http://www.titech.ac.jp/newsletter/e/index.htmlVOL.14

AUTUMN2010

Tokyo Institute of Technology Newsletter

President of Tsinghua University visits Tokyo Tech

CONTENTS1 NewsPresident of Tsinghua University visits Tokyo TechASPIRE-ing to greatness 2 Special FeatureYoshio Ishida, East Japan Railway Company: A trained mind 3 NewsTeam Win ‘wins’ fi rst place at IDC Robocon 2010 in Shanghai Research ReviewDisintegration of a complex mo-lecular architecture into another functional material4 TopicsTopological insulators: Keeping constant

5 Innovators and InnovationsThe birth of the robot-eyes for producing human-like 3D images of the surroundings 6・7 Research ReviewTransporting small objects using ultrasound A challenge in basic quantum chemistry Confl icts and coalitions 7 Partner UniversitiesLetter from Dalian 8 Through Student EyesA keen sense of purposeExtracurricularThe gentle way to toughnessN EWS

ASPIRE-ing to greatness

Tokyo Institute of Technology is taking its rightful place in a new con-

sortium of Asian institutes of science and technology, called the ASPIRE

(Asian Science and technology Pioneering Institutes of Research and

Education) league. On July 5th and 6th 2010 Tokyo Tech had the honor of

hosting ASPIRE’s inaugural event—the ASPIRE Forum.

Professor Kenichi Iga, president of Tokyo Institute of Technology, opened

the event with a presentation about the institute’s history and its current

status. The symposium that followed had the theme of ‘Science and Tech-

nology for a Sustainable World’, and reflected the concerns and strengths

of the region’s top science and technology universities. Over one hundred

people attended the symposium, providing a platform for professors from

the universities to present their research.

After the symposium, a signing ceremony was held to conclude a Memo-

randum of Understanding. This agreement

formalized the structure of the league, its

initial activities and potential paths for the

future. It was signed by representatives

from each of the five universities: The Hong

Kong University of Science and Technol-

ogy (HKUST), Korea Advanced Institute of

Science and Technology (KAIST), Nanyang

Technological University, Tsinghua Univer-

sity, and Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Meanwhile, students from all five universi-

ties engaged in an intense exchange of ideas

in a workshop on how students can benefit

from and give to ASPIRE. They then gave

group presentations to the Vice Presidents,

an exciting chance to offer suggestions and

receive responses from those who are often

at the heart of decision-making. All the

students showed interest in continuing their

communication under the umbrella of the ASPIRE league.

As serving chair of the League until next year, Professor Okura closed

the event stating what an honor it had been that the foundations of these

unique collaborations had been made on the campus of Tokyo Institute of

Technology.

Student presentation: Ms. Dai (HKUST)

For more information on ASPIRE league, please refer to http://www.ipo.titech.ac.jp/aspire/engl ish/

From left, Prof. Okura (Tokyo Tech), Prof. Er (Nanyang), Prof. Yuan (Tsinghua), Prof. Yuen (HKUST), Prof. Im (KAIST)

Professor Kenichi Iga, president of Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tokyo Institute of Technology was honoured by a visit from Professor Bin-

glin Gu, the president of Tsinghua University, China, on 12th May, 2010.

Proffessor Gu and his delegates received a warm welcome from Professor

Kenichi Iga, the president of Tokyo Tech.

Tsinghua University is highly regarded as a leading university in China and

in the wider world, especially in science and technology. Tokyo Institute

of Technology and Tsinghua

University have enjoyed a produc-

tive friendship under a university-

wide agreement for many years.

A graduate-level dual degree

program has been run, called the

Tokyo Tech-Tsinghua University

Joint Program, and other cooperative research and education programs

have been carried out in various fields of both universities at the levels of

individual researchers, departments and university.

President Iga and Executive Vice President Okura had a fruitful discussion

with President Gu, Vice President Xie and other delegates to develop a

deeper relationship. They agreed on their commitment to make progress

on bilateral collaborations.

In 2011, coincidentally, both universities will celebrate their anniversaries:

the centennial commemoration of Tsinghua University and the 130 th

anniversary of Tokyo Institute of Technology. These anniversaries provide

opportunities that are expected to strengthen relations between the two

universities.From front-left: Executive Vice President Okura, President Iga, President Gu, Vice President Xie.

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 142

SPECIAL FEATURE

Yoshio Ishida, East Japan Railway Company: A trained mind

A Tokyo Institute of Technol-

ogy (Tokodai) OB shares

some memories of his

student days and gives

us a behind-the-scenes

look at running the larg-

est railway company in the

world, including the super-

fast ‘Shinkansen’ railway

network.

Yoshio Ishida is Vice Chair-

man of the East Japan

Railway Company (JR-East)

— one of the largest railway

companies in the world. Ishi-

da joined the Japan Railways

— the state-run predecessor of the now privately run JR-East — in 1967

after graduating from Tokyo Institute of Technology or Tokodai.

“As a student I was a member of the boat club at Tokodai,” says Ishida. “I

have some very fond memories of taking part in intercollegiate races and

other activities organized by the club. The club also was a place where I

made some very good friends. ”

Ishida has great expectations of Tokodai in the 21st century. “I think Pro-

fessor Iga, the president of Tokodai, has initiated a wide range of highly

innovative and imaginative projects that build on the more than 100-year

history of the university, for a dynamic and globally visible research-

orientated university.”

Ishida adds that the introduction of some liberal arts courses may

enhance and compliment the science- and engineering-based Tokodai

curricula at the moment. “We are living in a much more diverse society

than in my university days,” says Ishida. “Graduates with diverse experi-

ence are becoming more valuable as leaders of modern industry.”

Visitors to Japan often marvel at the punctuality and safety of the trains.

What is the reason for this? “Some may say that Japan’s trains are too

punctual and ‘abnormal’,” says a smiling Ishida. “I think the answer to

this question is that in Japan people working on the railway system have

a flexible approach towards their work, and do not just work based on a

manual. For example, the staff responsible for cleaning the Shinkansen

carriages do not know beforehand how much effort will be necessary to

clean a particular carriage. They improvise and work together to get the

job done on time. The people who work on the railway system are the key

to trains being on time and safe; it’s not just the technology. ”

On a global scale, history shows that railways have been a vital means

of transport for millions of people worldwide for more than a century.

Notably, in the early 1920s there was strong interest in Europe for the

creation of an international organization to oversee the construction and

operations of railways. Several rounds of conferences eventually led to the

establishment of the International Union of Railways (UIC) in 1922, initially

with 51 members from 29 countries. Now, the UIC has 196 members

from five continents with aims including the promotion of benchmarking,

business development, interoperability, standardization, and so on.

In April 2009, Ishida was elected chairman of UIC. “This position is

both an honour and a challenge,” says Ishida. “I have made several new

suggestions such as organizing conferences centered on presentations by

specialists, followed by networking.”

Ishida is also the chairman of The International Railway Research Board

( IRRB) — a UIC initiative to develop ‘synergies’ in research on railways.

“The IRRB is an excellent place to discuss many of the important issues

facing railways worldwide,” says Ishida. “It’s a forum to exchange ideas.

Our next meeting is in St Petersburg.”

Global trends show an increasing awareness of the fact that railways

offer an ‘eco-friendly’ means of transportation, for both passengers and

freight. “The railway industry still has many challenges to face in the

future,” says Ishida. “For example, I think we still need to work harder to

improve the efficiency of power systems for running electric trains. Such

technology would indeed make trains ‘eco-friendly’.”

Japan is renowned for the high speed Shinkansen or bullet-train system,

where even the earliest ‘0 series’ introduced in 1964 operated at a maxi-

mum operating speed of 220 km/h. Recently, JR-East announced plans

to introduce the ‘E5 series’ from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori starting in March

2011. The E5 is capable of an amazing maximum speed of 320 km/h,

although the carriages will initially run at 300 km/h.

But what limits the speed of trains? “Japan’s engineers have produced

extremely fast trains, like the ‘E5’ series,” says Ishida. “One of the main

hurdles for speeds above 320 km/h is noise due to air-compression

when a train enters a tunnel. We have used super computers to study the

aerodynamics of trains entering tunnels and at the moment we think that

noise in tunnels will limit the maximum to about 360 km/h.”

But Ishida and his colleagues at JR-East are still conducting research on

high speed trains, “because we learn a lot from such projects,” according

to Ishida. “We often find unexpected and important phenomena for the

railway systems of the future.”

Yoshio Ishida, Vice Chairman of the East Japan Rai lway Company

Series E5 Prototype Shinkansen

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 14 3

Orthorhombic molybdenum-vanadium based oxides (orth.-MoVOx) are the

most promising selective catalysts for the oxidation of light alkanes. They

are particularly useful for producing high yields of acrylic derivatives or

acetic acid from propane or ethane.

To make these catalysts even more effective, scientists need to redesign

their catalysts based on atomic-scale structural information. However,

to date it has not been possible to acquire such information, since orth.-

MoVOx do not grow into crystals of the sizes applicable to single crystal

X-ray diffraction (XRD).

Now, Masahiro Sadakane and colleagues at the universities of Hokkaido,

Hiroshima, Hyogo, Delaware and South Carolina, as well as Tokyo Tech and

NIMS, have used XRD to reveal the detailed crystal structure of orth.-MoVOx.

The researchers determined the structure

of antimony-containing orth.-MoVOx

prepared from {Mo132} polyoxometalate,

by using single crystal synchrotron XRD

and a high-resolution high-angle annular

dark field scanning tunneling electron

microscope (HAADF STEM).

The images showed that pentagonal

{Mo6O21} building blocks were generated

in situ by the disintegration of {Mo132} polyoxometalate. These blocks then

incorporated vanadium and antimony while re-assembling into the orth.-

MoVOx phase.

The structural information and innovative synthetic procedures estab-

lished in this research could accelerate the development of highly effec-

tive catalytic systems.

Reference: Authors: Masahiro Sadakane, Keiko Yamagata, Katsunori Kodato, Keisuke Endo, Koshiro Toriumi, Yoshiki Ozawa, Tomoji Ozeki, Takuro Nagai, Yoshio Matsui, Norihito Sakaguchi, William D. Pyrz, Douglas J. Buttrey, Douglas A. Blom, Thomas Vogt and Wataru Ueda.Title of original paper: Synthesis of Orthorhombic Mo-V-Sb Oxide Spe-cies by Assembly of Pentagonal Mo6O21 Polyoxometalate Building Blocks. Journal, volume, pages and year: Angewandte Chemie International Edi-tion 48, 3782-3786 (2009). Affiliations: Catalysis Research Center, Hokkaido University; Graduate School of Material Science, University of Hyogo; Department of Chem-istry and Materials Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology; Advanced Electron Microscopy Group, Advanced Nano Characterization Center, Na-tional Institute for Materials Science; High Voltage Electron Microscope Laboratory, Center for Advanced Research of Energy Conversion Materi-als, Hokkaido University; Center for Catalytic Science and Technology, University of Delaware; NanoCenter and Electron Microscopy Center, NanoCenter and Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry University of South Carolina, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University.Department website: http://www.cms.titech.ac.jp/index-e.html

Team Win ‘wins’ fi rst place at IDC Robocon 2010 in Shanghai

Tokyo Tech student is one of five members of the winning team at the IDC

Robocon contest held in Shanghai.

This year heralded the 21st IDC Robocon contest—an event launched by

Tokyo Tech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a platform for

student to present design-ideas on innovative and futuristic robots.

In contrast to many other robotics contests, IDC Robocon is not a contest

between institutions, but rather an inter-institute approach with teams

consisting of members from several institutes, and students from all

over the world. The teams stay together for two weeks—often having to

overcome differences in language—and focus on the task of designing

and then actually constructing their robots.

With the theme of ‘Clean River, Better Life’, IDC 2010 was held in Shang-

hai from August 6 to 18, adding to the excitement of the Expo 2010.

The robots were designed and constructed at the Shanghai Jiao Tong

University between 6–17 August, and the finals were held in the Pavilion

of Public Participation of Expo 2010 on August 18.

The Tokyo Tech representatives were chosen by the Department of

Control and Systems Engineering in a contest held as a part of the

Introduction to Creative Design class. Following this contest, six lucky

undergraduate students went to Shanghai to participate in the contest.

Notably, Tokyo Tech students were members of the teams awarded the

first and third place prizes.

Further information:IDC Robocon website : http://www.idc-robocon.org/idc2010/e/index.html

Designing and constructing robots at Shanghai Jiao Tong University

IDC Robocon teams pose for a photograph at Expo 2010 Shanghai

N EWS

Plausible mechanism of the formation of M-1 phase catalyst.

RESEARCH REVIEW

Disintegration of a complex molecular architecture into another functional material

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 144

Topological insulators: Keeping constant

Experiments by research teams including Tokyo Tech scientists have

confirmed a special state of matter that exhibits precise quantization.

Many branches of science depend on the notion that some quantities, for

example the mass and charge of fundamental particles, remain exactly

the same under all possible conditions. In solid state physics, however,

such constant quantities are more elusive because the theories describe

very complex systems of interacting particles.

Even so, there are a few well-known cases in which large numbers of

particles act in a way that causes some precise behaviour on the macro-

scopic scale of the system. For example the magnetic flux within super-

conductors is measured in precise blocks - or quanta - of hc/2e, where

h is Planck’s constant, c is the speed of light, and e is the charge of an

electron.

Now, Takao Sasagawa and Kyushiro Igarashi from the Materials and

Structures Laboratory at Tokyo Institute of Technology have worked in col-

laboration with scientists at Stanford University in the US and researchers

at RIKEN in Japan to verify another precise system called a topological

insulator [1,2].

In one of their papers [1], published in the prestigious journal Science,

the researchers state that “topological insulators are a state of matter

that may serve as a platform for (investigating) both fundamental phys-

ics phenomena and technological applications, such as spintronics and

quantum information processing.”

The reason that many solids are insulators is that they possess an energy

gap between their occupied and empty electronic states. Some insula-

tors have different states on their surface that allow the crystal surface

to conduct electricity like a two-dimensional metal, but these gapless

surface states are usually very fragile and will break down if the surface

is damaged.

In the special case of topological insulators, the conducting surfaces will

remain even if the shape or orientation of the surface is radically altered.

In fact, the conducting surface states can only be destroyed if one also

destroys the insulating character of the entire bulk crystal.

Several topological insulators have recently been identified, including

dibismuth triselenide (Bi2Se3 ) which

possesses a surface electronic

state called a single Dirac cone. The

Tokyo-Tech/Stanford international

research team performed angle-

resolved photoemission spec-

troscopy (ARPES) to examine the

electronic structure of Bi2Se3 before

and after doping it with magnetic

impurities [1]. They showed that the

doping in the bulk crystal caused

the gapless surface states to become gapped – making the crystal an

insulator again (Fig. 1).

The experiment is the first to confirm the theory that conducting surface

states will break down when magnetism is introduced to a topological

insulator. More interestingly, when the gap is reopened the Bi2Se3 crystal

becomes no ordinary insulator – it is a so-called ‘quantum Hall insula-

tor’ and is predicted to have an exact value of Hall conductance equal

to e 2 /2h. Note that this quantized conductance is the half of the value

observed in the quantum Hall effect in conventional two-dimensional

metals, and is expected to appear in the absence of an external magnetic

field.

Another remarkable aspect of the unusual surface electronic states in

topological insulators manifests itself as their quantized energy levels in

an external magnetic field. The Tokyo-Tech/RIKEN research team utilized

a scanning tunneling microscopy / spectroscopy (STM/STS) technique in

a magnetic field to verify the existence of the zeroth Landau energy level

in Bi2Se3 (Fig. 2) [2], which is closely related to the unconventional half-

integer quantum Hall effect.

These two experimental observations have established that the surfaces

of the topological insulators could join the growing list of solid state

systems that show notable form of exact quantization. These results may

provide basis for understanding topological insulators as well as open

several new avenues for technological exploitation.

Reference:[1] “Massive Dirac Fermion on the Surface of Magnetically Doped To-pological Insulator” Y.L. Chen, T. Sasagawa*, Z.-X. Shen et al., Science 329, 659-662 (2010). [2] “Momentum-Resolved Landau-Level Spectroscopy of Dirac Surface State in Bi2Se3” T. Hanaguri, T. Sasagawa* et al., Phys. Rev. B 82, 081305(R)/1-4 (2010). * Materials and Structures Laboratory & Dept. of Innovative and Engi-neered Materials(http://www.msl.titech.ac.jp/~sasagawa/index_e.html)

Fig. 1 Results from ARPES.

Fig. 2 Results from STM/STS.

TOPICS

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 14 5

The birth of the robot-eyes for producing human-like 3D images of the surroundings

The recent boom in 3D-movies highlights the human desire to reproduce

life-like images, to surpass conventional 2D-celluloid projections on flat

screens.

However, understanding and mimicking the complex movement of human

eyes is extremely challenging, and there have been valiant attempts at

producing artificial stereo vision systems consisting of remote controlled

CCD cameras.

The key point to understand is that human eyes cannot focus two sepa-

rate objects simultaneously, and that human eyeballs in fact rotate in

separate directions when approaching or moving away from a target—so

called ‘cooperative eye movements’.

Xiaolin Zhang is at the Precision and Intelligence Laboratory, and inventor

of ‘active stereo vision systems’, based on a deep understanding of the

cooperative movements of human eyes.

“My robot-eyes-system enable the realization of three dimensional

visualization of objects,” says Zhang. “We conducted a thorough analysis

of binocular movement based on system control engineering.” Based on

this analysis, Zhang developed a robotic system consisting of two CCD

cameras with unique peripheral control mechanisms, enabling unsur-

passed 3D imaging.

The robotic system is capable of maintaining a constant distance with

respect to a target—for example a human face—even when the target is

moving.

“I can envisage many applications for this invention,” says Zhang. “Includ-

ing systems for producing 3D images for 3D television, and even auto-

mated driving of cars, where the movement of the car would be controlled

by the robot-eyes, and not the human driver.”

Zhang has set up a venture company, Bi2-Vision Ltd and working with the

Office of Industry Liaison of Tokyo Tech to commercialize his invention.

Reference1. Xiaolin Zhang and Yugo Sato, Cooperative Movements of Binocular Motor System, 4th IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engi-neering, August 23-26, 2008, Key Bridge Marriot, Washington DC, USA.

Further informationZhang Group: http://www.zhang.pi.titech.ac.jp/en/Bi2-Vision: http://www.bi2vision.com/Information: info@bi2vision.comOffice of Industry Liaison: http://www.sangaku.titech.ac.jp/english/index.html

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Neural pathways of horizontal binocular motor system

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Innovators and Innovations

Binocular 3D vision control system

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 146

Transporting small objects using ultrasound

Many areas of research and manufacturing require accurate ways of

handling, transporting and assembling small objects such as electronic

parts, micro mechanical components and tablets. It is best if this can be

done without contacting the object during the production processes, to

avoid contamination and damage.

However, conventional methods, such as levitating the objects using air

jets, electro static or magnetic forces, are not always suitable for practi-

cal applications, because they often generate lots of dust, and voltages or

magnetic fields can damage the object being transported.

Now, Daisuke Koyama and Kentaro Nakamura at Tokyo Institute of

Technology have demonstrated a method of transporting small objects

using ultrasound. Their method works by trapping the objects in the

vertical direction at the nodal points of ultrasonic standing wave fields.

The objects can then be moved in horizontal directions by controlling the

phase of the ultrasonic field.

The devices consist of a vibration plate driven at two ends, and a reflec-

tor parallel to the vibrating plate. An intense ultrasonic standing field is

excited between the plate and reflector.

The researchers achieved stable trapping of small particles just 2-3 mm

in diameter at the nodal points between the vibrating plate and the reflec-

tor, and transported them in horizontal directions.

This simple ultrasonic vibration system allows the linear transportation

of small objects without contacting or damaging the samples of inter-

est. The researchers are now working to improve their system so that it

can produce rotary motion, and transfer objects between two different

transportation systems.

Reference:Authors: Daisuke Koyama, and Kentaro Nakamura.Title of original paper: Noncontact ultrasonic transportation of small objects over long distances in air.Journal, volume, pages and year: IEEE Trans., Ferroelect., Freq. Contr., 57, 1152 (2010). Affiliations: Precision and Intelligence Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology.Department website: http://www.pi.titech.ac.jp/index-e.html

A challenge in basic quantum chemistry

Quantum chemists have often hoped that it may be possible to calculate

the ground state energy of an atom or a molecule without the need for

traditional wavefunction-based methods. One method, first proposed

in the 1950s, requires variational calculations on so-called second-

order reduced density matrices. However it wasn’t until the late 1990s

that scientists realized that this approach is equivalent to a well-known

problem called a semidefinite program, and can be solved using optimiza-

tion software on parallel computers.

Since 2001, Mituhiro Fukuda of Tokyo Tech’s Department of Mathemati-

cal and Computing Sciences, Maho Nakata of RIKEN, Bastiaan J. Braams

of AIEA, Jerome K. Percus of New York University and other co-workers

have been imposing different ‘N-representability’ conditions on the

density matrices to obtain

tighter approximations for

the ground state energies.

In particular, computa-

tions imposing certain

conditions called P, Q, G,

T1, and T2’ seem to be

comparable to using the

CCSD(T) method, which

is generally considered to be the gold-standard in quantum chemistry.

The largest system they solved was the H2O molecule in the so-called 1A1

state; this gave an energy just 0.4 miliHartree lower than the full configu-

ration interaction calculation, whereas CCSD(T) gave a difference of 0.55

miliHartree.

Unfortunately, this method is unlikely to compete with traditional methods

in terms of computational time and size. However, computations on so-

called one-dimensional Hubbard models using an ultra-precise semidefi-

nite programming solver have shown that the method of Fukuda and co-

workers is a promising approach to models where traditional methods

produce computational failures.

Reference:Authors: Maho Nakata, Bastiaan J. Braams, Katsuki Fujisawa, Mituhiro Fukuda, Jerome K. Percus, Makoto Yamashita, and Zhengji Zhao.Title of original paper: Variational calculation of second-order reduced density matrices by strong N-representability conditions and an accurate semidefinite programming solver.Journal, volume, pages and year: Journal of Chemical Physics 128, 164113 (2008). Affiliations: RIKEN, AIEA, Chuo University, Department of Mathemati-cal and Computing Sciences, New York University, LBNL.Department website: http://www.is.titech.ac.jp/index-e.html

Small particles levitated between a vibrating plate and a reflector using ultrasound.

RESEARCH REVIEW

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 14 7TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 14 7

Confl icts and coalitions

In a conflict situation, two or more decision-makers (DMs) are in dispute over

some issue or resource. Initially, each disputant in the conflict will usually try

to further its own goals, in a non-cooperative fashion.

However, a participant or a DM will often ponder the question of whether

they could do even better by forming a coalition with one or more of the other

DMs, in order to obtain mutual benefits for all coalition members. This sort

of coalition formation is a naturally occurring sociological phenomenon which

frequently gives rise to group decision and negotiation.

Now, Takehiro Inohara with the Department of Value and Decision Science

in Tokyo Institute of Technology and Keith W. Hipel with the Department of

Systems Design Engineering in University of Waterloo have jointly presented

formal procedures for modeling and analyzing coalition formation. They have

also demonstrated how their coalition analysis techniques can be conve-

niently employed in practice by applying them to a groundwater contamination

dispute that took place in the town of Elmira, Ontario, Canada (see Figure).

The researchers made use of the so-called ‘Graph Model for Conflict Resolution’.

The model allowed them to develop a novel approach to coalition analysis be-

cause of its inherent flexibility for systematically investigating real world conflict.

What’s more, the researchers defined new stability concepts for coalitions

that take into account improvements of individual DMs, joint improvements

of coalitions, sanctioning by single decision makers, and joint sanctions by

coalitions. The work represents a significant extension to coalition analysis

within the Graph Model paradigm.

As demonstrated by the practical application to Elmira, the coalition method-

ology can be readily applied to a real-world dispute consisting of two or more

DMs. In practice, this means that an analyst is now in a better position to

provide strategic guidance to a client as to when and how the client should or

should not cooperate with others to produce a win/win situation or individual

strategic advantage.

Reference:Authors: Takehiro Inohara and Keith W. HipelTitle of original paper: Coalition Analysis in the Graph Model for Conflict ResolutionJournal, volume, pages and year: Systems Engineering 11(4), 343-359, 2008Affiliations: Department of Value and Decision Science, Graduate School of Decision Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Inohara) and Department of Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo (Hipel)Department website: http://www.valdes.titech.ac.jp/English/index.php

Letter from Dalian

Prof. Yi Tan

School of Materials Science and Engineering

Dalian University of Technology

I studied in Tokyo Tech from January 1991 to June 1993 and received my

doctorate in 1993. Then, after working at the Japan Ultra-high Temperature

Materials Research Institute for several years I went to the USA, and worked

in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Califor-

nia, Los Angeles. In Sept. 2005 I returned to China and was given a chair

as a professor at Dalian University of Technology. Since 2005 I have been

promoting cooperation between Dalian University of Technology and Tokyo

Tech becomes as part of my work.

In China I initiated research on materials for solar cells, and as a result ofthe

hard work with my colleagues and students the new research laboratory was

authorized as a key laboratory of Liaoning province. My study and working

experience overseas have played an important role in making my laboratory

a platform for international collaboration. Many researchers from Japan and

USA have visited my laboratory.

In 2007, base on my proposal a Japanese class was set up in our depart-

ment. The curriculum for this class is

based on close consulation with staff at

the department of metallurgy of Tokyo

Tech, and some courses are given by staff

from Tokyo Tech. This class provides

means for the students to learn about

cutting-edge from reknowned researchers

from Japan as well as providing opportu-

nites for Dalian students to visit Japanese

universities.

I spent a fruitful time at Tokyo Tech

studying for my doctoral thesis under the

guidance of Tomoo Suzuki and Yoshinao Mishima. I recall that during this

period I was impressed by the scrupulous attitude of Japanese researchers

towards scientific research, which affected my attitude towards research,

work and life. I hope through my efforts, more students will have chances to

experience the academic atmosphere at Tokyo Tech, and that collaboration

between our two universities will become even more fruitful.

Main gate of the campus of Dal ian Univer-sity of Technology

Three visitors from Tokyo Tech with stu-dents of the Japanese class at Dal ian

Pa r t ne rU niversi t ies

Graph Model for the Elmira groundwa-ter contamination confl ict indicating how the formation of coal it ions could benefit or hinder different parties. Directed graphs GM ( left), GU (middle), and G L ( right) are displayed at the top and the ranking of states for M, U, and L at the bottom.

TokyoTech International AUTUMN 2010 Vol. 148

Tokyo Tech International is an official publication of the Tokyo Institute of Technology published by the university’s Center for Public Information, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan. Tel : +81-3-5734-2975 Fax: +81-3-5734-3661

InquiriesAbout this publicationCenter for Public InformationE-mail: kouhou@jim.titech.ac.jp

Admissions Informationhttp://www.gakumu.titech.ac.jp/nyusi/prospectus/index_e.html

Other inquiriesInternational Offi ce http://www.ipo.titech.ac.jp/english/index.html

Publisher Ichiro Okura, Director, Center for Public Information

Editorial Chairman: Adarsh Sandhu, Quantum Nanoelectronics Research Center committee Ji Shi, Metallurgy and Ceramics Science Martin Vacha, Organic and Polymeric Materials Yoshitaka Kitamoto, Innovative and Engineered Materials Kikuko Nishina, International Student Center

Technical Junichi Morisawa, Hidekazu Ueda, Kimiko Fujita, Sachiko Suzuki support Evaluation and Public Relations Division

©2010 Tokyo Institute of Technology

The word “judo” can have several meanings, including “the gentle way.”

But as any practitioner of this martial art knows, gentle it isn’t.

“Practicing and competing in judo is tough,” says Yuto Takei, a fourth-

year student in the Department of Mechano-Aerospace Engineering and

the captain of Tokyo Tech’s Judo Club. “As well as being physically tough,

it requires mental toughness, because you are competing individually

against an opponent who wants to beat you, just as much as you want to

beat him.”

The Club members meet four times a week for periods of two hours. “If

you don’t practice regularly, you become weak and will lose in competi-

tions,” explains Takei, who has been practicing judo regularly since his

elementary school days.

But he emphasizes that the

Club also welcomes those

with a more casual inter-

est in the sport, whether

experienced or beginners;

overseas students in par-

The gentle way to toughness

ticular are encouraged to join and learn about this home-grown Japanese

discipline.

During a typical year, Club members compete in as many as seven tour-

naments. “We compete against opponents in our own weight level,” says

Yasuyuki Maekawa, a third-year student in the Department of Mechanical

and Intelligent Systems Engineering.

For Takei too, judo is much more than a sport. “It’s become a part of my

life, a discipline, something I will always practice. Even when an opponent

is stronger than me and beats me, it helps me to understand my own

ability and to improve it.”

curricular

Winners of this year's National Universit ies Judo Competit ion

Judo Club members at practice

Captain Yuto Takei ( right) and Yasuyuki Maekawa

When Evelyn Giraldo, a native of Colombia, applied for a Japanese

Government Monbukagakusho Scholarship, she knew exactly what she

wanted to study. Giraldo had previously spent eight months in Japan

working as a research trainee at NTT Research and Development Center

in Musashino, Tokyo, an experience that helped shaped her decision.

“I was assigned to a group researching and developing next generation

networks services in NTT,” she says. “It was a great experience and I

wanted to build on this. So with the scholarship I wanted to study man-

agement of technology, focusing on the innovation process of technologi-

cal products and services.”

Her detailed application was approved and Giraldo is now in her second

year of a masters course at Tokyo Tech. “The Tokyo Institute of Technol-

ogy has a world-wide reputation for technology research, ranks high

among engineering universities and it matched my desire to study Japa-

nese innovative technology processes and development,” she explains.

The biggest challenge she has faced so far is getting up to speed in the

Japanese language. “In the beginning it was difficult, so I took mostly

A keen sense of purpose

English courses until my

Japanese improved,” she

says. “I also record the

lectures in Japanese and

prepare as much as pos-

sible before each lecture;

then after a class I ask

Japanese classmates about

certain points to make sure

that I understood everything correctly.”

The city of Tokyo’s image as a dynamic metropolis led Giraldo to believe

that everyone would be busy all the time and she would have to fend for

herself. “But local community groups have been warm and welcoming and

I’ve enjoyed many home stays, festivals, informal language classes and a

trip to Mount Fuji,” she says. “I don’t know how they make the time to do

it all. It helps make life in Japan enjoyable.”

Evelyn Giraldo,a native of Colombia and 2nd year master’s student at Tokyo Tech

Th roughS tudent Eyes