Activity Report of Open Application Program 2024 vol.9 (Course A)
The Pioneering Development of "Convergence of Knowledge"
Humanities and Science and Technology
Report from Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology, The University of Tokyo
Associate Prof. Dr. Takahiro Kato (Department of Indian Philosophy and Buddhist Studies)
17th-23rd November 2024
Program
| 17 (Sun) 13:30-15:30 | Introductory Session (With JENESYS Program Students) |
|---|---|
| 18 (Mon) 10:00-12:00 | Welcome Address: Prof. Noburu Notomi, the Dean of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology Special Lecture: Study of Ancient Greek and Roman Sculpture with 3D Models by Prof. Kyoko Sengoku-Haga |
| 18 (Mon) 13:30-15:00 | Library Tour @ Utokyo General Library & Asian Research Library Lecture by Dr. Itahashi |
| 18 (Mon) 15:00-17:00 | Campus Tour |
| 19 (Tue) 10:30-12:00 | JST-MS9 Project Special Lecture (Prof. Minowa) & Discussion |
| 19 (Tue) 13:00-16:30 | Special Workshop: Well-Being and Well-Going Special Lecture: Wellbeing of academic staff and students Prof. Dr. Meindert Flikkema (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) Special Lecture: Wellbeing and Resilience Prof. Miho Takahashi |
| 20 (Wed) 10:30-12:00 | Interaction with Utokyo Students(Bungakubu) |
| 20 (Wed) 13:30-16:30 | Interaction Session with UTokyo Students (India Students Association) Lecture: Study in Japan (Ms. Vaishnavi Thakur, PhD Student, Utokyo) Lecture: Friendship between India and Japan (Prof. KE Seetha Ram, Senior Consulting Specialist, Asian Development Bank Institute, UTokyo Alumnus) |
| 21 (Thu) 10:00-12:00 | Digital Humanities Special Lecture by Prof. Omukai and Dr. Tsukagoshi. |
| 21 (Thu) 14:00-15:00 | Visit National Musium & National Science Musium |
| 22 (Fri) 10:00-12:00 | Special Lecture Prof. Kato and Dr. Tomonari |
| 22 (Fri) 13:00-17:00 | Sightseeing |
This program is certified as part of an international humanities project led by the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology at The University of Tokyo, and has received support from the entire graduate school.
■Highlights of the Program
Regarding Japan-India academic exchange, it has so far been mainly driven by faculties of science and engineering. However, considering the recent development in various research fields in India, we believe that a comprehensive academic exchange that includes humanities and social sciences is necessary. Therefore, we have planned a program where the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences will take the lead.
At the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology and the Faculty of Letters at The University of Tokyo, cutting-edge research applying the latest scientific and technological advancements is being conducted in the fields of humanities and social sciences. This program aims to provide participants with the opportunity to engage with this advanced "convergence of knowledge" that transcends traditional academic boundaries, and to learn about the future directions of the humanities and social sciences.
In this internship program, students learned a great deal through special lectures and discussions focused on the following initiatives undertaken by the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology.
1) Special Lecture "Study of Ancient Greek and Roman Sculpture with 3D Models" (Prof. Kyoko Sengoku-Haga)
Prof. Sengoku-Haga introduced us to her globally recognized research achievements, such as the use of 3D technology to restore ancient Greek and Roman sculptures with millimeter precision for academic purposes, and the application of these results to the preservation of artworks and museum exhibitions.
2) JST-MS9 Project Special Lecture "A State of Peace and Compassion Realized Through Eastern Views of Humanity and Brain Informatics" (Prof. Minowa)
Prof Minowa introduced the integration of knowledge based on the latest neuroscience and philology, as well as its application in society.
3) Digital Humanities Division Special Lecture and Discussion (Dr. Tsukagoshi)
We learned about the education and research in digital humanities led by the DH Division, as well as the ongoing "Veda OCR" project led by Dr.Tsukagoshi.
4) Special Lecture "Applied research towards practical use of Devanagari OCR and utilization of text database" (Prof. Kato and Dr. Tomonari)
This lecture introduced the development and applied research of an optical character recognition application for Devanagari script (used in Hindi and other Indian languages) using deep learning with AI.
In this internship program, students observed and experienced research fields where cutting-edge technology is introduced into traditional academic methods in the humanities and social sciences, creating a "Convergence of Knowledge" that goes beyond simple integration of arts and sciences. These initiatives are expected to expand and develop research in the humanities and social sciences in unprecedented ways. At the same time, the advancement of this "Convergence of Knowledge" has the potential to reflect on the nature of science and technology itself, leading to the creation of entirely new scientific and technological innovations.
Through this invitation program, the Indian students were able to gain an opportunity to reflect on the future of the humanities and social sciences. Additionally, the cultural exchange event held as part of the program provided an invaluable learning experience not only for the Indian students but also for the Japanese students. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all the students of UTokyo who contributed to the program. Thank you very much.
SSP students received a lecture from Indian students currently studying at The University of Tokyo about their research life in Japan. Additionally, they received a lecture and got an advice on future career paths from The University of Tokyo alumnus, Dr. Seetharam.
Recent advancements in science and technology in India have been remarkable, and in the future, India is expected to become an important partner for Japan in every sense. Japan and India, with their unique cultural and historical backgrounds that differ from those of the West, are expected to collaborate and create new value for the world together. This student exchange has significant meaning, not only in terms of fostering talent for the next generation of Japan-India partnerships but also in building human networks.
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved in the Sakura Science Program for providing such a valuable opportunity.
[Contact information]
tkhrkt<at>g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp (Please replace<at> with @, the at symbol)