Profiles of FUTI VOLUNTEERS
FUTI has greatly benefitted from the four volunteers described below. The four volunteers introduced below are among the many who have helped FUTI accomplish so much during the past year. Ms. Akiko Uetake (Economics, MA, 2007) has assisted FUTI in the editing and translation of documents, capitalizing on her finance and accounting background. Ms. Uetake, a Chicago resident, worked for Daiwa Securities in Japan. Currently she is employed by the Tax Division of KPMG –Chicago. As an undergraduate she represented her alma mater in the national beach Frisbee competition. Ms. Nahoko Sato (Law, MA , 2001) has helped FUTI as a co-administrator of its Facebook page and provided editorial assistance for newsletters. Ms. Sato, a banker with Norinchukin Bank, received her MBA from Olin Business School, Washington University in St Louis in mid-May, 2012. At the bank her areas of expertise include Basel III, risk management, and investment portfolio analysis. When not working, she enjoys travelling, listening to music, socializing, and reading books. Ms. Kaeko Suzuki Liff (Education, BA, 2007) and Dr. Fumiko Tamura (Economics, BA, 1999 ) not only provided their services at FUTI receptions and other events, but also provided/introduced/suggested ideas for programs that reflect a younger generation’s perspective. Ms. Liff is President of SUI Associates Co, Ltd., a consulting company, and a freelance journalist. She has organized “sustainable food” events in Princeton, NJ and just launched a “sustainable seafood” manufacturing project in the Philippines. Dr. Tamura is a Senior Manager and Economist in the Global Transfer Pricing Group at Deloitte in New York. In her free time, she enjoys playing the piano and trying new recipes she has found online. She is also an avid skier. When asked about the merit of volunteering for FUTI, Ms Sato noted: “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with fellow alumni and alumnae who share a belief in the importance of supporting UTokyo’s internationalization effort. I find my interactions with them intellectually stimulating. Each time I talk with them, I have something to learn.” Dr. Hisashi Kobayashi, President of FUTI, commented “The volunteers’ support has made a significant difference to the quality of FUTI’s Facebook page and other programs. FUTI is grateful that despite their busy schedules these volunteers generously contributed their time to support FUTI’s activities.” Dr. Masako Osako, FUTI staff similarly observed, “Volunteers are undeniably important movers of society, as we have seen in the relief effort to aid Higashi Nihon Disaster victims. I am pleased and encouraged that young alumnae such as those introduced in this article took an interest in FUTI and applied their professional talents as volunteers.” Articles in this newsletter:
NY Icho-kai’s 11th Annual Reception held
On February 28, 2012, the New York Icho-kai, an association of UTokyo alumni in the New York region, held its annual reception attended by 197 persons (including some spouses). Ambassador Tsuneo Nishida gave a speech and talked about current developments at the United Nations. Ms. Yuriko Shimazu, an NHK announcer stationed in New York, served as an MC (master of ceremony). President of the NY Icho-kai, Mr. Yasuo Okamoto, who is a member of FUTI ‘s Advisory Committee, reported on UTokyo’s various initiatives in its internationalization and FUTI’s support for the University, by referring to FUTI’ss summer scholarship program for U.S. and UTokyo students. Mr. Okamoto urged the alumni at the meeting to respond generously to FUTI’s fund raising campaign. For details, please visit http://www.ny-ichokai.org Articles in this newsletter:
The UTokyo-Yale Initiative Hosted Junior Scholar Conference
On March 29, 2012, the UTokyo-Yale Initiative (TYI) Junior Scholar conference “Discovering Japan in the United States: The fruits and the future of academic exchange at Yale and UTokyo” was held at Yale University under the joint sponsorship of JSPS (The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science)’s International Training Program (ITP) and Friends of UTokyo, Inc. (FUTI), Twelve young scholars (six from Yale, two current and four former TYI scholars from UTokyo) were divided into three panels and each of them made a presentation relating their current research to their experiences in international exchange. The three panels were titled “Politics and Society,” “History,” and “Culture,” and were chaired by Yale professors. After the panel presentation, the participants exchanged their views in a round-table format regarding desirable directions of the Japan studies program at Yale as well as the junior scholar exchange program. Prof. Hiwatari commented on the value of the present workshop: “At this meeting I received valuable suggestions concerning how to develop and structure research collaboration and exchange programs between Yale and UTokyo. I reaffirmed my belief that it is important for the two universities to support graduate students in the exchange program with keen awareness that their participation in the program is critical to their professional growth as scholars. I was pleased to recognize a fresh and futuristic possibility for an inter-university collaboration to the extent that both universities will integrate the junior scholar exchange program as a significant part of our general scholar collaboration and exchange and will ‘organically’ strengthen it. “ For further details, please visit http://todai-yale.jp/activities/news-events/post_18_jp.html. Articles in this newsletter:
UTokyo-Yale Initiative (TYI) Discusses “Japan and China for Four Decades: Cooperation and Competition since 1972”
On March 30, 2012, TYI hosted a symposium entitled “Japan and China for Four Decades: Cooperation and Competition since 1972.” This event, planned by Professor Yasuhiro Matsuda as the lead organizer, marked the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. Prof. Matsuda was a former chair of the TYI program. FUTI supported the meeting through its research grant program. The presenters, in the order of their appearances, were Associate Prof. Shin Kawashima (Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ), Prof. Yasuhiro Matsuda (Institute of Advanced Studies in Asia ) and Prof. Akio Takahara (Graduate Schools for Law and Politics), were all from UTokyo. Prof. Peter Perdue (History Department), Prof. Frances Rosenbluth (Political Science Department), and Associate Prof. Patrick Cohrs (History Department), all of Yale University, served as commentators. Daniel Botsman (History Department, Yale University) was the chair of the symposium. Other Yale professors and students attended it. The lectures were divided into three sessions. In the first session, Prof. Kawashima gave a presentation entitled, “Historical Dialogue and Dispute in Japan-China Relations.” He focused on various political disputes that arose from the two countries’ differing historical recognitions, and solutions to the disputes, especially history textbook issues and the “Japan-China Joint History Research,” in which he himself partook. Prof. Matsuda’s presentation in the second session was titled, “Sino-Japan Security Relations: Concerns, Competition, and Communication.” He analyzed China-Japan security issues in the context of the security situation in East Asia. He also traced back the historical development since the 1970s until today on how the two countries have interacted with each other and with what intentions. Prof. Takahara, a presenter in the third session, discussed “Reflecting on the Past Forty Years of Japan-China Relations: What does it tell us about the future?” He divided the period since 1972, when the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries took place, into four ten-year periods, and analyzed for each period such factors as their mutual understanding, national sentiments, economic conditions, domestic politics and international environments that surround the two countries, and traced how these factors have changed during the four decades. In each session there was an active discussion among the group of participants, which included Chinese students studying at Yale. Prof. Matsuda discusses the significance of this session as follows: “The meeting provided us with a forum of intellectual exchange at a high level with China watchers and specialists of international politics at Yale University. Although there is an interest in China and Japan relations in the international community, the present situation is that the discussion is not necessarily based on accurate knowledge. I hope that this lecture created a stir and gave an opportunity to make U.S. researchers aware of the views and opinions of Japanese researchers.” For further information, please visit: http://todai-yale.jp/activities/news-events/2012japan_and_china_for_four_decades_cooperation_and_competition_since_1972_1_jp.html Articles in this newsletter:
IPMU Becomes a Kavli Institute
The Kavli Foundation and the University of Tokyo recently came to an agreement that the Foundation will establish an endowment fund of 7.5 million dollars for the Institute for Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU) to perpetually support its research using dividends of the fund and that the IPMU would be renamed as Kavli IPMU effective April 1, 2012. The IPMU was established in October 2007 as part of the “World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)” of the Japanese government. By collaborating with the world’s leading scholars in the fields of mathematics, physics, and astronomy, the Institute pursues the most important issues of modern basic science such as dark energy, dark matters and a unified theory (superstring theory and quantum gravity). The Kavli Foundation based in the United States, sponsors research programs in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience and theoretical physics at top-level institutes, including Harvard, MIT and Cambridge. “It is a great honor for the University of Tokyo that the world-renowned Kavli Foundation has chosen IPMU as the recipient of a major donation, and that IPMU will join the Kavli group of research institutes as its newest member. This generous and transboundary donation from Mr. Kavli ensures a stable research fund for IPMU and its benefit will provide a great support of research achievements in the future. In addition, this donation has significantly impacted the way the University of Tokyo should strive in reforming our systems. Capitalizing on this opportunity, we hope to make a giant leap forwards to further growth and progress” said the University of Tokyo President Junichi Hamada. In 2010, 2011 and 2012, FUTI awarded research grants to the University of California Berkeley Satellite of IPMU. The UTokyo group and the Berkeley group have been pursuing joint research by letting their graduate students and postdoctoral fellows make short-term visits to the other group, and the grants from FUTI are used to support their travel and lodging expenses. Articles in this newsletter:
Kagakusha Network Hosts a Seminar on "A Guidepost for Aspiring Global Leaders in Science" on July 22 in Tokyo
Kagakusha Network (or “Scientist Network”), a group of young scientists and students who have studied or aspire to study abroad, will organize a symposium entitled “A Guidepost for Aspiring Global Leaders in Science” on July 22, 2012 (Sun), 1:30 pm-5 pm at the Tokyo Kokusai Forum, as a major public event combined with their First Annual Meeting. Dr. Keiko Sugimoto (Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, Japan) and Prof. Yuichiro Anzai (President of JSPS, the past President of Keio University) will be keynote speakers, and researchers who have earned their Ph.D. degrees will provide valuable information based on their experiences to those who wish to study abroad. Admission is free. Advance reservations are required. For details, see http://www.kagakusha.net/conference Articles in this newsletter:
FUTI participates in the “Go Global 2012” Fair at the Komaba Campus
The “Go Global 2012” Fair, which was designed to encourage UTokyo students to study abroad, was held at the Komaba Campus on May 26th (Thu) and 27th (Fri) . The plenary session on general information of May 26th was attended by about 500 participants, nearly filling the meeting room –Lecture Theater 900– to its capacity. The meeting started with a welcome speech by Dr. Masako Egawa, Executive Vice President, followed by a session in which the International Affairs Division’s staff provided general information regarding the oversea study programs. Then five students who had studied abroad reported on their experiences, and a panel discussion by them concluded the meeting. In the general information session, such topics as UTokyo’s exchange programs, short-term study abroad programs, scholarships, etc. were presented. In the session where the five students spoke, various types of oversea experiences were reported, including individually arranged oversea studies, ones arranged by some exchange programs, short-term studies, volunteer work, and internships abroad. In the panel discussion, which lasted for about an hour, the five panelists exchanged their opinions on happenings or opportunities that triggered their decisions to study abroad. Individual counseling sessions were held in a newly built “21KOMCEE (Komaba Center for Educational Excellence).” Twenty-four groups (see the list below), including Friends of UTokyo, ran information booths. Despite the rainy weather, as many as 1200 students in total visited these booths to gather information concerning the international exchange programs, language requirements, etc. Mr. Yoichi Yoshida and Mr. Junpei Noda of the Development Division of UTokyo kindly represented Friends of UTokyo, Inc. and met individually 49 students who visited the FUTI booth. Many of them showed serious interest in FUTI’s programs, and asked such questions as the length and timing of overseas study and the institutions they could attend. Messrs. Yoshida and Noda found that the students were looking for scholarships such as FUTI’s International Leadership Awards that are flexible, not necessarily linked to specific institutions or summer programs. The following is a list of the twenty four organizations that participated in the event: The International Affairs Division of UTokyo The School of Liberal Arts AIKOM (Abroad in Komaba) Committee of UTokyo National Taiwan University Friends of UTokyo, Inc. (FUTI) Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) UCSD FGL (University of California at San Diego’s Future Global Leader) Program VIA (Volunteer in Asia) Stanford Program Never-ending International work Campus Exchange (NICE) Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank Tokyo Office The International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) Japan AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales)’s University of Tokyo Local Committee Infosys Ltd French Government Study Abroad Office Campus France British Council DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst; German Academic Exchange Service) The Embassy of Switzerland in Japan Fulbright Japan The Finnish Institute in Japan Embassy of Canada to Japan Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Japan Austrian Embassy Tokio Articles in this newsletter:
Reminder: Annual Fundraising Campaign Will End Soon
The third fundraising campaign launched in November 2011 will soon come to an end. The fiscal year of FUTI runs from July 1st through June 30th. Thanks to the continued and generous support of Shintech Inc. in the U.S. and many new donors in Japan and America, as well as our repeating supporters since the 2009-2010 campaign, we are doing better in the current fiscal year than in the previous one. As you will find in an article in this issue, we are awarding more summer scholarships (18 awards for this summer as compared with 13 last summer) because we have received so many applications from worthy candidates, and because we hope that an anticipated increase in revenue will allow us to do so. We are also receiving more applications for research grants. So please be generous and send your gifts by the end of June so that FUTI can continue our worthy programs in the remainder of this year. Please fill out a donation form and mail it with a check to Friends of UTokyo, Inc. 331 West 57th Street, #164, New York, NY 10019-3101 or donate online by clicking here. More than one third of the donations from individuals has been received online using our web-based PayPal system, which is a fast, simple and safe way to send your gifts to FUTI by charging it to your credit card. We ask you once again for your continued support of FUTI, which is committed to nurture future leaders of Japan and the U.S. Articles in this newsletter:
Reception in Honor of Prof. Akihiko Tanaka Held
On March 8, 2012, following the Board and Advisory Board meeting, FUTI hosted a reception in honor of Prof. Akihiko Tanaka, Vice President of International Affairs at UTokyo and Director of FUTI, who would become the President of Japan International Cooperation Association (JICA) on April 1, 2012. To celebrate the occasion and to thank Prof. Tanaka for his contribution to FUTI, 25 people were invited, including the Board members, Advisory Committee members, Directors of New York-area UTokyo alumni associations and several individuals who have generously supported Friends of UTokyo, Inc. The reception began with beautiful music “Three madrigals for violin and viola, H. 313 composed by Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959),” performed by Violinist Amy Iwazumi and Violist John Vaida. The party started with a toast proposed by Mr. Motoatsu Sakurai,Chair of FUTI ‘s Advisory Committee, for Prof. Tanaka’s health and success in his new job. After a brief remark by Prof. Tanaka regarding challenges of his new job at JICA, all the participants enjoyed a delightful evening with congenial conversations, delicious food and good wine (Note: Each participant, except for the honored guest and musicians, paid a fee of $70, since FUTI has a strict policy not to spend its money on meals and drinks). Articles in this newsletter:
Eight U.S. Students and Nine UTokyo Students Receive FUTI Leadership Awards
The scholarship selection committee chaired by D. Masaaki Yamada, a Director of FUTI, has selected 9 UTokyo students and 8 students of U.S. universities as recipients of the 2012 FUTI International Leadership Award (FUTI-ILA). This award, introduced in 2010, is designed to nurture future global leaders of the U.S. and Japan, and one of the criteria for the award is a demonstration of leadership qualities. We hope that these outstanding students will acquire an international sense of thinking and strive for mutual understanding by attending summer schools or by conducting research as summer interns in the US or at UTokyo. Last year, FUTI’s awards were given to six UTokyo students: four students who attended the Global Summer Program (GSP) at University of California Berkeley (UCB), and two students who attended Yale’s English Language Institute (ELI) . For the summer of 2012, the total number of UTokyo students awarded summer scholarships jumped to nine. This includes three students who have found summer schools by themselves, instead of GSP or ELI/YSS, which are coordinated by the oversea study program office of UTokyo. Six out of the nine awardees are female students, including one student from China. The number of U.S. university students who will attend the GSP or conduct research as summer interns at laboratories in UTokyo will be eight. This includes three outstanding students selected from 37 candidates who applied to the University of Tokyo Research Internship Program (UTRIP) organized by the School of Sciences of UTokyo. Five out of the eight U.S. awardees are female students. U.S. Students who received FUTI-ILA (8 students) are shown below with their institutions, major, year, the hosts at UTokyo or GSP courses to be taken. UTRIP (University of Tokyo Research Internship Program) Awardees and their host labs Mr. Emre Discekici (University of Illinois, Chemistry and East Asian Languages & Cultures, senior): Prof. Kazuo Tachibana, Department of Chemistry, UTokyo. Ms. Gulnara Fayzulina (University of South Alabama, Physics and Mathematics, junior): Prof. Shinya Kuroda, Department of Biophysics & Biochemistry, UTokyo Ms. Olivia Waring (Princeton University, Chemistry, senior): Prof. Takeaki Ozawa, Department of Chemistry, UTokyo. MISTI (MIT International Science & Technology Initiatives) Awardees and their host labs Ms. Jocelyn Fuentes (MIT, Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Science, junior): Prof. Hiroyuki Kagi, Geochemical Research Center, UTokyo Mr. Jacob Albritton (MIT, Biology, senior): Prof. Ichizo Kobayashi, Medical Genome Sciences Lab, UTokyo Mr. Justin Holmgren (MIT, Computer Science & Math, junior) Prof. Ichiro Hasuo, Computer Science Department, UTokyo Participants in GSP at UTokyo Ms. Wenyu Zhang (UCB, Applied Math & Statistics, sophomore): “Nano Science” Ms. Tiffany Lee (UCB, Law School, Master 2nd year): “Japan in Today’s World” UTokyo Students who receive FUTI-ILA (9 students) are listed below with their department, year, the US institutions where they study in the summer, and the courses. Participants in GSP at UCB or Yale Ms. Motoka Fukui (Engineering School, System Innovation Department, senior): GSP at UCB: “Islam 2.0: Medium & Re-shaping of Muslim Identity in the 21st Century” Ms. Rin Ichino (Law School, Category 3: Politics, junior): GSP at UCB: “Summer Peace Institute” Ms. Sari Yamashita (Agriculture Department, Agriculture and Resources Economics, senior): GSP at Yale: “Topics in International Economics” Ms. Ayako Sakamoto (Agriculture Department, Environmental Biology, senior): GSP at Yale: “Sustainability and Institutions” Participants in ELI or YSS at Yale Mr. Masato Tsuji (Biology, junior): YSS “How the Brain Works,” and “Comprehensive General Chemistry” Ms. Yuri Asanuma (Law Department, Category 3: politics, junior): ELI “6-Week Intensive Language Course” Mr. Akitaka Yamada (Language and Information Sciences, senior): ELI “English for Postgraduate Study” Participants in Other Summer Schools Ms. Beibei Zhang (Graduate School of Frontier Science, Sustainability Science, Master 1st year): Summer Institute at UCB “Environmental Design” Mr. Kento Kikuchi (Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering, senior): Summer session at UCB “3-week English Language Studies” Articles in this newsletter: