FUTI Travel Award Applications Ongoing
After establishing in December 2023 the FUTI Travel Award for Early-stage Scholars holding positions at the University of Tokyo, FUTI has already received six applications. We have selected three and are eagerly waiting for the reports on their travels and experience at the conferences which will take place this summer. Several applications were declined not for insufficient quality of content, but mainly because they did not fit within the eligibility criteria. The FUTI Travel Award is open to non-tenured, early-stage scholars at the University of Tokyo. Undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible. Eligible fields in the current program year (2023-24) include Natural Science: e.g., Medical, Biology, Public Health, Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Data Science, Information and technology; STEM-eligible Social Science (broadly defined): e.g., Quantitative Political Science, Economics, and Quantitative Approach to Public Policy. This Award provides support for a short-term stay in the United States of less than 30 days for attending an international conference of small size (no more than about 300 participants) and a “side trip” to visit colleagues at academic institutions. The award budget is $8,000 each and will be awarded in the form of reimbursements after travel upon submission of an expense report including receipts. Applications are being accepted throughout the year! Non-tenured, early-stage scholars at the University of Tokyo are encouraged to apply and to spread the word of this award. For more information, please visit friendsofutokyo.org/futitravelaward
Online Mentoring Program Launched Connecting UTokyo Alumni in the US with Women Students of UTokyo
The Mentor Program aims to help women students at UTokyo connect with UTokyo alumni living abroad to gain a good understanding of studying, working, and living abroad. Through one-on-one communication and Slack group interaction, alumni advise women students on academic and career issues. On May 10 (Eastern Time) a kick-off meeting was held over Zoom. While the decrease in the number of “internationally-minded” students is becoming a matter of concern in Japan, this program aims to encourage and promote overseas activities for women students at UTokyo. In the future, organizers are considering opening the program to male students as well. This program was initiated by former representative of “Polaris,” a UTokyo student organization, led by Makoto Tanaka (3rd year, Department of Information Science, School of Science) and Yurika Doi (B.S., Mechanical and Information Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Tokyo [2017]; PhD in Neuroscience at Harvard University). Their hope is “to provide a place for UTokyo women students to have direct discussions and exchange of opinions with alumni living in the US.” The program is supported by Satsukikai America, a UTokyo alumni association in the US. There are currently 16 mentors with backgrounds and careers ranging from 5 to 20+ years in research (science, engineering, and others), medicine, law, finance, and international organizations. Over 30 mentees are registered, including undergraduates and graduate students in fields ranging from science and engineering, law, economics, humanities, and medicine. After a mentor and a student (mentee) are paired, the nature of the mentoring depends on the paired individuals. It is expected that the focus will be primarily on college life, academic, and career related issues. Examples of questions may include: Several times a year, a social event will be planned on Zoom for the entire group. Slack will be the main means of communication for individual mentor-mentee pairs. Additionally, a group discussion room geared for all members will be also set up on Slack. One of FUTI’s Advisory Committee members, Geeta Mehta, a professor at Columbia University (Ph.D., School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo), commented: It is wonderful that the students themselves are aware of the issues and are taking the initiative to reach out to alumni abroad. I hope that the mentees will be active in the international community and contribute to society in the future. Written by Mentor Program Committee Members (Doi, Tanaka, Osako, Suzuki)
Taking on Global Challenges with a Startup: “Designing Intelligent Tools for Public Safety”
Greetings, my name is Akihiko Izu and I was a 2021 FUTI Scholarship recipient. After working as a lawyer at Nishimura Asahi Law Firm specializing in M&A and corporate law for six years, I went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and obtained an MBA in 2022. While at MIT, I co-founded Multitude Insights, a startup that provides a platform for sharing and analyzing crime information for US law enforcement, and currently operates in Boston and New York. You may have heard about the high crime rate in the US through news reports of shootings and other incidents, but even in the relatively safe city of Boston, you often see shoplifting right in front of your eyes, bicycles with their tires stolen and left on the side of the road, and other crimes that are very close to home. There are many factors that contribute to the high level of crime in the US, one of which is the weak information coordination among police forces. Although there are approximately 18,000 police organizations in the US, the majority of them randomly request information from neighboring police organizations via mailing lists or faxes, and information coordination among police organizations is extremely inefficient. As a result, it is difficult to make arrests for crimes that cross jurisdictional boundaries (for example, if someone commits multiple shoplifting crimes in Shinjuku and then moves to Shibuya and continues to shoplift, their criminal information will be cut off). To solve this social problem, while still a student at MIT, I founded Multitude Insights with a classmate who was a former intelligence analyst in the US Navy. At Multitude Insights, UI/UX and AI/ML is used to optimize information sharing between police organizations and to develop the technology to provide hidden connections between crimes. In the two years since graduating from MIT, the company has raised a total of $5.4 million in funding, mostly from New York-based venture capital firms, and has grown to a team of more than 10 members. Last month, the system was implemented in the Boston Police Department. Managing a startup in the US has revealed to me how quickly businesses move based on decision-making and leadership. Regarding decision making, CEOs and executives are often present from the early stages of meetings, and decisions are made on the spot as to whether to proceed with a project. There are many opportunities to expand through business and technology partnerships with large companies, as even large companies are often open to working with startups, perhaps in anticipation of possible future acquisitions. Also, once decisions are made, they move quickly, which I believe is supported by the strong leadership of the CEO and other members of the management team. Since the majority of our team members are former military and police officers due to the nature of Multitude Insights’ business, I have learned a great deal about leadership from them, and am constantly striving to become a leader who can work on a global scale. I am very grateful for the support I have received from Friends of UTokyo, not only in the form of scholarships, but also from the board members and committee members who are on the forefront of their fields in the US. I would like to continue my endeavors so that one day I can give back to future UTokyo students and alumni who are taking on the challenge of going global.
Trailer Screening and Discussion with Film director Minami Goto about her recent movie “Blue Imagine”
The lecture by film director Minami Goto (University of Tokyo OG) was held online on January 22, 2024 (US Eastern Time) (January 23, Japan Time). Friends of UTokyo organized this event, supported by Satsukikai America, NY Icho-kai, Chicago Akamonkai, FUTI Alumni Association, and others. The gathering was a great success, with over 30 participants from the United States and Japan. Ms. Goto was a student at Columbia University Graduate School of Film, from which she graduated in 2018 with scholarship support from FUTI. Since her graduation, she has worked on international collaborative film productions while based in Japan. The feature film “Blue Imagine,” written and co-produced by Minami Goto, was selected for the Bright Future section of the 53rd Rotterdam International Film Festival, a prestigious film festival, and was officially screened as its world premiere. Although the film was shot entirely in Japan, it is an international co-production involving a Filipino cast and a Philippine-Singaporean production company. She believes that what she learned in New York was put to good use in this film. Japanese version press release is at: https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/553729 and the Link about the film: https://motion-gallery.net/projects/blueimagine The story is set in a shared house where victims of sexual violence and harassment live together. It depicts a traumatized protagonist trying to recover through supportive dialogue and interaction with those around her. [The movie has been released in theaters in Japan from March, 2024.] In addition to screening the trailer, Ms. Goto shared with the participants behind-the-scenes stories about film production as well as her expectations about future opportunities. We received many comments from the participants, such as “I gained a good understanding of the life cycle of film production and the difficulty of coordinating a film team as a producer.” At the Q&A session following Ms. Goto’s presentation, a lively exchange of opinions took place. Below are some examples of questions and answers. (Participant) How did you come to work on the theme explored in the film, “Blue Imagine”? (Goto) I started from my own awareness of the problem and from something close to home. The challenge was how to develop the concept into a viable form of entertainment. (Participant) Please tell us about your experience at Columbia University Film School. (Goto) Film school students come from all walks of life. One of the characteristics of the School’s student body is its international diversity. Among the 60 to 70 students in my program, 25 countries were represented. There were also many students who were not from the film industry. I am glad I learned that the structure and culture of the film industry vary greatly depending on the country, and that there is often no right answer to the questions we encounter. (Participant) What is the relationship between your experience in New York and “Blue Imagine”? (Goto) I was in New York during the #MeToo movement. I reflected in the film what I talked about with my classmates at that time and what I felt when I saw the situation in Japan while I was in America. (Participant) How did you write the credible screenplay with such diverse characters? (Goto) For example, I consulted a friend from a law school about the lawyer character’s lines. In order to understand the Filipino characters, I did research and interviewed Filipino individuals married to Japanese. Finally, Mr. Yuki Haba, President of the FUTI Alumni Association, gave closing remarks and commented, “Seeing the success of FUTI award recipients like Ms. Goto, who are active around the world, is an encouragement to FUTI alumni.” In addition, a FUTI board member participating in the gathering commented, “Because there are few people who aim to study the arts at the University of Tokyo, Ms. Goto’s scholarship application essay, which revealed her passion for making films, left a strong impression on FUTI Scholarship Committee members. I am very happy to see that she is doing well.” Many participants stayed for the social gathering that followed the presentation, continuing the lively discussion. Ms. Goto’s Brief Bio: Education: 2015 Graduated from Department of Literature, The University of Tokyo (History and Civilization) 2015 Entered the Sogo Bunka Kenkyu-ka, University of Tokyo (Interdisciplinary Culture Studies) (Transferred to Columbia) 2015 Started at Columbia University in the City of New York, School of the Arts 2018 Graduated from Columbia University in the City of New York, School of the Arts Awards Jack Larson Award for Collaboration – Short Film Project Kiko avex digital AWARD – Short Film Project Breakers Photo credit: From the official site of “Blue Imagine“
UTokyo – Princeton Joint Program “People and Culture of Japan in the United States: Past, Present, and Future” Held
[With the permission of the UTokyo NY office, we are pleased to include this article here which originally appeared on the UTokyo NY Office website.] Coordinators UTokyo’s Center for Global Education (alas UTokyo GlobE) hosted a winter program entitled “People and Culture of Japan in the United States: Past, Present, and Future” in collaboration with Princeton University. Eight UTokyo undergraduate students, who completed the Go Global Gateway program, and five Princeton undergraduate students participated in the program and studied together at UTokyo NY (March 10－14), Rutgers University (March 15), and Princeton University (March 16 and 17). In New York City, the students listened to lectures by distinguished guests and engaged in active discussions. The invited speakers were: Professor Jin Sato shared his previous work experiences at Princeton and examined the impact of coincidence on his career development. One of the highlights of the week was a dialogue between Ambassador Mori, who is a UTokyo graduate, and the students of both institutions as they had the privilege of casually conversing with Ambassador Mori over lunch. Students were also impressed by Dr. Yoshiko Mito, who gave a brief overview of how she climbed up her career ladder after graduation from UTokyo. Mr. Yoshida talked about his career as a business professional at a New York-based Japanese corporation that works with many multi-national companies. Ms. Keiko Tsuyama gave UTokyo students a glimpse into American presidential election and made students of both universities think about the difference and similarity between Japanese and American elections. Dr. Joshua Walker reflected on his journey from his youth in Hokkaido to the scholar of Turkey to President of Japan Society. His personal story intrigued many students. Taking advantage of the location of UTokyo NY, the New York round of this program also included informal learning experiences in the city, such as a guided gallery tour at Japan Society and a classical music concert at Carnegie Hall, which is in the immediate vicinity of the office. The students also explored New York City by themselves, visiting museums, the headquarter of the United Nations, and other sites as well as eating together at local restaurants. On March 15, the students left New York City and visited Rutgers University to attend a lecture by Dr. Haruko Wakabayashi on the Japanese students who studied at the institution in the nineteenth century. Students learned about the commitment and hardship of these early Japanese students and later visited gravesites of some of the students who passed away before being able to return to Japan. Following the time at Rutgers University, students moved to Princeton. On March 16, they attended a lecture on the impacts of Japanese online games and manga in U.S. black communities by Dr. Akil Fletcher (The Society of Fellows, Princeton University), and another lecture on economic relations between Japan and the U.S. by Professor James Raymo (Department of Sociology and East Asian Studies, Princeton University). Through a variety of academic and non-academic activities, the students of the two universities formed a friendship. They were able to enhance their understanding and awareness of Japanese people and culture in the U.S. from multiple perspectives. In addition, Princeton students inspired their UTokyo peers to study and work in the U.S., and vice versa.
Applications Now Being Accepted for the 2024 FUTI Scholarship Programs
FUTI has recently begun accepting scholarship applications for 2024. Information is available at friendsofutokyo.org/scholarships-grants. The scholarships are offered to qualified students of UTokyo aspiring to study in universities in the U.S. and to students at universities in the U.S. interested in studying at UTokyo, regardless of nationality. Short-term studies are awarded with funding made available through the Hsun Kwei & Aiko Takizawa Chou Scholarship and the FUTI Global Leadership Award programs. However, an applicant need only submit their application through a single portal. FUTI prepares one set of procedures for application, criteria, selection, and awarding, and will notify recipients as to which scholarship will be awarded after assessing the best fit to fulfill the focus of each scholarship. The Hsun Kwei & Aiko Takizawa Chou Scholarship, administered by Friends of UTokyo, Inc. (FUTI) is funded by a generous donation made to the University of Tokyo New York Office (UTokyoNY) by Dr. Hsun Kwei Chou and Mrs. Aiko Takizawa Chou. The FUTI Scholarship is funded by three sources: Donations from Shintech Inc., which is the US subsidiary of Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd; donations from the UTokyo New York Office called UTokyoNY; and donations from UTokyo alumni and individual supporters of FUTI. There are several scholarships in the mid- to long-term studies category including the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.-FUTI Scholarship, IF Ikuei Scholarship, Hsun Kwei & Aiko Takizawa Chou Scholarship, and the FUTI Scholarship. As in the case of the scholarships for short-term studies, FUTI prepares one set of procedures for application, criteria, selection, and awarding. The ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. was established in the US by its founder and chairman, Mr. Masatoshi Ito, who is the honorary chairman of Seven and i Holdings Co. He is also the founder and chairman of the Ito Scholarship Foundation which has a long history in Japan of supporting an extensive range of students with scholarships for their studies. We welcome applications from interested students.
2023-2024 Campaign Begins
The 2023-2024 FUTI Campaign is underway! Since the inception of Friends of UTokyo, Inc. in 2007, 272 scholarships have been awarded to support University of Tokyo students to study in the US and US university students to study at UTokyo. These study abroad experiences, whether it be a few weeks participating in a summer internship or a long-term endeavor to obtain a degree, have made a valuable impact on the students’ lives. Students express their gratitude for the scholarship in their reports, often indicating that they would not have been able to afford the study abroad without the scholarship. FUTI’s scholarship programs are made possible through the generous donations from UTokyo alumni and other supporters of Friends of UTokyo who believe in its mission to support the global leaders of tomorrow. Click here to view the greetings from President Iwao Ojima and Vice-President Junji Takegami, and select scholarship recipients’ experiences. For more information and to donate, please visit friendsofutokyo.org/donate.
FUTI Travel Award Launches
FUTI has for years encouraged exchange between the University of Tokyo and universities in the US through scholarships supporting short-term study abroad programs and mid- to long-term studies. Now, FUTI proudly announces a new initiative, the FUTI Travel Award for Early-stage Scholars holding positions at the University of Tokyo. Non-tenured, early-stage scholars at the University of Tokyo are encouraged to apply and to spread the word of this award. Undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows are not eligible. For more information, please visit friendsofutokyo.org/ futitravelaward
Annual Online Gathering of Mid- to Long-Term Scholarship Recipients
The annual online gathering for mid- to long-term scholarship recipients took place on December 9, 2023 at 8:00 PM ET. The purpose of the meeting was to encourage a friendly and informal exchange/sharing of experiences and opinions among awardees as well as with representatives of donor foundations and FUTI/UTokyo members. At the meeting, 2023-2024 award recipients were joined by: Hidekazu Fujioka, Executive Director of Ito Foundation and ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.; Asako Yamamoto, Administrator of Ito Foundation and ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A.; Asuka Sakai, Senior Director of UTokyo Division of External Relations; Yuichiro Kuwama, FUTI Vice President and CFO; Yuki Haba, President of FUTI Alumni Association; Eri Furusawa, FUTI Advisory Committee member, and members of the FUTI Scholarship Committee (Nobuko Sakurai, Miwako Hosoda, Shohei Koide, Shig Matsushita, Iwao Ojima, Masako Osako, and Junji Takegami). Nobuko Sakurai, FUTI Scholarship Committee Chair, led the meeting and began with a brief greeting, thanking all for attending the meeting. Iwao Ojima, FUTI President and CEO, gave a brief introduction on the format of the meeting and welcomed Executive Director Fujioka and Ms. Yamamoto of Ito Foundation/ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. Mr. Fujioka, who was appointed executive director of the Ito Foundation and ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. as of September of this year. introduced himself, speaking of the many years of management work in the airline industry prior to his appointment at the Foundation, and how rewarding the last several months have been for him working with students and researchers. He briefly outlined the work of the Foundation and in anticipation of its 30th anniversary next year, he committed that founder Masatoshi Ito’s legacy providing sustainable support to students and researchers will live on. The meeting proceeded with short presentations by each of the scholarship recipients followed by a lively question and answer session. They discussed challenges, inspirations, and a sense of satisfaction in studying in the US. Selected quotes are given below. [A UTokyo graduate student studying at Princeton] “My time at Princeton gave me many opportunities to work with celebrated scholars in physics, visit other universities, and build connections in the US. Although I will return to Japan in January, I plan to continue the collaborations in the US. After my anticipated completion of the PhD degree in September of next year, I hope to get a postdoc position in the US.” [A UTokyo graduate student studying International Public Policy at Columbia University] “Currently I am studying gender and its intersection with public policy. My studies are about how gender is integrated or present in all domains of life and how it can be made visible. SIPA at Columbia is one of the rare schools in the world that has a program dedicated to gender and public policy. I have been taking courses on gender mainstreaming and global affairs and reproductive health policies where I did a comparative study about different reproductive policies across the world and their intentions. “ [A UTokyo graduate student in economics studying at Harvard] “My decision to come to the US was based on two challenges I faced when doing research in Japan, one of which was data scarcity in Japan due to bureaucratic obstacles. Because of data scarcity, one must depend on small scale, non-administrative data or simulation-based data which leads to small data biases or results that do not reflect actual reality. The other challenge I faced was that my advisor at UTokyo was retiring and he was one of very few people in Japan who was able to advise me on the method I was developing which is the non-parametric method where statistical assumptions are relaxed in order to provide inference based on data. At Harvard, I am able to overcome these challenges because of ample availability and access to data, and access to human resources. FUTI Alumni Association president and past FUTI scholarship recipient, Yuki Haba, concluded the meeting by thanking the recipients for their interesting presentations and expressed that he is looking forward to meeting them in person at the year-end gathering the next day, noting that the connection between scholarship recipients, board members, and advisory committee has become an important part of being a Friends of UTokyo scholarship recipient. Note: Reports submitted to FUTI by scholarship students can be found on the FUTI Recipient Roster page.
B’AI-UTokyo NY Office Event “The Future of Higher Education in the AI Age” Held
[With the permission of the UTokyo NY office, we are pleased to include this article here which originally appeared on the UTokyo NY Office website.] In a groundbreaking two-day symposium held on December 14 and 15, 2023, the University of Tokyo B’AI Global Forum delved into the profound implications of AI technology in higher education. Hosted at the UTokyo New York Office with support from the Institute for AI and Beyond and the UTokyo New York Office, the event was live-streamed via webinar. The video recordings will soon be accessible on the B’AI Global Forum website. On Tuesday, December 14, Professor Yuko Itatsu, from the Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies (GSII) at the University of Tokyo, set the stage. She provided insights into the B’AI Global Forum and introduced the distinguished speakers. In her opening remarks, Professor Itatsu emphasized the critical examination required to understand how AI shapes university curriculum design, influences educators, and necessitates ethical, inclusive usage. Following this, Associate Professor Ai Hisano, from the GSII, presented a detailed overview of the newly published book, AI kara yomitoku shakai: Kenryoku-ka suru saishin gijutsu [Understanding AI in society: How technology exerts power] (University of Tokyo Press, 2023). Co-edited by B’AI Global Forum, Yuko Itatsu, and Ai Hisano, the book explores cross-disciplinary topics related to AI, emphasizing its societal impact. The discussion laid the groundwork for the symposium’s subsequent conversations. The event featured presentations from Professor Lauren Goodlad at Rutgers University and Associate Professor Julia Stoyanovich at New York University. Unfortunately, Senior Lecturer Alexander Gil from Yale University, originally slated to speak, could not attend due to health concerns. Professor Goodlad, who specializes in English literature and serves as the editor-in-chief of the academic journal Critical AI, the first volume of which was published this October, shared insights on “Critical AI Literacies, Critical AI Studies, and Design Justice Labs.” She underscored the limitations of AI, emphasizing the importance of teaching students to critically evaluate sources and analyze information from diverse perspectives. She also highlighted the integration of AI systems into global capitalism by citing instances such as potential errors and reinforcement of stereotypes in image labeling with AI and the creation of harmful labels, including violent representations, by workers in the Global South, contributing to the expansion of so-called digital sweatshops. The next speaker, Associate Professor Stoyanovich specializes in Computer Science and is the director of the Center for Responsible AI at New York University. In her talk, “Responsible AI (in teaching & learning),” she discussed the benefits of AI while highlighting the significance of understanding that machines make mistakes. She emphasized the potential harm AI mistakes can cause, using examples such as self-driving cars, and the cumulative impact of biases and hate speech. It is hence crucial, stressed Professor Stoyanovich, that we humans retain full agency and keep control over AI. A panel discussion, moderated by Professor Itatsu, followed the presentations. The panel included the aforementioned speakers and Professor Yujin Yaguchi, Vice President of the University of Tokyo. They tackled diverse issues, ranging from the rising interest in AI-based English education to potential marginalization of women and minorities by AI. The discussion emphasized the need for cross-disciplinary dialogue on sustainable use of AI and the challenges of meaningful interdisciplinary communication. Professor Kaori Hayashi, Executive Vice President of the University of Tokyo, delivered closing remarks on the first day. She urged a critical examination of AI norms and structures, advocating for a reevaluation of AI use on micro, meso, and macro levels. On Friday, December 15, educational consultant Anna Esaki-Smith moderated a conversation between Professor Teruo Fujii, President of the University of Tokyo, and Professor Joseph E. Aoun, President of Northeastern University. The discussion ranged from general higher education topics to preparintg for AI technology, including how students should be mentored, what kind of guidance they should receive, and the impact of AI on their choice of major and research topics. Both speakers stressed the importance of being vigilant about AI-generated misinformation, biases, and the role of learning beyond the classroom. Moreover, they underscored the pivotal role that business could play due to the substantial need for data and financial resources in the utilization of AI. Emphasizing that business invovelment could generate both tensions and new possibilities, they delved into the dynamic landscape of AI implementation. During the Q&A session, the audience sought insights on using AI for education to reduce the teaching load for university faculty and ensuring inclusivity in AI use. The discussion emphasized the need for universities to cater not only to current students but also to those engaged in lifelong learning. The importance of embracing a diverse student body and meeting individual needs was also highlighted. Professor Hayashi concluded the symposium with closing remarks, underscoring the significance of issues covered in the conversations. The dialogue between the presidents highlighted the necessity for higher education to integrate diverse disciplines into the curriculum and enforce AI governance. The symposium emerged as a pivotal platform for scholars from diverse backgrounds to explore the possibilities and tensions in higher education amidst the AI age.