 |
| Dean of the faculty, Dr. Yoko OKI |
Prospectus for the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology
Romance of Environmental Creation Pioneering
Now
Lives
of living beings, including human beings, can be understood to only a limited
degree without the concept of an environment. In addition, humanity has
depended on environments that support life in a complex manner. Before developing
higher technologies, humanity enjoyed the products of nature, which can be
considered gifts from natural environments, and took them for granted along
with other living beings. All the while, humans increased their knowledge of
how to change natural environments to suit their survival and then, their
lifestyles. However, humanity is now confronted with an involuntary chain of circumstances:
population growth, expansion of artificial environments through a desire for lifestyle
improvement, and excessive use of all of the earth’s resources.
Meanwhile,
geological history indicates that environments around the globe have repeated
drastic climate changes since life first appeared approximately four billion
years ago. Even so, this habitable planet Earth has functioned well through its
self-regulation. Now at the dawn of the 21st century, effects of global warming
have been recognized on all continents and most oceans: a sense of crisis has burst
forth into our consciousness. Furthermore, the causes have been identified as
derived from artificial origins. What can we do now?
Our
assignment is to analyze present environmental problems, from immediate living
environments to global environments, to consider solutions to those problems along
with environmental restoration, and to construct a new environmentally
coexistent society. Subsequently, we must prevent global warming to the
greatest degree possible. Because environmental problems are mutually related in
a complex fashion, comprehensive judgment that extends to the humanities and social
sciences, encompassing culture, politics, economics, and ethics and morality,
as well as natural sciences, is necessary for their resolution.
From
such a perspective, the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology is
intended to foster human resources who master fundamentals, principles, and techniques
to pursue the balance between natural environments and human
activities, with sophistication of the humanities and social sciences in
addition to basic knowledge of natural sciences.
“Keep
the Balance between Nature and Human Beings”
With
this watchword, we would like you to share the romantic blossoming of new
environment creation in the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology.
Dean of the faculty, Dr. Yoko OKI