Okayama University Portal Site http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/ 2013-05-10 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2402.html 　Okayama University established a new Photosynthesis Research Center in its Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology on April 1, and held a center inauguration ceremony on the 11th. The center aims to become a site of global academic research to systematize foundational studies using solar power. 　Okayama University has a long history of research into photosynthesis, having produced world-famous researchers such as Dr. Hiroshi Fujishige and Dr. Kimiyuki Sato, honorary professors at this university who have gained internationally renowned achievements in studies on solar energy conversion through photosynthesis. The results of research by Dr. Jian-Ren Shen, director of the center, were named as one of the ten 'Breakthroughs of the Year 2011' by the US international scientific journal Science. 　During the inauguration ceremony President Kiyoshi Morita stated in his address that the center would be a core element of Okayama University as a research university, and that the entire university would work to ensure the center became a driving force in innovation from natural to manmade photosynthesis. As director of the center, Dr. Shen stated his strong determination to collaborate with researchers inside and outside Japan for studies at the leading edge globally, and to fully implement the fruits of this research in society. Fifty members of faculty attended to celebrate the opening of the center, including Dr. Shinichi Yamamoto, executive director (research), Masaharu Seno, dean of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, and Dr. Yoko Yamamoto, director of the Institute of Plant Science and Resources. 2013-04-18 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2359.html 　The entrance ceremony for Okayama University and Graduate Schools was held on April 8 at the Momotaro Arena (Izumi-cho, Kita Ward, Okayama City), welcoming 3,458 new students / graduate school students to the university. 　President Morita formally matriculated the students while huge crowds of their families looked on. In his speech, the president stated that he hoped the students would gain a wide breadth of learning to form both specialized knowledge and humanity, molding them into people able to be active globally. Toshiki Kikuchi of the Faculty of Letters gave a speech as a representative for the students, vowing that each student would believe in their unlimited potential and strive to become able to contribute to society, living up to the name of Okayama University. 　This was followed by an introduction of the university vice presidents, the graduate school deans and faculty heads, and a congratulatory speech by Keiichi Konaga, chairman of the university's alumni association. The university orchestra gave a celebratory performance, and after the end of the ceremony the university's cheerleading club gave a rousing cheer for the new students to welcome them in. 2013-04-08 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2349.html 　The International Workshop on Biointerface and Biomedical Engineering, 2013 was held on March 13 at Okayama University as an opportunity to consider biodemical collaboration to accelerate the development of next generation technology linking living organisms and advanced engineering technologies. 　The workshop included presentations by thirteen researchers from inside and outside Japan, including our own university, in fields involving medical biology, imaging / measurement technologies and materials development. Dr. Wibool Piyawattanametha (Chulalongkorn University, Thailand), an expert in the development of microscopes, and Dr. Wilfred G. van der Wiel (University of Twente, Netherlands), an expert in nano-electronics, gave special lectures on the latest research findings in their fields. The audience members for both lectures asked numerous questions, leading to a vital exchange of opinions. 　This workshop was achieved with aid from Soft Interfaces Molecular Science, a new research field under a grant from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, focusing on Dr. Mitsunobu Kano and others of the Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, with support from our own URA office. 2013-04-02 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2336.html 　The 2012 Degree Ceremony for Okayama University was held at the Momotaro Arena on March 25, witnessing the departure of 3,351 undergraduate and graduate students from the memory-laden campus. 　The ceremony proceeded with the national anthem and school songs being performed, after which the university president, Dr. Kiyoshi Morita, presented degrees and diplomas to 22 representatives from each faculty / graduate school. The Okayama University Kokusho Award, given to students excelling in both their schoolwork and their character, was commended to seventeen students, with a commemorative item and award certificate being given to a representative student. 　President Morita was shown on the screen in the venue giving a speech wherein he quoted impressive phrases from notable people, and stated that a person's brilliance is decided by what they are about to achieve, not what they have done in the past. He asked the students to select themselves from among the missions given to them to accomplish changes and attain this brilliance. Tomoko Kaneda of the Dental School and Hiroaki Takano of the Graduate School of Education gave valedictory addresses as representatives of the graduates. 　After the end of the degree ceremony, the graduates took commemorative photos with their friends or received flowers from senior members of their circles, taking an emotional leave of their student life. 2013-03-25 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2327.html 　Okayama University signed an inter-university agreement with Shaanxi Normal University of China on March 19. Dr. Masaru Araki, vice president of the university, paid a courtesy call on Shaanxi University's president, Fang Yu, and signed a cooperative agreement with its vice president, You Xuqun. 　Shaanxi Normal University is one of six normal universities directly affiliated with the State Educational Ministry of China and is also specified as one of the universities for the state Project 211 started nationwide in China in 2006. It plays a central role in northwest China as an institution fostering mainly secondary and tertiary educators plus school administrators. President Fang visited Okayama University in August 2008, and an interdepartmental cooperative agreement is in place between Shaanxi's College of Chemistry & Materials Science and our own Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology. 　The new inter-university agreement expands the exchanges in the fields of natural sciences to all faculties / schools, and is expected to invigorate exchanges with the social science faculties too. It will also continue to promote interaction of people and ideas to form the basis for joint research, as well as active exchanges of graduate-level students. 2013-03-25 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2316.html 　Dr. Gordon Grau, Director of the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Hawai'i, which has a partnership agreement with our university, paid a courtesy call with two others to President Kiyoshi Morita on March 11. 　The University of Hawai'i at Manoa, the world Mecca for oceanographic research, and the Ushimado Marine Institute of our own Faculty of Science (Ushimado, Setouchi City) have been engaged for over twenty years in joint research on bioregulation. In 2012 the institute became the focus of activities as a jointly used site for the holding of a Bioregulation International Course, with over twenty universities inside and outside of Japan participating. An agreement between the universities was signed in August of that year. This visit is the first since the signing of the agreement. 　Dr. Grau, on visiting the president's office, stated that the Ushimado Marine Institute is an extremely important place for research and education and that he hopes for greater shared research in the future, and suggested promotion of educational exchanges such as the acceptance of more graduate students from Japan to the University of Hawa'i in the future. Dr. Morita expressed his hopes for further enhanced exchange activities in the future. It was also confirmed that both universities will cooperate to ensure international exercises for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's program to aid the fostering of science and maths students now being implemented largely by the Faculty of Science. 2013-03-19 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2308.html 　The six major national universities of Chiba University, Niigata University, Kanazawa University, Nagasaki University, Kumamoto University and Okayama University signed a comprehensive agreement on March 6 to utilize their respective characteristics to collaboratively strengthen education / academic research functions, develop global human resources and ensure high-level scholarship. This is the first agreement for national universities to cover multiple institutions over such a broad area. 　All of the six universities are new system universities carried over from old system schools such as medical colleges, and as such have maintained a loose form of collaboration up to now. This agreement will promote the formation of a collaborative consortium of the six national universities and the joint formation of educational programs to deepen comprehensive and powerful cooperation. Steps are also underway to set up an international collaborative body for the six national universities to promote cooperation in international activities, such as exchanges with influential overseas university affiliations. 　The signing ceremony that took place in Tokyo was attended by the presidents of the six universities, including our own Dr. Kiyoshi Morita, along with other personages involved. Dr. Shinichi Nakamura, president of Kanazawa University, which is acting as the steward of the agreement, expressed his strong hope towards the achievements collaboration will bring, after which the presidents signed the agreement and shook hands firmly. Next our own Dr. Morita gave a broad outline of the intentions of the agreement, and Dr. Masaru Akita (Executive Director (Social Responsibility and International Affairs)) talked on the forming of an international collaborative body. 　Talks were also held prior to the signing ceremony with Myanmar's Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ko Ko Oo, with a letter of confirmation being signed on the strengthening of cooperation between Myanmar and the six universities in the field of science and technology. The involvement with Myanmar came about through examination of aid for development of human resources in engineering primarily through Nagasaki University, and without doubt will lead to the greater promotion of internationalization for the six universities and the fostering of global human resources. 2013-03-15 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2301.html 　A meeting was held to announce the results of the Okayama / Hue University Graduate School Special Course and report on its completion on March 7 at this university. The eight fourth-year students in this course, which is a special program run by both Hue National University (Vietnam) and our university, transferred to the second year of Okayama University's doctoral course from April last year, and at this meeting announced the results of their studies over the year. 　This announcement / report meeting is held each year to present the results of the students' studies here (their master's theses) and to report on the completion of their courses to the companies that have acted as their 'foster parents' to support their life in Japan. 　At the announcement meeting, the eight gave presentations in English on the results of their studies. In the report meeting, they expressed their appreciation in Japanese to the 'foster parent' companies, after which the companies gave them warm messages of encouragement for the future. The meeting allowed deeper ties to be formed by all present. We look forward to hearing in the future of the achievements of these students in their home country using the knowledge they have learned here. Okayama University will continue to improve this course as well as maintaining activities to contribute to education and exchange with Vietnam. 2013-03-13 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2263.html 　Professor Yuji Hasegawa of the Vienna University of Technology, who in January 2012 proved in an experiment new facts that have overturned the long-held Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, a fundamental element of quantum physics, visited Okayama University on February 15 to give a seminar entitled "Beyond the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle." 　This principle was first put forth by Professor Werner Heisenberg of Germany in 1927 and is a fundamental principle that is found at the beginning of quantum physics textbooks. Due to the many ambiguities surrounding the principle, proofs and counter-proofs have been bandied around over many long years, until Professor Masanao Ozawa of Nagoya University announced the Ogawa Uncertainty Formula to finally overturn the principle. Professor Hasegawa proved this formula through his experiments, becoming a major news item in the process. 　The lecture was realized through the invitation of Professor Naoshi Ikeda of the Okayama University Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology. Professor Hasegawa gave a clear and succinct description of the process of his experiments to prove the Ogawa Uncertainty Formula, and explained how this verification will have a major impact on society through the development of quantum computers, quantum encoding technology and applications to computational finance. The students and researchers of Okayama University attending the lecture made many questions and comments, with an intense discussion being held. Professor Hasegawa's thesis (English): http://www.nature.com/nphys/journal/v8/n3/full/nphys2194.html 2013-02-19 http://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/en/tp/news/news_id2258.html 　The US scientific journal Science has announced its ten "Breakthroughs of the Year" for the scientific world in 2012. The top breakthrough is the discovery of a Higgs boson by an international team at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). This research has progressed jointly between CERN and other researchers in Japan and worldwide, with the participation of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology's own Professor Itsuo Nakano (Director of the Research Center of Quantum Universe). 　The Higgs boson was the one undiscovered particle of the 17 essential particles of elementary particle physics. As the particle giving mass to elementary particles, it has been called the "God particle" and its discovery has major significance. Okayama University will continue through Professor Nakano to work on explicating the Higgs boson in close conjunction with other research organizations worldwide. 　Science has also in the past chosen the structural analysis of photosynthetic proteins by our own Professor Jian-Ren Shen of the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology as one of the breakthroughs of 2011. Science "Breakthrough of the Year, 2012": http://www.sciencemag.org/site/special/btoy2012/ Center of Quantum Universe, Faculty of Science, Okayama University: http://fphy.hep.okayama-u.ac.jp/center-qu/index.html 2013-02-14