The 4th Lecture of Spring Semester 2026: Global Issues and the Challenges for Researchers

May 23, 2026

The fourth lecture was held on May 23, at Koganei Campus of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT)  

In the morning session, Prof. Yamamoto (UEC) delivered a lecture titled “Analysis of Big Data: Basics and Use Range of GIS.” The lecture covered topics such as the relationship between population growth and disasters, as well as the history of global warming and sea level rise. During the class, students actively shared severe conditions occurring in their own countries and neighboring regions. Discussions included students’ real-life experiences, such as temperatures reaching 54°C in recent years, intensifying storms, and urban disasters caused by rising sea levels. The session went beyond textbook knowledge and featured a lively discussion, reaffirming that climate change is now an urgent and unavoidable issue.

In the afternoon, students gave five-minute presentations on their revised research maps during the interdisciplinary seminar (tutorial session). Prof. Ito (TUAT) emphasized that as the research landscape continues to evolve, standards of novelty also change. Therefore, research questions must continue to evolve accordingly. Furthermore, Faculty members provided critical feedback on each project, particularly emphasizing the need to clearly distinguish it from previous studies and to explain how the research contributes to a more sustainable society.

In the same session, Prof. Yasumura (TUAT) also gave a session on presentation skills, emphasizing the importance of engaging introductions and storytelling with a single clear message.

Throughout the day, students were reminded that serious global issues such as climate change are occurring worldwide, and gained a renewed awareness of the important challenge of communicating their own research to society.