News section on the front page of the website www.friendsofutokyo.org) and our newly established blog page, the 13 students (six UTokyo students and 7 U.S. students) who have received FUTI’s International Leadership Awards this past summer report on their exciting and eye-opening experiences that they had during the summer. Our future will depend on what these students can do for Japan, the U.S. and for the world. I truly believe that FUTI’s mission to nurture the younger generation, both in Japan and U.S.A., to “aspire to become global leaders” is a noble cause that deserves your financial support and encouragement. I believe that we owe to UTokyo much of what we are today and what we have accomplished in our life, more than we may be willing to admit. It is true that our own efforts and our parents’ support as well as our DNA may have contributed to what we have achieved, but we received a world-class education at UTokyo for a fraction of the cost of its value. Furthermore, we have benefited a great deal from the fact that UTokyo is our alma mater. It is time for us to pay back to our alma mater, or to be more accurate, to Japan’s tax payers who invested in us. Please click on the “Giving” page of the FUTI website and donate by mailing a check or donate online by clicking here and charging to your credit card. Thank you and best regards, Hisashi Kobayashi President of Friends of UTokyo, Inc. Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, Princeton University Articles in this newsletter:
Book Launch for “New Japan Architecture” held at the Japan Society
Frank Lloyd Wright once said that Japanese architecture met with Western architecture like a beautiful piece of art meets with a terrible accident. One hundred years later, Japanese architecture design is leading the cutting edge of architecture worldwide. The pure white cubes, daring forms, technological innovation and sustainable techniques drawn from traditional Japanese architecture are influencing a whole new generation of designers, and have been documented in the book “New Japan Architecture: Recent Works by the World’s Leading Architects” (Tuttle Publishing Co.) co-authored by Geeta Mehta and Deanna MacDonald. Through 48 important projects by 42 established and avant-garde architects, New Japan Architecture takes the reader through a journey of current trends in contemporary Japanese architecture and predicts future directions. While some buildings exhibit the striving for the ultimate Zen design, others exemplify the search for the ‘Wow’ factor in iconic buildings. Cutting edge modernity in some buildings is countered by a revival of Japanese values and concern for sustainability in others. The selection of buildings in the book includes projects that are big and small, private and public, residential and commercial. Informative analysis complements beautiful photographs highlighting the remarkable aspects of each building. The quest for finding the enduring trends in Japanese architecture by the authors was well summed up by Fumihiko Maki, one of the best known Japanese architects, in his Foreword of this book when he said that “Time alone is the final judge of the value of any work of architecture.” Dr. Geeta Mehta is an Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Columbia University in New York, and a member of the Advisory Committee of FUTI. She lived in Tokyo for 23 years and received her Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo. Her other books with Tuttle Publishers include Japan Style and Japan Houses (2005), Japan Living (2008), and Japan Gardens (2008). Deanna MacDonald is a resident of Tokyo. She received her MA from the Central European University in Prague and her Ph.D. from McGill University in Montreal. She has also written extensively about design in Europe, Asia and Madagascar. Geeta Mehta and Edward Suzuki, a well-known Japanese architect also featured in the book, held a dialogue session at the Japan Society New York at the event of the book launch held on November 10, 2011. Articles in this newsletter:
Ms. Sumiko Ito, an FUTI Advisory Member, Aids Tohoku Disaster Victims in Japan
Ms. Sumiko Ito, a NY resident with a house in the Town of Karuizawa, invited children and their parents–totaling 84 persons–living in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture to Karuizawa for a three-day visit. This is a joint effort she undertook with residents in Karuizawa. Their activity was reported in the Column Focus of the September 5th issue of a Japanese newspaper, Nihon Keizai Shimbun. On the first day of their visit to Karuizawa, the children took lessons in trumpet playing and enjoyed outdoor barbecue. On the second day, they were divided into groups, each enjoying hiking on the Asama foothills, walking in the Old Karuizawa district, swimming or tennis lessons. Ms. Ito commented, “Due to the nuclear plant accident, Fukushima children continue to suffer from a constrained life which is laden with anxiety. We wanted them to breathe deeply the delicious air of Karuizawa. By capitalizing on the wisdom and talent of concerned Karuizawa residents, we hope to continue this program in the future.” Articles in this newsletter:
Discussion Meeting with Dr. Masako Egawa on Internationalization of UTokyo
On September 20th 2011, UTokyo Ryuugakusei Alumni group in New York organized a presentation by Dr. Masako Egawa, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo (UTokyo). Dr. Egawa discussed UTokyo’s internationalization strategy in respect to its goals, current situation, and action plans for the audience consisting of friends and alumni of the university. Dr. Egawa explained in detail a number of recent developments at UTokyo, including: UTokyo targets to increase international students and faculty ratios from the current 10% to 20% and from 7% to 12%, respectively, by 2020; The University launched a university-wide exchange program with non-Japanese universities for the first time in 2010 beginning with two Canadian universities; an undergraduate program, “PEAK” which will be taught entirely in English will be launched in October 2012. An active Q&A session followed during which the audience explored the causes of UTokyo students’ lukewarm interest in studying abroad, measures the university may adopt to maintain its international competitiveness, and other salient matters. Questions attracted lively audience discussion included,” What are the reasons for Japanese youth’s lukewarm interest in studying abroad?” “If you take a year off studying abroad, it could handicap you by delaying your entrance to a company by year. Could major Japanese corporation make it an explicit policy to hire persons with an international education experience?” “If UTokyo wishes to remain internationally competitive, it must provide its faculty members with a competitive package. Is the university doing it?” “Would it be possible to expand opportunities to do an internship at international corporations?” The revenue raised by this event was donated to Friends of UTokyo’s scholarship fund. The UTokyo Ryuugakusei Alumni of New York plans to host several lecture/reception events for alumni and friends throughout the year. Presenter：Dr. Masako Egawa, Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo Moderator: Dr. Hoe I. Ling, Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Columbia University Topic: UTokyo’s Internationalization Strategy Date/Time： September 20, 2011, 6.00 pm- Location： Mid-Manhattan Dinner sponsors: Krishen and Geeta Mehta, Motoatsu and Nobuko Sakurai Administrative support provided by：Friends of UTokyo, Inc. Written by M. Osako Articles in this newsletter:
FUTI‘s Awards for MIT Students’ Internship at UTokyo Labs
FUTI granted “International Leadership Awards” to three MIT students who participated in science internship programs at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) under the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) program. The summer internship at UTokyo provides participating students with an exciting learning experience that connects them with its outstanding faculty members and research environment. The interns are exposed to cutting edge research at UTokyo laboratories, which broadens their technical knowledge as well as helps them appreciate the scientific programs in Japan. The FUTI Board believes that by providing this type of opportunity it can contribute to “cooperation on joint projects and exchange of ideas among the worldwide community of UTokyo.” The FUTI awards were granted to the following three MIT students. Mr. Jose M. Lobez, a Ph.D. candidate in chemistry, conducted research at Prof. Takuzo Aida’s laboratory, the School of Engineering, which explores all aspects of supramolecular chemistry and material sciences. Mr. Michael C. Kotson, a junior, worked as an intern under the guidance of Prof. Yasushi Suto of the Physics Department, the Graduate School of Sciences, whose research is focused on cosmology and astrophysics. Ms. Shion An, a junior, worked as a student researcher in Prof. Takuzo Ozawa’s laboratory, the Department of Chemistry, studying various biological processes using fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. The participating students praise the enormous value of their research experiences at UTokyo. For example, Michael C. Kotson comments: While my work this summer was entirely on cosmology and I plan to pursue a career in astronomy, the research experience and programming knowledge I gained will prove invaluable in my near future. The classes I have taken as an undergraduate have taught me the principles and facts I need for a life of science, but the skills required to deconstruct a complex physical situation and rebuild it into a simple, quick-running computer model are best gained through first hand research experience. I extend my greatest thanks to Friends of UTokyo, as your support has blessed me with one of the richest experiences in my life. The memories of Japan and all that I encountered will stay with me forever, and the research skills I have honed will surely benefit me as I begin my career in science. I hope, in some shape or form, that someday I can return the favor. Prof. Hisashi Kobayashi, President of FUTI, remarks, “We are pleased to report that promising American students, future leaders in their respective fields, have experienced valuable internships at UTokyo’s laboratories, reinforcing their appreciation of the quality of research and education at UTokyo.” Articles in this newsletter:
Scholarships to Two UTokyo students at Yale’s ELI
FUTI awarded scholarships to two University of Tokyo (UTokyo) students who participated in the English Language Institute (ELI), a summer program at Yale University. They are Ms. Azusa Aoki, a second year student in Social and International Relations and Mr. Yasuhiro Okazawa, a third year student in the doctoral program of the Graduate School of International Disciplinary Information Studies. The Yale’s summer program aims at not only teaching English to non-English speaking students but also “nurturing and inspiring intellectual growth in a community of summer scholars that promotes Yale’s tradition of academic excellence.” Reports by the UTokyo students reveal that they have found the six-week program highly enriching. ELI students who came all over the world share ideas, interests, and cultures, thereby learning from each other. Ms. Azusa Aoki comments on how the summer school experience helped her become an internationally better qualified professional: Both the morning and the afternoon classes enhanced my ability to communicate and express thoughts in a more effective way. In particular, the afternoon class focused on practical situations such as a job interview and negotiation, through which I could learn a lot of manners and customs that should be kept in mind in the U.S. Such cultural differences were what I wished to learn and I wouldn’t be able to achieve it without help of native speakers. Dr. Geeta Mehta, Adjunct Professor of Architecture at Columbia University and a member of FUTI’s Advisory Committee, commented, ”We are pleased to learn that FUTI’s International Leadership Awards have helped the awardees acquire language and culture skills that are prerequisites for successful global leadership.” Articles in this newsletter:
New initiatives to encourage Japanese students to study abroad
By Ono Masahiro, MIT This article introduces initiatives by the Japanese Graduate Student Association in the U.S. (JGSAU) to encourage domestic Japanese students to study abroad. Established in 2010 by Japanese graduate students and young researchers who were studying or had studied in the U.S., JGSAU has launched three initiatives in order to share information and passion about studying abroad. The first initiative is a series of info-sessions, which are held at Japanese universities and typically include three to four talks by students and researchers who are or were in U.S. graduate schools. In December 2010, six successful info-sessions were attended by an audience of approximately 1,000 in total. JGSAU also held five info-sessions in the summer of 2011, which attracted about 800 people. Six sessions are scheduled in December 2011 at Waseda University, Keio University, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Osaka University, and Osaka Prefecture University. JGSAU’s second initiative is a mentorship program, which finds mentors for students who will apply to U.S. graduate schools. This program provides opportunities for domestic Japanese students to obtain personal advice on the planning of their graduate study, as well as on their applications. Finally, the third initiative is a newsletter, which is published bi-monthly over the Internet. The newsletter’s articles include stories of students and researchers about their experiences in U.S. graduate schools, introductions of schools and programs, and reports of our activities. Articles in this newsletter:
FUTI Awards a Grant to the UTokyo-Yale Initiative
FUTI announced in July 2011 that a grant of $30,000 would be given to the UTokyo-Yale Initiative (TYI) at Yale University to support, among other projects, an international conference titled, “International Development Cooperation among Asian Donors,” to be held in New Haven, CT on March 29-30, 2012. The conference will bring together experts on the subject from the U.S., Japan and elsewhere. The lecturers from the University of Tokyo include Prof. Akio Takahara, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, Associate Prof. Yasuhiro Matsuda, the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, and Associate Prof. Shin Kawashima, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Advanced Social and International Studies (History of International Relations). Dr. Takahara is an expert on politics and diplomacy of contemporary China and Dr. Matsuda specializes in politics and foreign relations in China and Taiwan, while Prof. Kawashima has conducted extensive research on the diplomatic history of Asia. In addition to the above UTokyo professors, scholars from Yale University and Seoul National University will join the conference. However, details of the conference are yet to be announced. In addition to FUTI, the Council for East Asian Studies at Yale University and the Japan Foundation will co-sponsor this conference. The grant from FUTI will be used primarily to cover the expenses of the UTokyo professors. “We are grateful to FUTI for its generous support for the conference that will bring together international experts in a face-to-face scientific exchange, contributing to the advancement of the field of Japanese and Asian Studies,” said Prof. Masashi Haneda, Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo, who is in charge of the TYI program. The TYI was founded in October 2007 at the initiation of President Richard C. Levin of Yale University and the then UTokyo President, Dr. Hiroshi Komiyama, to strengthen the international promotion of Japanese Studies and Japan-related research in the humanities and social sciences. Articles in this newsletter: