Associate Professor, Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) and Director of the MPhil and PhD Programs in Public Policy, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

Visiting Associate Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), The University of Tokyo

Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London

 
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What's New?

March 8, 2024:

AIS Sustainability Seminar "Development of Key Performance Indicators for Society 5.0 Smart Cities through Logic Models" will be held online on March 22, organized by the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS), the Division of Public Policy (PPOL), and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR). Dr. Tomoyo Sasao at the University of Tokyo will discuss key performance indicators for smart cities in the context of Society 5.0 and explore their implications for developing sustainable human-centered smart cities.

 

February 29, 2024:

We had a stimulating panel discussion on Striking Efficiency in GenAI Governance, organized on February 28 by the Fintech Association of Hong Kong and the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA). Among the challenges we discussed are third-party models and services, intellectual property rights, and monitoring and enforcement to promote innovation while mitigating negative consequences.

Yarime, Masaru, "Key Challenges in Governing Generative Artificial intelligence," Panel Discussion on Striking Efficiency in GenAI Governance, organized by the Fintech Association of Hong Kong and the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA), Hong Kong, February 28 (2024).

 

February 15, 2024:

A panel discussion on Striking Efficiency in GenAI Governance will take place on February 28, jointly organized by the Fintech Association of Hong Kong and the Asia Securities Industry & Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA). We will explore governance systems for generative artificial intelligence to facilitate innovation while mitigating negative impacts in addressing societal challenges including sustainability.

 

February 8, 2024:

Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence has just been published. Naomi Aoki, Melvin Tay, and I contributed a chapter on trustworthy AI for the public sector and future research agenda.

Aoki, Naomi, Melvin Tay, and Masaru Yarime, "Trustworthy Public-Sector AI: Research Progress and Future Agendas," in Yannis Charalabidis, Rony Medaglia, and Colin van Noordt, eds., Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence, Edward Elgar, 260-273 (2024).

 

January 26, 2024:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will organize an Online Information Session on the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program on Tuesday, January 30. Our division focuses on three areas: 1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 2. Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy 3. Urban and Social Policy. We are particularly keen to look for students interested in exploring emerging technologies to address sustainability challenges, including climate change, biodiversity, and the circular economy.

 

January 22, 2024:

An editorial article on Environmental Data, Governance and the Sustainable City has been published in the section on Innovation and Governance of the Frontiers in Sustainable Cities.

 

January 17, 2024:

The Asia Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) will organize its ninth annual conference on April 25-27, 2024, at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (GZ) in Guangzhou, China. The theme of the conference is Transforming Asia: Fostering Governance and Policy Innovations for Technological, Entrepreneurial, and Sustainable Development. The Steering Committee invites you to submit proposals for papers and panels for presentation at the conference. Research contributions are welcome to explore the role of emerging technologies in addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change, biodiversity, and the circular economy, and implications for public policy and governance. Submissions are open until January 31, 2024.

 

January 12, 2024:

SSRC-JFNY Japan Global Workshop: Alternative Economies for a Sustainable Future. took place on January 9-12, 2024 at Claremont McKenna College and Pomona College in Claremont, California, organized by the U.S. Social Science Research Council and the Japan Foundation New York. We had a fruitful discussion on the impacts of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence and digital twins on stakeholder participation and inclusion and implications for public policy and governance.

Yarime, Masaru, "Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to the Study of Alternative Economies: Implications of Emerging Technologies for Addressing Sustainability Challenges," SSRC-JFNY Japan Global Workshop: Alternative Economies for a Sustainable Future, organized by the U.S. Social Science Research Council and the Japan Foundation New York, Claremont McKenna College and Pomona College, Claremont, California, United States, January 9-12 (2024).

 

December 29, 2023:

A conference summary is now available for Japan Update 2023, organized by the Australia-Japan Research Centre at the Crawford School of Public Policy and the ANU Japan Institute at the College of Asia & the Pacific at the Australian National University. You can watch the panels on Economy, Economic Security, Foreign Policy and Politics, and Science and Technology.

 

December 25, 2023:

In this article with Siqi Xie and Ning Luo just published in Policy Design and Practice, we discussed the development of data governance for smart cities in China and explored some crucial challenges by taking the case of Shenzhen

Xie, Siqi, Ning Luo, and Masaru Yarime, "Data Governance for Smart Cities in China: The Case of Shenzhen," Policy Design and Practice (2023). DOI: 10.1080/25741292.2023.2297445.

 

December 17, 2023:

Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) has published the Observation Platform of AI at the Workplace: AI Observation Platform Report. Students of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Management (MPM) programs at HKUST conducted case studies of enterprises based in Hong Kong and mainland China utilizing AI to address sustainability challenges, including renewable energy and environmental protection.

GPAI, "Observation Platform of AI at the Workplace: AI Observation Platform Report," Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), December (2023).

 

December 15, 2023:

Elgar Companion to Regulating AI and Big Data in Emerging Economies has just been published. In a chapter with Gleb Papyshev, we discussed key challenges in implementing industry self-regulation of AI in emerging economies and implications for public policy and institutional development.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "The Challenges of Industry Self-Regulation of AI in Emerging Economies: Implications of the Case of Russia for Public Policy and Institutional Development," in Mark Findlay, Ong Li Min and Zhang Wenxi, eds., Elgar Companion to Regulating AI and Big Data in Emerging Economies, Edward Elgar, 81-98 (2023).

 

December 13, 2023:

AIS Sustainability Seminar "Examining the Value of Satellite Data in Halting Transmission of Polio in Nigeria: A Socioeconomic Analysis" will be held online on Friday, December 15, jointly organized by the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies, Division of Public Policy, and the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST. Professor Mariel Borowitz from the Georgia Institute of Technology will discuss her recent research that employs a value-of-information approach to estimate the net socioeconomic benefits associated with the use of satellite data in halting the transmission of polio in Nigeria.

 

December 11, 2023:

It was a great pleasure to participate in the International Workshop "Ethical AI" Pioneering Progress in the Asia-Pacific," organized on December 11 by the United Nations University Institute in Macau in collaboration with UNESCO and the University of Macau. Experts from academia, industry, and government discussed ethical and institutional challenges in developing and deploying AI for sustainability in the region and beyond.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainability: Towards Lifecycle Understanding of the Innovation System of AI," International Workshop "Ethical AI: Pioneering Progress in the Asia-Pacific," organized by the United Nations University Institute in Macau in collaboration with UNESCO and the University of Macau, December 11 (2023).

 

December 1, 2023:

International Workshop "Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Higher Education Sector: Navigating the Uncharted Waters" was held on December 1, jointly organized by the Center for Education Innovation and the Institute of Public Policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. It was my pleasure to be the Discussant in the Plenary Session for papers discussing the challenges posed by generative AI and policy responses in countries in Asia and beyond.

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on Papers Presented at the Plenary Session," International Workshop "Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Higher Education Sector: Navigating the Uncharted Waters," Center for Education Innovation and the Institute of Public Policy, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, December 1 (2023).

 

November 30, 2023:

International Workshop "Ethical AI: Pioneering Progress in the Asia-Pacific" will be organized on December 11 by the United Nations University Institute in Macau in collaboration with UNESCO and the University of Macau. Researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders will explore ethical and institutional challenges in facilitating responsible AI development and deployment in the region.

 

November 28, 2023:

Xu Liu has successfully defended her doctoral thesis on the role of data in sustainable urban mobility policy at Maastricht University. Congratulations! It was an honor to serve on the assessment committee with her supervisors, Prof. Joop de Kraker and Dr. Marc Dijk, at Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI).

 

November 27, 2023:

GPAI Future of Work Survey Report 2022 in Japan has been published by the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). Our Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Management (MPM) students at HKUST PPOL conducted case studies of enterprises based in Hong Kong and mainland China utilizing AI to address sustainability challenges, including energy and environmental protection.

GPAI Japan Team, "Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) Future of Work Survey Report 2022," GPAI and the Institute for Future Initiatives, University of Tokyo, October (2023).

 

November 23, 2023:

AIS Lightning Talk took place on November 23 at the HKUST Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies. A wide range of issues concerning AI, public policy, and sustainability were discussed to explore collaboration among researchers and students in various disciplines.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data and Knowledge for Innovation and Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy," AIS Lightning Talk, Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, November 23 (2023).

 

November 16, 2023:

In this paper we conducted an exploratory study of the case of smart city development in Shenzhen to examines key opportunities and challenges in data governance.

Xie, Siqi, Ning Luo, and Masaru Yarime, "Data Governance for Smart Cities in China: The Case of Shenzhen," Policy Design and Practice, forthcoming.

 

November 8, 2023:

I'm excited to moderate the online seminar "China in Global Digital Trade Governance: Toward a Development-Oriented Negotiation Agenda," organized on Thursday, November 9, by the HKUST Institute for Emerging Market Studies. Professor Yujia He of the University of Kentucky will discuss China’s role in global digital trade governance through the cases of WTO, G20, and RCEP.

 

October 31, 2023:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) Forum 2023 took place on October 26. HERA acknowledge companies that demonstrate commitment to achieving sustainability in their enterprises. I was honored to serve on the Judging Panel on the awards.

 

October 30, 2023:

It was a pleasure to give a talk at Rematec Asia 2023 held in Guangzhou on October 12. We discussed the current practices and policies on EV battery reuse and recycling in China and key challenges in data governance and international collaboration.

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards the Sustainable Development of Batteries: Data-Driven Innovation for Battery Reuse and Recycling," Rematec Asia 2023, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, October 12 (2023).

 

October 17, 2023:

A new paper by Oliver Bream McIntosh, Amy Burnett, Ira Feldman, Jenna A. Lamphere, Thomas A. Reuter, and Emmanuelle Vital has been published in the special collection of articles on Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Policy Frameworks and Measures for Data Governance in Data & Policy.

 

October 16, 2023:

Data for Policy 2024 "Decoding for the Future: Trustworthy Governance with AI?" will be held on July 9-11, 2024 in collaboration with Imperial College London and Cambridge University Press. The International Committee and the Local Committee call for contributions, including abstracts, full papers, and panel proposals. Researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers are invited to discuss various issues concerning data and policy, particularly the role of data-driven innovation in addressing sustainability challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity, and the circular economy, and explore implications for public policy and governance. The deadline for submissions is November 27, 2023.

 

October 5, 2023:

AIS Sustainability Seminar "On the Unsustainability of ChatGPT: Impact of Large Language Models on the Sustainable Development Goals" will be held online and in person on October 13, jointly organized by the Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS), Division of Public Policy (PPOL), and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) at HKUST. Dr. Serge Stinckwich, Head of Research at the United Nations University Institute in Macau, will discuss the benefits and risks associated with LLMs and their implications for addressing the SDGs.

 

October 2, 2023:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is inviting applications for the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) 2024-2025. Our research activities focus on three areas: 1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; 2. Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy, and 3. Social and Urban Policy. We are particularly keen to explore the policy implications of emerging data-driven innovation for addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change and the circular economy. HKPFS provides an annual stipend of HKD 331,200 (~USD 42,290) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HKD 13,600 (~USD 1,730) per year for four years. Applications are open until December 1, 2023.

 

September 28, 2023:

U.S. Social Science Research Council and the Japan Foundation New York are inviting applications for SSRC-JFNY Japan Global Workshop: Alternative Economies for a Sustainable Future. Participants will explore alternative economies prioritizing environment, equity, well-being, access, and inclusiveness to create resilient, sustainable communities and systems. The workshop will be held in January 2024 at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California. The deadline for applications is October 2, 2023.

 

September 26, 2023:

It was a great pleasure to join a panel discussion on the Ethics and Regulation of Generative Artificial Intelligence organized by the FinTech Association of Hong Kong. Speakers from academia and the financial industry discussed critical challenges in implementing generative AI in various sectors, including re-skilling of workforces, protection of intellectual property, and balancing innovation and safety and security.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in Establishing Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence," Panel Discussion on the Ethics and Regulation of Generative Artificial Intelligence, FinTech Association of Hong Kong, September 26 (2023).

 

September 15, 2023:

In HKUST Public Policy Bulletin Issue No. 6 published by the Division of Public Policy, we discussed social influence on inducing energy-saving behavior and implications for policy interventions to enhance environmental awareness, openness to change, and the potential of innovative technologies.

Spandagos, Constantine, Erik Baark, and Masaru Yarime, "Social Influence and Economic Intervention Policies That Reduce Energy Consumption: Evidence from Air-conditioning Use," HKUST Public Policy Bulletin Issue No. 6, Division of Public Policy, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, September (2023).

 

September 14, 2023:

A panel discussion on Ethics and Regulation of Generative Artificial Intelligence will be held online on September 26, organized by the FinTech Association of Hong Kong. We will discuss various challenges concerning generative AI, including up-skilling of the workforce, intellectual property, ethical issues regarding training data and output results, and implications for sustainability.

 

September 13, 2023:

A recording of the presentations and discussions at Japan Update 2023 has been uploaded to YouTube.

 

September 8, 2023:

It was a great pleasure to join Japan Update 2023, organized on September 6 by the Australia-Japan Research Centre at the Crawford School of Public Policy and the ANU Japan Institute at the College of Asia & the Pacific at the Australian National University. We discussed key trends and prospects in science and technology and explored opportunities for collaboration between Japan and Australia to address common challenges in Asia-Pacific and beyond.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrating Green and Digital Transformations: Opportunities and Challenges in Science and Technology," Japan Update 2023, organized by the Australia-Japan Research Centre at the Crawford School of Public Policy and the ANU Japan Institute at the College of Asia & the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, September 6 (2023).

 

August 26, 2023:

The Division of Public Policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is inviting applications for the RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS) 2024-2025. Each awardee will receive an annual stipend of HKD 420,090 (approximately USD 53,500) per year for the awardee’s basic salary as well as a conference and research-related travel allowance (of HKD 13,350 (approximately USD 1,700) per year inclusively) for 36 months. PPOL focuses on three research areas: 1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; 2. Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy; and 3. Urban and Social Policy. We are particularly keen to invite candidates interested in exploring the role of science, technology, and innovation in addressing sustainability challenges and implications for public policy, management, and governance. Applications are open until September 9, 2023.

 

August 19, 2023:

The Japan Update 2023 will be held in person and online on September 6, 2023, organized by the Australia-Japan Research Centre at the Crawford School of Public Policy and the Japan Institute at the College of Asia & the Pacific at the Australian National University (ANU). Experts from academia, industry, and policy will bring insights into Japan's economy, politics, foreign policy, and science and technology. We will discuss key trends in science, technology, and innovation and explore their implications for addressing societal challenges inducing the aging population, energy transition, and sustainability.

 

August 17, 2023:

An external review exercise was conducted for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at HKUST. We would like to thank Prof. So Young Kim, Dr. Sean McMinn, and Mr. Justin Ng for their insightful advice and suggestions to improve our program further.

 

August 15, 2023:

It was a great pleasure to participate in the International Conference on Science, Technology and Society 2023: Rejuvenating STS for Sustainability Transitions, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology Studies at the University of Malaya. Moderated by Prof. Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad, our session on policy and dialogue with Dr. Moneef R. Zou’bi and Prof. Dr. Derk Loorbach explored critical challenges in governing emerging technologies to advance sustainability transitions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Emerging Technologies for Sustainability Transitions: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy," Keynote Speech, International Conference on Science, Technology and Society 2023: Rejuvenating STS for Sustainability Transitions, hosted by the Department of Science and Technology Studies, University of Malaya, August 15 (2023).

 

August 13, 2023:

Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence will be published early next year. Professor Naomi Aoki, Melvin Tay, and I contributed a chapter that discusses current research progress and future agendas for trustworthy AI in the public sector.

Aoki, Naomi, Melvin Tay, and Masaru Yarime, "Trustworthy Public-Sector AI: Research Progress and Future Agendas," in Yannis Charalabidis, Rony Medaglia, and Colin van Noordt, eds., Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence, Edward Elgar, forthcoming.

 

August 12, 2023:

The Data for Policy 2024 Conference - Decoding the Future: Trustworthy Governance with AI? will take place on July 9-11, 2024, hosted at Imperial College London. The International Committee would like to invite you to submit proposals for special tracks. This would be a great opportunity to explore various opportunities and challenges in public policy and governance for data and AI. Submissions are open until August 28, 2023.

 

August 2, 2023:

Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex kindly organized my seminar on August 1, 2023. I talked about opportunities and challenges in public Policy and governance on data-driven innovation to tackle sustainability issues.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Governance," Research Seminar, Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom, August 1 (2023).

 

August 1, 2023:

Yushi Chen has successfully defended his doctoral thesis, supervised by Professor Tim Foxon and Dr. Ralitsa Hiteva at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex. I was honored to serve as the external examiner for his thesis, which explored blockchain-based business models to address climate change.

 

July 28, 2023:

In this study just published in the European Journal of Innovation Management, we examined the effect of external knowledge absorption on promoting eco-innovation for the circular economy by conducting an empirical analysis of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union (EU).

Yoshino, Miyana, Benjamin Sadlek, Masaru Yarime, and Adnan Ali, "Knowledge absorption pathways for eco-innovation: An empirical analysis of small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union," European Journal of Innovation Management (2023). https://doi.org/10.1108/EJIM-02-2023-0136.

 

July 23, 2023:

It was a great honor to participate in a workshop on Global Architecture of Artificial Intelligence organized on July 19 by the United Nations University Center for Policy Research (UNU-CPR). Following the recommendation of the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board (HLAB) Report "A Breakthrough for People and the Planet," experts from academia, industry, civil society, and UN agencies discussed critical challenges in establishing a global architecture for AI design, development, and use, including governing bodies, norms and standards, and mechanisms.

 

July 10, 2023:

I was honored to give a talk at the United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON). It was a great opportunity to discuss the role of intellectual networks connecting scientists and policy-makers in addressing global challenges, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change, and the governance of artificial intelligence.

Yarime, Masaru, "The Role of Intellectual Networks in Formulating Public Policy to Address Global Challenges," CULCON Seminar, United States-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON), Tokyo, July 10 (2023).

 

July 8, 2023:

The 132nd STIG PoP Seminar "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: An Exploration of Data Governance and Impacts in Smart Cities" will be organized on July 18 by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program at the University of Tokyo. I will discuss recent experiences of data governance and impacts on creating innovation in smart cities.

 

July 5, 2023:

The Handbook on Regulating AI and Big Data in Emerging Economies will be published later this year. In a chapter written with Gleb Papyshev, we discussed the challenge of industry self-regulation of AI in emerging economies and implications for public policy and institutional development.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "The Challenges of Industry Self-Regulation of AI in Emerging Economies: Implications of the Case of Russia for Public Policy and Institutional Development," in Mark Findlay, Ong Li Min and Zhang Wenxi, eds., The Handbook on Regulating AI and Big Data in Emerging Economies, Edward Elgar, forthcoming.

 

July 4, 2023:

In a paper that has just been accepted for publication in European Journal of Innovation Management, we examined the role of knowledge absorption in facilitating the adoption of eco-innovations in small- and medium-sized enterprises in resource-intensive sectors in the European Union.

Yoshino, Miyana, Benjamin Sadlek, Masaru Yarime, and Adnan Ali, "Knowledge absorption pathways for eco-innovation: An empirical analysis of small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union," European Journal of Innovation Management, forthcoming.

 

June 30, 2023:

The Sixth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP6) was held on June 27-29 at Toronto Metropolitan University. The panel on Platform Governance in Turbulent Times presented papers that explore theoretical and empirical approaches to examining digital platforms and their implications for public policy and governance.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Smart Cities: Diversity in Data Governance and Its Impacts," The Sixth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP6), Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Canada, June 27-29 (2023).

 

June 28, 2023:

The International Conference on the Science of Science and Innovation (ICSSI) 2023 took place on June 26-28, hosted by the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. This interdisciplinary meeting brought together researchers and policy-makers to discuss critical challenges in the science of science and innovation, including artificial intelligence, gender, methodology, and immigration.

Jiang, Xiaohui, and Masaru Yarime, "The Smart City as a Field of Innovation: Effects of Public-Private Data Collaboration on Innovation Performance of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in China," International Conference on the Science of Science and Innovation (ICSSI) 2023, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Illinois, United States, June 26-28 (2023).

 

June 16, 2023:

The "Responsible AI Leadership: A Global Summit on Generative AI" took place on April 26-28 in San Francisco, organized by the World Economic Forum. Over 100 experts and policy makers participated in the summit to discuss key challenges in developing and deploying generative AI. A set of 30 recommendations has been published for responsible development and release, open innovation and international collaboration, and social progress.

"The Presidio Recommendations on Responsible Generative AI," based on Responsible AI Leadership: A Global Summit on Generative AI, World Economic Forum in collaboration with AI Commons, June (2023).

 

June 3, 2023:

Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) 2023 Conference: Public Policy in a Turbulent World was hosted at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on June 1-2, 2023. Various policy issues and challenges were discussed in the context of increasing uncertainty in economic, social, and technological environments.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data Governance for Sustainable Smart Cities: Impacts on Innovation and Implications for Public Policy," Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) 2023 Conference: Public Policy in a Turbulent World, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, June 1-2 (2023).

Yarime, Masaru, "Building Resilience: Are Our Systems and Frameworks Protecting the Most Vulnerable?" Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) 2023 Conference: Public Policy in a Turbulent World, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, June 1-2 (2023).

 

May 27, 2023:

The Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2023 was held on May 24-26 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. We had a great discussion on policy approaches to emerging digital technologies including AI and impacts on innovation and public values.

Jiang, Xiaohui, and Masaru Yarime, "The Smart City as a Field of Innovation: Effects of Public-Private Data Collaboration on Innovation Performance of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises in China," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2023, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, May 24-26 (2023).

Xie, Siqi, and Masaru Yarime, "Are Digital Innovation Policies Effective in Promoting the Development of Digital Economy in China?" Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2023, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, May 24-26 (2023).

Papyshev, Gleb, Keith Chan, and Masaru Yarime, "Balancing the Tradeoff between Regulation and Innovation for Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of Top-down Command and Control and Bottom-up Self-Regulatory Approaches," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2023, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, May 24-26 (2023).

Henares, Timothy Joseph, and Masaru Yarime, "The Effects of Chinese Investments in Digital Infrastructures on Data Policies and Regulations in Host Countries: A Case Study on New Clark City, Philippines," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2023, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, May 24-26 (2023).

 

May 10, 2023:

IPO Sustainability Seminar, "Multiple Dimensions of Green Spaces, Public Visits, and Their Interaction with Mental Wellbeing: A Comparative Analysis between Singapore and Hong Kong," will take place on May 11, 2023, jointly organized by the Interdisciplinary Programs Office (IPO), Division of Public Policy (PPOL), and Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR). Professor Kwan Ok Lee at the National University of Singapore Business School will discuss green spaces and their effects on mental well-being and explore implications for public policy.

 

May 9, 2023:

Professor Keith Chan at HKUST talked about AI and regulation regarding promoting innovation and enhancing consumer welfare in the Game Changer podcast. Our paper explored the trade-off between regulation and innovation for AI by developing a game-theoretic model to compare top-down command and control and bottom-up self-regulatory approaches.

Chan, Keith Jin Deng, Gleb Papyshev, and Masaru Yarime, "Balancing the Tradeoff between Regulation and Innovation for Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of Top-down Command and Control and Bottom-up Self-Regulatory Approaches," SSRN, October 20 (2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4223016.

 

May 6, 2023:

A new article, "The virtuous smart city: Bridging the gap between ethical principles and practices of data-driven innovation," has been added to the special collection of articles on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities published in the journal Data & Policy.

 

May 4, 2023:

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence for the Sustainable Development Goals, edited by Francesca Mazzi and Luciano Floridi, has just been published by Springer Nature. In this book, we discussed institutional and governance issues in enabling AI and other emerging technologies to address sustainability challenges.

Stephenson, Matthew, Iza Lejarraga, Kira Matus, Yacob Mulugetta, Masaru Yarime, and James Zhan, "AI as a SusTech Solution: Enabling AI and Other 4IR Technologies to Drive Sustainable Development through Value Chains," in Francesca Mazzi and Luciano Floridi, eds., The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence for the Sustainable Development Goals, Switzerland: Springer Nature, 183-201 (2023).

 

April 28, 2023:

Responsible AI Leadership: A Global Summit on Generative AI 2023 was held on April 26-28, hosted by the World Economic Forum in San Francisco. We had stimulating discussions with experts from academia, industry, government, NGOs, and international organizations about emerging issues concerning generative AI, including evaluation and measurement, actuality and hallucinations, misinformation, system-level risks and interventions, global access and participation, and open platform and collaboration.

 

April 27, 2023:

My comments on the global governance of artificial intelligence were quoted in the Portuguese newspaper Público.

"Todos querem regular a inteligência artificial, mas ninguém se entende" (Everyone wants to regulate artificial intelligence, but no one understands), Público, April 23 (2023).

 

April 24, 2023:

It was great to visit the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University to have a fruitful discussion with Prof Wilson Wong, Prof Cameron Campbell, and colleagues there.

 

April 15, 2023:

United Nations World Data Forum Satellite Event, "Dealing with Data Dilemmas: Towards a Human-Centered Systems Approach to Sustainable Data and Digital Technology Development," will be held on April 25 in Macao. Roundtable Session on Data Policy for Addressing Data Dilemmas in Crisis Situations: Preparing for Digital Sustainability in Science will be organized by CODATA International Data Policy Committee. We will explore data policy to address scientific and digital sustainability in humanitarian crises in the context of health emergencies, natural and human-made disasters, and geopolitical challenges.

 

April 9, 2023:

PPOL Newsletter, Issue No. 3, Spring 2023 has been published. You can find the latest information about research projects, events, and student activities at our division. Data for Policy 2022 Conference hosted by PPOL is also featured in the newsletter.

 

April 2, 2023:

International Conference on Science, Technology and Society 2023 (iCON-STS 2023): Rejuvenating STS for Sustainability Transitions will be held on August 15-16, 2023. The key topics discussed in the conference include Science and Technology Policy, Dialogue and Science Diplomacy, Science Communication, Public Engagement in Science and Technology, Philosophy of Science and Technology, and Ethics and Law in Science and Technology. Abstract Submissions are open until April 30, 2023.

 

March 25, 2023:

A seminar, "The British State In Trouble: Brexit and Financialisation" will take place on March 30, jointly organized by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the French Centre for Research on Contemporary China (CEFC). Professor Patrick Le Galès at Sciences Po Paris will discuss the consequences of Brexit and its implications for institutions, policy-making, and external relations.

 

March 16, 2023:

It was an excellent opportunity to discuss the impacts of artificial intelligence on various sectors in the Future of Work project for the Global Alliance on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). Our team with Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Management (MPM) students at explored AI's potential in addressing sustainability challenges and implications for public policy.

 

March 8, 2023:

A group of students in the Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Management (MPM) programs at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) contributed to the Future of Work project for the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). In this event to be held on March 16, we will share the findings of our study on the impacts of AI on innovation for sustainability and explore further opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders.

 

March 6, 2023:

How to promote sustainability in the context of accelerating digitalization is a crucial challenge across the globe. We had an opportunity to visit the NTT Hong Kong Financial Data Center to discuss the latest efforts in this field and explore opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders.

 

March 1, 2023:

Data & Policy has published a new article, "The conundrum in smart city governance: Interoperability and compatibility in an ever-growing ecosystem of digital twins," in the special collection of articles on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities.

 

February 28, 2023:

A summary report is available for the 2nd Materials Genome Engineering (MGE) Workshop towards Materials Data Standards & CSTM FC97 Forum 2022: Materials Data after FAIR Principles - Use Cases, Facilitation and Infrastructure, organized on February 17 by the Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering at the University of Science and Technology Beijing.

 

February 24, 2023:

We organized a seminar "I think, therefore I Act - From SouFun.com to 3TU Technologies" by Dr. Shan LI on Friday, February 23 in the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at HKUST. He shared with our students and researchers his first-hand experience and insights on leadership and technology entrepreneurship.

 

February 18, 2023:

Panel on Collaborating for Innovation and Sustainable Development in Asia: Studies within and across Borders took place on February 18 in the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) 2023 Annual Conference, organized by Prof. Yujia He. It was a great discussion on emerging initiatives to promote data-driven innovation for addressing sustainability challenges in cities across East Asia and beyond.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Exploring Data Governance and Its Impacts in Smart Cities," Panel on Collaborating for Innovation and Sustainable Development in Asia: Studies within and across Borders, Association for Asian Studies (AAS) 2023 Annual Conference, February 18 (2023).

 

February 17, 2023:

IPO Sustainability Seminar took place on February 17, jointly organized by the Interdisciplinary Programs Office (IPO), Division of Public Policy (PPOL), and Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR). We had a stimulating discussion with Professor Eri Amasawa of the University of Tokyo on the environmental impacts of sharing economy and implications for public policy.

 

February 16, 2023:

The 2nd Materials Genome Engineering (MGE) Workshop towards Materials Data Standards & CSTM FC97 Forum 2022: Materials Data after FAIR Principles - Use Cases, Facilitation and Infrastructure was organized on February 17 by the Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering at the University of Science and Technology Beijing. We discussed with experts from Germany, Belgium, China, South Korea, and Japan data-driven innovation on materials and implications for open data and standards.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Data Governance and Public Policy," The 2nd Materials Genome Engineering (MGE) Workshop towards Materials Data Standards & CSTM FC97 Forum 2022: Materials Data after FAIR Principles - Use Cases, Facilitation and Infrastructure, Hangzhou, China, February 16 (2023).

 

February 11, 2023:

Our paper that explores research progress and future agendas on trustworthy artificial intelligence in the public sector has been accepted for publication in the forthcoming Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence.

Aoki, Naomi, Melvin Tay Yongyao, and Masaru Yarime, "Trustworthy Public-Sector AI: Research Progress and Future Agendas," in Yannis Charalabidis, Rony Medaglia, and Colin van Noordt, eds., Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence, Edward Elgar, forthcoming.

 

February 8, 2023:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Environmental Implication of Sharing Economy Based on Life Cycle Thinking" will take place online on Friday, February 17, jointly organized by the Interdisciplinary Programs Office (IPO), Division of Public Policy (PPOL), and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR). Dr. Eri Amasawa, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical System Engineering at the University of Tokyo, will discuss her recent research on the life cycle assessment of sharing economy and its implications for public policy to facilitate sustainable consumption and production.

 

February 2, 2023:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will organize an Online Information Session for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Public Management (MPM) Programs on Friday, February 10, 2023. Our interdisciplinary programs focus on three areas: Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy; and Urban and Social Policy. Students will be able to obtain knowledge of the impact of the latest development in science, technology, and innovation and professional skills in the formulation and implementation of innovative solutions to emerging global challenges including sustainability.

 

January 31, 2023:

Videos are now available on YouTube for Keynote Lecture, Plenary Panel 1, and Plenary Panel 2 at the Data for Policy 2022 Conference hosted by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

 

January 26, 2023:

The Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference 2023 will take place on June 1-2, 2023, hosted by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). As the conference theme is "Public Policy in a Turbulent World," we would like to discuss a wide range of issues concerning public policy in the context of increasing uncertainty and deepening complexity. For example, research contributions are welcome to explore policy implications of emerging technologies for addressing global sustainability and resilience. Submissions of proposals are open until February 24, 2023.

 

January 21, 2023:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is inviting applications for the Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program (AFLSP). The scholarship is available for those admitted to the Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Master of Public Policy (MPP), and Master of Public Management (MPM) programs. Our research and educational activities focus on three areas: Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy; and Social and Urban Policy. For example, we are keen to invite applicants who are interested in exploring key opportunities and challenges in stimulating and governing emerging technologies to address sustainability issues, including climate change and the circular economy. Applications for AFLSP are open until January 31, 2023.

 

January 17, 2023:

Contributions are welcome to a special collection of articles on "Data for Development Policy: Risk, Equity, and Solving Complex Problems with Limited Resources" for Data & Policy, a peer-reviewed journal published by Cambridge University Press in association with the Data for Policy Conference. This would be a great opportunity to discuss critical challenges in utilizing and governing data to address various issues concerning sustainable development. Submissions are open until March 3, 2023.

"Data for Development Policy: Risk, Equity, and Solving Complex Problems with Limited Resources," Special Collection of Articles, Guest Editors: Didier Alia (University of Washington), C. Leigh Anderson (University of Washington), Amparo Palacios López (World Bank Group), Federico Trindade (University of Washington), and Masaru Yarime (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology), Data & Policy, Cambridge University Press (2023).

 

January 10, 2023:

In this study just published in Policy Design and Practice, we investigated national strategies for artificial intelligence (AI) across the globe and identified key functions of the government for governing AI, which can be integrated into three themes: development, control, and promotion.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "The State’s Role in Governing Artificial Intelligence: Development, Control, and Promotion through National Strategies," Policy Design and Practice (2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2022.2162252.

 

January 5, 2023:

In our paper just published in Policy Design and Practice, new approaches to policy design concerning disruptive technologies are explored by taking the case of facial recognition technology in China. Regulatory sandboxes, policy mix, and stakeholder engagement are among key policy measures for adaptive governance.

Li, Zhizhao, Yuqing Guo, Masaru Yarime, and Xun Wu, "Policy Designs for Adaptive Governance of Disruptive Technologies: The Case of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) in China," Policy Design and Practice (2023). https://doi.org/10.1080/25741292.2022.2162248.

 

December 31, 2022:

The outcome of the Data for Policy 2022 Conference has been reported on the website of Data for Policy.

"Data for Policy 2022 is an International Success," Data for Policy, December 23 (2022).

 

December 30, 2022:

Experts from the public and private sectors, academia, and civil society worked together to identify model policies on Privacy Impact Assessment at the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance. It would be important to conduct a PIA before adopting smart technologies to enhance transparency and accountability and facilitate public trust.

G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance, "Model Policy - Privacy Impact Assessment," World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland (2022).

 

December 25, 2022:

We had a fruitful discussion at Abe Fellows Network Foundational Planning Meeting held on December 15-16 at the U.S. Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in New York. The future of the Abe Fellows Network will be explored to address the most pressing challenges globally, including resilience to disasters and climate change, inclusivity in overcoming societal divisions, and governance of emerging disruptive technologies.

 

December 14, 2022:

It was a great pleasure to visit Dr. Priya Donti at Cornell Tech in New York to discuss the use of AI to address climate change. Emerging initiatives by international organizations and non-profit organizations in this field are rather fragmented and would benefit from closer collaboration.

 

December 13, 2022:

Digital Technology has great potential to address climate change. It was a great opportunity to discuss with Ms. Reina Otsuka the innovative initiative to facilitate green, inclusive, and digital transitions at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York.

 

December 13, 2022:

Ethics-based approaches are currently preferred to strict command and control approaches to regulating artificial intelligence in many countries. Our paper just published in the journal AI & Society discussed the limitations of ethics-based AI regulations by taking the case of Russia.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "The Limitation of Ethics-Based Approaches to Regulating Artificial Intelligence: Regulatory Gifting in the Context of Russia," AI & Society (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-022-01611-y.

 

December 10, 2022:

We had a fascinating discussion with Professor Aynne Kokas at HKUST PPOL Seminar "Trafficking Data: How China is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty" on December 9. A key argument is that fragmented data regulations and international regulatory asymmetry contribute to exploitive data collection and uneven trading practices on data.

 

December 9, 2022:

Data for Policy 2022 Conference was successfully held on December 5 at the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We had stimulating discussions on various opportunities and challenges concerning data and policy, including smart cities, data governance, artificial intelligence, e-government, public participation, and data for sustainability. I would like to thank all the participants and staff members for their excellent contribution to the conference.

 

November 28, 2022:

It was a great opportunity to talk about the results of the COP27 meeting and the challenges ahead at Talk the Walk of the Hong Kong International Business Channel (HKIBC).

"Dr. Masaru Yarime on the Results of COP27 and the Challenges Ahead," Talk the Walk, Hong Kong International Business Channel (HKIBC), November 27 (2022).

 

November 25, 2022:

Applications for the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) are open until December 1, 2022 for the Ph.D. in Public Policy Program at the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Our research activities focus on three areas: 1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; 2. Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy, and 3. Social and Urban Policy. We are keen to explore the policy and institutional implications of emerging data-driven innovation for addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change and the circular economy. provides an annual stipend of HKD325,200 (approx. USD41,430) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HKD13,600 (approx. USD1,730) per year for the period of four years.

 

November 24, 2022:

We discussed ethics-based approaches to regulating artificial intelligence and their limitations by examining the case of Russia. Our paper has just been accepted for publication in AI & Society.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "The Limitation of Ethics-Based Approaches to Regulating Artificial Intelligence: Regulatory Gifting in the Context of Russia," AI & Society, forthcoming.

 

November 23, 2022:

HKUST PPOL team is contributing to the Future of Work project of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI). Our member LI Haiyu participated in the student session to share our findings with other groups in Europe and Asia at the GPAI Summit 2022 on November 22.

 

November 22, 2022:

In our paper that has just been accepted for publication in Policy Design and Practice, we conducted an analysis of national strategies on artificial intelligence, which shows countries take different policy approaches focusing on development, promotion, and control.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "The State’s Role in Governing Artificial Intelligence: Development, Control, and Promotion through National Strategies," Policy Design and Practice, forthcoming.

 

November 21, 2022:

The video of my lecture for the AUA Lecture Series 2022: Future of Energy is now available on the website of the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA).

 

November 18, 2022:

HKUST PPOL Seminar "Trafficking Data: How China is Winning the Battle for Digital Sovereignty" will take place on Friday, December 9. Professor Aynne Kokas of the University of Virginia will discuss recent developments in technology firms' practices and government policies concerning data collection, processing, and use in China and the United States and explore implications for global data policy and governance systems. Everyone is welcome to join the seminar.

 

November 16, 2022:

G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance has just released a report, Primer for Smart City Public-Private Collaborations, with the World Economic Forum. Key issues for public-private collaborations in smart cities include data governance, interoperability, risk/cost and benefit sharing, test bed protocols, and community engagement. I'm pleased to have contributed to this new initiative for exploring future policy guidance and framework.

G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance, "Primer for Smart City Public-Private Collaborations", World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland, November (2022).

 

November 15, 2022:

AUA Lecture Series 2022: Future of Energy "Sustainable Energy Transitions" took place on November 15, organized by the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA). We discussed key opportunities and challenges in facilitating sustainable energy transitions, including data-driven innovation and social justice.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Opportunities and Challenges in Smart Cities," AUA Lecture Series 2022: Future of Energy, Asian Universities Alliance (AUA), November 15 (2022).

 

November 9, 2022:

AUA Lecture Series 2022: Future of Energy is organized by the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA). We will discuss data-driven innovation for sustainable energy transitions and implications for public policy on November 15. Everyone is welcome to join the event.

 

November 8, 2022:

The Data for Policy 2022 Conference will take place in a hybrid mode on December 5, hosted by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of HKUST. The main theme of this year's conference highlights "Ecosystems of innovation and virtual-physical interactions." We will discuss with leading researchers, experts, and practitioners in Asia and beyond the major opportunities and challenges in facilitating and governing data-driven innovation. Among the topics discussed at the conference are smart city development, governance of artificial intelligence, social media, e-government, data governance, and citizen participation. Their implications will be explored for public policy and international relations, particularly in the context of diverse institutional environments in the region. Registration is open to anyone who is interested in this exciting field.

 

November 7, 2022:

We had a great discussion on tackling climate change with machine learning with Dr. Priya Donti at IPO Sustainability Seminar on November 3, jointly organized by the Interdisciplinary Programs Office (IPO), Division of Public Policy (PPOL), and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) of HKUST. There are many challenges in the responsible use of AI, including biases in data and models, trustworthiness and accountability, and equity and climate justice. The seminar was live-streamed at the Sustainable Smart Campus (SSC) hub.

 

November 3, 2022:

We discussed adaptive governance of disruptive technologies by taking the case of facial recognition technology in China in the following paper just accepted for publication in the journal Policy Design and Practice.

Li, Zhizhao, Yuqing Guo, Masaru Yarime, and Xun Wu, "Policy Designs for Adaptive Governance of Disruptive Technologies: The Case of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) in China," Policy Design and Practice, forthcoming.

 

October 24, 2022:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) 2022 Forum was held on October 20. I served on the Independent Panel of Judges to recognize enterprises with outstanding performance in ESG reports. There remain significant challenges ahead in further encouraging sustainability practices, including the unified sustainability standards, carbon-related disclosure, and the net-zero target in various sectors.

 

October 22, 2022:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Tackling Climate Change with Machine Learning" will take place online on November 4 at 9:00-10:30 (HKT), co-organized by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Dr. Priya Donti, Co-founder and Executive Director of Climate Change AI and incoming Assistant Professor of MIT, will discuss key opportunities and challenges in deploying machine learning to address climate change in various fields, ranging from energy to agriculture and resilience to disasters. She will explore data-driven approaches coupled with physical knowledge to facilitate the sustainable transition to low-carbon electric power grids.

 

October 21, 2022:

Our paper has been listed on SSRN's Recent Top Papers for PSN: Other Regulation.

Chan, Keith Jin Deng, Gleb Papyshev, and Masaru Yarime, "Balancing the Tradeoff between Regulation and Innovation for Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of Top-down Command and Control and Bottom-up Self-Regulatory Approaches," SSRN, October 19 (2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4223016.

 

October 19, 2022:

In this paper just posted on SSRN, we analyzed top-down command and control and bottom-up self-regulatory approaches to balancing innovation on AI and consumer protection by developing a game-theoretic model based on policy documents from the EU, UK, US, Russia, and China.

Chan, Keith Jin Deng, Gleb Papyshev, and Masaru Yarime, "Balancing the Tradeoff between Regulation and Innovation for Artificial Intelligence: An Analysis of Top-down Command and Control and Bottom-up Self-Regulatory Approaches," SSRN, October 19 (2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4223016.

 

October 18, 2022:

Submissions are still open to a special collection of articles on "Data for Development Policy: Risk, Equity, and Solving Complex Problems with Limited Resources" for the journal Data & Policy, published by Cambridge University Press. With colleagues from the University of Washington and the World Bank, the editorial team would like to invite contributions on the use of data in policy decision-making for sustainable development. We are particularly keen to explore key opportunities and challenges in utilizing novel data sources including satellite and social media and emerging methodologies such as machine learning to address sustainable energy transitions and resilience to climate change.

 

October 14, 2022:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the MPhil and Ph.D. in Public Policy Programs 2023-2024. Our research activities focus on three areas: 1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; 2. Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy, and 3. Social and Urban Policy. We are keen to explore the policy and institutional implications of emerging data-driven innovation for addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change and the circular economy. The Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) provides an annual stipend of HKD325,200 (approx. USD41,430) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HKD13,600 (approx. USD1,730) per year for the period of four years. Applications are open until December 1, 2022.

 

October 8, 2022:

Our paper has been published in the journal Energy Economics.

Zhao, Bei, and Masaru Yarime, "The Impacts of Carbon Tariffs on International Trade Flows and Carbon Emissions: An Analysis Integrating Trade Elasticities with an Application to US-China Trade," Energy Economics, 115, 106337 (2022).

 

October 3, 2022:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Building Evidence-Based Environmental Governance: Experiences and Lessons Learned" will take place on Friday, October 14, 2022, jointly organized by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Professor Wanxin LI of the City University of Hong Kong and Tsinghua University will discuss Chinese experiences of evidence-based environmental governance and implications for information transparency, institutional capacity, and government accountability. Everyone is welcome to join this exciting opportunity to explore key challenges in facilitating sustainability transitions.

 

October 1, 2022:

In our paper that has just been accepted for publication in the journal Energy Economics, we examined the impacts of carbon tariffs on international trade flows and carbon emissions by considering trade elasticities and applied the analysis to the trade between U.S. and China.

Zhao, Bei, and Masaru Yarime, "The Impacts of Carbon Tariffs on International Trade Flows and Carbon Emissions: An Analysis Integrating Trade Elasticities with an Application to US-China Trade," Energy Economics, forthcoming.

 

September 22, 2022:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) 2023-2024. Our research centers around three areas: 1. Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; 2. Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy, and 3. Social and Urban Policy. The Ph.D. program would be particularly suitable for those interested in exploring the policy implications of emerging technologies for addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change and the circular economy. The fellowship provides an annual stipend of HKD325,200 (approx. USD41,430) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HKD13,600 (approx. USD1,730) per year. Applications are open until December 1, 2022.

 

September 13, 2022:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Research Assistant Professor Scheme (Job ID: 7912). Applications are invited from early-stage researchers in the following three areas: (i) Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; (ii) Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy; or (iii) Social and Urban Policy. We are particularly keen to look for researchers who are interested in exploring the role of science, technology, and innovation to address key challenges concerning sustainability, including climate change and the circular economy. Applications are open until September 30, 2022.

 

August 31, 2022:

In HKUST Public Policy Bulletin Issue No. 2, we discussed how governments can balance the trade-off between public health and data privacy by taking the case of COVID-19. Policy implications are explored for salient, credible, and legitimate data governance.

Li, Veronica Qin Ting Li and Masaru Yarime, "Strengthening Community Resilience via Data Governance: Lessons from COVID-19 Dashboards," HKUST Public Policy Bulletin Issue No. 2, Division of Public Policy, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, September (2022).

 

August 27, 2022:

Our team of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) students of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) won the Second Prize at the 2022 Tsinghua International Case Analysis Competition of Public Policy on SDGs. The team explored agricultural innovation to tackle saline-alkali land in the Yellow River Delta.

 

August 20, 2022:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently looking for candidates for the Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS) of the Research Grants Council (RGC) of Hong Kong. We are particularly keen to invite researchers who are interested in exploring the role of science, technology, and innovation in addressing energy, environmental, and sustainability challenges and implications for public policy and management. Applications are open until September 23, 2022.

 

August 12, 2022:

The role of machine learning in conducting scientific research was investigated through bibliometric analyses of various disciplines in our study that has just been published in PLoS ONE. Our results indicate the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers in domain sciences and computer sciences and the engagement of interdisciplinary researchers with expertise in both types of science.

Thu, Moe Kyaw, Shotaro Beppu, Masaru Yarime, and Sotaro Shibayama, "Role of Machine and Organizational Structure in Science," PLoS ONE, 17 (8), e0272280 (2022).

 

August 4, 2022:

We had a great discussion on developing a sustainable and inclusive smart city in Hong Kong at the Global Youth Social Entrepreneurship Summit organized by the Global Shapers Community. Human-centric approaches would be crucial in embracing disruptive technologies, facilitating stakeholder engagement, and establishing trust in institutions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Human-Centric Approaches to Sustainable and Inclusive Smart Cities: Disruptive Technologies, Stakeholder Engagement, and Trust in Institutions," Future City: Building a More Inclusive Smart City in Hong Kong, Global Youth Social Entrepreneurship Summit organized by the Global Shapers Community, World Economic Forum, August 4 (2022).

 

July 26, 2022:

Submissions to the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) are welcome until July 31, 2022. HERA is open to all kinds of sustainability reports by organizations in Asia. The entries will be evaluated by an independent panel of judges including myself.

 

July 23, 2022:

A panel discussion "Future City: Building a More Inclusive Smart City in Hong Kong" will be held on August 4. It is organized by the Global Shapers Community as a supporting event to the Global Youth Social Entrepreneurship Summit (GYSESummit). We will discuss the role of the smart city in establishing a sustainable and inclusive society from the perspectives of business, public policy, and civil society organizations.

 

July 18, 2022:

Our paper that examines the role of machine learning in conducting scientific research and its implications for organizational structure has been accepted for publication in the journal PLOS ONE.

Thu, Moe Kyaw, Shotaro Beppu, Masaru Yarime, and Sotaro Shibayama, "Role of Machine and Organizational Structure in Science," PLOS ONE, forthcoming (2022).

 

July 8, 2022:

The 19th International Schumpeter Conference took place on July 8-10. We had great discussions on the emergence of digital economy and its implications for industrial transformation and sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: An Analysis of Data Governance in Smart Cities," 19th International Schumpeter Conference, July 8-10 (2022).

 

July 7, 2022:

The Ph.D. progression viva for Nishant Anand was held at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London on July 7. I served on the examination committee as an external examiner for his research on Responsible Governance of Digital Identity Systems.

 

July 6, 2022:

It was a great pleasure to give a talk at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London. I was really impressed by the enthusiasm of the students and researchers exploring policy and governance challenges concerning emerging technologies such as AI and IoT.

Yarime, Masaru, "The Smart City as a Field of Innovation for Sustainability: Exploring Data Governance and Its Impact," Research Seminar, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London, July 6 (2022).

 

July 5, 2022:

I had a fruitful meeting with Dr. Zeynep Engin and Dr. Emily Gardner at the Alan Turing Institute in London about organizing the Data for Policy 2022 Conference in Hong Kong, Seattle, and Brussels in December this year. We are looking forward to having stimulating discussions on various issues concerning data-driven innovation and its implications for public policy and governance.

 

June 22, 2022:

The 121st STIG PoP Seminar "The Smart City as a Field of Innovation for Sustainability: Exploring Data Governance and Its Impact" will be organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program at the University of Tokyo on June 30, 2022 at 10:30-12:00 (JST). We will discuss various approaches to implementing data governance and their impacts on creating innovation to address sustainability challenges.

 

June 10, 2022:

It was a great opportunity to participate in thought-provoking discussions at Our Immersive Digital Future: How Extended Reality May Affect International Relations on June 9-10, organized by the Digital Trade and Data Governance Hub in the Elliot School of International Affairs of George Washington University. Emerging challenges posed by the real-time, immersive nature of extended reality (XR) including augmented reality and virtual reality were explored from diverse perspectives of economy, security, ethics, policy, and governance.

 

June 9, 2022:

The inaugural International Conference on the Science of Science and Innovation (ICSSI) was held on June 7-9 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. Various aspects of science, including the production of scientific knowledge, the behavior of scientists, and the allocation of research funding, were explored by applying interdisciplinary approaches, such as bibliometrics, field experiments, and natural language processing.

 

June 4, 2022:

Our paper just published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews discusses the challenges and opportunities of blockchain energy applications, emphasizing interrelatedness among technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional dimensions.

Ahl, Amanda, Mika Goto, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, "Challenges and opportunities of blockchain energy applications: Interrelatedness among technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional dimensions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 166, 112623 (2022).

 

June 3, 2022:

EU-SPRI 2022 Conference was held on June 1-3, hosted by the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development of Utrecht University. We had a fruitful discussion on digital technologies and their implications for socio-technical change for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation to Address Sustainability Challenges: An Analysis of Data Governance in Smart Cities," EU-SPRI 2022 Conference, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands, June 1-3 (2022).

 

June 2, 2022:

The "Carbon Neutral Society – Action Month" Live Webinar Series, Week 4: Circular Economy was organized on June 2 by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). We discussed strategies and policies to move towards a carbon-neutral circular economy, dealing with potential synergies and trade-offs.

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards a Carbon-Neutral Circular Economy: Stakeholder Collaboration for Data-Driven Innovation," The "Carbon Neutral Society – Action Month" Live Webinar Series, Week 4: Circular Economy, Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), June 2 (2022).

 

June 1, 2022:

I'm excited to take a joint appointment at the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We explore innovation and policy implications for addressing sustainability challenges.

 

May 25, 2022:

Our discussion on how to enhance citizens' trust in data governance and their participation in smart city development at the online symposium "Trust and the Smart City" has been reported in Sing Tao Daily.

"Hong Kong Baptist University holds an online seminar to discuss how to enhance citizens' confidence in the use of data and jointly participate in the construction of smart cities," Sing Tao Daily, May 25 (2022).

 

May 20, 2022:

In our paper just accepted for publication in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, we examined the interrelatedness among technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional dimensions of blockchain energy applications.

Ahl, Amanda, Mika Goto, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, "Challenges and opportunities of blockchain energy applications: Interrelatedness among technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional dimensions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, forthcoming.

 

May 19, 2022:

We discussed the importance of incorporating justice perspectives in implementing policies and initiatives for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and resilience to climate change in an opinion piece published in Inquirer.net.

Cuaton, Ginbert Permejo, Masaru Yarime, and Yvonne Su, "Perspectives in the DRRM agenda," Inquirer.net, May 19 (2022).

 

May 5, 2022:

The "Carbon Neutral Society – Action Month" Live Webinar Series will take place from May 13 to June 10, 2022, organized by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). The topics discussed in the webinar series include alternative energy, low carbon negative emission, circular economy, and social innovation. Early career researchers are particularly welcome to participate in the sessions, as there are opportunities for networking and poster presentations. Registration is open until May 9, 2022.

 

May 3, 2022:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) 2022 is now accepting applications. HERA recognizes outstanding performance in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting and aims to contribute to building a community of leaders and decision-makers in various sectors for the promotion of sustainability. The awards are open to all kinds of sustainability reports by organizations in Asia. I'm serving on the independent judging panel to evaluate the entries. The deadline for submission is July 31, 2022.

 

April 30, 2022:

Online Conference "Trust and the Smart City" was organized on April 29 by the Department of Government and International Studies of Hong Kong Baptist University. Researchers and practitioners in the public and private sectors discussed how trust in institutions would contribute to energy transitions, data governance, and stakeholder engagement in the smart city.

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Data Governance in the Smart City: Trust in Institutions for Facilitating Innovation and Addressing Concerns," Online Conference "Trust and the Smart City," Department of Government and International Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, April 29 (2022).

 

April 29, 2022:

Virtual Knowledge Exchange "Smart Cities for Global Frontier Infrastructure" was held on April 26 at the Open Learning Campus of the World Bank Group. The potential of smart cities integrating the physical, digital, and virtual worlds was explored to facilitate innovation to address sustainability challenges. The recording of the event is available.

Yarime, Masaru, "Smart Cities, Digital Twins, and the Metaverse: Opportunities and Challenges in Data Governance," Virtual Knowledge Exchange "Smart Cities for Global Frontier Infrastructure," Open Learning Campus, World Bank Group, April 26 (2022).

 

April 28, 2022:

Online Conference "Trust and the Smart City" will take place on Friday, April 29 at 10:30-19:00 (Hong Kong time). We will discuss the role of smart city development to tackle sustainability challenges from various perspectives, including energy transitions, data governance, and stakeholder engagement.

 

April 23, 2022:

Workshop on Outcomes and Recommendations of the Air Pollution in ASIA and the PACIFIC: Subregional Dialogue Series took place on April 8, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The recording of the event and contributing documents are available on the website.

 

April 22, 2022:

Virtual Knowledge Exchange "Smart Cities for Global Frontier Infrastructure" will take place on April 18 - May 15, 2022 on the World Bank Group's Open Learning Campus. We will explore how smart cities can contribute to facilitating our efforts for global sustainability with emerging technologies such as metaverse and digital assets through knowledge exchange and sharing with stakeholders.

 

April 20, 2022:

I'm very pleased that IEMS Research Grant has been awarded to my research project "The Smart City as a Field of Innovation: Effects of Public-Private Data Collaboration on Innovation in the Guangdong Province and Implications for the Greater Bay Area." This research project will examine what kinds of data are available in smart cities, how these data are managed through collaboration between government and companies, and how the mode of data collaboration influences firms’ performance on innovation in SMEs in the Guangdong province in China.

 

April 16, 2022:

Kyoto x Seoul x Taiwan x Guangzhou x Hong Kong Online Undergraduate Deliberation Workshop took place on April 13. We had a lively discussion on the role of universities as change agents for sustainable energy transitions with students and faculties of Hong Kong Baptist University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Kyoto University, National Taiwan University, Sun Yat-sen University, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Universities as Change Agents for Sustainable Energy Transitions," Kyoto x Seoul x Taiwan x Guangzhou x Hong Kong Online Undergraduate Deliberation Workshop, co-organized by the Department of Geography and the Asian Energy Studies Centre of Hong Kong Baptist University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Kyoto University, National Taiwan University, Sun Yat-sen University, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, April 13 (2022).

 

April 15, 2022:

Workshop on Outcomes and Recommendations: Air Pollution in ASIA and the PACIFIC: Subregional Dialogue Series was organized on April 8 by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Experts discussed recent developments in monitoring technologies and air quality standards and engaged with governments to identify actions for capacity building, international cooperation, and integration with climate change.

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards International Cooperation on Air Pollution in Asia-Pacific: Overcoming Fragmented Epistemic Communities," Workshop on Outcomes and Recommendations: Air Pollution in ASIA and the PACIFIC: Subregional Dialogue Series, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), April 8 (2022).

 

April 13, 2022:

The Data for Policy 2022 Conference: Ecosystems of Innovation and Virtual-Physical Interactions will take place in December in Hong Kong, Seattle, and Brussels. The Asia-Pacific conference will be hosted at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on December 5. The call for papers is now open for full papers, extended abstracts, and panel proposals. A wide range of issues concerning data and policy will be discussed at the conference. I would be particularly keen to welcome research contributions to explore the role of data in facilitating innovation and addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change, energy transitions, and the circular economy, and implications for public policy and institutional design. The deadline for submissions is June 1.

 

April 9, 2022:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is seeking applicants for the final round of admission to the MPhil and PhD Programs in Public Policy for 2022-2023. We are particularly keen to look for candidates who would be interested in exploring the role of emerging technologies in addressing sustainability challenges. A postgraduate studentship is available during the study period. The deadline for applications is May 2, 2022.

 

April 6, 2022:

Workshop on Outcomes and Recommendations of the Air Pollution in ASIA and the PACIFIC: Subregional Dialogue Series will take place on April 8, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Following six virtual dialogues to address air pollution in the region, we will discuss key opportunities and challenges in strengthening regional cooperation and facilitating a broader exchange of innovative air pollution solutions and best practices, including policies, innovative uses of data, emerging technologies, and capacity needs.

 

April 5, 2022:

Our paper, "Role of Machine Learning and Organizational Structure in Science," has been revised and is available at SSRN. It has recently been listed on SSRN's Top Ten download list.

 

April 1, 2022:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently posing applicants for faculty positions in sustainability at the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR): 1. Sustainability and Green Finance (Job ID: 6664) and 2. Sustainability (Job ID: 3536). Review of applications will continue until the positions are filled.

 

March 31, 2022:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Building Data Trust with and for Smart Energy Communities in Hong Kong" will be organized on Friday, April 8 by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Dr. Daphne Mah of Hong Kong Baptist University will discuss opportunities and challenges in the use of data for smart energy transitions.

 

March 22, 2022:

It was a great opportunity to join the first editorial town hall meeting of the journal Data & Policy. We had a fruitful discussion to explore further development of the community by bringing together researchers and practitioners from diverse sectors and backgrounds.

 

March 18, 2022:

I gave a talk at an online seminar organized by the Environmental and Sustainability Research Cluster at the School of Social Sciences of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore on March 18. We discussed governing data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Smart Cities," Environment and Sustainability Research Cluster Seminar, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, March 18 (2022).

 

March 11, 2022:

We had a wide-ranging discussion about circular strategies and policies with Professor Murakami of the University of Tokyo at the IPO Sustainability Seminar organized by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and ENVR of HKUST. Traditional waste management needs to be further improved with more comprehensive impact assessment. It is crucial to explore synergies between product-service systems and GHG reduction efforts. Digital transformation in the whole supply chain will be a key in a transition from the 3R system to the circular economy.

 

March 9, 2022:

A new paper has been added to the special collection of articles on Data and Sustainability published in the journal Data & Policy. Dr. Darren Sharp and his colleagues explore a participatory approach for empowering community engagement in data governance in the Monash Net Zero Precinct in Australia.

 

March 6, 2022:

The call for special track proposals is open until March 10 for the Data for Policy 2022 Conference: Ecosystems for Innovation and Virtual-Physical Interactions, which will be organized virtually as well as physically in Hong Kong, Seattle, and Brussels. Asia-Pacific conference will be hosted at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on December 5. Special track proposals are welcome to explore a wide range of issues concerning data-policy interactions, including the role of public policy in facilitating data-driven innovation for sustainability.

 

March 1, 2022:

I'm pleased to join the Editorial Board of the journal Data & Policy published by Cambridge University Press. The journal aims to promote research exploring a wide range of issues concerning data-policy interactions, including data analytics for policy-making, governance of data-driven innovation, and the use of data to tackle societal challenges.

 

February 26, 2022:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Implementing Circular Strategies in Japan and Its Evaluation" will take place on March 11, jointly organized by the Division of Public Policy and the Division of Environment and Sustainability of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Professor Shinsuke MURAKAMI of the University of Tokyo will review recent developments in Japan and explore strategies and policies for a transition from the 3R system to the circular economy. Everyone is welcome to join the seminar.

 

February 23, 2022:

Our paper on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies for sustainable development has been accepted as a chapter in the forthcoming book The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence for the Sustainable Development Goals. This book is co-edited by Francesca Mazzi and Luciano Floridi and will be published in the book series Philosophical Studies Series by Springer Nature.

Stephenson, Matthew, Iza Lejarraga, Kira Matus, Yacob Mulugetta, Masaru Yarime, and James Zhan, "AI as a SusTech Solution: Enabling AI and Other 4IR Technologies to Drive Sustainable Development through Value Chains," in Francesca Mazzi and Luciano Floridi, eds., The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence for the Sustainable Development Goals, Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature, forthcoming.

 

February 17, 2022:

The impacts of carbon tariffs on trade flows and carbon emissions embodied in exports are examined in our paper. Our analysis shows that industries' trade elasticities and carbon intensities play an essential role in determining carbon tariff's impacts. We also explored the effects of carbon tariffs on China-US trade under different scenarios.

Zhao, Bei, and Masaru Yarime, "The Impacts of Carbon Tariffs on International Trade Flows and Carbon Emissions: An Analysis Integrating Trade Elasticities with an Application to US-China Trade," Social Science Research Network, February 16 (2022).

 

February 16, 2022:

We conducted a bibliometric analysis of the team structure of machine learning (ML)-related research projects and examined the contribution of ML to scientific knowledge production. Our analysis suggests that interdisciplinary "liaison" researchers who have expertise in both domain and computer sciences play an important role in achieving high impact and novel discoveries, particularly when a project employs computational and domain approaches interdependently.

Kyaw Thu, Moe, Shotaro Beppu, Masaru Yarime, and Sotaro Shibayama, "Role of Machine Learning and Organizational Structure in Science," Social Science Research Network, February 6 (2022).

 

February 15, 2022:

The Governance and Cities section of the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities has been changed to "Innovation and Governance." To facilitate urban sustainability, it is of critical importance to deal with various opportunities and challenges posed by emerging innovation, which is increasingly disruptive and unpredictable with unexpected consequences. This will provide a wide range of issues concerning governance in the context of sustainable cities. This section continues to serve as an arena to discuss innovative initiatives and approaches from critical perspectives. I would be keen to invite research contributions from broader communities to further advance our cutting-edge discussions on innovation and governance for sustainable cities.

 

February 11, 2022:

Call for Special Track Proposals for Data for Policy 2022 Conference: Ecosystems for Innovation and Virtual-Physical Interactions. The conference will be organized virtually as well as physically in three regions: Asia-Pacific conference hosted at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on December 5, American conference hosted at the University of Washington in Seattle on December 9, and European conference hosted by the Lisbon Council in Brussels on December 13. We would like to particularly welcome special track proposals exploring data-driven innovation in addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change, the circular economy, and sustainable energy transitions, and implications for public policy, management, and governance. The deadline for submission is March 10, 2022.

 

January 29, 2022:

Working with the editorial team of the Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, we will organize a panel on Disruptive Technologies and Sustainability Transitions at the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) General Conference on August 22-26, 2022 at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. We will explore policy and governance issues in harnessing the potential of disruptive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and blockchain, in addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change and the circular economy. The deadline for submitting paper proposals is February 16, 2022.

 

January 26, 2022:

In this study just published in the journal Remote Sensing, multi-dimensional analysis was conducted for tropical wildfire mitigation by utilizing various types of spatial data on wildfire susceptibility, carbon stock, and carbon emissions. The results can contribute to policy making on priority areas for the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program.

Sakti, Anjar Dimara, Adam Irwansyah Fauzi, Wataru Takeuchi, Biswajeet Pradhan, Masaru Yarime, Cristina Vega-Garcia, Elprida Agustina, Dionisius Wibisono, Tania Septi Anggraini, Megawati Oktaviani Theodora, Desi Ramadhanti, Miqdad Fadhil Muhammad, Muhammad Aufaristama, Agung Mahadi Putra Perdana, and Ketut Wikantika, "Spatial Prioritization for Wildfire Mitigation by Integrating Heterogeneous Spatial Data: A New Multi-Dimensional Approach for Tropical Rainforests," Remote Sensing, 14, 543 (2022).

 

January 18, 2022:

I'm currently editing special collections of articles on Data and Sustainability for the journal Data & Policy, published by Cambridge University Press. Research contributions are welcome to explore policy and governance issues in facilitating data-driven innovation for addressing sustainability challenges, including climate change, circular economy, and sustainable energy transitions.

 

January 11, 2022:

I'm excited to join the Energy Institute at HKUST. Our collaborative research activities explore technological, economic, and social challenges in facilitating innovation for sustainable energy transitions.

 

January 6, 2022:

I gave a seminar on data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities for the I-URIC Frontier Colloquium organized by the Inter-University Research Institute Corporations (I-URIC). We discussed the critical challenge of governing human-machine ecosystems and implications for prediction in society.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Governing Human-Machine Ecosystems and Implications for Prediction in Society," I-URIC Frontier Colloquium, Inter-University Research Institute Corporations (I-URIC), January 6 (2022).

 

January 3, 2022:

The Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program is available to applicants for admission to the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Program in Public Policy, Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program, and the Master of Public Management (MPM) Program at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The scholarship covers tuition, lodging, and daily subsistence costs. Top priority is given to candidates from Japan, followed by those from Mainland China, Macau SAR, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam. The deadline for application is January 31, 2022.

 

December 25, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) on the Clear Water Bay campus and the Innovation, Policy, and Entrepreneurship (IPE) Thrust on the Guangzhou campus of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has initiated a shared MPhil and PhD Programs in Public Policy. I have taken the role of Director for the shared programs in public policy.

 

December 24, 2021:

An article has been published for the Research Topic on Data Governance for Innovation in Sustainable Smart Cities, which is edited by Dr. Dorota Dominika Kamrowska-Zaluska and myself for the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities - Governance and Cities. Dr. Johannes Franke and Dr. Peter Gailhofer discussed data governance and regulation for sustainable smart cities.

 

December 13, 2021:

Virtual Roundtable "Urban spaces during and beyond COVID-19: What changes will remain for the long term – and are they making our cities better places to live?" was organized by the International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. We shared various experiences of urban innovation driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and discussed recovery policies and strategies with experts in cities across the globe.

Yarime, Masaru, "Urban Innovations for Tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic in East Asia: Implications for Recovery Policies and Strategies," Virtual Roundtable "Urban spaces during and beyond COVID-19: What changes will remain for the long term – and are they making our cities better places to live?,"International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, December 13 (2021).

 

December 10, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently looking for a Research Assistant (Job ID: 6908). Research and educational activities at PPOL focus on three areas: science, technology, and innovation policy; energy, environmental, and sustainability policy; and urban and social policy. We particularly welcome those who would be interested in working with stakeholders in various sectors including academia, industry, and government for facilitating innovation to address sustainability challenges.

 

December 6, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is hosting the Asia-Pacific Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (APCIEE) on December 6-7, 2021, in partnership with the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). We had an engaging discussion on various cases of utilizing AI in the health care sector with experts in academia, government, and industry.

 

December 3, 2021:

With colleagues at the University of Washington and the World Bank, I would like to invite contributions to a special collection of articles on "Data for Development Policy: Risk, Equity, and Solving Complex Problems with Limited Resources" for the journal Data & Policy, published by Cambridge University Press. We are particularly keen to explore various challenges concerning measurement and evaluation in utilizing novel data sources including satellite and social media and methodologies such as machine learning to address sustainability issues, including energy transitions and resilience to climate change.

Call for Papers on "Data for Development Policy: Risk, Equity, and Solving Complex Problems with Limited Resources"

Special Collection of Articles for Data & Policy, published by Cambridge University Press in association with the Data for Policy Conference

Guest Editors: Didier Alia (University of Washington), C. Leigh Anderson (University of Washington), Amparo Palacios López (World Bank Group), Federico Trindade (University of Washington), and Masaru Yarime (Hong Kong University of Science and Technology).

 

November 30, 2021:

Virtual Seminar "Opportunities for the Holistic Design of Products/Services and Policies towards Sustainability" took place on November 29, co-organized by the Science, Technology and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo and the Mistra Resource-Efficient and Effective Solutions (REES) Research Program of Sweden. We had a lively discussion on policy and management challenges in facilitating innovation to tackle sustainability issues including climate change and the circular economy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Designing Data Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Governance," Virtual Seminar "Opportunities for the Holistic Design of Products/Services and Policies towards Sustainability", co-organized by the Science, Technology and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo and the Mistra Resource-Efficient and Effective Solutions (REES) Research Program of Sweden, November 29 (2021).

 

November 24, 2021:

The 8th European Conference on Corporate R&D and Innovation - CONCORDi 2021: Industrial Innovation for Competitive Sustainability is taking place on November 22-25, organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in association with the European Association for Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). A paper with Kevin Chandra was presented to discuss our analysis of the digitalization of climate change-related technologies and implications for corporate strategy and public policy

Chandra, Kevin, and Masaru Yarime, "A Patent Analysis of Digitalization in Climate Change-Related Technologies: Innovation, Corporate Strategies, and Policy Implications," The 8th European Conference on Corporate R&D and Innovation - CONCORDi 2021: Industrial Innovation for Competitive Sustainability, organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission in association with the European Association for Research and Technology Organisations (EARTO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), November 22-25 (2021).

 

November 20, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS). Our research and education activities focus on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy. The Ph.D. program would be particularly suitable for those who are interested in exploring the role of public policy on science, technology, and innovation to address sustainability challenges in Asia and beyond. The deadline for HKPFS applications is December 1, 2021.

 

November 17, 2021:

A summary of our discussion is now available for the AI Governance Virtual Symposium: AI's Role in Addressing and Exacerbating Climate Change held on October 29, co-hosted by the Institute for Technology Law & Policy of Georgetown Law School and the Information Society Project of Yale Law School.

 

November 16, 2021:

Virtual Seminar "Opportunities for the Holistic Design of Products/Services and Policies towards Sustainability" will be held on November 29, co-organized by the Science, Technology and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo and the Mistra Resource-Efficient and Effective Solutions (REES) Research Program of Sweden. Researchers in Sweden and Japan will discuss key opportunities and challenges in designing products/services and policies for innovation to address sustainability issues, including climate change and the circular economy.

 

November 15, 2021:

Mushan JIN has successfully finished her doctoral dissertation "Situating Smart City Discourse in Strategic Urban Planning in China: Discursive Practices, Policy Networks, and Institutional Arrangements" at the School of Energy and Environment of the City University of Hong Kong. Congratulations! She examined the evolution of the idea of the smart city in China and discussed the fragmented landscape of policy measures introduced by various actors and implications for institutional arrangements.

Jin, Mushan, "Situating Smart City Discourse in Strategic Urban Planning in China: Discursive Practices, Policy Networks, and Institutional Arrangements," Shauhrat Singh CHOPRA (Supervisor), Masaru YARIME (External Co-Supervisor), School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, October (2021).

 

November 12, 2021:

This paper with Veronica Qin Ting Li, which has just been published in Data & Policy, examined how governments can use data tools such as dashboards to balance the trade-offs between safeguarding public health and protecting data privacy in a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show the importance of informed actions based on open case data and public trust built on data transparency.

Li, Veronica Qin Ting, and Masaru Yarime, "Increasing Resilience via the Use of Personal Data: Lessons from COVID-19 Dashboards on Data Governance for the Public Good," Data & Policy, 3, e29 (2021).

 

November 11, 2021:

HKUST IPO Sustainability Seminar "Key Trends, Opportunities and Challenges in ESG"was held on November 11 with Mr. Tony Wong of Alaya Consulting in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. We had a vibrant discussion on key challenges in ESG, including the consolidation of various sustainability standards, board involvement in ESG governance, and data collection and disclosure for stakeholders.

 

November 9, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will organize an information session on MPhil and PhD Programs in Public Policy on November 16. Please join us in exploring policy challenges in science, technology, and innovation for energy, environment, and sustainability in Asia and beyond.

 

November 7, 2021:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Key Trends, Opportunities and Challenges in ESG" will be organized on November 11 by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Division of Environment and Sustainability of HKUST. We invite Mr. Tony Wong, Founder of Alaya Consulting, Hong Kong and Shenzhen, to discuss recent trends in ESG and opportunities and challenges in corporate strategy and decision making for sustainability.

 

November 1, 2021:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) 2021 Forum and Awards Presentation Ceremony was held on October 28. HERA recognizes outstanding performance in ESG reporting and aims to contribute to building a community of business leaders for the development of corporate sustainability. I served on the judging panel for HERA.

 

October 30, 2021:

We had a fascinating discussion on the role of AI in tackling climate change and implications for public policy and governance with leading experts including Jackie Snow, Priya Donti, Sasha Luccioni, Kate Zyla, and Sean O'Brien in the AI Governance Virtual Symposium: AI's Role in Addressing and Exacerbating Climate Change co-hosted by the Institute for Technology Law & Policy of Georgetown Law School and the Information Society Project of Yale Law School.

Yarime, Masaru, "AI for Tackling Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges in Innovation and Governance," AI Governance Virtual Symposium: AI's Role in Addressing and Exacerbating Climate Change co-hosted by the Institute for Technology Law & Policy of Georgetown Law School and the Information Society Project of Yale Law School, October 29 (2021).

 

October 26, 2021:

AI Governance Virtual Symposium: AI's Role in Addressing and Exacerbating Climate Change will be held on Friday, October 29 at 11:00-12:00 (US EST). The symposium is co-hosted by the Institute for Technology Law & Policy of Georgetown Law School and the Information Society Project of Yale Law School. We will discuss what role AI can play in addressing climate change and sustainable energy transitions with Jackie Snow contributing to the New York Times, Priya Donti of Carnegie Mellon University, and Sasha Luccioni of the Mila Institute in Montreal.

 

October 25, 2021:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) Forum 2021 will take place on October 28. HERA aims to promote industry best practices in ESG reporting and management approach. We will discuss opportunities and challenges in financing a low-carbon economy and strengthening board oversight on ESG.

 

October 23, 2021:

Our paper on a comparison of smart city research and practice in Sweden and Japan has been assigned issue and page numbers of the journal Sustainability Science.

Sakuma, Natsumi, Gregory Trencher, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "A comparison of smart city research and practice in Sweden and Japan: Trends and opportunities identified from a literature review and co-occurrence network analysis," Sustainability Science, 16, 1777-1796 (2021).

 

October 22, 2021:

Data for Policy 2021 Conference was organized by University College London on September 14-16. We presented papers on an experimental study in Hong Kong on data governance for the public acceptability of personalised advice about COVID-19 and an analysis of the governance of artificial intelligence in Russia. The videos are now available on YouTube.

Li, Veronica Qin Ting, and Masaru Yarime, "Data Governance for the Public Acceptability of Personalised COVID-19 Advice: An Experimental Study in Hong Kong," Data for Policy 2021 Conference, September 14-16 (2021).

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "Governance of Disruptive Emerging Technologies: Regulatory Gifting for Artificial Intelligence in Russia," Data for Policy 2021 Conference, September 14-16 (2021).

 

October 21, 2021:

We examined the use of personal data in COVID-19 dashboards in Hong Kong and explored data governance for the public good in our paper that has just been accepted for publication in the journal Data & Policy published by Cambridge University Press.

Li, Veronica, and Masaru Yarime, "Increasing Resilience via the Use of Personal Data: Lessons from COVID-19 Dashboards on Data Governance for the Public Good," Data & Policy, doi:10.1017/dap.2021.27.

 

October 20, 2021:

XI International Academic Conference on Foresight and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy was organized by the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Moscow on October 15-26. I discussed opportunities and challenges in governing data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities and implications for science, technology and innovation policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Implications for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy," XI International Academic Conference on Foresight and Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, organized by the National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia, October 15-26 (2021).

 

October 19, 2021:

The virtual event "R&D Policies for Better Post-Pandemic Futures: New Approaches and Tools" was organized by the OECD Working Party on Innovation and Technology Policy (TIP), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, and VTT Technical Research Centre. Scholars, industry experts, and policy makers explored the key challenges facing science, technology and innovation (STI) systems in the post-pandemic world. A summary of the discussions is now available on the website.

 

October 7, 2021:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will organize an information session on MPhil/PhD Programs in Public Policy in Asia on October 9. Program directors/members from leading universities in Hong Kong, mainland China, and Singapore will introduce the MPhil/PhD programs in public policy and answer questions from potential applicants. This is a great opportunity for those who would be interested in exploring various policy issues in tackling key challenges concerning science, technology, and innovation for energy, environment, and sustainability in Asia and beyond.

 

October 6, 2021:

I would like to invite research papers to a special collection "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Policy Frameworks and Measures for Data Governance" for the journal Data & Policy published by Cambridge University Press. This special collection is based on the papers presented at the special track I organized at the Data for Policy 2021 Conference. Contributions from other researchers are also very welcome to explore a wide range of issues concerning the use of data to address sustainability challenges. A research article would be approximately 8,000 words in length. The deadline for submission is the end of January 2022.

 

October 1, 2021:

I'm excited to take the role of Associate Editor for Environmental Science & Policy. The journal is keen to explore cutting-edge research on the social and policy dimensions of innovation to address sustainability challenges, such as climate change and the circular economy.

 

September 30, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for Research Assistant Professors (RAP) under the RAP Scheme for 2021/22 (Job ID: 6628). We are particularly looking for outstanding early-stage researchers working in the following three areas: (i) Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy; (ii) Environmental and Sustainability Policy; or (iii) Social and Urban Policy. The deadline for applications is October 10, 2021.

 

September 25, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS). Our research and education activities focus on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy. The Ph.D. program would be particularly suitable for those who are interested in exploring the role of public policy on science, technology, and innovation to address sustainability challenges in Asia and beyond. The deadline for HKPFS applications is December 1, 2021.

 

September 21, 2021:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Integrated Environmental Compliance Monitoring System and Enforcement Features in China" will be organized on September 23 by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Professor Yuan XU of the Chinese University of Hong Kong will discuss the use of satellite data for environmental monitoring, reporting, and verification in China. Everyone is welcome to join us.

 

September 18, 2021:

The Think20 (T20), which aims to provide research-based policy recommendations to the G20 leaders, has published Policy Briefs on key policy challenges, including global health, sustainable development, and digital transformation. For Task Force 4 on Digital Transformation, I worked with my colleagues at HKUST, UCL, OECD, WEF, and UNCTAD to produce a policy brief on a proposal to facilitate emerging data-driven innovation for sustainable development.

Matthew Stephenson, World Economic Forum (WEF), Iza Lejarraga, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Kira Matus, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Yacob Mulugetta, University College London (UCL), Masaru Yarime, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and James Zhan, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), "SusTech Solutions: Enabling New Technologies to Drive Sustainable Development," Task Force 4 - Digital Transformation Policy Brief, Think20 (T20), Italy, September (2021).

 

September 16, 2021:

We had a fruitful discussion at Special Track on Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability organized at the Data for Policy 2021 Conference. Among the key issues we discussed are the use of satellite and social media data, diverse mechanisms of data sharing, and trust in data governance.

Li, Veronica Qin Ting, and Masaru Yarime, "Integration of GIS and Big Data for Personalised COVID-19 Advice in Hong Kong," Data for Policy 2021 Conference, organized by University College London, United Kingdom, September 14-16 (2021).

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "Formal and Informal Approaches to Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in the Russian Federation," Data for Policy 2021 Conference, organized by University College London, United Kingdom, September 14-16 (2021).

 

September 2, 2021:

I will chair the two sessions organized for Special Track II - Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Policy Frameworks and Measures for Data Governance on September 15 and 16 at the Data for Policy 2021 Conference, organized by University College London.

 

August 31, 2021:

The 112th STIG PoP Seminar was organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the University of Tokyo on August 31, 2021. I discussed data-driven innovation for sustainability and implications for data governance and public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Data Governance and Public Policy," 112th STIG PoP Seminar, Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, The University of Tokyo, August 31 (2021).

 

August 26, 2021:

I will talk about data-driven innovation for sustainability and implications for data governance and public policy for the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) PoP Seminar of the University of Tokyo on August 31, 2021.

 

August 24, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently looking for applicants for the RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (PDFS). We are particularly interested in researchers who are exploring science, technology, and innovation for energy, environment, and sustainability and implications for public policy. PDFS awardees will receive a full-time appointment for a 36-month period, starting at the earliest on May 1, 2022.

 

August 23, 2021:

The recording is now available for the session "Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Smart Cities: Maximizing the Potential of Data-Driven Innovation While Minimizing Risks to Communities," which I organized at the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2021 (SRI2021) on June 14.

 

August 19, 2021:

I talked to South China Morning Post about our project to explore smart approaches to facilitating behavioral change for energy saving in buildings to tackle climate change. The HKUST Sustainable Smart Campus as a Living Lab aims to transform our campus into a platform for learning, experimenting, and demonstrating new ideas for innovation.

"Temperature rising: Hong Kong developers, universities act early on climate change, but most businesses hold back, doing the minimum," South China Morning Post, August 19 (2021).

 

August 18, 2021:

Our research bulletin on social influence and policy interventions for energy saving behavior published by the Economic & Social Research Institute has been introduced in the Irish Times.

"ESRI says peer pressure may be ‘highly effective’ in changing energy habits," Irish Times, August 17 (2021).

 

August 17, 2021:

An article that summarizes the findings of our recent work on social influence and policy interventions to encourage energy saving behavior has been published by the Economic & Social Research Institute in Dublin.

Spandagos, Constantine, Erik Baark, Tze Ling Ng, and Masaru Yarime, "Social influence and economic interventions to motivate energy-saving: What works better?" ESRI Research Bulletin 202115, Economic & Social Research Institute, Dublin, August 17 (2021).

 

August 16, 2021:

Registration for the Data for Policy 2021 Conference is open until August 20. The conference will take place virtually on September 14-16 as a global forum to discuss theoretical, empirical, and practical issues concerning data science and innovation and their implications for public policy. There are many sessions and presentations about various aspects of data in addressing global sustainability challenges including climate change and public health.

 

August 6, 2021:

I'm excited to take the role of Specialty Chief Editor for the Governance and Cities section of the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. Research contributions are welcome to address a wide range of issues concerning innovation and governance for urban sustainability.

 

July 21, 2021:

Veronica LI Qin Ting, who has just finished her MPhil in Public Policy at HKUST, has been awarded the 2021 Joseph Needham Merit Scholarship. Congratulations! She will continue to explore science, technology, innovation, and public policy at STEaPP of University College London.

 

July 17, 2021:

A comparative analysis was conducted on the themes of research and practice on smart cities in Sweden and Japan in our paper that has just been published in Sustainability Science.

Sakuma, Natsumi, Gregory Trencher, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "A comparison of smart city research and practice in Sweden and Japan: Trends and opportunities identified from a literature review and co-occurrence network analysis," Sustainability Science (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-01005-x

 

July 16, 2021:

Policy challenges concerning privacy, availability, and applicability of data used in digital twins are discussed in our paper just published in the journal Data & Policy published by the Cambridge University Press.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "Exploring city digital twins as policy tools: A task-based approach to generating synthetic data on urban mobility," Data & Policy, 3, e16 (2021).

 

July 10, 2021:

The 18th International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society (ISS) Conference was held online on July 8-10. We had fruitful discussions on data-driven innovation including smart cities and artificial intelligence and implications for scientific research and sustainability transformation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation to Address Sustainability Challenges: An Exploratory Analysis of Data Governance in Smart Cities," Session on Sustainability and Circular Economy, The 18th International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society (ISS) Conference, July 8-10 (2021).

Thu, Moe Kyaw, Shotaro Beppu, Qi Wang, Masaru Yarime, and Sotaro Shibayama, "Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Activities: An Organizational Analysis of Research Teams," Semi Plenary Session - Panel on the Organizational Dimension of Innovation, The 18th International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society (ISS) Conference, July 8-10 (2021).

 

July 9, 2021:

The Fifth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5) took place on July 5-9. I really appreciate all the presentations in our panel on Policy Measures and Institutional Arrangements to Govern Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability. We had stimulating discussions on key challenges concerning public-private partnership, digital platforms, and trust in data governance.

Jiang, Xiaohui, and Masaru Yarime, "The Effects of Smart-city Related Public-Private Partnership Contracts on Innovation and the Performance of Smart Cities in China," Panel on Policy Measures and Institutional Arrangements to Govern Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability, Fifth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5), July 5-9 (2021).

Florentin, Kevin, and Masaru Yarime, "Understanding Greenfield Smart Cities: Data Governance for Sustainability in Kashiwa-no-ha, Japan," Panel on Policy Measures and Institutional Arrangements to Govern Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability, Fifth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5), July 5-9 (2021).

Xie, Siqi, Zeng Xuan, and Masaru Yarime, "Whether ICT related government subsidy improves the innovation performance of enterprises in China: ICT patent analysis based on the international patent classifications," Panel on Policy Measures and Institutional Arrangements to Govern Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability, Fifth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5), July 5-9 (2021).

 

July 6, 2021:

We conducted a comparative study of research and practice on smart cities in Japan and Sweden. Our paper reporting the findings has just been accepted for publication in the journal Sustainability Science.

Sakuma, Natsumi, Gregory Patrick Trencher, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "A comparison of smart city research and practice in Sweden and Japan: Trends and opportunities identified from a literature review and co-occurrence network analysis," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

June 25, 2021:

Our paper that examined the potential of digital twins for policy tools has just been accepted for publication in Data & Policy, a new open-access journal launched by the Cambridge University Press.

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "Exploring City Digital Twins as Policy Tools: A Task-Based Approach to Generating Synthetic Data on Urban Mobility," Data & Policy, forthcoming.

 

June 15, 2021:

Expert Workshop "Should We Trust Digital Technologies? A Way Forward to Build Trust" was held on June 15 as part of the Think20 (T20) Spring Roundtable for Task Force 4 Digital Transformation. Our discussion touched upon the assessment of GDPR, functions of data flow intermediaries, and challenges in consent-based approaches in data governance and will be provided to enrich policy recommendations to the G20 leaders.

 

June 14, 2021:

We had a fruitful discussion about the process of stakeholder engagement and the development of skills and capabilities to govern innovation for sustainable smart cities with Dr. Timea Nochta and Dr. Vivek Anand Asokan at the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2021.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities," Session on Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Smart Cities: Maximizing the Potential of Data-Driven Innovation While Minimizing Risks to Communities, Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2021, June 14 (2021).

 

June 10, 2021:

In Items, a digital forum of the U.S. Social Science Research Council, I discussed the role that personal data plays in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic in East Asia, exploring robust and reliable data governance for collecting, using, and sharing data across borders.

Yarime, Masaru, "Use of Personal Data in Tackling Covid-19 in East Asia: Establishing Robust and Reliable Data Governance for the Social Good," Items, Social Science Research Council, United States, June 10 (2021).

 

June 9, 2021:

Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress 2021 will take place on June 12-15, convened by Future Earth, Belmont Forum, and Future Earth Australia. I will organize the session "Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainable Smart Cities: Maximizing the Potential of Data-Driven Innovation While Minimizing Risks to Communities" on June 14. With Dr. Timea Nochta of the University of Cambridge and Dr. Vivek Anand Asokan of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, we will discuss opportunities and challenges in stakeholder collaboration to facilitate data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities.

 

May 29, 2021:

Veronica Qin Ting LI has successfully defended her master's thesis at the Division of Public Policy of HKUST. Congratulations! I was fortunate to have an opportunity to supervise her research. This study examined the use of personal data in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and air pollution and explored how public trust in institutions would affect the behavior of citizens in balancing privacy and public health.

Li, Veronica Qin Ting, "Integrating GIS and Big Data to Create Personalised Mobile Applications for Assessing Health Risks" (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru), Division of Public Policy, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, June (2021).

 

May 20, 2021:

It was a fruitful opportunity to discuss systems transformation approaches to innovation policies for resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability with leading scholars and policy-makers at OECD-TIP Launch Event - R&D Policies for Better Post-Pandemic Futures: New Approaches and Tools on May 20.

Yarime, Masaru, Governing Data Circulation for Innovation: Opportunities and Challenges in STI Policy for Systems Transformation," Panel 2 - The Changing Nature of Innovation Policies: Moving towards Systems Transformation Approaches, OECD-TIP Launch Event - R&D Policies for Better Pandemic Futures: New Approaches and Tools, May 20-21 (2021).

 

May 16, 2021:

The first edition of the Data for Policy Community Newsletter has been released. I'm very honored to be featured in the newsletter, along with updates on the conference and the journal Data & Policy.

 

May 13, 2021:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) 2021 is now open for application. The deadline for submission is July 31, 2021. I have been serving on the independent judging panel for HERA.

 

May 5, 2021:

IPO Sustainability Seminar Series 4 "The Promises and Challenges of Development Data for Policy Decisions" will be held on Friday, May 14, organized by the Division of Public Policy and the Division of Environment and Sustainability of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Professor C. Leigh Anderson of the University of Washington will discuss the potential of various types of data increasingly available to researchers and policy-makers and implications for decision making for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

April 30, 2021:

Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) Conference was organized for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Our students made an excellent presentation about their analysis of major challenges in building smart climate resilience and proposals to facilitate public participation in Hong Kong.

 

April 28, 2021:

I served on the judging panel for the Three Minute Thesis Competition held today at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Congratulations to all the finalists!

 

April 24, 2021:

Virtual Event "R&D Policies for Better Post-Pandemic Futures: New Approaches and Tools" will be organized on May 21-22, 2021 by OECD Working Party on Innovation and Technology Policy (TIP), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland, and the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. We will discuss the main challenges facing STI systems in the post-pandemic world and explore innovative policy approaches to addressing resilience, inclusiveness, and global sustainability.

 

April 22, 2021:

We invited Dr. Winnie Tang, Founder of the Smart City Consortium in Hong Kong, to give a lecture on Open Data as the Foundation of Smart Cities for our course on Technology Disruption and Public Policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Her talk stimulated a lively discussion on significant opportunities in facilitating the use of open data for public benefits while addressing societal concerns.

 

April 21, 2021:

We will organize an online information session for the Master of Public Management (MPM) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on May 11 at 17:00-18:00 (HKT). Everyone is welcome to join us in discussing this exciting program to obtain skills and experiences for complex and dynamic challenges facing the public sector, including governance of science, technology, and innovation for sustainability.

 

April 19, 2021:

We will organize HKUST IPO Sustainability Seminar "Energy Transition for Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" on Friday, April 23. Dr. Hongpeng Liu, Director of the Energy Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), will discuss opportunities and challenges in facilitating energy transitions for sustainable development in the region and beyond.

 

April 8, 2021:

A recoding of our discussion has been uploaded on YouTube for the online session A Catalyst for Change - A live virtual roundtable dialogue on the latest Sustainable Finance Developments across Asia and the Pacific in the UNESCAP Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 2021.

 

March 25, 2021:

In our paper that has just been published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, we set key questions for future research on energy interventions and explored the potential of peer pressure and economic interventions designed to influence energy savings through a survey study on residential air-conditioning.

Spandagos, Constantine, Erik Baark, Tze Ling Ng, and Masaru Yarime, "Social Influence and Economic Intervention Policies to Save Energy at Home: Critical Questions for the New Decade and Evidence from Air-condition Use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 143, 110915 (2021).

 

March 24, 2021:

We had a good discussion about regulatory developments, industry initiatives, standardization, open data, SMEs, and climate-related disclosure with experts from UNEP-FI, ICC-ATF, Ogier/WWF, and CoGo in the online session A Catalyst for Change - A live virtual roundtable dialogue on the latest Sustainable Finance Developments across Asia and the Pacific. It was co-hosted by PBEC, ESBN, and KPMG as an official side event of the UN-ESCAP 8th Annual Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development.

Yarime, Masaru, "Open Data for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Asia-Pacific," A Catalyst for Change - A live virtual roundtable dialogue on the latest Sustainable Finance Developments across Asia and the Pacific, co-hosted by the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN), and KPMG, UN-ESCAP 8th Annual Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), March 24 (2021).

 

March 14, 2021:

The Data for Policy Conference 2021 will take place on September 14-16, 2021 at University College London. The International Organisation Committee is currently inviting papers for presentation, which will also be considered for potential post-conference publications in the journal Data & Policy (Cambridge University Press). Sustainable development and climate change are among the areas that are highlighted as being of special interest. In Special Track 7: Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Policy Frameworks and Measures for Data Governance, we will discuss opportunities and challenges in policy frameworks and measures to facilitate data-driven innovation for sustainability.

 

March 11, 2021:

IPO Sustainability Seminar "Foresight: Designing Smart and Sustainable Futures" will be organized on March 19 by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Professor Ozcan Saritas of the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Moscow will discuss opportunities and challenges in utilizing the methodologies of foresight studies for designing smart and sustainable futures.

 

March 6, 2021:

A Catalyst for Change - A live virtual roundtable dialogue on the latest Sustainable Finance Developments across Asia and the Pacific will take place on March 24, co-hosted by the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN), and KPMG, in the UN-ESCAP 8th Annual Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD). We will discuss sustainable finance and ESG investing prospects and challenges in the region with experts from the United Nations Environment Program - Finance Initiative (UNEP-FI), International Chamber of Commerce - Advisory Group for Trade Finance (ICC-ATF), Ogier/World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Fintech Start-up CoGo.

 

March 5, 2021:

Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference took place on March 3-5. In Panel on Smart Cities and Urban Policy, we had a stimulating discussion on various approaches to analyzing policy and regulatory issues in smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data Driven Innovation to Address Sustainability Challenges: The Regulatory Sandbox Approach in Smart Cities," Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

Li, Veronica Qin Ting, and Masaru Yarime, "GIS based Big Data Platforms for Healthy Sustain able Cities: Challenges and Opportunities for Citizen Empowerment," Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

Papyshev, Gleb, and Masaru Yarime, "Human AI Interaction in Public Sector: Literature Review," Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

Jiang, Xiaohui, and Masaru Yarime, "Effects of Smart City-Related Public-Private Partnership Contracts on the Performance of Smart Cities in China," Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

Dorrer, Elizaveta, and Masaru Yarime, "Models of Collaboration in Smart City Projects: A Synthesis of Literature," Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

Jin, Mushan, and Masaru Yarime, "Smart City Policy Coherence and Interplay across Government Levels in China: A Bibliometrics Based Discourse Network Analysis," Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

 

March 4, 2021:

PPOL Seminar "In Search of the Optimal Integration of AI Technology into the Public Sector: Studies of Public Trust in AI-Driven Public Services" by Professor Naomi AOKI of the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo was organized on March 4 by the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) with the Center for Artificial Intelligence Research (CAiRE) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We discussed the findings of recent empirical studies on the public’s initial trust in the use of AI in public services.

 

March 4, 2021:

The Leadership and Public Policy Executive Education Program (LAPP) "Big Data Applications: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies" was held on March 4, organized by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We discussed with senior executives policy and institutional challenges in governing data-driven innovation in smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities," Leadership and Public Policy Executive Education Program (LAPP) "Big Data Applications: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies," Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), March 4 (2021).

 

March 3, 2021:

We had a lively discussion sharing our thoughts and experiences of converting research into publications and exploring career development in public policy at the Workshop for Early Career Researchers in the Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference on March 3.

Yarime, Masaru, "Converting Research into Publications," Workshop for Early Career Researchers, Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference - Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis, March 3-5 (2021).

 

March 3, 2021:

In our paper that has just been accepted for publication in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, we explored the potential of peer pressure and economic interventions designed to influence residential air-conditioning energy savings through a survey research.

Spandagos, Constantine, Erik Baark, Tze Ling Ng, and Masaru Yarime, "Social Influence and Economic Intervention Policies to Save Energy at Home: Critical Questions for the New Decade and Evidence from Air-condition Use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, forthcoming.

 

February 18, 2021:

The Sixth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference "Resilient and Inclusive Governance in the Age of Crisis" will take place online on March 3-5, 2021. Researchers and experts in the Asia Pacific will discuss contemporary issues and challenges in public policy, including resilience, digital governance, aging populations, smart cities, and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. I will join a workshop organized for early career researchers to share experiences of converting research into publications and exploring career development opportunities.

 

February 10, 2021:

Our paper that examined the effects of international research collaboration on scientific findings on transboundary air pollution in Northeast Asia has been published in the journal Environmental Science and Policy.

Shapiro, Matthew A., and Masaru Yarime, "Effects of National Affiliations and International Collaboration on Scientific Findings: The Case of Transboundary Air Pollution in Northeast Asia," Environmental Science and Policy, 118, 71-85 (2021).

 

January 27, 2021:

The Division of Public Policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is currently inviting applications for a substantiation-track faculty position at Associate Professor or above rank in the following research areas: (i) Science, Technology and Innovation Policy; (ii) Public Policy and Governance for Emerging Technologies. The deadline for application is February 27, 2021.

 

January 22, 2021:

The Data for Policy Conference will take place on September 14-16, 2021 at University College London. The International Organisation Committee is currently inviting paper and panel session proposals at the conference to be also considered for potential post-conference publications in the journal Data & Policy (Cambridge University Press). Sustainable development and climate change are among the areas that are highlighted as being of special interest. I will chair Special Track 7: Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Policy Frameworks and Measures for Data Governance.

 

January 18, 2021:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Master of Public Management (MPM) program. The MPM program aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge, and habits of mind to deal with the fast-changing and contested environments that decision-makers face in the public and private sectors. Leveraging the strengths at HKUST, the program is designed to give students the interdisciplinary perspectives that will enable them to explore the policy, operational, regulatory, and political issues associated with technological advances and sustainability. An information session will be organized on January 20 at 17:00-18:00 (Hong Kong time).

 

January 9, 2021:

We examined the effects of national affiliations and international collaboration on scientific findings on transboundary air pollution in Northeast Asia. Our paper has just been accepted for publication in the journal Environmental Science and Policy.

Shapiro, Matthew A., and Masaru Yarime, "Effects of National Affiliations and International Collaboration on Scientific Findings: The Case of Transboundary Air Pollution in Northeast Asia," Environmental Science and Policy, forthcoming.

 

December 31, 2020:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Guangzhou Campus (HKUST GZ) is currently inviting applications for faculty positions, postdoctoral fellows, and MPhil/PhD candidates. The thrust area of Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship explores innovative approaches to tackling complex, real-world challenges at the interface of science, technology, and society. Interdisciplinary research is pursued to address innovation and public policy for sustainability.

 

December 26, 2020:

The recording of our discussion has been uploaded on YouTube for the Open Lab Session on Blended Futures: Learning from Art, Design, Urban Design, Science-Fiction and Algorithmics to Revitalize Foresight Practices, which took place in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) High-Level Futures Literacy Summit on December 11.

 

December 20, 2020:

HKUST Interdisciplinary Program Office (IPO) Sustainability Seminar Series 5 "Sustainability Challenges Facing Major Cities around the World: Opportunities and Challenges in Hong Kong" took place on December 9. Our discussion with Mr. Elvis W. K. Au, Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), focused on Hong Kong's policies and strategies for carbon neutrality, waste management, stakeholder engagement, and smart city development.

 

December 19, 2020:

We are inviting papers for the Special Issue "Designing of Sustainable and Resilient Energy Trading Systems" of the journal Energies. This special Issue is devoted to designing sustainable and resilient energy trading platforms (ETPs) supported by the emergence of data-driven innovation systems, policies, and regulatory frameworks.

 

December 16, 2020:

Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) organized a workshop on Japan's Science and Technology for Cooperation with Asia and Africa towards 2050 on December 16 for the Accelerating Social Implementation for SDGs Achievement (aXis) Program. Experts in academia, industry, and the public sector discussed future opportunities and challenges in Japan's cooperation with Asia and Africa for deploying science and technology for sustainability.

 

December 15, 2020:

Online Workshop "ZeroCarbon x Digital: Urban Decarbonization in the Post-Covid-19 Era" was held on December 14-15 in collaboration with the Global Carbon Project (GCP), Future Earth, Hiroshima University, and Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). We had a fruitful discussion to explore possibilities of facilitating data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities addressing local contextualization and global coordination.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Promoting Public Interest While Addressing Societal Concerns," Online Workshop "ZeroCarbon x Digital: Urban Decarbonization in the Post-Covid-19 Era," organized in collaboration with the Global Carbon Project (GCP), Future Earth, Hiroshima University, and Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN), December 14-15 (2020).

 

December 12, 2020:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized the High-Level Futures Literacy Summit on December 8-12. The Open Lab Session on Blended Futures: Learning from Art, Design, Urban Design, Science-Fiction and Algorithmics to Revitalize Foresight Practices was held on December 11. Stakeholder engagement and algorithmic systems in creating a future are among the issues we discussed in the session.

Yarime, Masaru, "Algorithmic Approaches to Decision Making: Implications for Foresight Studies and Practices," Blended Futures: Learning from Art, Design, Urban Design, Science-Fiction and Algorithmics to Revitalize Foresight Practices, High-Level Futures Literacy Summit, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), December 11 (2020).

 

December 11, 2020:

I was invited to participate in a workshop on Breakthrough: The Promise of Frontier Technologies for Sustainable Development, organized by the Brookings Institution and the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development on December 8. We had an intensive discussion on the role of smart cities in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and opportunities for international cooperation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Innovation for Sustainability while Addressing Societal Concerns: Comments on Redefining Smart City for Sustainable Development," Workshop on Breakthrough: The Promise of Frontier Technologies for Sustainable Development, Brookings Institution and JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development, December 8 (2020).

 

December 9, 2020:

We had a fruitful discussion with experts in financial institutions and civil society organizations on climate-related reporting and ESG investment and disclosure at the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) Forum 2020 held on December 8.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in ESG Reporting for Sustainability," Panel 2 - Future Development of ESG Disclosure, Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) Forum 2020, Hong Kong, December 8 (2020).

 

December 3, 2020:

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will organize the High-Level Futures Literacy Summit on December 8-12, 2020. I will join the panel in the Open Lab Session on Blended Futures: Learning from Art, Design, Urban Design, Science-Fiction and Algorithmics to Revitalize Foresight Practices on December 11 with Ozcan Saritas, Maggie Greyson, Dan Hill, Raphaële Bidault-Waddington, and Jean-Paul Pinto.

 

December 2, 2020:

We will organize IPO Sustainability Seminar Series 5 "Sustainability Challenges Facing Major Cities around the World: Opportunities and Challenges in Hong Kong" on December 9. Mr. Elvis W. K. Au, Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), will discuss climate change and energy challenge, development versus conservation dilemma, sustainable waste management challenge, urban environmental quality challenge, and the challenges and opportunities of a green and smart economy.

 

November 26, 2020:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) Forum 2020 will take place on December 8. I will join the panel to discuss climate-related reporting and the future development of ESG disclosure.

 

November 25, 2020:

I was invited to participate in the Expert Workshop on Think Paper on Digital and Data-driven Technologies and Potential Impacts on Biodiversity in Asia-Pacific on November 24, organized by ETC Group and Heinrich Böll Stiftung Hong Kong. It will be a contribution to Civil Society Preparation for the Biodiversity Summit/Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-15). We discussed the emerging impacts of data-driven innovation on biodiversity and communities and policy recommendations for governments and civil society.

Yarime, Masaru, "Impacts of Data-Driven Innovation on Biodiversity and implications for Public Policy," Expert Workshop on Think Paper on Digital and Data-driven Technologies and Potential Impacts on Biodiversity in Asia-Pacific, organized by ETC Group and Heinrich Böll Stiftung Hong Kong for a contribution to Civil Society Preparation for the Biodiversity Summit/Fifteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-15), November 24 (2020).

 

November 24, 2020:

I was invited as a speaker for the APO Productivity Talk on November 24 by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO). We discussed how public and private organizations can work together to facilitate innovative, data-driven business models.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovative, Data-Driven Business Models," APO Productivity Talk, Asian Productivity Organization (APO), November 24 (2020).

 

November 22, 2020:

The 5th International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP5) will be held in Barcelona on July 6-8, 2021. Papers are invited for presentation at Panel T13P01 - Policy Measures and Institutional Arrangements to Govern Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability. The deadline for submission is January 29, 2021.

 

November 20, 2020:

The Asian Productivity Organization (APO) has invited me to the APO Productivity Talk session to be held on November 24. I will discuss how public and private organizations can use big data to build innovative business models.

 

November 18, 2020:

G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance has released the Global Policy Roadmap. The roadmap provides a baseline for cities to use for policy development and a means of identifying gaps in existing city policies. Five key principles have been identified for model policies, and I contributed to the Privacy Impact Assessment.

G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance, "Model Policy - Privacy Impact Assessment," v1.0, World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland, November (2020).

 

November 17, 2020:

My comments on the carbon neutrality pledges recently made in East Asia are quoted in China Daily.

"East Asian green pledges hailed," China Daily, Global Edition, November 17 (2020).

 

November 16, 2020:

The Editorial Board would like to invite papers to the new journal Discover Sustainability launched by Springer Nature. We welcome research from across all fields relevant to sustainability, addressing environmental, economic, social, and technological challenges worldwide. The journal aims to support interdisciplinary research and policy developments addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

November 13, 2020:

The Data for Policy 2021 Conference will take place on September 14-16, 2021 at University College London. As a member of the International Organisation Committee, I would like to invite special track proposals at the conference. The area of Data to Tackle Global Issues and Dynamic Societal Threats, including sustainable development and climate change, is particularly highlighted as being of special interest.

 

November 12, 2020:

We had a fruitful discussion about facilitating access to data in utilizing AI for social good at the Panel on Access to Data, Computing Power, Hardware & Infrastructure held on November 3 in the AI for Social Good Summit, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges of Regulatory Sandboxes for Smart Cities," Panel on Access to Data, Computing Power, Hardware & Infrastructure, AI for Social Good Summit, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google, November 3 (2020).

 

November 11, 2020:

The Workshop on Zero Carbon x Digital: Urban Decarbonization in the Post-Covid-19 Era will be held on December 14-15 in collaboration with the Global Carbon Project (GCP), Future Earth, Hiroshima University, and the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). This workshop aims to provide a platform for scientists and policy makers to discuss recent developments in digital technologies and their implications for policies and strategies for carbon neutrality.

 

November 10, 2020:

I have joined the Judging Panel for the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA). The Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) has recently strengthened its regulatory framework for ESG governance and disclosure. The winners of HERA 2020 will be announced on December 8.

 

November 9, 2020:

Virtual Conference on Smart Public Service Delivery was organized on November 9 by the Development Academy of the Philippines as APO Center of Public Sector Productivity. We discussed the implications of data-driven innovation for enhancing and transforming public service delivery in various areas including sustainable smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public-Private Partnership," Virtual Conference on Smart Public Service Delivery, organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines as APO Center of Public Sector Productivity, November 9 (2020).

 

November 7, 2020:

I have joined the Editorial Board of the new journal Discover Sustainability launched by Springer Nature.

 

November 6, 2020:

The recording of the Workshop on Trust in the Smart City, organized by the Department of Government and International Studies of Hong Kong Baptist University on 29 October 2020, has been uploaded on YouTube.

 

October 30, 2020:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is now inviting applications for MPhil/PhD programs under the Guangzhou Pilot Scheme in Fall 2021/22. Interdisciplinary research can be conducted in a variety of Thrust Areas, including Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship, to explore public policy concerning science, technology, and innovation for addressing sustainability challenges.

 

October 29, 2020:

Workshop on Trust in the Smart City was held on October 29 at the Department of Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. We discussed the critical role of trust in facilitating innovation for sustainable smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Trust in Processes, Transactions, and Governance," Workshop on Trust in the Smart City, Department of Government and International Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, October 29 (2020).

 

October 28, 2020:

Smart Cities Live Webinar: Hong Kong & Trikala in the Post-COVID Era was organized on October 27 by the Greek Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We had a stimulating discussion with experts from academia, business, and government opportunities and challenges in collaboration among stakeholders.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Stakeholder Collaboration and Engagement,"Keynote Speech, Smart Cities Live Webinar: Hong Kong & Trikala in the Post-COVID Era, organized by the Greek Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), October 27 (2020).

 

October 22, 2020:

Panel on Access to Data, Computing Power, Hardware & Infrastructure will take place on November 3 in the AI for Social Good Summit, organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google. We will opportunities and challenges in facilitating access to data to address social development issues while addressing risks and concerns over privacy, bias, safety, and fairness.

 

October 15, 2020:

Smart Cities Live Webinar: Hong Kong & Trikala in the Post-COVID Era will be held on October 27 in collaboration with the Greek Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We will discuss the role and strategies of smart cities and opportunities for collaboration among academia, business, and the public sector.

 

October 13, 2020:

Workshop on Trust in the Smart City will be organized on October 29 by the Department of Government and International Studies at Hong Kong Baptist University. How to establish public trust in data governance for innovation and sustainability is among the issues we will discuss in the workshop.

 

October 9, 2020:

The AI for Social Good Summit will organize a series of panel discussions and policy briefings starting from October 22. Researchers and practitioners in academia, industry, and the public sector will explore what lasting impact AI will generate and how we can strengthen our accountable governance of AI for social good.

 

October 7, 2020:

We will organize HKUST IPO Sustainability Seminar Series 3 "Sustainability at CLP: Powering Sustainability and Building a Utility of the Future" on Friday, October 23 at 16:30-18:00. Mr. Hendrik Rosenthal, Director - Group Sustainability, CLP Group, Hong Kong, will discuss CLP's business strategies and stakeholder engagement efforts for sustainability.

 

October 5, 2020:

Following the Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design held at the Data for Policy 2020 Conference, I would like to invite papers to a Special Collection of articles in Data & Policy, the peer-reviewed open-access journal published by Cambridge University Press in association with the conference. The special collection aims to present theoretical as well as empirical research findings on the current situations concerning the collection, sharing, and use of data in the context of sustainable smart cities and the effects of policy and institutional arrangements for data governance on innovative efforts in the public and private sectors.

 

September 30, 2020:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme. Our research and education activities focus on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Energy, Environmental, and Sustainability Policy. The Ph.D. program would be particularly suitable for those who are interested in exploring the role of public policy on science, technology, and innovation to address sustainability challenges in Asia and beyond. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2020.

 

September 27, 2020:

We have initiated the Sustainability Seminar Series at the Interdisciplinary Program Office (IPO) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The seminars will provide an opportunity to learn and discuss current issues and future challenges in sustainability research and practice among students, staff, and faculty members in the Division of Public Policy (PPOL), Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR), and beyond IPO. Theoretical, methodological, and normative dimensions of sustainability research will be addressed through various cases and examples. The seminar series will cover a wide range of topics concerning sustainability, such as climate change, air pollution, waste management, circular economy, and sustainable energy transitions, as well as emerging issues such as digitalization of innovation and implications for sustainability, with a particular emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches integrating natural and social scientific disciplines. Guest speakers include academic researchers in Hong Kong and abroad and also practitioners working in government, business, and civil society. We hope to facilitate collaboration on sustainability research and practice with our colleagues and stakeholders in society.

 

September 22, 2020:

We will hold a seminar on Supply Chains in Transformation: Towards Digital and Sustainable in the Emerging Markets by Pamela Mar, Executive Vice President – Knowledge and Applications of the Fung Academy on September 25. This is the first in the Sustainability Seminar Series organized by the Interdisciplinary Program Office (IPO) of HKUST. The seminar will discuss how COVID-19 has accelerated the digital transformation of consumer products supply chains while also pushing brands and manufacturers to be more sustainable and innovative.

 

September 17, 2020:

The second session for Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design was held in the Data for Policy 2020 Conference. We discussed three cases of smart cities in Melbourne, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, illustrating diverse approaches to facilitating data-driven innovation while addressing societal concerns about privacy.

Xie, Siqi, Ning Luo, and Masaru Yarime, "Governance for Data Collection, Sharing, and Use in Smart Cities in China: New Initiatives in Facilitating Innovation while Addressing Privacy and Security Concerns in Shenzhen," Session 16 - Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design II, Data for Policy 2020 Conference, September 15-17 (2020).

 

September 16, 2020:

I chaired Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design in the Data for Policy 2020 Conference. We had a stimulating discussion on key policy opportunities and challenges in facilitating and governing data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities.

Li, Veronica, and Masaru Yarime, "Increasing Resilience toward COVID-19 via Risk Mapping: Challenges and Opportunities for Stakeholder Empowerment in Hong Kong," Session 7 - Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design I, Data for Policy 2020 Conference, September 15-17 (2020).

 

September 10, 2020:

The project report on AI for Social Good has just been published in a partnership between the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google. Experts in the region examined opportunities and challenges in harnessing AI for social good, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). My chapter discusses governing data-driven innovation for sustainable smart cities with a focus on regulatory sandboxes.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges of Regulatory Sandboxes for Smart Cities," in AI for Social Good, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google, 180-202 (2020).

 

September 9, 2020:

We are currently inviting papers to the Research Topic on Data Governance for Innovation in Sustainable Smart Cities of the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. This Research Topic aims to share theoretical as well as empirical research findings that examine the current situation and policy challenges concerning the collection, sharing, and usage of data in the context of sustainable smart cities.

 

September 4, 2020:

We had a productive meeting for the Policy Analysis Exercise (PAE) project with Siemens based in Hong Kong. Our project aims to explore policy challenges in facilitating and governing data-driven innovation to strengthen resilience to climate change.

 

September 1, 2020:

The new book Smart Cities for Technological and Social Innovation: Case Studies, Current Trends, and Future Steps has just been published. Our chapter on Japanese Smart Cities and Communities: Integrating Technological and Institutional Innovation for Society 5.0 was contributed together with Brendan Barrett and Andrew DeWit.

Barrett, Brendan, Andrew DeWit, and Masaru Yarime, "Japanese Smart Cities and Communities: Integrating Technological and Institutional Innovation for Society 5.0," in Hyung Min Kim, Soheil Sabri, and Anthony Kent, eds., Smart Cities for Technological and Social Innovation: Case Studies, Current Trends, and Future Steps, London: Academic Press, 73-94 (2020).

 

August 31, 2020:

We are looking for applicants for RGC Postdoctoral Fellowship Scheme (2021/22) at the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We are particularly keen to work with postdoctoral researchers who are interested in exploring policy challenges in utilizing and governing science, technology, and innovation to address sustainability issues.

 

August 26, 2020:

Online Symposium on Industry’s Engagement to Address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Business for Human Rights was held on August 25, organized by the Research Center for Sustainable Peace (RCSP) in the Institute for Advanced Global Studies (IAGS) of the University of Tokyo. We discussed key opportunities and challenges in industry's engagement to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Society 5.0.

Yarime, Masaru, "Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Society 5.0: Opportunities and Challenges in Industry," Online Symposium on Industry’s Engagement to Address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Business for Human Rights, Research Center for Sustainable Peace (RCSP), Institute for Advanced Global Studies (IAGS), University of Tokyo, August 25 (2020).

 

August 26, 2020:

STIG Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities was organized on August 25 by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the University of Tokyo. We discussed policy and institutional challenges in facilitating innovation while addressing societal concerns about security and privacy for sustainable smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities," 94th STIG Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar, Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo, August 25 (2020).

 

August 19, 2020:

International Organisation Committee for the Data for Policy 2020 Conference is inviting registration for the conference, which will take place virtually on September 15-17, 2020. I will chair Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design.

 

August 7, 2020:

I will give a talk on Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities on August 25 for the Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program of the University of Tokyo. We will discuss policy and institutional challenges in facilitating innovation while addressing societal concerns about security and privacy for sustainable smart cities.

 

July 31, 2020:

Online Symposium on the Use of Information Technology and Privacy in Tackling COVID-19 was held on July 30, organized by the Japan Law Foundation. We discussed policy and legal issues about using and collecting data, protecting privacy, promoting innovation in coping with COVID-19.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in the Use of Data in Tackling COVID-19: Public Health, Privacy, and Innovation," Online Symposium on the Use of Information Technology and Privacy in Tackling COVID-19, organized by Japan Law Foundation, July 30 (2020).

 

July 28, 2020:

We are looking for a full-time Research Assistant (Job ID: 5446) to help with two projects funded by the Sustainable Smart Campus initiative at HKUST. The appointee will work with us to investigate potential interventions to encourage behavioral change aiming at promoting transitions to sustainable energy use. Please apply on or before August 10, 2020.

 

July 26, 2020:

Online Workshop on Combating COVID-19 in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities was organized on July 25 by the Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Institute of Future Government and the Department of Public Administration of Yonsei University. Participants coming from Asian countries presented academic papers that examine key policy challenges in tackling the outbreak, including science advice and data governance.

Wu, Jing, Masaru Yarime, Kun Qian, and Björn W. Schuller, "Government’s Data Governance under Crisis: Chinese Government’s Approach to Big Data Governance in Combating COVID-19," Online Workshop on Combating COVID-19 in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities, organized by the Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Institute of Future Government and the Department of Public Administration of Yonsei University, July 25 (2020).

 

July 10, 2020:

A web symposium on ICT and Privacy in Tackling COVID-19 will be held on July 30. We will discuss opportunities and challenges in utilizing various kinds of data in dealing with the outbreak while addressing societal concerns about privacy and security. Everyone is welcome to join the symposium, which will take place in Japanese.

 

July 9, 2020:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) recognize outstanding achievements in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting by companies in Hong Kong. I'm serving the independent panel of judges with my colleagues from the business, NGO, and social enterprise sectors to select the organizations that show the best practices in the industry.

 

July 3, 2020:

Our study that examined the energy consumption behavior of households in Hong Kong has been introduced in Green Queen.

"Study: Hong Kongers Value Environment But Lack Smart Tech To Track Energy-Saving," Green Queen, July 1 (2020).

Spandagos, Constantine, Masaru Yarime, Erik Baark, and Tze Ling Ng, "'Triple Target' Policy Framework to Influence Household Energy Behavior: Satisfy, Strengthen, Include," Applied Energy, 269, 115117 (2020).

 

June 28, 2020:

Our paper that explored the potential of integrating photovoltaics and electric vehicles for deep decarbonization in Kyoto has just been published in the journal Applied Energy.

Kobashi, Takuro, Takahiro Yoshida, Yoshiki Yamagata, Katsuhiko Naito, Stefan Pfenninger, Kelvin Say, Yasuhiro Takeda, Amanda Ahl, Masaru Yarime, and Keishiro Hara, "On the Potential of 'Photovoltaics + Electric Vehicles' for Deep Decarbonization of Kyoto’s Power Systems: Techno-Economic-Social Considerations," Applied Energy, 275, 115419 (2020).

 

June 13, 2020:

Japanese-German-French Conference on AI for SDGs - How Can AI Help Solve Environmental Challenges?, which took place on October 24, 2019 at the German Cultural Centre in Tokyo, has been introduced in the DWIH Annual Report 2019 of the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH).

"Die Konferenz „KI und SDGs“ machte im Oktober 2019 deutlich, dass Künstliche Intelligenz auch im Umweltschutz Lösungswege aufzeigt. In einer Session sprachen Professor Masaru Yarime über die Rolle von „Smart Cities“ in ihren Anstrengungen gegen den Klimawandel, Professor Christophe Cérin über „Smart Buildings“ und Professor Wolfgang Ketter über „Smart Markets“. Die Fragen konzentrierten sich auf nachhaltige, zukunftsfähige Urbanität – und wiesen somit auch schon den Weg zum DWIH-Jahresthema 2020, „Städte und Klima“."

German Centre for Research and Innovation, DWIH Annual Report 2019, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), German Academic Exchange Service, Bonn, June (2020).

 

June 9, 2020:

Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, edited by Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, which includes Mochizuki, Yoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Chapter 1 - Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and Research," has been reviewed in Affaires universitaires.

"L’excellent chapitre d’ouverture de Yoko Mochizuki et Masaru Yarime («Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and research») rappelle l’importance d’ancrer le développement durable dans une perspective transdisciplinaire."

"Promouvoir le développement durable dans les universités," Affaires universitaires, June 8 (2020).

 

June 8, 2020:

Our paper that analyzed the potential of integrating photovoltaics and electric vehicles for deep decarbonization in Kyoto has just been accepted for publication in the journal Applied Energy.

Kobashi, Takuro, Takahiro Yoshida, Yoshiki Yamagata, Katsuhiko Naito, Stefan Pfenninger, Kelvin Say, Yasuhiro Takeda, Amanda Ahl, Masaru Yarime, and Keishiro Hara, "On the Potential of 'PV + EV' for Deep Decarbonization of Kyoto’s Power Systems: Techno-Economic-Social Considerations," Applied Energy, forthcoming.

 

June 7, 2020:

The Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will organize the Online Workshop on Combating COVID-19 in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities on July 25, 2020. This would be an exciting opportunity to discuss innovative approaches in public policy and management to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in Asia from the perspective of sustainability governance. The deadline for submitting full papers is July 15, 2020. Selected papers will be considered for publication in special issues in the Journal of Asian Public Policy, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, and China Policy Journal.

 

May 27, 2020:

I have joined the International Organization Committee for the Data for Policy Conference, which will be held online on September 15-17, 2020. The Data for Policy Conference provides a global forum for multiple disciplinary and cross-sector discussions around the theories, applications and implications of data science and innovation in governance and the public sector.

 

May 22, 2020:

United States Western Political Science Association (WPSA) Annual Meeting 2020 took place online. In Panel on Collaboration in Environmental Management, we discussed a paper that examined the nature of scientific research on transboundary air pollution in Northeast Asia.

Shapiro, Matthew A., and Masaru Yarime, "Effects of National Affiliations and International Collaboration on Scientific Findings: The Case of Transboundary Air Pollution in Northeast Asia," Western Political Science Association (WPSA) Annual Meeting 2020, United States, May 21-23 (2020).

 

May 21, 2020:

I had a fruitful discussion with the Heinrich Böll Foundation based in Hong Kong. We will explore collaboration to facilitate dialogues in civil society on issues concerning data governance for innovation for sustainable smart cities.

 

May 19, 2020:

We examined energy consumption patterns and attitudes and proposed a holistic, inclusive policy framework for targeted behavioral change in our paper just published in Applied Energy.

Spandagos, Constantine, Masaru Yarime, Erik Baark, and Tze Ling Ng, "'Triple Target' Policy Framework to Influence Household Energy Behavior: Satisfy, Strengthen, Include," Applied Energy, 269, 115117 (2020).

 

May 9, 2020:

I gave a talk on international perspectives on sustainable business for the Business Sustainability Management online course provided by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

 

May 5, 2020:

Our paper that examined governance strategies for developing and diffusing fuel-cell vehicles in Japan has been published in the journal Energy Policy.

Trencher, Gregory Patrick, Araz Taeihagh, and Masaru Yarime, "Overcoming Barriers to Developing and Diffusing Fuel-Cell Vehicles: Governance Strategies and Experiences in Japan," Energy Policy, 142, 111533 (2020).

 

April 30, 2020:

The journal Frontiers in Political Science has just launched a new section, Politics of Technology, which aims to highlight how new technologies pose governance challenges. As an Associate Editor of the journal, I would like to encourage submissions that address the governance of emerging technologies and their implications for sustainability.

 

April 29, 2020:

The recorded session on "What If: SDG 7 - Global Innovation for Energy Sustainability" held on April 23 is available (3:07-4:07).

 

April 24, 2020:

Sustainable Smart Campus Pitch Day was organized by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on April 24. I presented our proposal for a project on micro-targeting behavioral change through digital nudging to facilitate sustainable energy transitions.

Yarime, Masaru, and Kim-Pong Tam, "Smart Approach to Promoting Sustainable Energy Transitions: Micro-targeting Behavioral Change through Digital Nudging," Sustainable Smart Campus Pitch Day, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, April 24 (2020).

 

April 23, 2020:

The online event What If: SDG 7 - Global Innovation for Energy Sustainability was held on April 23, jointly organized by Energy Tech Meetup and Venture Café Tokyo. We had a great discussion on how data-driven innovation can contribute to facilitate sustainable energy transitions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Energy: Opportunities and Challenges in Smart Cities," What If: SDG 7 - Global Innovation for Energy Sustainability, Energy Tech Meetup and Venture Café Tokyo, April 23 (2020).

 

April 20, 2020:

I have joined the Working Group for Policy Framework in the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance, hosted by the World Economic Forum. The Working Group will provide expertise across key policy areas, including privacy and transparency, security and resilience, openness and interoperability, operational and financial sustainability, and equity, inclusion, and social & environmental impact.

 

April 18, 2020:

We discussed the triple target policy framework to influence household energy behavior in our paper that has just been accepted for publication in the journal Applied Energy.

Spandagos, Constantine, Masaru Yarime, Erik Baark, and Tze Ling Ng, "'Triple Target' Policy Framework to Influence Household Energy Behavior: Satisfy, Strengthen, Include," Applied Energy, forthcoming.

 

April 17, 2020:

The deadline for submitting abstracts has been extended until May 20 for the International Data for Policy Conference 2020 at University College London on September 15-16, 2020. I would like to encourage you to present your research findings at Special Track 14 - Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design. Those papers presented at the conference will be considered for potential post-conference publications in Data & Policy, the open-access journal launched in collaboration with Cambridge University Press, subject to peer-review.

 

April 16, 2020:

Our paper that analyzed governance strategies for developing and diffusing fuel-cell vehicles in Japan has just been accepted for publication in the journal Energy Policy.

Trencher, Gregory Patrick, Araz Taeihagh, and Masaru Yarime, "Overcoming Barriers to Developing and Diffusing Fuel-Cell Vehicles: Governance Strategies and Experiences in Japan," Energy Policy, forthcoming.

 

April 9, 2020:

I attended the inaugural meeting for the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance, hosted by the World Economic Forum. We had a fruitful discussion for developing a policy framework for smart cities across the globe.

 

April 2, 2020:

The online event "What If: SDG 7 - Global Innovation for Energy Sustainability" will be held on Thursday, April 23 at 19:00-20:00 (JST), co-hosted by Energy Tech Meetup and Venture Café Tokyo. We will discuss opportunities and challenges in facilitating innovation for sustainable energy with international experts in academia and industry.

"What If: SDG 7 - Global Innovation for Energy Sustainability"

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2020, 19:00-20:00 (JST)

Venue: Online (Zoom platform)

Agenda:

19:00 Introduction from Energy Tech Meetup

19:05 Fabian Schipfer (TU Wien) "International cooperation on sustainable energy innovation towards a well-below 2°C world"

19:13 Masaru Yarime (HKUST) "Stimulating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainable Energy: Opportunities and Challenges in Smart Cities"

19:21 Per Lundqvist (KTH) "Transforming the Swedish Energy System – Towards 100% renewable energy through digitalization, energy efficiency and energy storage"

19:28 Christian Schmitz (PDIE Group) “Building Purpose Driven Ecosystems for Renewable Energy on a Global Scale"

19:35 Panel discussion

20:00 Closing

 

March 16, 2020:

I'm very pleased to be listed as one of the most productive authors in the sustainable management of digital transformation in higher education in a paper recently published in the journal Sustainability.

 

March 12, 2020:

I have joined the Editorial Board of the journal Frontiers in Political Science - Politics of Technology as Associate Editor. The journal aims to publish peer-reviewed research that addresses the political impact and governance of emerging disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, quantum computing, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology.

 

February 27, 2020:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is currently preparing for establishing the Guangzhou campus, HKUST (GZ), and inviting applications for the second cohort under the Guangzhou Pilot Scheme in Fall 2020/21 as PhD/MPhil students. These students will conduct interdisciplinary research in a variety of Thrust Areas, including Urban Governance and Design and Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship. The application deadline is March 15, 2020.

 

February 19, 2020:

The International Data for Policy Conference 2020 will take place at University College London on September 15-16, 2020. As the session chair of Special Track on Data Governance for Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and Institutional Design, I would like to invite paper proposals for presentation at the session. Papers will also be considered for potential post-conference publications in Data & Policy, the open-access journal launched in collaboration with Cambridge University Press, subject to peer-review. The deadline for submitting extended abstracts is April 20, 2020.

 

February 18, 2020:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Department of Asian and Policy Studies of the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) co-organize the Policy Dialogue Series featuring Professor Anthony Cheung, former Secretary for Transport and Housing in Hong Kong. The second policy dialogue "Smart City and Innovation Policy," which was originally scheduled on March 27, has been postponed until further notice. We will explore public policy challenges in facilitating innovation for smart cities while addressing societal concerns in Hong Kong.

 

February 10, 2020:

I was invited to give a talk by the Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA) on February 5 at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in Kawasaki, Japan. JSCA contributes to facilitating collaborative efforts in the public and private sectors for innovation for smart communities. We shared the experiences of smart city projects in Japan, China, and Canada to lean implications for corporate strategy and public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Smart Cities: The Experiences in Japan and Overseas and Implications for Corporate Strategy and Public Policy," JSCA Seminar, Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA), New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, February 5 (2020).

 

February 9, 2020:

The IELP/GP-RSS Seminar was organized on February 4 by the International Environmental Leadership Program (IELP) and the International Joint Graduate Program in Resilience and Safety Studies at Tohoku University in Sendai. I gave a keynote speech on the governance of data-driven innovation for promoting sustainability in the context of smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Smart Cities," IELP/GP-RSS Seminar, International Environmental Leadership Program (IELP) and the International Joint Graduate Program in Resilience and Safety Studies (GP-RSS), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, February 4 (2020).

 

January 24, 2020:

The Division of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is inviting applications for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program 2020-2021. There are two areas of specialization: Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Environmental and Sustainability Policy. The application deadline for admissions is May 31, 2020.

 

January 12, 2020:

The Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) organized the seminar "Closed Loops, the Circular Economy, Nudges and the Innovative University" on October 21, 2019. Professor Scott VALENTINE of Sustainability and Urban Planning of RMIT University discussed the role of universities to enhance productivity and profitability through closed loops and the circular economy.

 

January 10, 2020:

The International Workshop "Developing Global Technology and Innovation Hubs: Aspirations, Challenges, and Policy Innovations" will be held on June 12-13, 2020 at Shenzhen University, jointly organized with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Nanyang Technological University. We will discuss policy and institutional challenges in developing global innovation hubs. The deadline for submitting extended abstracts is February 23, 2020.

 

January 9, 2020:

The final version of the following article has been published in the Journal of Cleaner Production:

Kobashi, Takuro, Kelvin Say, Jiayang Wang, and Masaru Yarime, Takahiro Yoshida, and Yoshiki Yamagata, "Techno-Economic Assessment of Photovoltaics plus Electric Vehicles towards Household-Sector Decarbonization in Kyoto and Shenzhen by the Year 2030," Journal of Cleaner Production, 253, 119933 (2020).

 

January 6, 2020:

The program "Big Data and Public Policy: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies" was held on October 10-11, 2019, organized by Leadership and Public Policy Executive Education (LAPP) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). We discussed with civil servants key policy and institutional challenges in facilitating data-driven innovation for smart cities while addressing societal concerns, including safety, security, and privacy.

 

December 30, 2019:

I have joined the Editorial Board of the journal Frontiers in Political Science - Politics of Technology and Sustainability. This journal aims to publish peer-reviewed research that addresses the governance of emerging technologies and their economic, environmental, social, and normative implications for sustainability.

 

December 29, 2019:

A techno-economic assessment of the integrated systems of photovoltaics and electric vehicles in households in Kyoto and Shenzhen for decarbonization towards 2030 was conducted in our paper just published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Kobashi, Takuro, Kelvin Say, Jiayang Wang, and Masaru Yarime, Takahiro Yoshida, and Yoshiki Yamagata, "Techno-Economic Assessment of Photovoltaics plus Electric Vehicles towards Household-Sector Decarbonization in Kyoto and Shenzhen by the Year 2030," Journal of Cleaner Production, doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019 (2020).

 

December 19, 2019:

We had a fruitful discussion on e-government at Wuhan Tienheng Information Technology. Private companies are increasingly providing public services outsourced by the local government in various areas such as real estate registration.

 

December 17, 2019:

I had an opportunity to give a seminar on December 17 at the School of Public Administration in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan. We had an in-depth discussion on emerging practices of data governance in the context of smart city development in China.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data Governance for Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy," Research Seminar, School of Public Administration, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, December 17 (2019).

 

December 7, 2019:

Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Department of Asian and Policy Studies (APS) of the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) co-organize the Policy Dialogue Series featuring Professor Anthony Cheung, Research Chair Professor of Public Administration and former Secretary for Transport and Housing in Hong Kong. In the second policy dialogue series on Smart City and Innovation Policy, which has been rescheduled to a future date, we will explore public policy challenges in facilitating innovation for smart cities while addressing societal concerns in Hong Kong.

 

December 6, 2019:

Call for applications for Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). MPP students have the option to specialize in one of the two following specializations: science and technology policy or environmental and sustainability policy. In the Policy Analysis Project, the capstone module of the MPP program, our students work in teams on challenges, issues, and problems facing real-world organizations. The application deadline for 2020-2021 admissions is May 31, 2020.

 

December 4, 2019:

We discussed Japanese smart cities and communities in the framework of Society 5.0 in the forthcoming book Smart Cities for Technological and Social Innovation.

Barrett, Brendan, Andrew DeWit, and Masaru Yarime, "Japanese Smart Cities and Communities within the Framework of Society 5.0," in Hyung Min Kim, Soheil Sabri, and Anthony Kent, eds., Smart Cities for Technological and Social Innovation, Elsevier, forthcoming.

 

December 2, 2019:

Our paper that discusses data-intensive approaches to sustainability from methodological, epistemological, normative, and ontological perspectives has just been published in Sustainability Science.

Asokan, Vivek Anand, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "A Review of Data-Intensive Approaches for Sustainability: Methodology, Epistemology, Normativity, and Ontology," Sustainability Science, doi: 10.1007/s11625-019-00759-9 (2019).

 

December 1, 2019:

EcoDesign 2019 - The 11th International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing took place on November 25-27 in Yokohama, Japan, In the session on Sustainability, SDGs and Roadmapping, we discussed complementarities between roadmapping and the sustainability transition in promoting innovation to address SDGs.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability Transitions: Technological Uncertainty and Interconnectedness and Implications for Roadmapping," Session on Sustainability, SDGs and Roadmapping, EcoDesign 2019 - The 11th International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing, Yokohama, Japan, November 25-27 (2019).

 

November 30, 2019:

Cases of energy transitions for low carbon and resilience to disasters are discussed in our paper jut published in the journal Sustainability.

Ko, Yekang, Brendan F.D. Barrett, Andrea E. Copping, Ayyoob Sharifi, Masaru Yarime, and Xin Wang, "Energy Transitions Towards Low Carbon Resilience: Evaluation of Disaster-Triggered Local and Regional Cases," Sustainability, 11 (23), 6801 (2019).

 

November 29, 2019:

The 9th International Symposia on Green Smart Development & Vision (GSDV) 2019 was held on November 26 in Busan, South Korea, hosted by Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Pusan National University. Emerging impacts of digital transformation on smart city development were discussed with experts from South Korea and other countries in Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Emerging Impacts of Digital Transformation on Smart City Development: Implications for Global Sustainability," The 9th International Symposia on Green Smart Development & Vision (GSDV) 2019, hosted by Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea, November 26 (2019).

 

November 18, 2019:

JAHSS-JASID International Conference was held on November 16-17 at the University of Tokyo, co-organized by the Japan Association for Human Security Studies (JAHSS) and the Japan Society for International Development (JASID). In Roundtable on Blockchain and Refugee Protection, we discussed the current situation with regard to utilizing blockchain for refugees and the significant potential of blockchain for SDGs.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for SDGs: Opportunities and Challenges in Blockchain," Roundtable on Blockchain and Refugee Protection, JAHSS-JASID Joint International Conference - Refugees/Migrants and Education/Employment: Seeking to Ensure Human Security, co-organized by the Japan Association for Human Security Studies (JAHSS) and the Japan Society for International Development (JASID), The University of Tokyo, Japan, November 16-17 (2019).

 

November 15, 2019:

Our paper that reviews data-intensive approaches to sustainability from methodological, epistemological, normative, and ontological perspectives has just been accepted for publication in the journal Sustainability Science.

Asokan, Vivek Anand, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "A Review of Data-Intensive Approaches for Sustainability: Methodology, Epistemology, Normativity, and Ontology," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

October 29, 2019:

Public Seminar "Sustainable Energy without Fear: The Role of Artificial Intelligence" was organized on October 25 by the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo and the Institute for Future Initiatives in the University of Tokyo. We discussed with Professor Wolfgang Ketter of the University of Cologne emerging cases of deploying artificial intelligence for sustainable energy systems and their implications for public policy and governance.

Yarime, Masaru, "Challenges in Governing Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Energy Transitions," Public Seminar "Sustainable Energy without Fear: The Role of Artificial Intelligence", organized by the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo and the Institute for Future Initiatives in the University of Tokyo, October 25 (2019).

 

October 26, 2019:

Japanese-German-French Conference on AI for SDGs - How Can AI Help Solve Environmental Challenges? took place on October 24 at the German Cultural Centre in Tokyo, jointly organized by the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo, French Embassy to Japan, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). We discussed opportunities and challenges in taking advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle climate change in smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "AI-Based Innovation to Tackle Climate Change: Technological Opportunities and Institutional Challenges in Smart Cities," Japanese-German-French Conference on AI for SDGs - How Can AI Help Solve Environmental Challenges?, jointly organized by the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo, French Embassy to Japan, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), German Cultural Centre, Tokyo, Japan, October 24 (2019).

 

October 20, 2019:

The winners of the Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) 2019 have been announced. The annual awards recognize excellence in ESG reporting and aim to build trust among stakeholders. The award winners were selected from more than 70 nominations in six categories by the Independent Panel of Experts, on which I served with Angus Ho, Executive Director of Greeners Action, Jessica Tam, Head of HKCSS-HSBC Social Enterprise Business Centre, Stephen Wong, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Public Policy Institute, Our Hong Kong Foundation, and Ir. Vincent Kong, Sustainability Manager of Sun Hung Kai Properties.

 

October 19, 2019:

I have joined the founding editorial board of Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics - Research Policy and Strategic Management as Associate Editor. The journal's aim is to improve the efficiency, reliability, and transparency of research and innovation in various areas of scientific inquiry and applications.

 

October 18, 2019:

Opportunities and challenges in blockchain technology for the energy transition are discussed in our article just published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Mika Goto, Shauhrat Chopra, Manoj Kumar Nallapaneni, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, "Exploring Blockchain for the Energy Transition: Opportunities and Challenges Based on a Case Study in Japan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 117, 109488 (2020).

 

October 16, 2019:

The Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2019 took place on October 14-16 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Among the issues discussed in the conference were policy implications of digitalization of innovation, policy laboratory and experiment, and the divide between research and practice in science policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation for Smart Cities: The Regulatory Sandbox Approach to Open Data," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2019, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, October 14-16 (2019).

 

October 10, 2019:

HKUST Leadership and Public Policy (LAPP) Executive Education Program was organized on October 10-11 on the theme of Big Data Applications: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies. We discussed with policy makers policy and institutional challenges in facilitating data-driven innovation while addressing societal concerns including safety, security, and privacy in smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Big Data, Open Data, and Smart Cities: Implications for Public Policy and Governance," HKUST Leadership and Public Policy (LAPP) Executive Education Program on Big Data Applications: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, October 10-11 (2019).

 

October 9, 2019:

Our paper that discusses opportunities and challenges in blockchain technology for energy transitions has just been accepted for publication in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Mika Goto, Shauhrat Chopra, Manoj Kumar Nallapaneni, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, “Exploring Blockchain for the Energy Transition: Opportunities and Challenges Based on a Case Study in Japan,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, forthcoming.

 

September 27, 2019:

Public Seminar "Sustainable Energy without Fear: The Role of Artificial Intelligence" will be held on October 25, co-organized by the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo and the Institute for Future Initiatives in the University of Tokyo. Professor Wolfgang Ketter of the Institute of Energy Economics in Germany will introduce emerging cases of deploying artificial intelligence for sustainable energy, and we will discuss key opportunities and challenges in public policy and governance for the future.

 

September 26, 2019:

The Division of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is now inviting applications for admission to the MPhil/PhD in Public Policy Programs 2020-2021. Particular focus is given to Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Energy, Environmental and Sustainability Policy. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme is available, with the application deadline on December 2, 2019.

 

September 20, 2019:

CODATA 2019 Conference took place on September 19-20 in Beijing with the theme of "Towards next-generation data-driven science: policies, practices and platforms," organized by the Committee on Data (CODATA) of the International Science Council (ISC). In the session on Data Driven Cities Meeting Global Challenges, we discussed emerging practices of effectively integrating various kinds of data to facilitate innovation for smart cities across the globe and their implications for governance and public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation in Cyber-Physical Systems: Open Data for Smart Cities through the Regulatory Sandbox," CODATA 2019 Conference, organized by the Committee on Data (CODATA) of the International Science Council (ISC), Beijing, China, September 19-20 (2019).

 

September 18, 2019:

Our paper just published in Palgrave Communications identifies and discusses the most pressing research questions on legislative science advice (LSA), including the effect of legislative use of scientific evidence on the implementation and outcome of policies, the conditions under which legislators seek out or use scientific information, and the impact of communication channels on informational trust and use.

Akerlof, Karen, Chris Tyler, Sarah Elizabeth Foxen, Erin Heath, Marga Gual Soler, ..., Masaru Yarime, "A Collaboratively Derived International Research Agenda on Legislative Science Advice," Palgrave Communications, 5, 108 (2019).

 

September 11, 2019:

I wrote an article for China Daily on the potential to facilitate innovation for smart cities in the Greater Bay Area, with its knowledge, human, and financial resources available for an international regulatory sandbox.

Yarime, Masaru, "Smart City Test Bed - Greater Bay Area can leverage its rich knowledge, human and financial resources to be pioneer," Global Views, China Daily, September 11, 13 (2019).

 

September 9, 2019:

Japanese-German-French Conference on AI for SDGs - How Can AI Help Solve Environmental Challenges? will be held on October 24 at the German Cultural Centre in Tokyo, organized by the German Centre for Research and Innovation (DWIH) Tokyo in collaboration with the French Embassy to Japan and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). We will discuss opportunities and challenges in taking advantage of artificial intelligence (AI) to address sustainability challenges, including climate change, by looking at cases of sustainable land use, smart agriculture, and smart cities and transportation systems.

 

September 8, 2019:

The 15th International Symposium on Global Manufacturing and China was held on September 7-8 in Hangzhou, China, jointly organized by the National Institute for Innovation Management of Zhejiang University and the Institute for Manufacturing of the University of Cambridge. With the theme of Innovation and Transformation of Manufacturing Industry in Digital Economy, academic researchers and business practitioners discussed the digitalization of manufacturing and its implications for global supply chains, intellectual property, platform strategy, and innovation ecosystems.

Yarime, Masaru, "An Analysis of the Innovation System in Japan, United States, and China," The 15th International Symposium on Global Manufacturing and China, jointly organized by the National Institute for Innovation Management of Zhejiang University and the Institute for Manufacturing of the University of Cambridge, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, September 7-8 (2019).

 

September 4, 2019:

We explored the potential of smart technologies that would contribute to addressing social and technical challenges of woody biomass in our paper just published in Sustainability Science.

Ahl, Amanda, Mika Goto, and Masaru Yarime, "Smart Technology Applications in the Woody Biomass Supply Chain: Interview Insights and Potential in Japan," Sustainability Science, doi: 10.1007/s11625-019-00728-2 (2019).

 

August 31, 2019:

Workshop on Addressing Policy Challenges of Novel Technologies was held on August 30-31 at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. We discussed papers addressing various policy challenges in the governance of emerging technologies, including autonomous vehicles, care robots, and smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Smart Cities: Policy Challenges in Regulatory Sandboxes," Workshop on Addressing Policy Challenges of Novel Technologies, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, August 30-31 (2019).

 

August 30, 2019:

Workshop on the Kyoto-Shenzhen Decarbonization Project was held on August 29 in the Seventh Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum. We had productive discussions with researchers and practitioners from Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, China Development Institute Shenzhen, and Kyoto City Government to build up collaboration for innovation for sustainable urban transitions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Distributed Energy Systems," Workshop on the Kyoto-Shenzhen Decarbonization Project, Seventh Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum, China Capital Market Institute, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, August 29 (2019).

 

August 16, 2019:

Our paper discussing the results of international collaboration to explorer research agenda on legislative science advice has just been accepted for publication in Palgrave Communications Collection on Scientific Advice to Governments.

Akerlof, Karen, Chris Tyler, Sarah Elizabeth Foxen, Erin Heath, Marga Gual Soler, Masaru Yarime, et al., "A Collaboratively-Derived International Research Agenda on Legislative Science Advice," Palgrave Communications Collection on Scientific Advice to Governments, forthcoming.

 

August 15, 2019:

The 11th International Conference on Applied Energy was held on August 12-15 in Västerås, Sweden. Our paper that analyzes practical opportunities and challenges in applying blockchain in the energy sector was presented in the conference.

Ahl, Amanda Ahl, Mika Goto, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, "Practical Opportunities and Challenges of Blockchain in the Energy Sector: Expert Perspectives in Germany," The 11th International Conference on Applied Energy, Västerås, Sweden, August 12-15 (2019).

 

August 14, 2019:

The Seventh Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum will take place on August 29-30, with the theme of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Green Development: New Opportunities, New Challenges, New Engines. We will organize a workshop for the Kyoto-Shenzhen Decarbonization Project to explore collaboration for innovation with researchers and practitioners coming from academia, industry, and government in the two cities.

 

August 13, 2019:

We examined opportunities and challenges in applying smart technologies in the woody biomass supply chain in the following paper that has just been accepted for publication in Sustainability Science.

Ahl, Amanda, Mika Goto, and Masaru Yarime, "Smart Technology Applications in the Woody Biomass Supply Chain: Interview Insights and Potential in Japan," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

August 12, 2019:

The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong requires listed companies to publish ESG reports. Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) are decided by an independent panel of experts, which includes Angus Ho, Executive Director of Greeners Action, Jessica Tam, Head of HKCSS-HSBC Social Enterprise Business Centre, Stephen Wong, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Public Policy Institute, Our Hong Kong Foundation, Ir. Vincent Kong, Sustainability Manager of Sun Hung Kai Properties, and myself.

 

August 11, 2019:

We are looking for Research Assistants/Post-doctoral Fellows/Research Associates (two positions) at the Division of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Job ID: 4815). We are particularly interested in hiring highly motivated researchers working in the areas of science, technology and innovation policy and environmental and sustainability policy. The deadline for applications is August 23, 2019.

 

August 8, 2019:

Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2019 was held on August 6-8 at the University of Tokyo. I chaired a session on Assessment and Evaluation, and we discussed the latest approaches to assessing and evaluating sustainability at different scales, ranging from interior decoration and construction and buildings to infrastructure and cities and their innovation systems.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating a Transition towards Urban Sustainability: An Analysis of the Innovation System of Smart Cities in Japan, United States, and China," Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2019, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, August 6-8 (2019).

 

August 2, 2019:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program organized the 79th STIG PoP Seminar on August 2 at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo. I discussed the innovation systems of smart cities in Japan, United States, and China and explored policy approaches to governing data-driven innovation for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability: An Analysis of the Innovation Systems of Smart Cities and Implications for Public Policy," 79th STIG PoP Seminar, Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, August 2 (2019).

 

July 27, 2019:

I gave a talk on a comparative analysis of the innovation systems of smart cities in Japan, China, and the Untied States and implications for the governance of data-driven innovation on July 27 at the 85th Research Seminar of the Research Group on Operations Research for Evaluation of the Operations Research Society of Japan.

Yarime, Masaru, "A Comparative Analysis of the Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan, China, and the Untied States: Implications for the Governance of Data-Driven Innovation," 85th Research Seminar, Research Group on Operations Research for Evaluation, Operations Research Society of Japan, University of Tsukuba, Tokyo, Japan, July 27 (2019).

 

July 25, 2019:

We visited Hitachi Innovation Center with students in the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We are collaborating for the Policy Analysis Exercise project on facilitating innovation for smart cities in Hong Kong.

 

July 24, 2019:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize the 79th PoP Seminar on August 2 at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo. I will talk about the innovation systems of smart cities and implications for public policy in governing data-driven innovation for sustainability.

 

July 23, 2019:

I gave lectures on Economic Analysis of Innovation at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo.

Yarime, Masaru, "Economic Analysis of Innovation," Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, July 7 (2019).

 

July 19, 2019:

A public seminar on Innovation for Medical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in China was held on July 19 at the Institute of Medical Science in the University of Tokyo. I gave a keynote speech on the current situation of data-driven innovation in the Greater Bay Area, including Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Among the issues we discussed with experts in academia, industry, and government were human resource development and strategies and public policies on collaboration between Japan and China.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation in the Greater Bay Area of China: Opportunities and Challenges in Medical and Health Fields" Public Seminar on Innovation for Medical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in China, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, July 19 (2019).

 

July 18, 2019:

The 10th International Conference on Industrial Ecology was held on July 7-11 at Tsinghua University in Beijing. We made a presentation to analyze to what extent the Sustainable Development Goals are addressed in smart city initiatives in the Greater Bay Area of China.

Jin, Mushan, Shauhrat S. Chopra, and Masaru Yarime, Sustainable Development Goals in Smart City Initiatives in China’s Greater Bay Area, The 10th International Conference on Industrial Ecology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, July 7-11 (2019).

 

July 17, 2019:

I gave MOT Seminar on Innovation and Sustainability at the Department of Innovation Science in the School of Environment and Society in the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation and Sustainability," MOT Seminar, Department of Innovation Science, School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, July 16 (2019).

 

July 16, 2019:

Our paper on the innovation system of the solar photovoltaics sector in Thailand has just been published in the journal Asian Research Policy.

Tantiwechwuttikul, Ranaporn, Masaru Yarime, and Kohzo Ito, "Innovation System of Solar Photovoltaics in Thailand," Asian Research Policy, 10, 77-86 (2019).

 

July 15, 2019:

I have joined as an Advisor the Center of Excellence in Data for Society (CEDS) in the University of Arizona. CEDS, a non-profit, non-partisan think tank, discusses public policies regarding the rights of stakeholders, access to and beneficial uses of data, and opportunities for global engagement in data management.

 

July 14, 2019:

HSP Symposium on the SDGs and Network Governance: Opportunities and Challenges in Data-Driven Innovation was held on July 13 at the University of Tokyo, organized by the Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP). I gave a keynote speech on the role of data-driven innovation in addressing SDGs, including sustainable energy, resilient cities, and inclusive innovation. We discussed with experts in academia, industry, and the public sector the role of humans in increasingly autonomous decision-making processes, potential of blockchain for decentralized systems, and democratic engagement in data governance.

Yarime, Masaru, "The SDGs and Network Governance: Opportunities and Challenges in Data-Driven Innovation," Keynote Speech, HSP Symposium on the SDGs and Network Governance: Opportunities and Challenges in Data-Driven Innovation, Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP), Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, July 13 (2019).

 

July 13, 2019:

The International Conference on Global Regulatory Governance (ICGRG) was held on July 4-6 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. This conference was jointly organized by the Department of Government and Public Administration and the Hong Kong Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, with the support of the European Consortium of Political Research (ECPR) Standing Group on the Regulatory Governance. The conference addressed various issues in designing policies, programs and organisations on regulatory governance in the context of facing the challenges of emerging technologies in a globalizing world.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation in Cyber-Physical Systems: Opportunities and Challenges in the Regulatory Sandbox," International Conference on Global Regulatory Governance (ICGRG), Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, July 4-6 (2019).

 

July 12, 2019:

Handbook of Green Finance: Energy Security and Sustainable Development, edited by Jeffrey Sachs et al., has just been published by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and Springer. Ranaporn Ploy and I contributed to this book a chapter on Financing Solar Photovoltaic Transitions: From Utility to Residential Market Adoption in Emerging Economies.

Tantiwechwuttikul, Ranaporn, and Masaru Yarime, "Financing Solar Photovoltaic Transitions: From Utility to Residential Market Adoption in Emerging Economies," in Jeffrey Sachs, Woo Wing Thye, Naoyuki Yoshino, and Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, eds., Handbook of Green Finance: Energy Security and Sustainable Development, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and Springer, 405-423 (2019).

 

July 11, 2019:

The Institute of Medical Science of the University of Tokyo will organize a public seminar on Innovation for Medical Applications of Artificial Intelligence in China on July 19 at 18:30. I will discuss opportunities and challenges in facilitating data-driven innovation for SDGs including public health.

 

July 10, 2019:

I attended the Open House organized by Sidewalk Labs on June 29 to present the Master Innovation and Development Plan (MIDP) for Sidewalk Toronto. An independent Civic Data Trust is proposed for responsible use of data in encouraging innovation while protecting personal privacy and the public interest.

 

July 9, 2019:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program organized STIG Alumni Forum on July 6 at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo. I gave a talk on the innovation system of the Greater Bay Area of China with implications for science, technology, and innovation governance.

Yarime, Masaru, "The Innovation System of the Greater Bay Area of China: Opportunities and Challenges in Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance," STIG Alumni Forum, The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, July 6 (2019).

 

July 8, 2019:

I have joined as Visiting Associate Professor the Department of Innovation Science at the School of Environment and Society in the Tokyo Institute of Technology. It is an exciting opportunity to collaborate for research and education on innovation and sustainability.

 

July 7, 2019:

HSP Symposium on the SDGs and Network Governance: Opportunities and Challenges in Data-Driven Innovation will be organized on July 13 by the Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP) at the University of Tokyo. We will discuss the role of data-driven innovation in addressing SDGs and implications for network governance and public policy.

 

July 6, 2019:

The Fourth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP4) was held on June 26-28 at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. Among the issues discussed in the panel on Designing Effective Policies to Trigger Technological Innovation was the effects of policy design choices and designing processes on fostering innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation in Cyber-Physical Systems: Opportunities and Challenges in the Regulatory Sandbox," Fourth International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP4), Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, June 26-28 (2019).

 

July 2, 2019:

Public Administration Review (PAR) Symposium on Transformation of Government in the Era of Smart Technology was held on June 18 at the Copenhagen Business School. In the context of the emergence of the smart technology, we discussed theoretical and practical issues concerning the changing nature of work and challenges and opportunities for transforming public management and the public policy process.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation: Opportunities and Challenges in the Regulatory Sandbox for the Development of Smart Cities," Public Administration Review (PAR) Symposium on Transformation of Government in the Era of Smart Technology, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 18 (2019).

 

June 26, 2019:

Coinciding with the G20 Osaka Summit, the International Forum for Open Global Economy was held on June 25 in Osaka, Japan. We discussed multilateralism and policy coordination to promote innovation to address global challenges including climate change and sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Open Global Innovation: Possibilities and Challenges in the Greater Bay Area as a Global Innovation Hub," International Forum for Open Global Economy, organized by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Daily, Asian Development Bank Institute, and Japan-China Science, Technology and Culture Centre, Osaka, Japan, June 25 (2019).

 

June 21, 2019:

International Forum for Open Global Economy will be held on June 25 in Osaka, coinciding with the G20 Osaka Summit. Experts in academia, industry, government, and international organizations in 15 countries and regions will discuss key opportunities and challenges in promoting an open global economy. I will join the panel for Session 1 Teaming up with Worldwide Policy Coordination to Realize More Stable and Higher Global Economic Growth.

International Forum for Open Global Economy

Theme: Forge strong consensus and inject new impetus in building an open global economy to realize global prosperity and peace at a time when the world is at a crossroads.

Date: June 25, 2019 (Tuesday)

Venue: Hinoki Ballroom, 2nd floor, InterContinental Osaka, 3-60, Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan

Organizers: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; China Daily

Co-organizers: Asian Development Bank Institute; Japan China Science, Technology and Culture Centre

Supporters: Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS; China Public Diplomacy Association; China Institute for Reform and Development; Northeast Asian Studies & Exchange Network; The Society of Chinese Professors in Japan; Institute for Public Policy, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; US Environmental Defense Fund; The EURO50 Group; International Coalition for Green Development on the Belt and Road

9:00-10:15 Opening Ceremony

Moderator: Wang Hao, Deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily

9:00-09:30 Welcome Address

Guo Weimin, Vice-Minister of the State Council Information Office, China

Li Tianran, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate-General in Osaka

Murata Yoshitaka, President of Japan-China Science, Technology and Culture and Former Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission

Zhou Shuchun, Publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily

9:30-10:10 Keynote Speech

Xie Fuzhan, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean and CEO of the Asian Development Bank Institute

10:10-10:15 Launch ceremony of Preview Policy Report for G20 Summit - Working together to Build an Open Global Economy, jointly produced by China Watch, China Daily's think tank, and the Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS

Host: Wang Hao, Deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily

10:40-12:00 Panel I Promote global policy coordination to realize stabler and higher global economic growth

Economic growth is the foundation of people's well-being. In an interdependent global village, strengthening macroeconomic policy coordination and pursuing inclusive, green and strong global growth are the basic consensus reached by leaders of G20 countries in recent years. However, the global economy has been experiencing headwinds after rapid growth in 2017. More crucially, the global economic supply and value chain has been hit by the turbulence of protectionism even as a world economic rebalance and structural reforms are still not in place. As confidence in investment, trade and consumption is dented, the building of an open global economy has been hampered. Therefore, we should examine the risks and challenges facing global economic development, reach a global consensus and strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination among countries. Promoting the development of an open and diversified world economic development pattern, forming a rational and orderly global value chain, and improving the core competitiveness of developing economies are particularly important.

Moderator: Chi Fulin, President of China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD)

Speakers: Zhu Guangyao, Counselor of the State Council, and former vice-minister of finance of China

Matthew Pier Goodman, Senior Vice-President of Center for Strategic and International Studies

Martin Jacques, British scholar, author and senior fellow at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University

Wei Jianguo, Vice-Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, and former vice-minister of commerce

Akshay Mathur, CEO and Director of Research, Gateway House of Indian Council on Global Relations

Guillermo Santa Cruz, Director of the Chinese Investment Monitor of the Argentina­China Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Argentine Council for International Relations

Hannah Wanjie Ryder, CEO of Development Reimagined and a former policy and partnerships head for the United Nations Development Programme in China

Yarime Masaru, Associate Professor of Division of Public Policy (PPOL), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

13:30-14:50 Panel II Forge fresh consensus to uphold multilateralism and reform global governance regime that benefits all

To achieve the goals set out in the 31 articles of the "G20 Leaders' Declaration: Building consensus for fair and sustainable development" six months ago to realize fair and sustainable development and to actively implement the eight global themes including economic growth, innovation, energy and environment, international development, employment, women empowerment and other themes listed by the Osaka G20 summit, we must re-examine and refine existing global governance systems. Undoubtedly, protectionism, isolationism and populism in some countries are the newest challenges facing the international governance system. The key issues faced by the international community are: to further improve the current international governance system; to reform and optimize rules that fail to meet the needs of contemporary development; to encourage more stakeholders to participate in global governance; to achieve strong and sustainable economic growth; and enable every individual to have a happy and dignified life and realize shared prosperity and peace.

Moderator: David Gosset, Founder of China-Europe Forum

Speakers: Kerry Brown, Professor of Chinese Studies and Director of the Lau China Institute at King's College London

Eiichi Shindo, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tsukuba

John Kirton, Director of G20 Research Group, University of Toronto, Canada

Olav Kjrven, Chief Strategy Officer of the World Food Forum

Zhang Jianyu, Vice-President of the US Environmental Defense Fund

Ettore Greco, Executive Vice-President of Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) based in Rome, Italy

David Monyae, Director of the Centre for Africa-China Studies and Confucius Institute at the University of Johannesburg

15:00-16:20 Panel III Unite and identify new roles for Northeast Asian countries in realizing balanced and inclusive global governance

Despite challenges, economic globalization and regional economic integration are still the general trend of world economic development. Since last year, Northeast Asia has shown a positive trend. Prospects of peace have brightened on the Korean Peninsula, Sino-Japanese relations have improved, and leaders of Northeast Asian countries have interacted frequently. On this basis, we should further deepen political mutual trust and economic cooperation and facilitation, promote financial connectivity and liberal exchanges of technology and personnel, achieve sustained and inclusive growth of regional economies, offer a new model for an open global economy, which would be a new opportunity for Northeast Asian countries.

Moderator: Zhang Yuyan, Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS

Speakers: Hu Zhengyue, Vice-President of China Public Diplomacy Association, and former assistant minister of foreign affairs

Makoto Taniguchi, former representative of Japan to the United Nations and President of Iwate Prefectural University

Kenji Tanaka, President of the Asia Pacific Forum

Choong Yong Ahn, Professor Emeritus of Economics, Chung-Ang University & former Chairman of Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership

Zou Zhibo, Deputy-director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS

Harvey Cary Dzodin, Former vice president of ABC TV in the US

Zhou Weisheng, Professor of Ritsumeikan University, Director of Research Institute of Global 3E

16:20-16:25 Closing Ceremony

Moderator: Zhang Yuyan, Director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics, CASS

Speaker: Zhou Shuchun, Publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily

 

June 20, 2019:

Global Summit on Blockchain Technology in the Energy Sector was held on June 19-20 in Berlin. Our paper that reviews institutional challenges in introducing blockchain-based distributed energy systems was presented at the Academic Panel.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, "Review of Blockchain-Based Distributed Energy: Implications for Institutional Development," Global Summit on Blockchain Technology in the Energy Sector, Berlin, Germany, June 19-20 (2019).

 

June 16, 2019:

The call for papers is now open for the Fifth Geography of Innovation Conference (GEOINNO 2020) on January 29-31, 2020 in Stavanger, Norway. The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2019. We will organize a special session on Digital Platform Geographies with Shauna Brail (University of Toronto), Betsy Donald (Queen’s University), Shiri Breznitz (University of Toronto), and Katie Wells (Georgetown University).

 

June 13, 2019:

I gave a talk with Professor Junseok Hwang at the CSTI Policy Seminar on Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: International Practices and Policy Implications, organized by the Centre for Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (CSTI) on June 13 at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in the University of Cambridge. Among the issues discussed with the participants is how various kinds of data are collected, shared, and used for decision making by stakeholders in creating innovation for smart cities. It would be very interesting to explore an international comparison of cases in different institutional environments.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan, United States and China: Implications for Policy and Institutional Design," CSTI Policy Seminar on Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: International Practices and Policy Implications, Centre for Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (CSTI), Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, June 13 (2019).

 

June 12, 2019:

The International Conference on Data for Policy 2019 was held on June 11-12 at University College London. In the session on Smart Cities, we introduced cases of developing smart cities in different parts of the world and discussed policy challenges in the collection, access, use of data for societal benefits.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation: Innovation Systems of Smart Cities and Implications for Public Policy," International Conference on Data for Policy 2019, University College London, London, United Kingdom, June 11-12 (2019).

 

June 5, 2019:

The first workshop on AI for Social Good was held on June 5 at Keio University in Tokyo. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google have joined forces to establish a new research network of scholars in this region. We will explore the potential of AI to contribute to social good for recommendations to policy makers and other stakeholders in society.

Yarime, Masaru, Kira Matus, and Ye Qi, "Policy Challenges in AI for Data Integration and Adaptive Governance," Workshop on AI for Social Good, jointly organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), and Google, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan, June 5 (2019).

 

June 4, 2019:

FS Workshop on the Kyoto-Shenzhen Decarbonization Project was held on June 3-4 at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto. Researchers and policy makers coming from the two cities discussed future strategies for transitions towards sustainable cities through mutual learning and joint initiatives involving stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Innovation for Urban Decarbonization: Opportunities and Challenges in Distributed Energy Systems," FS Workshop on the Kyoto-Shenzhen Decarbonization Project, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Kyoto, Japan, June 3-4 (2019).

 

June 1, 2019:

The Centre for Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (CSTI) will organize a CSTI Seminar on Innovation Policy for Smart Cities on June 13 at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in the University of Cambridge. We will discuss the experiences of facilitating innovation for smart cities in Asia and implications for policy design in addressing societal expectations and concerns.

 

May 30, 2019:

HSP Seminar "Can Blockchain Improve UN?: Possibility of Decentralized Assistance" was organized by the Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP) on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at Komaba Campus of the University of Tokyo. We discussed recent initiatives by the United Nations to utilize blockchain technology to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including humanitarian assistance and sustainable energy systems, and policy and institutional challenges for the future.

Yarime, Masaru, "Exploring Opportunities and Challenges in Blockchain Technology for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," HSP Seminar "Can Blockchain Improve UN?: Possibility of Decentralized Assistance", Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP), Komaba Campus, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, May 29 (2019).

 

May 25, 2019:

Major challenges in technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional aspects of blockchain-based distributed energy systems are discussed in a case study in Japan. Our paper reporting the findings was presented at the Applied Energy A+B Symposium (AEAB2019) on May 22-24 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Mika Goto, Shauhrat Chopra, Manoj Kumar Nallapaneni, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Sagawa, "Exploring Blockchain and New Ways Forward in the Energy Sector: A Case Study in Japan," Applied Energy A+B Symposium (AEAB2019), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, May 22-24 (2019).

 

May 22, 2019:

HSP Seminar "Can Blockchain Improve UN?: Possibility of Decentralized Assistance" will be organized by the Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP) on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at Komaba Campus of the University of Tokyo. As blockchain technology is increasingly deployed by the United Nations and NGOs for humanitarian operations such as assistance for refugees, we will discuss opportunities and challenges in facilitating innovation for non-centralized international cooperation and network governance beyond the nation-state system.

 

May 20, 2019:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will host the Asia-Pacific Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems (APCIEE) Hong Kong on December 2-4, 2019 at the Hong Kong Science Park, in partnership with the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). We will discuss key opportunities and challenges in facilitating innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems for sustainable development through collaboration with stakeholders in various sectors in society. The deadline for submitting paper proposals is June 15, 2019.

 

May 17, 2019:

The International Workshop on Rethinking Clusters: The Local and Global Scale of Sustainability Transitions was held on May 15-17 at the University of Padua in Italy. I gave a keynote speech on fostering data-driven innovation for sustainability transitions with local initiatives and global implications.

Yarime, Masaru, "Fostering Data-Driven Innovation for Sustainability Transitions: Local Initiatives and Global Implications," Keynote Speech, International Workshop on Rethinking Clusters: The Local and Global Scale of Sustainability Transitions, University of Padua, Padua, Italy, May 15-17 (2019).

 

May 14, 2019:

Connecting Startup Cities Conference was held on May 14 in the Asia-Pacific Week Berlin 2019. In the Panel on Our Electric Mobility Future, we discussed recent trends in innovation on e-mobility in China and its implications for corporate strategy and public policy at the global scale.

Yarime, Masaru, "Emerging Trends of Innovation on E-mobility in China and Implications for Corporate Strategy and Public Policy," Panel on Our Electric Mobility Future, Connecting Startup Cities Conference, Asia-Pacific Week Berlin 2019, Spreewerkstätten, Berlin, Germany, May 14 (2019).

 

May 12, 2019:

The International Workshop on Rethinking Clusters: The Local and Global Scale of Sustainability Transitions will be held on May 15-17 at the University of Padua, Italy. We will discuss the role of clusters in facilitating transitions towards sustainability at the local and global scales.

 

May 10, 2019:

International Conference on Innovation in East Asia in Global Context: E-Mobility and Urban Systems was held on May 9-10, jointly organized by the IN-EAST School of Advanced Studies on Innovation in East Asia of the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) with sponsorship by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). We discussed approaches to facilitating innovation for e-mobility and smart cities and explored potential in institutional transfers between Europe and East Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding the Japanese Innovation System of Smart Cities: Knowledge, Actors, and Institutions," International Conference on Innovation in East Asia in Global Context: E-Mobility and Urban Systems, jointly organized by IN-EAST School of Advanced Studies on Innovation in East Asia, Institute of East Asian Studies, University of Duisburg-Essen and Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB), Berlin, Germany, May 9-10 (2019).

 

May 9, 2019:

Asia-Pacific Week Berlin 2019: Asia-Europe Dialogue on Innovation will take place on May 13-19 in Berlin. In the Connecting Startup Cities Conference, we will discuss emerging trends of innovation on e-mobility in China and their implications for corporate strategy and public policy in the Panel on Our Electric Mobility Future on May 14.

 

May 3, 2019:

We will organize PPOL Seminar on smart city development in China on Monday, May 6 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Everyone is welcome to join us.

PPOL Seminar

Title: Nine Smart City Business Models Review and Its Inspiration to Hong Kong Learned from Shanghai Case

Date: Monday May 6, 2019, 9:00 am – 10:00 am

Venue: Room 2612B (lift 31/32), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Speaker: Dr. XU Zhenqiang, Deputy Director in General, Digital City Research Centre, Chinese Society for Urban Studies, Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Development, China

Abstract: Guided by the theory of smart city synergy economy and the theory of "five in one" model, 25 domestic high-quality cases were selected from the key dimensions, including system integration, urban governance, public service and data industrialization. It covers 25 influential and well-known high-quality cases in the fields of smart city integration, single application, fine urban management, urban public service and digital industry, and covers Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Tangshan, Yinchuan, Guiyang, Lianyungang and other cities. Structural analysis is carried out from five aspects: project background, main problems solved, concrete methods, construction effect and promotion thinking, so as to provide readers with in-depth management. Starting from the perspective of economic geography and based on the spatial ecology of the integration of production and city, this paper puts forward the concept of wise city development in the new era. Considering the participation of multi-agents, the integration of key elements and the coordination of government driving forces, this paper summarizes the business model of smart city from practice.

Biography: Dr. XU is the Deputy Director in General in Digital City Research Center, Chinese Society for Urban Studies (CSUS), which is under the administration of the Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Development (MOHURD) of China. He is the committee member of the science and technology strategic plan for the MOHURD Thirteen-Five Year Plan. His research focuses on low-carbon eco-city, sponge city, smart city and international cooperation. Since 2012, he has been involved in more than sixteen urban studies and planning projects, including four international cooperation projects, two ministerial-level projects and one annual highlighted project by Beijing Municipal Government. He involves in research and consulting projects funded by China MOHURD, Ministry of Science and Technology, China, China Association of Science and Technology, Zhongguancun Management Committee, Shenzhen Planning and Land Committee, Qingdao High Tech-Area Management Committee, Dongguan Ecological Park Management and Fangxing Real Estate Co. Ltd., etc. Selected projects are Sino-UK Inter-Ministerial Level Cooperation on Green Urban Regeneration Policies, Planning Method, Cases and Financing Innovation, planning techniques for sponge city, Three Planning United and Parallel Approval Mechanism in Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone, Guidance and Zoning Management for Shenzhen Low Carbon Ecological Index System, Ecological Index System and Planning Implementation in Qingdao High Tech District, and Consulting on Dongguan Ecological Park to Build up National Green Ecological Demonstration City. And the Shenzhen Project won the Second Prize in Shenzhen Sixteenth Outstanding Urban Planning Design issued by Shenzhen City Planning Association in 2015. Dr. Zhenqiang XU obtained his doctor degree from Peking University majored in environmental sciences.

 

May 2, 2019:

Submissions are now open for the Hong Kong Environmental, Social and Governance Reporting (HERA) Awards. The awards recognize companies for outstanding reporting performance in environment, social and governance (ESG) aspects with innovative approaches. I serve on the Panel of Experts with Angus Ho, Executive Director of Greeners Action, Jessica Tam, Head of HKCSS-HSBC Social Enterprise Business Centre, Stephen Wong, Deputy Executive Director and Head of Public Policy Institute, Our Hong Kong Foundation, and Ir. Vincent Kong, Sustainability Manager of Sun Hung Kai Properties to decided on the awards.

 

April 19, 2019:

Go Global Fair 2019 will take place on Saturday, April 20 at the Komaba Campus of the University of Tokyo. I will provide information on the Master of Public Policy (MPP) and the MPhil/PhD in Public Policy Programs in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

 

April 11, 2019:

We will organize an information session on the Master of Public Policy and MPhil/PhD in Public Policy Programs in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on Friday, April 19 at 19:00 at the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Our programs have two areas of specialization: Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Environmental and Sustainability Policy. You can explore opportunities and challenges in public policy, management, and governance for energy, environment, and sustainability in Asia and beyond. A dual degree program is also available with the Global Master of Public Administration (GMPA) Program in the University of Washington in Seattle, United States. Everyone is very welcome to join us in discussing educational and research activities at HKUST.

Information Session on the Master of Public Policy and MPhil/PhD in Public Policy Programs, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Date: Friday, April 19, 2019, 19:00-20:30

Venue: SMBC Academia Hall, Fourth Floor, International Academic Research Building, Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo

 

April 9, 2019:

The Seventh Session of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Plenary will take place from April 29 to May 4 in Paris. The methodological guidance for assessing policy instruments and facilitating the use of policy support tools and methodologies through IPBES assessments has been submitted through the Report of the Executive Secretary on the implementation of the first work programme for the period 2014-2018. I served on the Expert Group on Policy Support Tools and Methodologies.

 

April 5, 2019:

The International Symposium "Innovation in East Asia in a Global Context: Electromobility and Urban Systems" will be held on May 9-10, 2019 at the Japanese-German Center Berlin (JDZB) in cooperation with the IN-EAST School of Advanced Studies on Innovation in East Asia of the University of Duisburg-Essen. We will discuss different approaches to addressing common challenges and explore opportunities for institutional transfers between Europe and East Asia.

 

April 2, 2019:

The Asia Pacific Week 2019 "Asia-Europe Dialogue on Innovation" will be organized in Berlin, Germany on May 13-19, 2019. I will give a talk on facilitating innovation for sustainable smart cities in Asia.

 

March 30, 2019:

We made a field visit to the Zhuhai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone with the students of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The Science and Technology Innovation and Industry Development Bureau was kind to organize a discussion meeting on the strategies and policy measures to support entrepreneurship and talent recruitment.

 

March 25, 2019:

I have joined the Editorial Board of the Frontiers in Sustainable Cities - Governance and Cities. The journal covers a wide range of topics concerning innovative forms and processes of governance for sustainable cities.

 

March 25, 2019:

I have joined with my colleagues at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) a new project on AI for Social Good, jointly initiated by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and Google. We will work on research-based policy recommendation papers to contribute to governing the development of AI to address societal challenges.

 

March 25, 2019:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will organize a seminar on Monetary and Moral Incentives of Behavioral Interventions: Field Experimental Evidence from Hotel Guest Energy Efficiency Programs on Friday, March 29. The speaker is Dr. Toshi H. Arimura, Director, Research Institute for Environmental Economics and Management, and Professor, School of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, Tokyo. Everyone is welcome to join us.

 

March 22, 2019:

I was invited to give a talk at the Expert-Group Meeting and Training Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Sustainable Development in the Fourth Industrial Revolution held on March 18-22 in Incheon and Sejong in South Korea. The workshop was jointly organized by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), in collaboration with the Asia Research and Training Network on Science Technology and Innovation Policy (ARTNET on STI Policy) to support building the capacity of countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Our discussion dealt with policy design and evaluation, public service innovation, law and regulation, human capital, and public-private partnership.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science, Technology, and Innovation Policies for Sustainable Development in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges in Public-Private Partnership," Training Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Sustainable Development in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and Asia Research and Training Network on Science Technology and Innovation Policy (ARTNET on STI Policy), Incheon and Sejong, South Korea, March 19-22 (2019).

 

March 21, 2019:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is currently inviting applications for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program 2019-2020, with two areas of specialization in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Environmental and Sustainability Policy. A dual degree program is also available with the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance in the University of Washington in Seattle, United States.

 

March 16, 2019:

Our paper that conducted a techno-economic assessment of residential photovoltaic systems integrated with electric vehicles has been published in the Energy Procedia.

Kobashi, Takuro, and Masaru Yarime, "Techno-Economic Assessment of the Residential Photovoltaic Systems Integrated with Electric Vehicles: A Case Study of Japanese Households towards 2030," Energy Procedia, 158, 3802-3807 (2019).

 

March 15, 2019:

Our paper on a case study of the business sector's practice in addressing sustainability challenges in South India has been published in Ecological Economics.

Asokan, Vivek Anand, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "Bridging Practices, Institutions, and Landscapes through a Scale-based Approach for Research and Practice: A Case Study of a Business Association in South India," Ecological Economics, 160, 240-250 (2019).

 

March 14, 2019:

The 8th Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy will be held on October 14-16, 2019 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Serving as a member of the Program Committee, I would like to encourage presentation of papers on various challenges in science and innovation policy. The deadline for submitting abstracts is March 15, 2019.

 

March 13, 2019:

Our paper on the challenge of promoting international cooperation to address transboundary air pollution in East Asia has been referred to in an article published in the Hankook Ilbo, Korean Daily, that reports a serious situation of particulate matter pollution in South Korea.

Yarime, Masaru, and Aitong Li, "Facilitating International Cooperation on Air Pollution in East Asia: Fragmentation of the Epistemic Communities," Global Policy, 9 (S3), 35-41 (2018).

 

March 10, 2019:

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) hosted the Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Conference 2019 on March 8-9. It was a great opportunity to develop networks among researchers in growing academic communities on public policy in the Asia-Pacific region. We discussed various issues concerning governance and policy innovation in an era of disruptive technologies. The next AP-PPN conference will be held in February 2020 in Perth, Australia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governance and Policy Innovation in an Era of Disruptive Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy," Plenary Session, Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Conference 2019, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, March 8-9 (2019).

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation for Smart Cities: Policy Challenges in Blockchain-Based Distributed Energy Systems," Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Conference 2019, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, March 8-9 (2019).

 

March 9, 2019:

Our paper that reviews technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional challenges in blockchain-based distributed energy systems has been published in the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Segawa, "Review of Blockchain-Based Distributed Energy: Implications for Institutional Development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 107, 200-211 (2019).

 

March 6, 2019:

The Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Conference 2019 will be held on March 8-9 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). I will participate in the Panel Discussion on Governance and Policy Innovation in an Era of Disruptive Technologies.

 

March 3, 2019:

Our review paper on technological, economic, social, environmental, and institutional challenges in blockchain-based distributed energy systems has just been accepted for publication in the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Segawa, "A Review of Blockchain-Based Distributed Energy: Implications for Institutional Development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, forthcoming.

 

February 25, 2019:

Our paper that examines science-policy interface for sustainability through a case study of a business association in India has just been accepted for publication in the journal Ecological Economics.

Asokan, Vivek Anand, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "Bridging Practices, Institutions, and Landscapes through a Scale-based Approach for Research and Practice: A Case Study of a Business Association in South India," Ecological Economics, forthcoming.

 

February 24, 2019:

New research projects on air pollution control and global innovation and technology hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have been funded by the Policy Innovation and Coordination Office of the Hong Kong government.

"Trans-regional Air Pollution Control in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area: The Interplay between Science and Policy," Xun Wu, Alexis Lau, Kira Matus, Jerry Patchell, Jimin Zhao, and Masaru Yarime, Public Policy Research (PPR) Funding Scheme, Policy Innovation and Coordination Office, Hong Kong SAR, 2019-2020.

"Accelerating the Development of a Global Innovation and Technology Hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area: The Roles of Public Research Universities in Hong Kong," Xun Wu, Anthony Cheung, Joshua Ka Ho Mok, Rui Yang, Naubahar Sharif, Masaru Yarime, Edwin Lai, Baojian Xie, and Christopher Tremewan, Strategic Public Policy Research (SPPR) Funding Scheme, Policy Innovation and Coordination Office, Hong Kong SAR, 2019-2022.

 

February 21, 2019:

NTPU-HKUST Joint Workshop on Sustainable City and Renewable Energy was held at the Center for Global Change and Sustainability Science (CGCSS) in the National Taipei University (NTPU). We discussed key challenges in the fields of air quality, renewable energy, and sustainable city and explored research collaboration through exchange of graduate students and researchers.

Yarime, Masaru, "Key Challenges in Innovation for Sustainable Energy Systems and Smart Cities," NTPU-HKUST Joint Workshop on Sustainable City and Renewable Energy, Center for Global Change and Sustainability Science (CGCSS), National Taipei University (NTPU), February 21 (2019).

 

February 13, 2019:

Dr. MURAOKA Koki in the Department of Chemical System Engineering of the University of Tokyo received the Ikushi Prize of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). It was a great pleasure to have an opportunity to work with him in the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM).

 

February 7, 2019:

I gave a seminar at the Shri Ram College of Commerce in the University of Delhi. We discussed the implications of data-driven innovation for the India's sustainability and opportunities for collaboration between India and Hong Kong.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Driven Innovation and Opportunities for Sustainability through Collaboration between India and Hong Kong," Shri Ram College of Commerce, University of Delhi, Delhi, India, February 7 (2019).

 

February 6, 2019:

The Second Annual Conference of the India Public Policy Network (IPPN) was held on February 5-6 at the University of Delhi. It was a great opportunity to build networks of scholars working in this field and to discuss key policy challenges in India, such as the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), an ambitious initiative by the government to achieve universal sanitation coverage including rural areas. IPPN is an affiliate of the Asia Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) hosted by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Data-Driven Innovation: The Development of Smart Cities and Policy Implications for Sustainability," Second Annual Conference of the India Public Policy Network (IPPN), University of Delhi, Delhi, India, February 5-6 (2019).

 

February 1, 2019:

Call for Papers: Special Issue "Sustainability and Innovation: Concepts, Methodology, and Practices"

This special issue of the journal Sustainability covers a wide range of topics on sustainability and innovation, including but not limited to: Conceptual propositions on sustainability and innovation; Systematic reviews on sustainability, innovation, and related topics; Methodology for the analysis, design, and implementation of innovative products, services, and systems to realize sustainable society; Practices and case studies on innovation and sustainability. The deadline for manuscript submissions is December 31, 2019.

Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Yuya Kajikawa, Prof. Dr. So Young Sohn, Prof. Dr. Masaru Yarime, and Prof. Dr. Hsin-Ning Su

 

January 25, 2019:

International Workshop on the Future of Energy Cooperation and Connectivity - Energy Business and Policies in the Age of Platformers was held at the University of Tokyo in collaboration with Mitsubishi Corporation, Policy Alternative Research Institute (PARI), Tsinghua University, and the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation of China. We discussed recent trends in energy policies and scenarios in China, platform business opportunities in the integration of data and energy, and geopolitical implications of energy transitions across the globe.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating for Energy Transitions: Opportunities and Challenges in Cooperation and Collaboration between China and Japan," International Workshop on the Future of Energy Cooperation and Connectivity - Energy Business and Policies in the Age of Platformers, jointly organized by Mitsubishi Corporation, Policy Alternative Research Institute (PARI), Tsinghua University, and the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation of China, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, January 24-25 (2019).

 

January 22, 2019:

The Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption on "Transforming Production and Consumption: Bridging Sustainability Research with Policy and Practice" will be held on June 26-29, 2019 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The deadline for submitting proposals has been extended to January 28, 2019.

 

January 21, 2019:

The Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) has announced new partnerships with the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change (MoCC), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Hong Kong Chapter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). This is an exciting development of HERA, in which I participated as a member of the Independent Panel of Judges in 2018.

 

January 21, 2019:

Post-COP24 Hong Kong Forum was organized by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Civic Exchange. We discussed the outcomes of COP24 and implications for Hong Kong's long-term decarbonization strategy with experts from China, Europe and the industrial sector.

 

January 14, 2019:

The International Workshop on Rethinking Clusters: The Local and Global Scale of Sustainability Transitions will be held on May 15-17, 2019 at the University of Padova, Italy. The deadline for submitting an extended abstract or a full paper is February 28. I will give a keynote speech on facilitating innovation for sustainability transitions.

 

January 13, 2019:

The Symposium on Blockchain Technology and Application was held at the City University of Hong Kong. In the session on Blockchain Technologies in Power and Energy Systems, the latest findings of demonstration projects on distributed energy systems based on blockchain in China and Singapore were presented. There remain many challenges in regulation and public policy for further development in this field.

 

January 11, 2019:

I was invited to attend the first roundtable for "Hong Kong 2050 Is Now," an independent initiative by Civic Exchange and World Resources Institute to contribute to the city's long-term decarbonization strategy. We discussed a range of possible actions we could take to significantly reduce carbon emissions so that Hong Kong will be close to carbon neutral by 2050.

 

January 10, 2019:

The book Technologies and Eco-innovation towards Sustainability II II has just been published by Springer. In our chapter, we discussed policy approaches to the development and diffusion of solar photovoltaics in Asian countries.

Tantiwechwuttikul, Ranaporn, Masaru Yarime, and Kohzo Ito, "Solar Photovoltaic Market Adoption: Dilemma of Technological Exploitation vs Technological Exploration," in Allen H. Hu, Mitsutaka Matsumoto, Tsai Chi Kuo, and Shana Smith, eds., Technologies and Eco-innovation towards Sustainability II, Springer, 215-227 (2019).

 

January 9, 2019:

Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI) kindly invited me to give a lecture for the TBSI Greater Bay Area Intellectual Forum on January 9. It was really a fruitful opportunity to discuss innovation for smart cities and explore collaboration with researchers in the Low Carbon Economy and Financial Risk Analysis and Smart Grid and Renewable Energy groups at TBSI.

Yarime, Masaru, "Fostering Innovation for Urban Sustainability: A Comparative Analysis of the Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan, United States, and China," TBSI Greater Bay Area Intellectual Forum Lecture 80, Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI), Shenzhen, Guangdong, China, January 9 (2019).

 

January 5, 2019:

I will give a talk at the Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute (TBSI) on January 9. We will discuss policy challenges in fostering innovation for smart cities and opportunities for international collaboration in the development of the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

 

December 28, 2018:

We visited the Shenzhen Research Institute (SRI) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) with Dr. Robert Doubleday, Executive Director at Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge. SRI provides training programs for entrepreneurship and support to start-ups. We discussed future collaboration on science, technology, and innovation policy between HKUST and Cambridge.

 

December 25, 2018:

International Workshop on Approaches to Addressing Increasing Complexity of Sustainability Challenges in East Asia: Roles of Non-state Actors in Transboundary Networks was held on December 20 at the Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO) in Chiba, Japan. We had a fruitful discussion on the past experience of addressing transboundary air pollution in East Asia and lessons and implications for policy and institutional arrangements to facilitate international cooperation on epistemic communities in the region.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science-Policy Interface on Transboundary Air Pollution: Challenges in Overcoming the Fragmentation of the Epistemic Communities in East Asia," International Workshop on Approaches to Addressing Increasing Complexity of Sustainability Challenges in East Asia: Roles of Non-state Actors in Transboundary Networks, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO), Chiba, Japan, December 20 (2018).

 

December 24, 2018:

Tonghu Sci-Tech Town in Huizhou in the Guangdong province of China was developed by Country Garden to integrate urban and industrial developments. The smart city invites companies and research organizations involved in the IoT ecosystem, including component manufacturing, application services, and media. We had a good discussion about research collaboration on smart city development.

 

December 17, 2018:

The Division of Public Policy (PPOL) of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is now inviting applications for admission to the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program. Public policy plays an increasingly important role in stimulating innovation for tackling global challenges such as climate change and population ageing. With two areas of specialization on science, technology and innovation policy and environmental and sustainability policy, the MPP program provides students with professional training with a focus on problem-solving skills with real-world cases. Career development opportunities are available in government agencies, private enterprises, and non-profit organizations. The deadline for applications is June 1, 2019.

 

December 3, 2018:

Abe Global Forum on Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age was held on Monday, December 3 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. We discussed how the United States and Japan can work together to address global challenges in the context of technological disruption and political instability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Data-Driven Innovation: Policy and Strategic Implications in Global Competition and Cooperation," Abe Global Forum on Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, D.C., United States, December 3 (2018).

 

December 1, 2018:

Abe Global Forum on Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age was organized on Saturday, December 1 by the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. I discussed the emergence of data-driven innovation and policy and strategic implications in the context of global competition and cooperation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Data-Driven Innovation: Policy and Strategic Implications in Global Competition and Cooperation," Abe Global Forum on Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, December 1 (2018).

 

November 29, 2018:

In our paper with Dr. Aitong Li, we examined the fragmentation of the epistemic communities in tackling transboundary air pollution in East Asia. The article has just been published in the Special Issue on Science Diplomacy of the journal Global Policy.

Yarime, Masaru, and Aitong Li, "Facilitating International Cooperation on Air Pollution in East Asia: Fragmentation of the Epistemic Communities," Global Policy, 9 (S3), 35-41 (2018).

 

November 28, 2018:

HKUST Leadership and Public Policy (LAPP) Executive Education Program on Using Big Data to Create Public Value: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies took place on November 26-28 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). I organized a session on data-driven innovation and its implications for science, technology, and innovation policy in Hong Kong and beyond.

Yarime, Masaru, "Big Data and the Development of Innovation Hub in Hong Kong," HKUST Leadership and Public Policy (LAPP) Executive Education Program on Using Big Data to Create Public Value: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Hong Kong, November 26-28 (2018).

 

November 26, 2018:

Abe Global Forum "Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age" will be held on Monday, December 3 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. We will discuss how the United States and Japan respond to global challenges in the context of the rapidly rising innovation hubs in China and India, considering institutional factors that encourage or discourage innovation and the impact of big data and AI on innovation policies and strategies.

Abe Global Forum "Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age"

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, D.C.

December 3, 2018

15:00 Opening remarks

Linda Grove, Consulting Director, SSRC

James L. Schoff, Senior Fellow, CEIP

15:10 Keynote Address

"Innovationalizing: Government Investment: Japan’s new STI Policies"

Takahiro Ueyama (2000 Abe Fellow) Executive Member, Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Cabinet Office, Japan; Vice President, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)

15:55 Presentations

"Asia’s New Networked Technonationalism: Competitive Advantage, or Disadvantage for Japan and the United States?"

Kathryn Ibata-Arens (2004 Abe Fellow), Vincent de Paul Professor of Political Science and Director, Global Asian Studies Program, De Paul University

"Governing Data-Driven Innovation: Policy and Strategic Implications in Global Competition and Collaboration"

Masaru Yarime (2014 Abe Fellow), Associate Professor, Division of Public Policy, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

"Continuity and Change in Japan’s Ecosystem for Start-up Companies: Encouraging the Creation of Firms to Stimulate Economic Growth and Jobs"

Marie Anchordoguy (1997 Abe Fellow), Professor, Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington

16:40 Panel Discussion

17:25 Closing remarks

Linda Grove

17:30 Networking Reception

 

November 26, 2018:

Forum on Smart Cities in China - Reforming Multiple Planning Integration and Building Smart Cities was organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) on November 24-25 in Haikou in the Hainan province of China. I was invited to give a keynote speech on Japan's experience of developing smart cities and its lessons and implications for public policy to facilitate innovation for urban sustainability. We discussed recommendations for policy making on integrating various kinds of data, establishing common data platforms, and utilizing data to address societal challenges.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japan's Experience of Creating Innovation for Smart Cities: Implications for Public Policy for Urban Sustainability," Forum on Smart Cities in China - Reforming Multiple Planning Integration and Building Smart Cities, organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Haikou, Hainan, China, November 24-25 (2018).

 

November 17, 2018:

Abe Global Forum "Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age" will be held on December 1 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. We will discuss how the United States and Japan can respond to global challenges in the context of the rapidly rising innovation hubs in China and India, considering institutional factors that encourage or discourage innovation and the impact of big data and AI on innovation policies and strategies.

Abe Global Forum "Japanese and American Innovation in a Global Age"

Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, December 1, 2018.

14:00-14:50: Session 1

Chair: Kaye Husbands Fealing, Chair, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

Opening remarks:

The Honorable Takashi Shinozuka, Consul-General of Japan in Atlanta

Jacqueline Royster, Dean, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Georgia Institute of Technology

Junichi Chano, CGP Executive Director

Keynote Address: Takahiro Ueyama (2000 Abe Fellow), Executive Member, Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Cabinet Office, Japan; Vice President, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)

14:50-15:00: Break

15:00-16:45: Session 2:

Chair: Brian Woodall (1992 Abe Fellow), Professor, Ivan College of Liberal Arts, Georgia Institute of Technology

Presentations:

Kathryn Ibata-Arens (2004 Abe Fellow), Vincent de Paul Professor of Political Science and Director, Global Asian Studies Program, De Paul University

Masaru Yarime (2014 Abe Fellow), Associate Professor, Division of Public Policy, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

John P. Walsh (2001 Abe Fellow), Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology

Panel discussion

16:45 Closing remarks: Linda Grove, SSRC Consulting Director

17:00-18:30: Cocktail Reception

 

November 15, 2018:

Judges' Report for the Hong Kong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Awards 2018 has been published. While a significant progress has been made in the content and standard of ESG reporting, companies are encouraged to disclose more details of how they conduct stakeholder engagement, which is an essential process for materiality assessment, and to involve the Board in sustainability governance.

Judges' Report for the Hong Kong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Reporting Awards 2018, Panel of Judges (Angus HO, Masaru YARIME, Jessica TAM, Stephen WONG, and Vincent KONG), Hong Kong, November (2018).

 

November 14, 2018:

The Division of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) invites applications for faculty positions in public policy and public management. We especially welcome applicants in the following three research areas: (i) science, technology, and innovation policy; (ii) social and urban policy; and (iii) environmental, energy, and sustainability policy.

4187: Faculty Positions (Public Policy), Division of Public Policy

4186: Faculty Positions (Public Management), Division of Public Policy

 

November 9, 2018:

The International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA) organized its third biannual conference on November 5-8 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. Among the issues discussed in the conference was big data and its implications for public decision making in addressing sustainability challenges in the context of smart cities.

 

November 6, 2018:

The 2018 International Conference on the Biomass-Environment-Food-Energy-Water (BEFEW) Nexus will be held on December 12-13 in Putrajaya, Malaysia, organized by Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, and the University of Bath, UK. I will give a plenary speech on the role of science, technology, and innovation in addressing key challenges in the nexus and implications for public policy.

 

November 5, 2018:

I made comments on renewable energy sources in Asia in Nikkei Asian Review.

"Offshore wind projects hasten Asia's renewable shift from solar," Nikkei Asian Review, November 4 (2018).

 

November 2, 2018:

HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Executive Education Program on Using Big Data to Create Public Value: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies will take place on November 26-28 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We will discuss key opportunities and challenges in the use of big data for public policy and governance in a wide range of areas, including science and technology, smart cities, and sustainability.

 

October 30, 2018:

We discussed resilience thinking and its implications for sustainable development in the Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education, which will be published soon by Springer.

Kharrazi, Ali, Tomohiro Akiyama, and Masaru Yarime, "Resilience Thinking and Sustainable Development," in Walter Leal Filho, ed., Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education, Berlin: Springer (2019).

 

October 29, 2018:

The Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARe2018) Hong Kong Conference was held on October 27-29 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). A wide range of experts and stakeholders participated from across the globe, across industry and business sectors, as well as from local and regional authorities to discuss key challenges in facilitating adaptation and resilience to climate change.

 

October 28, 2018:

International Roundtable on Building an Access to Justice Network for Business and Human Rights in Asia was organized by the Human Rights Law and Policy Forum of the School of Law of the City University Hong Kong in collaboration with the Research Center for Sustainable Peace of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Tokyo on October 28. We had a fruitful discussion on sharing good practices and exploring collaboration among academia, business, government, and civil society organizations.

 

October 25, 2018:

A research workshop was organized by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto on October 23. A new project with Dr. Takuro Kobashi has just started to facilitate distributed energy systems for decarbonization through collaboration between Kyoto and Hong Kong/Shenzhen.

Yarime, Masaru, "Smart City Innovation for Decarbonization: Possibilities in Collaboration between Kyoto and Hong Kong/Shenzhen," Research Workshop on Facilitating Distributed Energy Systems for Decarbonization through Collaboration between Kyoto and Hong Kong/Shenzhen," Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Kyoto, Japan, October 23 (2018).

 

October 19, 2018:

The Fourth Asia-Pacific Public Policy Network (AP-PPN) Annual Conference will take place on March 8-9, 2019 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The theme of the conference is "Governance and Policy Innovation in an Era of Disruptive Technologies." Recent technological innovations have great potential in tackling sustainability issues in a wide range of sectors such as energy, health, and transportation. At the same time, they also pose difficult challenges in regulating and governing their development and deployment in society. This conference will provide an excellent opportunity to discuss with researchers and practitioners working in various fields related to public policy in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. The deadline for submitting abstracts is November 20, 2018.

 

October 16, 2018:

The Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference 2018 was held on October 7-10 in Washington, D.C. In our paper we discussed blockchain-based distributed energy platforms with implications for public policy and institutional design.

Ahl, Amanda, Masaru Yarime, Kenji Tanaka, and Daishi Segawa, "Establishing Blockchain-Based Distributed Energy Platforms: Implications for Public Policy and Institutional Design," Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference 2018, Washington, D.C., United States, October 7-10 (2018).

 

October 15, 2018:

The Division of Public Policy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is now inviting applications for admission to the MPhil/PhD in Public Policy programs. Students can specialize in one of the four policy areas: Science, Technology and Innovation Policy; Environmental Policy and Sustainability; Social Changes and Public Policy; and China’s Development Policy. Various scholarships are available, including the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (application deadline on December 1, 2018).

 

October 8, 2018:

I joined a delegation of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to visit Nansha, Guangzhou. HKUST will create a new campus there and work together with the local government to establish an international smart manufacturing platform. One Million Dollar International Entrepreneurship Competition Grand Final also took place, organized by HKUST. More than 900 startup teams and companies participated in the competition from Hong Kong, Macao, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhongshan, and Foshan, engaging with invited venture capitals and angels.

 

October 6, 2018:

Our paper that analyzes the epistemic communities working on air pollution in East Asia has been accepted for publication in the journal Global Policy.

Yarime, Masaru, and Aitong Li, "Facilitating International Cooperation on Air Pollution in East Asia: Fragmentation of the Epistemic Communities," Global Policy, forthcoming.

 

October 5, 2018:

I made comments on Hong Kong government's new initiative to facilitate international collaboration with leading research institutions for innovation in South China Morning Post.

"Detailed plans for Hong Kong’s universities to partner with top international research institutes expected in policy address," South China Morning Post, October 5 (2018).

 

September 30, 2018:

The 2018 joint 14th international Committee on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution (iCACGP) Quadrennial Symposium and the 15th International Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Science Conference was held on September 25-29 in Takamatsu, Kagawa. A poster with Dr. Frank Ling was presented on a comparison of urban air pollution monitoring networks using low-cost sensors in fixed, mobile, and paired modes, with policy implications for tackling transboundary air pollution in developing economies.

Ling, Frank, and Masaru Yarime, "Comparison of Urban Air Pollution Monitoring Networks Using Low-Cost Sensors in Fixed, Mobile, and Paired Modes: Lessons for Developing Economies," The 2018 joint 14th international Committee on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution (iCACGP) Quadrennial Symposium and the 15th International Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Science Conference, Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan, September 25-29 (2018).

 

September 28, 2018:

Professors Yuan XU and Jing LI kindly invited me to give a seminar at the Department of Geography and Resource Management in the Chinese University of Hong Kong. We discussed the innovation systems of smart cities in Japan, U.S., and China and opportunities for international collaboration in the future.

Yarime, Masaru, "Comparative Analysis of the Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan, United States, and China," Research Seminar, Department of Geography and Resource Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, (2018).

 

September 22, 2018:

I talked about sustainable business practices and approaches in different parts of the world, including Japan, U.S., Europe, and China for an introduction to the Business Sustainability Management course organized by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Yarime, Masaru, "International Perspectives on Sustainable Business," Business Sustainability Management Online Short Course, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, September 21 (2018).

 

September 21, 2018:

My seminar on comparative analysis of the innovation systems of smart cities in Japan, United States, and China will be held on September 28 at the Department of Geography and Resource Management in the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

 

September 11, 2018:

The Second Digital Transformation and Strategy Forum took place at Cass Business School in the City University of London on September 10, sponsored by the Digital Leadership Research Centre. Our paper written with Roy Nyberg was presented to discuss the nature of digital transformation through a case study of the development of smart cities.

Nyberg, Roy, and Masaru Yarime, "What is Digital Transformation? Assessing the Impact of 'Smart City' Development in Japan," Second Digital Transformation and Strategy Forum, Cass Business School, City University of London, United Kingdom, September 10 (2018).

 

September 10, 2018:

The finalists of the 2018 Hong Kong Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting Awards have just been announced. The winners of each category will be announced at the Awards Presentation Ceremony on September 20. I'm serving as one of the Judges for the awards.

 

September 9, 2018:

Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference was held on September 6-9 at the University of Hong Kong, organized by the Association of the Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). In the working group on Urban Renewable Energy, we explore pathways to low-carbon energy resilience through detailed examination of case studies at different scales and locations. APRU's International Secretariat is currently located in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Innovation for Renewable Energy in Smart Cities," Urban Renewable Energy Working Group, Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference, Association of the Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, September 6-9 (2018).

 

September 1, 2018:

I have joined the Division of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). My work on public policy research and education will focus on science, technology, and innovation policy for energy, environment, and sustainability.

 

August 26, 2018:

The 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018) was held on August 22-25 at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In a paper with Takuro Kobashi, we conducted a techno-economic assessment of the residential photovoltaic systems integrating electric vehicles through a case study of Japanese households.

Kobashi, Takuro, and Masaru Yarime, "Techno-Economic Assessment of the Residential Photovoltaic Systems Integrated with Electric Vehicles: A Case Study of Japanese Households towards 2030," 10th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE2018), Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, August 22-25 (2018).

 

August 24, 2018:

We had a fruitful meeting with Dr. Clayton WANG, Secretary General of the SHENZHEN Development Center of International Low Carbon Forum, to facilitate international collaboration on innovation for smart city development in the Greater Bay Area.

 

August 23, 2018:

The Fourth China Smart City International Expo was held on August 21-23 in Shenzhen, China. It was a great opportunity to discuss the current development of technologies and policies and future challenges for smart cities with experts in academia, industry and the central and local governments in China, particularly those in the Greater Bay Area including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong.

 

August 17, 2018:

International Workshop on Smart Cities in Asia: Development, Policy, and Governance was held at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. Researchers coming from Hong Kong, mainland China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore examined recent cases of smart city development in diverse contexts in Asia. I discussed the evolution of smart cities in Japan with implications for policy making and institutional design.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japanese Innovation System of Smart Cities: Knowledge, Actors, and Institutions," International Workshop on Smart Cities in Asia: Development, Policy, and Governance, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, August 17 (2018).

 

August 12, 2018:

My comment on the feed-in-tariff for renewable energy systems in Hong Kong was introduced in the China Energy Storage Network (ESCN).

"Hong Kong's Introduction of Local Power Subsidies: 3-5 Hong Kong dollars/kWh," China Energy Storage Network (ESCN), August 12 (2018).

 

August 9, 2018:

I made comments for PV Magazine on the government's new initiatives to promote the development of distributed renewable energy systems in Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong kicks off solar FIT scheme," PV Magazine, August 9 (2018).

 

August 3, 2018:

In this Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) working paper with Ranaporn Tantiwechwuttikul, we discussed financial schemes for facilitating photovoltaic installations, such as the solar-as-service model, in the context of energy transitions in emerging economies.

Tantiwechwuttikul, Ranaporn, and Masaru Yarime, "Financing Solar Photovoltaic Transitions: From Utility to Residential Market Adoption in Emerging Economies," ADBI Working Paper 856, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), August (2018).

 

July 31, 2018:

Innovation Systems, Policy and Management, edited by Jorge Niosi, has been published by the Cambridge University Press. Among the key issues discussed in this book are innovation systems in emerging economies, strategic alliance, entrepreneurship, finance, agglomeration and clustering, and digitalization of innovation. Our chapter with Martin Karlsson examines the innovation systems of smart cities with policy and institutional implications.

Yarime, Masaru, and Martin Karlsson, "Examining Technological Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: The Case of Japan and Implications for Public Policy and Institutional Design," in Jorge Niosi, ed., Innovation Systems, Policy and Management, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 394-417 (2018).

 

July 27, 2018:

I had a fruitful discussion with the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), a leading international organization working with governments in the Asia-Pacific region to improve productivity and competitiveness. We will collaborate on policy advice and strategy to help member countries be future-ready and improve their sustainable productivity.

 

July 25, 2018:

Akintayo Abolude of the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong has successfully defended his doctoral dissertation "An Energy Meteorology Approach to Wind Power Optimization and Management under the Energy-Environment-Sustainability Nexus." This dissertation addresses important issues concerning the development and diffusion of wind energy technologies by integrating key findings in atmospheric science and meteorology and wind and turbine engineering, with implications for management and public policy. I served as Chair of the Panel of Examiners.

 

July 18, 2018:

I had a meeting with engineers of the Electrical and Mechanical Service Department (EMSD) of the Hong Kong Government to discuss the potential of solar photovoltaics in Hong Kong. Under the post-2018 Scheme of Control Agreements, Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and Renewable Energy (RE) Certificates are new initiatives to promote the development of distributed renewable energy systems in Hong Kong.

 

July 14, 2018:

I gave lectures on economic analysis of innovation at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo.

 

July 4, 2018:

I attended the 17th International Schumpeter Society (ISS) Conference in July 2-4 at the Seoul National University. There were many participants from Asia, where the ISS conference was last held in Kyoto in 1992. One of the key issues focused on at the conference was the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its implications for dynamic capabilities for catching up and forging ahead, particularly in East Asian economies. I discussed the innovation system of smart cities in the Pearl River Delta (Greater Bay Area) in China from an international comparative perspective.

 

June 30, 2013:

Summer Program "How to Change the World" was jointly organized by the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL) and the Division of Public Policy of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Students coming from diverse academic backgrounds addressed one of the most pressing global challenges, SDG 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. I served on the panel of judges for assessment of the final presentations at the Open Innovation Session.

 

June 27, 2018:

Hong Kong ESG Reporting Awards (HERA) is a new initiative to recognize ESG reporting leaders, open to all companies listed in Hong Kong with excellent practices in various kinds of sustainability reporting, including Annual ESG Report, Integrated Report, and Sustainability Report. An independent panel of judges that includes myself will evaluate the entries and decide the winners, which will be announced at an Award Ceremony in September 2018.

 

June 25, 2018:

I visited the Digital City Research Center in the Chinese Society for Urban Studies in Beijing to have a discussion with Dr. XU Zhenqiang, a leading expert on smart city development in China. We will collaborate to explore opportunities and challenges in establishing governance systems for smart cities in an increasingly digitalizing environment.

 

June 20, 2018:

The International Conference on Innovation Studies (ICIS2018) was held on June 23-24 at the School of Economics and Management (SEM) in Tsinghua University, organized by the Research Center for Technological Innovation (RCTI). Among the issues we discussed in the conference are science-industry collaboration, open innovation, innovation ecosystems, and the digitalization of innovation in the context of the rise of China in science and technology. I made a presentation on stimulating innovation for smart cities and implications for China.

Yarime, Masaru, "Smart Cities as a Nexus of the Energy and Information and Communication Industries: An Analysis of the Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan and the United States, " International Conference on Innovation Studies (ICIS2018), Research Center for Technological Innovation (RCTI), School of Economics and Management (SEM), Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, June 23-24 (2018).

 

June 20, 2018:

The First Global Chinese Urban Governance Workshop was held on June 11-12 at Shanghai Jiaotong University. Our work on the innovation system of smart cities in Japan with LIU Books and JIN Mushan was presented in Session on International Comparison of Urban Governance: Japan's Experience, which won the best sub-forum award.

Liu, Books, Mushan Jin, and Masaru Yarime, "The Innovation System of Smart Cities in Japan: Implications for the Development of New Smart Cities in China," First Global Chinese Urban Governance Workshop, Shanghai Jiaotong University, June 11-12 (2018).

 

June 15, 2018:

We have just finished ASU-CityU Joint Summer Course on Urban Sustainability in Hong Kong. The students participating from the two universities worked together to analyze key sustainability challenges in Hong Kong, including air pollution, energy, water, housing, and waste management, and presented their proposals for policy making.

 

June 12, 2018:

Handbook of Green Finance: Energy Security and Sustainable Development, edited by Jeffrey Sachs and his colleagues, will be published soon by Springer and Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). In our chapter we discussed innovative financing approaches to introducing photovoltaic facilities, such as the solar-as-service model.

Tantiwechwuttikul, Ranaporn, and Masaru Yarime, "Financing Solar Photovoltaic Transitions: From Utility to Residential Market Adoption in Emerging Economies," in Jeffrey Sachs, Woo Wing Thye, Naoyuki Yoshino, and Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, eds., Handbook of Green Finance: Energy Security and Sustainable Development, Springer and Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), forthcoming.

 

June 8, 2018:

We have just finished the first week of ASU-CityU Joint Summer Course on Urban Sustainability in Hong Kong. The students are participating in lectures by researchers in academia and field trips and on-site discussions with practitioners in industry and the public sector to work together in teams on major urban sustainability challenges in Hong Kong, including air pollution, energy, water, housing, and waste management.

 

May 30, 2018:

A poster on the potential of blockchain technology for industrial ecology was presented at the Gordon Research Conference on the Role of Industrial Ecology in Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals held on May 20-25 in Les Diablerets, Switzerland.

Chopra, Shauhrat S., and Masaru Yarime, "Towards Realizing the Potential of Blockchain Technology for Industrial Ecology," Gordon Research Conference on the Role of Industrial Ecology in Reaching the Sustainable Development Goals, Les Diablerets, Switzerland, May 20-25 (2018).

 

May 19, 2018:

A report on the Inaugural Symposium of GREAT Smart Cities Center at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has been published in HK01, covering my discussion on the role of open data in the development of smart cities.

 

May 18, 2018:

Inaugural Symposium of GREAT Smart Cities Center was held on May 18 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. We discussed policy and institutional challenges in creating innovation for smart cities with experts from China, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States.

Yarime, Masaru, "Policy and Institutional Challenges in Creating Innovation for Smart Cities: Lessons and Implications of Japan's Experience," Inaugural Symposium of GREAT Smart Cities Center, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, May 18 (2018).

 

May 15, 2018:

I gave a lecture on Policy and Institutional Challenges in Creating Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities at HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Program on Strategies and Governance for Green, Resilient and Smart Cities, which is organized on May 15-17 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Policy and Institutional Challenges in Creating Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities," HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Program on Strategies and Governance for Green, Resilient and Smart Cities, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, May 15-17 (2018).

 

May 10, 2018:

President of Leuphana University of Lueneburg, Professor Sascha Spoun, visited the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. We are starting collaboration on sustainability education and research on and beyond campus through joint programs and exchange of students and researchers.

 

May 9, 2018:

My appointment as Honorary Reader has been extended in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London.

 

May 4, 2018:

I gave a guest lecture to the students taking the course on Urbanisation Issues in the Asia Pacific Region at the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies of RMIT in Melbourne. We discussed various approaches to stimulating innovation for smart cities in Japan, Hong Kong, mainland China, and the Untied States, with implications for public policy and institutional design.

 

April 26, 2018:

I have got introduced in latest issue of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Beijing Newsletter.

 

April 25, 2018:

The Dutch Ministry of Education and the Netherlands Initiative for Education Research (NRO), a unit of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), have awarded the first Comenius Leadership Fellows 2018. The fellowships enable professionals in higher education to implement their ideas for educational innovations. I acted as one of the international experts for reviewing the proposals.

 

April 20, 2018:

The visit of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Delegation to Shenzhen has been reported on the web site of the Shenzhen Engineer Association.

 

April 13, 2018:

I joined the delegation organized by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) to visit the Shenzhen Association for Science and Technology, Shenzhen Engineer Association, Shenzhen Solar Energy Society, Shenzhen Polytechnic, and Das Intellitech on 12 April. We had constructive discussions to promote collaboration on education, research for facilitating innovation for sustainable smart cities.

 

April 9, 2018:

A new book, Innovation Policy, Systems and Management, edited by Jorge Niosi, will be published soon by the Cambridge University Press.

Part I. Innovation Policy and Innovation Systems:

1. Sectoral systems: taxonomies, evolution and modeling, Franco Malerba

2. Effectiveness of direct and indirect R&D support, Pierre Mohnen

3. From market fixing to market creating: a new framework for innovation policy, Mariana Mazzucato

4. Strategic alliances: identifying recent emerging sub-fields of research, Fiorenza Belussi, Luigi Orsi and Andrea Ganzaroli

Part II. Innovation in Developing and Emerging Countries:

5. National systems of innovation in developing countries, Jorge Niosi

6. National financial systems, credit constraints, and enterprise innovation performance: an international comparison of developing nations, Edward Lorenz and Sophie Pommet

7. Going with the wind: the pro-cyclical dynamics of STI efforts in Mexico, Gabriela Dutrénit, José Miguel Natera, Martin Puchet Anyul and Fernando Santiago

8. Gaps in the relative efficiency of nacional innovation systems and growth performance across OCDE and BRICS countries, Alenka Guzmán and Ignacio Llamas-Huitrón

9. Currency undervaluation on growth and exports in natural resource vs. manufacturing exporting countries, Sanika Sulochani Ramanayake and Keun Lee

Part III. Regional Innovation Systems and Policies:

10. Innovation policies and new regional growth paths, Markus Grillitsch and Michaela Trippl

11. Spinoffs and clustering, Russell Golman and Steven Klepper

12. Examining technological innovation systems of smart cities, Masaru Yarime and Martin Karlsson

13. Does invention agglomerate? Chris Forman, Avi Goldfarb and Shane Greenstein

Part IV. Innovation Management and its Links with Policy:

14. Knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship: going beyond the Schumpeterian entrepreneur, Franco Malerba and Maureen McKelvey

15. The Three great issues confronting Europe: the need for a new policy stance, Jan Fagerberg, Staffan Laestadius and Ben R. Martin

 

March 28, 2018:

The School of Energy and Environment (SEE) of the City University of Hong Kong will organize a two-week summer course, Urban Sustainability in Hong Kong, jointly with Arizona State University (ASU) on June 3-15. We will work together in teams on the city's major sustainability challenges, including air pollution, energy efficiency, water security, housing shortage, and waste management, and propose policy-focused solutions incorporating environmental, economic, social, and technological dimensions.

 

March 25, 2018:

The 18th Global Development Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development was held at the Global Development Network (GDN) in New Delhi on March 22-23, in partnership with the Campbell Collaboration, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). One of the key challenges discussed at the conference was the digitalization of innovation and its implications for sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Yarime, Masaru, "Digitalization of Innovation and Its Implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," 18th Global Development Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development, Global Development Network (GDN), New Delhi, India, March 22-23 (2018).

 

March 16, 2018:

The 18th Global Development Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development will be held at the Global Development Network (GDN) in New Delhi on 22-23 March, in partnership with the Campbell Collaboration, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). In Session on Facilitating Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we will discuss key questions such as "What are the challenges to the developing countries in moving towards sustainable development?" "What opportunities can STI provide to the developing countries for SDGs?" and "How can the developing countries make the best use of STI through public policy and institutional design?"

 

March 15, 2018:

I wrote a paper on evolutionary implications of the theory of probabilistic functionalism for learning and open data in sustainability transitions, which has just been published in the journal Environment Systems and Decisions, in response to Roland Scholz's article on utilizing Brunswik’s theory for decision and sustainability research.

Yarime, Masaru, "Learning and Open Data in Sustainability Transitions: Evolutionary Implications of the Theory of Probabilistic Functionalism," Environment Systems and Decisions, 38 (1), 88-91 (2018).

 

March 13, 2018:

I had a meeting with Dr. Ron YU, a member of the Board of Governors of the International IP Commercialization Council (IIPCC). IIPCC, a global, non-profit, non-partisan organization, provides a platform for the innovator and entrepreneur communities and enterprises to increase their understanding of intellectual property. We discussed collaboration on exploring the role of data in creating innovation and challenges in policy making and institutional design.

 

March 7, 2018:

I spoke on the issue of innovation and government policy at Backchat of RTHK Radio 3 on Wednesday 7 March at 8:30 am - 9:30 am. We discussed the recent government plan to make a large invest in innovation and technology and its implications for the industry's competitiveness and people's welfare in Hong Kong.

"Innovation and Technology Development in the Budget," Backchat, RTHK Radio 3, March 7 (2018).

Naubahar Sharif, Associate Professor, Division of Social Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Pindar Wong, Member, Committee on Innovation, Technology and Re-industrialization

Masaru Yarime, Associate Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

KF Tsang, Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Engineering, City University of Hong Kong; and Vice Chairman, Smart City Consortium

 

March 6, 2018:

Our paper discussing global leadership for social design and management has been published in the journal Sustainability Science.

Scholz, Roland W., Masaru Yarime, and Hideaki Shiroyama, "Global Leadership for Social Design: Theoretical and Educational Perspectives," Sustainability Science, 13 (2), 447-464 (2018).

 

February 24, 2018:

I participated in the Second Annual Meeting of the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes (GCSO) on February 21-23 in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the representative of the City University of Hong Kong. We are pursuing collaborative projects to promote sustainability solutions across the globe.

Yarime, Masaru, "City University of Hong Kong and Its Contribution to the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes," Second Annual Meeting of the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes (GCSO), Washington, D.C., February 21-23 (2018).

 

February 19, 2018:

STIG PoP Seminar "Creating Data-Driven Innovation: Current Trends and Future Challenges in Japan and China" was held on Friday, February 16 at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo, organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program. Experts coming from academia, industry, and government discussed the growing investment and start-ups in artificial intelligence (AI) in China, key challenges in promoting and regulating innovation in AI for medical applications, and international comparison of the innovation systems of smart cities in Japan, United States, and China.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan, United States, and China," STIG PoP Seminar "Creating Data-Driven Innovation: Current Trends and Future Challenges in Japan and China," Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, February 16 (2018).

 

February 7, 2018:

We will organize STIG PoP Seminar "Creating Data-Driven Innovation: Current Trends and Future Challenges in Japan and China" on Friday, February 16 at the Graduate School of Public Policy in the University of Tokyo. We will discuss the current trends in investment markets in artificial intelligence (AI), policy challenges in governing AI for medical applications, and the innovation systems of smart cities in Japan and China for urban sustainability. If you are interested in these topics, please join us in the seminar.

STIG PoP Seminar "Creating Data-Driven Innovation: Current Trends and Future Challenges in Japan and China"

Date: Friday, February 16, 2018, 10:00-12:30

Venue: Lecture Room, 3/F, Ito International Research Center, Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo

Program:

"Investment Market in Artificial Intelligence in China," Mr. YAMAMOTO Ryota, Macnica Shanghai

"Policy Challenges in Governing Innovation on Artificial Intelligence for Medical Applications," Dr. OKUMURA Takashi, Center for Public Health Informatics, National Institute of Public Health

"Innovation Systems of Smart Cities for Urban Sustainability in Japan and China," Dr. YARIME Masaru, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

 

February 3, 2018:

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors organized RICS 150th Anniversary Series: "Realising Hong Kong’s Smart City Vision" on Friday 2 February. We had a stimulating discussion with Albert Wong, Director, Consulting, PwC Hong Kong; Eric Yeung, Convener of Smart City Consortium; Ray Wong, Managing Partner, Biscovery Limited; and Ben Chan, Chair, Geomatics Professional Group Committee, RICS Hong Kong Board.

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing Forth Innovation for Sustainable Smart Cities in Hong Kong and Beyond," RICS 150th Anniversary Series: "Realising Hong Kong’s Smart City Vision," Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Hong Kong, February 2 (2018).

 

January 22, 2018:

Campus Sustainability Day "Innovations for Sustainable Future" as organized by the City University of Hong Kong on 22 January. In the Briefing Session for Campus Sustainability Fund and the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes, I discussed the curriculum development and career exploration for the Minor in Sustainability as the Convenor of Sustainability Education Cluster.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainability Education," Briefing Session for Campus Sustainability Fund and the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes, Campus Sustainability Day "Innovations for Sustainable Future", City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, January 22 (2018).

 

January 19, 2018:

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) will organize RICS 150th anniversary series seminar "Realising Hong Kong’s Smart City Vision" on 2 February. We will discuss opportunities and challenges in smart city development in Hong Kong. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) 150th Anniversary Series: "Realising Hong Kong’s Smart City Vision"

Date: Friday 2 February 2018, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Location: RICS Office, Room 3707-09, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wanchai

Speakers:

Albert Wong, Director, Consulting, PwC Hong Kong

Prof Yarime Masaru, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Eric Yeung, Convener of Smart City Consortium

 

January 13, 2018:

The City University of Hong Kong will organize Campus Sustainability Day on 22 January 2018.

Kick-off Ceremony & Seminar on Urban Sustainability Challenges

Venue & Time: LT-10, Yeung Kin Man Academic Building, 10:30 - 11:30

Speakers:

Prof Rob Melnick, Arizona State University, "The Ubiquity of Urban Sustainability Challenges"

Prof Yeh Shin-cheng, National Taiwan Normal University, "Developing Sustainability Competencies of college students through environmental and agro-food education"

Discussant: Prof Chan Chak Keung, Dean (SEE)

 

January 10, 2018:

The School of Energy and Environment (SEE) in the City University of Hong Kong will organize SEE Seminar by Professor Yasunori BABA of the University of Tokyo. With his experience of getting involved in the Alliance of Global Sustainability (AGS), he will discuss key opportunities and challenges in mobilising and managing international collaboration for sustainability.

SEE Seminar

"Mobilising and Managing International Collaboration for Sustainability: Lessons and Implications from the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS)"

Professor Yasunori BABA, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo

Date: 24 January 2018 (Wednesday)

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Venue: Y5-305, 5/F, Yeung Kin Man Academic Building, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Organizer: School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

 

January 9, 2018:

My short article on data-intensive approaches to creating innovation for sustainable smart cities has been published in Science Trends.

Yarime, Masaru, "Data-Intensive Approaches To Creating Innovation For Sustainable Smart Cities," Science Trends, January 9 (2018).

 

January 6, 2018:

Our paper that analyzes the introduction of energy-efficient technologies in small- and medium-sized enterprises in the apparel industry has been published online in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Pathirana, Shakila, and Masaru Yarime, "Introducing Energy-Efficient Technologies in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Apparel Industry: A Case Study of Sri Lanka," Journal of Cleaner Production, 178, 247-257 (2018).

 

January 5, 2018:

Briefing Session for the Campus Sustainability Fund 2018 and the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes will be held on 22 January at the City University of Hong Kong. I will discuss initiatives on sustainability education.

Briefing Session for CityU Campus Sustainability Fund 2018 and the Global Consortium for Sustainability Outcomes

Date: Monday 22 January 2018, 15:00-16:30

Venue: Y5-203, Yeung Kin Man Academic Building, City University of Hong Kong

Speakers: Prof Samuel Ho, Associate Provost (Institutional Initiatives)

Dr Huang Gongsang, Associate Professor (ACE) - Convenor of Energy Saving Cluster

Dr Masaru Yarime, Associate Professor (SEE) - Convenor of Sustainability Education Cluster

Dr LU Yang, Associate Professor (MBE) - Convenor of Reuse and Recycling Cluster

Prof Rob Melnick, Arizona State University

 

December 31, 2017:

Our paper that examines the introduction of energy-efficient technologies in small- and medium-sized enterprises in the apparel industry in Sri Lanka has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Pathirana, Shakila, and Masaru Yarime, "Introducing Energy-Efficient Technologies in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Apparel Industry: A Case Study of Sri Lanka," Journal of Cleaner Production, forthcoming.

 

December 26, 2017:

A review of the book Japan: The Precarious Future, Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., New York: Social Science Research Council and New York University Press (2015), has been published in the Social Science Japan Journal.

 

December 23, 2017:

I have contributed a chapter with Martin Karlsson on the innovation system of smart cities to the forthcoming book Innovation Policy, Systems and Management, which will be published by the Cambridge University Press in 2018.

Yarime, Masaru, and Martin Karlsson, "Examining Technological Innovation Systems of Smart Cities," in Jorge Niosi, ed., Innovation Policy, Systems and Management, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming.

 

December 22, 2017:

The final version of our paper analyzing supply chain stakeholders in biomass energy systems is now available online in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Ahl, Amanda, Johanna Eklund, Per Lundqvist, and Masaru Yarime, "Balancing Formal and Informal Success Factors Perceived by Supply Chain Stakeholders: A Study of Woody Biomass Energy Systems in Japan," Journal of Cleaner Production, 175, 50-59 (2018).

 

December 19, 2017:

A cover story on smart cities has been published in China Daily Asia Weekly. I talked about stimulating innovation on smart energy systems.

"On grid but outside the box," Cover Story, China Daily Asia Weekly, December 18-24, 5 (2017).

 

December 10, 2017:

I have joined the Expert Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, a platform to gather expert opinion on science, technology and innovation policy issues of recent interest to policy makers across the globe. The topics discussed so far include technology transfer, business innovation support, and innovation indicators.

 

December 9, 2017:

I hosted the Task Group Meeting 2017 on Linked Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD), organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) of the International Council for Science (ICSU), on December 8 at the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. We are currently working on the White Papers on Gap Analysis on Open Data Interconnectivity for Global Disaster Risk Research, Next Generation Disaster Data Infrastructure, and Policy Studies on Open Data with Opportunities and Challenges in Emerging Innovations.

Yarime, Masaru, "Policy Studies on Open Data for Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities and Challenges in Emerging Innovations", Task Group Meeting 2017 on Linked Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD), organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) of the International Council for Science (ICSU), School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, December 8 (2017).

 

December 8, 2017:

The 2nd Conference of Digital Belt and Road (DBAR 2017) was held on December 6-8 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. DBAR has been initiated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI) as an international science program for the sustainable development of the Belt and Road region using Big Earth Data.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in Open Data for Establishing Sustainable Smart Cities: Implications for the Digital Belt and Road," The 2nd Conference of Digital Belt and Road (DBAR 2017), Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, December 6-8 (2017).

 

December 1, 2017:

The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Netherlands Initiative for Education Research (NRO) of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) have recently launched a new program for innovation in higher education, Comenius Programme. I acted as a peer reviewer for a proposal for this program.

 

November 28, 2017:

My paper on evolutionary implications of the theory of probabilistic functionalism for learning and open data in sustainability transitions has just been published online in the journal Environment Systems and Decisions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Learning and Open Data in Sustainability Transitions: Evolutionary Implications of the Theory of Probabilistic Functionalism," Environment Systems and Decisions (2017), doi: 10.1007/s10669-017-9668-z.

 

November 22, 2017:

The Panel of Experts Meeting on Sustainable Urbanization Global Initiative (SUGI) Food-Water-Energy Nexus was held on November 21-22 at Project Management Jülich in Berlin, organized by the Belmont Forum and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). We discussed research proposals for international collaborative projects on urban sustainability through transdisciplinary co-creation in research and innovation.

 

November 19, 2017:

My paper on learning and open data in sustainability transitions has just been accepted for publication in the journal Environment Systems and Decisions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Learning and Open Data in Sustainability Transitions: Evolutionary Implications of the Theory of Probabilistic Functionalism," Environment Systems and Decisions, forthcoming.

 

November 17, 2017:

My article on data-intensive approaches to innovation for smart cities has finally been published in the completed journal issue.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating data-intensive approaches to innovation for sustainability: opportunities and challenges in building smart cities," Sustainability Science, 12 (6), 881-885 (2017).

 

November 16, 2017:

Our paper on woody biomass energy systems in Japan has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Ahl, Amanda, Johanna Eklund, Per Lundqvist, and Masaru Yarime, "Balancing Formal and Informal Success Factors Perceived by Supply Chain Stakeholders: A Study of Woody Biomass Energy Systems in Japan," Journal of Cleaner Production (2017), doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.11.108.

 

November 12, 2017:

I had an opportunity to visit JENESIS, a leading electronics manufacturing service (EMS) provider in Shenzhen. We had a fruitful discussion with JENESIS, a leading electronics manufacturing service (EMS) provider in Shenzhen, on the innovation system in the Pearl River Delta based on its strong manufacturing knowledge and expertise accumulated in the region.

 

November 6, 2017:

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is to establish an online catalogue of policy support tools and methodologies. An expert group has been established to support the Multidisciplinary Expert Panel and Bureau in developing the catalogue and further guidance regarding policy support tools and methodologies.

 

October 31, 2017:

An article about my discussion on the Japanese experience in developing smart cities has been published by OpenGov.

Bhunia, Priyankar, "Enhancing Efficiency, Flexibility and Resilience through Sustainable Smart City projects in Japan - Dr Masaru Yarime talks about reducing the environmental burden and dealing with natural disasters and a declining and ageing population through Smart City innovations," OpenGov, October 27 (2017).

 

October 27, 2017:

Mobility and Energy Systems in Smart Cities of the Future: A Conference at the Intersection of Business, Academia and Government was held on Friday October 27 at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong. This conference was jointly organized by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Smart Cities through University-Industry-Government Collaboration: Opportunities and Challenges in Hong Kong and Beyond," Mobility and Energy Systems in Smart Cities of the Future: A Conference at the Intersection of Business, Academia and Government, in collaboration with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Central Government Offices, Hong Kong, October 27 (2017).

 

October 21, 2017:

Mobility and Energy Systems in Smart Cities of the Future: A Conference at the Intersection of Business, Academia and Government will be held on October 27 at the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong, in collaboration with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich. We will discuss opportunities and challenges in mobility and energy systems for moving towards sustainable smart cities.

14:00 Welcome Messages

Nicholas W. Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology, HKSAR

Corine Mauch, Mayor of Zurich

14:10 Smart City: Opportunities and Challenges for Hong Kong and Zurich

Ir. Allen Yeung, Government Chief Information Officer, HKSAR

Anna Schindler, Director, Office for Urban Development, City of Zurich

14:20 Mobility in Smart Cities of the Future

Keynote Speech: Prof. Kay Axhausen, Professor, Institute for Transport Planning and Systems, ETH Zurich

Prof. Becky P. Y. Loo, Professor of Geography, Director of the Institute of Transport Studies, University of Hong Kong

Gracie Ng, Manager ICT Cluster, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation

Dr. Ulf Blanke, Managing Partner and Co-Founder, Antavi

15:20 Coffee Break - Networking

15:45 Energy Systems in Smart Cities of the Future

Keynote Speech: Prof. Masaru Yarime, Associate Professor, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Dr. Christian Schaffner, Executive Director of the Energy Science Center (ESC), ETH Zurich

Christina Tang, Founder & CEO, BlueSky Energy Technology

Hans Gut, Managing Director, MAN Diesel & Turbo

16:45 Panel Discussion: Integrating Solutions in Smart Cities

Prof. Gerhard Schmitt, Director of the Singapore-ETH Center in Singapore and Professor for Information Architecture at ETH Zurich

Prof. Yee Leung, Professor, Director Institute of Future Cities, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Sharon Liu, Chief Town Planning Manager, MTR Corporation Limited

Eric Yeung, President and Convener, Smart City Consortium, Hong Kong

Anna Schindler, Director, Office for Urban Development, City of Zurich

Michael Law, Chief Engineer, Transport Department, HKSAR

Moderator: Hazem Galal, Global Leader, Cities & Local Government Sector, PriceWaterhouseCoopers

17:45 Networking

 

October 20, 2017:

HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Program "Innovation in Governance: Smart and Sustainable Cities" was held on October 18-20 at the Institute of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). In this three-day executive education program, I led the session on Japan's Experience of Smart and Sustainable Cities: Lessons and Implications for Hong Kong and Beyond and discussed with senior policy makers key challenges in policy areas covering energy, environment, innovation, data, and international trade and investment.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japan's Experience of Smart and Sustainable Cities: Lessons and Implications for Hong Kong and Beyond," HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Program "Innovation in Governance: Smart and Sustainable Cities," Institute of Public Policy, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), October 18-20 (2017).

 

October 11, 2017:

The Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy was held on October 9-11 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, United States. As a member of the Program Committee, I took part in reviewing papers and chairing Session on Participatory Technology Assessment, in addition to making a presentation on emerging innovation systems of smart cities in Japan and the United States.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrating Innovation on Energy and Information and Communication Technologies: A Comparative Study of Emerging Innovation Systems of Smart Cities in Japan and the United States," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, October 9-11 (2017).

 

October 9, 2017:

We discussed the critical role of learning and open data in promoting sustainability transitions in the following article that has just been accepted for publication in the journal Environment, Systems and Decisions.

Yarime, Masaru, "The Theory of Probabilistic Functionalism and Evolutionary Implications: The Role of Learning and Open Data in Sustainability Transitions," Environment, Systems and Decisions, forthcoming.

 

October 6, 2017:

Data-intensive approaches to innovation for sustainability are discussed in the following articles that has just been published in the journal Sustainability Science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating data-intensive approaches to innovation for sustainability: opportunities and challenges in building smart cities," Sustainability Science, DOI 10.1007/s11625-017-0498-1 (2017).

 

October 3, 2017:

We will start a new program of Minor in Sustainability at the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. A briefing session will be held on November 3.

 

September 25, 2017:

AECOM-Asia Society Forum "Imagine Hong Kong: The Potential of Hong Kong at the Water's Edge" was held on September 25 at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center as a part of Imagine 2060: Delivering Tomorrow's Cities Together initiative. We had stimulating discussions about in what ways Hong Kong will maintain its distinctiveness in the context of increasing economic integration of the Pearl River Delta, or the Greater Bay Area, in comparison to the Tokyo Bay Area and the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

September 20, 2017:

The International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD) 2017 was held on September 18-19 at Columbia University in New York. In Session on Governance of Energy Transformations: Key to Sustainable Electric Systems, our paper written with Ranaporn Tantiwechwuttikul and Kohzo Ito on the innovation system of photovoltaics in Thailand was presented to discuss investment models and policy interventions and their implications for facilitating sustainability innovation.

Tantiwechwuttikul, Ranaporn, Kohzo Ito, and Masaru Yarime, "The Innovation System of Photovoltaics in Thailand: Investment Models and Policy Interventions," Session on Governance of Energy Transformations: Key to Sustainable Electric Systems, International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD) 2017, Columbia University, New York, United States, September 18-19 (2017).

 

September 19, 2017:

Public Conference on Mobility and Energy Systems in Smart Cities of the Future will be held on October 27 in Hong Kong, in collaboration with the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ETH Zurich. We will discuss opportunities and challenges in mobility and energy systems for moving towards sustainable smart cities.

 

September 14, 2017:

HKUST Leadership and Public Policy Program "Innovation in Governance: Smart and Sustainable Cities" will be held on October 18-20, 2017 at the Institute of Public Policy in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). In this three-day executive education program, we will discuss social, environmental, and technological challenges in creating sustainable smart cities with leaders and stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

 

September 13, 2017:

Smart Energy Roundtable: An Interflow of Energy Management & Action for Climate Change in the Smart City Blueprint was organized by the Smart City Consortium on September 13 at KPMG in Hong Kong. Experts coming from academia and industry discussed the current business environment in the electric utility sector and key challenges in collecting, managing, and utilizing data obtained through sophisticated devices for various purposes.

 

September 12, 2017:

I have received a recognition by Publons as one of the Top Reviewers for University College London.

 

September 11, 2017:

I participated in a panel discussion on facilitating materials innovation through integration of various disciplinary approaches at the University of Tokyo.

 

September 6, 2017:

The news on the award of the First Runner-up Prize in the Championship for the International Competition on Second Life for Retired Batteries from Electric Vehicles has been introduced on the web site of the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong.

 

September 4, 2017:

The School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong is now inviting applications for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme 2018-2019. The deadline is 1 December 2017.

 

September 1, 2017:

My paper discussing data-intensive approaches to facilitating innovation for sustainability in the case of smart cities has just been accepted for publication in the journal Sustainability Science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Facilitating Data-Intensive Approaches to Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Building Smart Cities," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

August 24, 2017:

Workshop on Exploring Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Interdisciplinary Approaches was held on August 21-22, organized by the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. Among the issues we discussed in the workshop are co-evolution of technological and social and behavioural dimensions of smart cities, integration of efficiency improvement through data-intensive ICTs and legitimacy through participation and transparency, and a balance between top-down and bottom-up approaches to decision making and consensus building.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: Knowledge, Actors, and Institutions," Workshop on Exploring Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Interdisciplinary Approaches, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, August 21-22 (2017).

 

August 19, 2017:

Publons aims to provide proper recognition to peer reviewers of academic articles. I have been listed in the top 10% of reviewers in Social Sciences for 2016 in Publons Peer Review Awards: Honoring the Sentinels of Science and Research.

 

August 17, 2017:

We will organize the Workshop on Exploring Sustainable Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Interdisciplinary Approaches on August 21-22 at the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. Leading experts from academia, industry, and government will discuss sustainable development and smart cities from diverse perspectives including environmental, economic, social, and technological dimensions.

 

August 16, 2017:

The 2017 AIEA-NBER Conference was held on August 14-16 at the University of Hong Kong, organized by the Asian Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association (AIEA) and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). I played the role of Discussant for the paper "Joint Venture Choice, Market Share Rivalry, and Spillovers: Evidence from China" by Kun Jiang, Wolfgang Keller, Larry D. Qiu, and William Ridley.

 

August 15, 2017:

I made a visit to Huawei and DJI in Shenzhen, Guangdong.

 

August 7, 2017:

I have joined the International Data Policy Committee established by the International Council for Science (ICSU) Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA). Our task is to provide expert input on the development and implementation of data policies to a range of international initiatives.

 

August 5, 2017:

The 2017 AIEA-NBER Conference will be held on August 14-16 at the University of Hong Kong, organized by the Asian Innovation and Entrepreneurship Association (AIEA) and the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER). Scholars participating from the U.S., China, South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong will discuss research findings in the economics and management of innovation and entrepreneurship.

 

August 1, 2017:

Our study of a policy network related to grassland management in China, which has just been published in the journal Ecology and Society, shows that political polarization and power imbalances in the network have confined the framing of environmental problems to specific areas, impeding the development of comprehensive policies.

Li, Aitong, and Masaru Yarime, "Polarization and Clustering in Scientific Debates and Problem Framing: Network Analysis of the Science-Policy Interface for Grassland Management in China," Ecology and Society, 22 (3), 8 (2017).

 

July 29, 2017:

Japan: The Precarious Future, Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., New York: New York University Press (2015) is reviewed in the current issue of the Pacific Affairs.

 

July 28, 2017:

We had a productive meeting with Mr. Tony Wong, Founder of Alaya Consulting, for collaboration on internship and research on sustainability reporting, investment and strategies.

 

July 24, 2017:

Japan: The Precarious Future, Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., New York: New York University Press (2015) is reviewed by David Leheny in the Journal of Japanese Studies.

 

July 21, 2017:

Ms. HU Yunzi of the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong has successfully defended her doctoral dissertation "Valorisation of Food Waste and Textile Waste into Value-added Products by Novel Biorefinery Strategies." I served as Chair of the Panel of Examiners.

 

July 10, 2017:

I had a stimulating discussion on sustainability innovation with Mr. Carl Page, President of the Anthropocene Institute, Dr. Frank Ling, and Sasakura Hideshi-san.

 

July 6, 2017:

We discussed theoretical issues and educational challenges in new academic initiatives on global leadership for social design in a paper that has just been published in the journal Sustainability Science.

Scholz, Roland W., Masaru Yarime, and Hideaki Shiroyama, "Global Leadership for Social Design: Theoretical and Educational Perspectives," Sustainability Science, doi:10.1007/s11625-017-0454-0 (2017).

 

July 2, 2017:

I gave lectures for the intensive course "Economic Analysis of Innovation" at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) in the University of Tokyo.

 

June 30, 2017:

The Third International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP3) was held on June 28-30 at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. In Panel on Smart Cities in Asia, experts coming from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, India, and Singapore discussed what policy initiatives are implemented on smart cities and what impacts are made in the context of diverse economic, social, and political conditions.

Yarime, Masaru, "The Innovation System of Smart Cities: A Comparative Analysis of Japan and the United States," Third International Conference on Public Policy (ICPP3), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, June 28-30 (2017).

 

June 28, 2017:

The Championship for the International Competition on Second Life for Retired Batteries from Electric Vehicles was held in Hong Kong on June 25. Our team with Professor Steve Evans and Ms. Na Jiao of the University of Cambridge received the First Runner-up Prize.

Evans, Steve, Na Jiao, and Masaru Yarime, "Maximising the Value of Second-Life Batteries for a Smarter Demand-Side Management in Hong Kong: The Cloud Energy Storage System Based on Big Data," EVOG-16015, First Runner-up Prize, The Championship for the International Competition on Second Life for Retired Batteries from Electric Vehicles, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong, June 25 (2017).

 

June 23, 2017:

Our paper that analyzes the network structure of the interface between science and policy in grassland management in China has been accepted for publication in the journal Ecology and Society.

Li, Aitong, and Masaru Yarime, "Polarization and Clustering in Scientific Debates and Problem Framing: Network Analysis of the Science-Policy Interface for Grassland Management in China," Ecology and Society, forthcoming.

 

June 22, 2017:

Our paper discussing the implications of flexibility for complex, resilient socio-ecological systems has been published online in the journal Sustainability.

Asokan, Vivek, Masaru Yarime, and Miguel Esteban, "Introducing Flexibility to Complex, Resilient Socio-Ecological Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Economics, Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Evolutionary Biology, and Supply Chain Management," Sustainability, 9 (7), 1091 (2017).

 

June 18, 2017:

International Studies Association (ISA) International Conference 2017 was held on June 15-17 at the University of Hong Kong. I presented a paper written with Dr. Aitong LI on fragmentation of epistemic communities in science-policy interface on transboundary air pollution in East Asia in Session on Global Environment Governance: Global-Local Practices and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and played the role of Discussant in Session on Environmental Diplomacy and Geopolitics in the Pacific Century.

Yarime, Masaru, and Aitong Li, "International Cooperation for Tackling Air Pollution in East Asia: Overcoming Fragmentation of the Epistemic Communities," International Studies Association (IAS) International Conference 2017, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, June 15-17 (2017).

 

June 13, 2017:

The Workshop on Forming Synergies in Greening China’s Growth was organized on June 13 by the Department of Public Policy and the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. In Roundtable Discussion: Epistemic Communities on a Co-benefit Approach to Low-Carbon Development I discussed innovation systems of smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: Past Lessons and Future Challenges," Workshop on Forming Synergies in Greening China’s Growth, organized by the Department of Public Policy and the School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, June 13 (2017).

 

June 6, 2017:

The Workshop on Forming Synergies in Greening China’s Growth will be held on 13 June, jointly organized by the Department of Public Policy and the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. The workshop is aimed to open a dialogue between policymakers, scientists, educators, and future environmental leaders on forming synergies in air pollution control and low carbon development in China.

Forming Synergies in Greening China's Growth

Date : 13 June 2017 (Tuesday)

Venue: Connie Fan Multi-Media Conference Room, Cheng Yik Chi Building, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Keynote Speaker: Ms Christine Loh Kung-wai, JP (Under Secretary for the Environment, Hong Kong SAR Government)

Morning Session: 08:45-13:00 Forming Synergies in Air Pollution Prevention and Control

Dong Cao, Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Ministry of Environmental Protection

Chak Keung Chan, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Jianmin Chen, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University

Tat Yan Ip, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers

Chunlei Liu, Shanghai Qingyue Open Environmental Data Center

Peter Kwok-keung Louie, Environmental Protection Department, Hong Kong SAR Government

Zhi Ning, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Jintian Yang, Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Ministry of Environmental Protection

Xuetao Zhao, Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Ministry of Environmental Protection

Afternoon Session: 14:30-17:40 Forming synergies in Low Carbon Development

Andy Chung, Smart City Consortium

William Chung, Department of Management, City University of Hong Kong

Barbara Finamore, Natural Resources Defense Council

Chazhong Ge, Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Ministry of Environmental Protection

Kit Poon, Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong

Han Shi, Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong

Wei Wang, State Information Center

Jintao Xu, School of National Development, Peking University

Tao Xue, E20 Environmental Platform

Masaru Yarime, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Ying Zhou, Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Ministry of Environmental Protection

Workshop Organizers: Department of Public Policy and School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Workshop Sponsor: Campus Sustainability Fund, Office of the Provost, City University of Hong Kong

Supporting Organizations: Center for East Asian and Comparative Philosophy, City University of Hong Kong; Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning; Hong Kong Smart City Consortium; Hong Kong and Macau Research Center, Tsinghua University; World Alliance for Low Carbon Cities

 

May 23, 2017:

I participated in a panel of experts meeting on urban sustainability organized by the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) in Arlington, Virginia. We discussed research proposals for international collaborative projects to address critical challenges in urban sustainability through transdisciplinary co-creation in research and innovation.

 

May 15, 2017:

Our proposal for the International Competition on Second Life for Retired Batteries from Electric Vehicles has been selected as one of the top 5 finalists. The championship will be held in Hong Kong on 25 June.

EVOG-16015 "Maximising the Value of Second-Life Batteries for a Smarter Demand-Side Management in Hong Kong: Cloud Energy Storage System Based on Big Data," Na Jiao (University of Cambridge), Steve Evans (University of Cambridge), and Masaru Yarime (City University of Hong Kong).

 

May 5, 2017:

I had an opportunity to give a distance lecture on innovation for smart cities to the students taking the course on Urbanisation Issues in the Asia Pacific Region at the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies in the RMIT University in Melbourne, kindly arranged by Dr. Brendan Barrett. Our discussion touched upon a wide range of issues, reflecting the diversity in understanding the concept of smart cities, such as the implications of introducing photovoltaics for cooperation among households and the potential benefits and risks in collecting and utilizing an increasing amount of data concerning various dimensions of energy, housing, and transportation.

 

April 28, 2017:

Dr. Ali Kharrazi, one of the former students I have supervised for Ph.D., talks about resilience and sustainability in an interview by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).

 

April 13, 2017:

A summary of my talk at King's College London has become available online.

Yarime, Masaru, "Digitalizing Innovation in Japan: The Development of Smart Cities and Implications for Business, Policy, and Sustainability in Asia-Pacific," Contemporary Japan Speaker Series Part 3, London Asia Pacific Centre for Social Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, February 2 (2017).

 

April 1, 2017:

My appointment as Visiting Scholar has been extended at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute. Currently we are working on the research project Policy Measures for Improving Urban Air Quality in Asia, particularly focusing on PM2.5.

 

March 31, 2017:

I have been appointed as Visiting Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) in the University of Tokyo. I will teach an intensive course on Economic Analysis of Innovation in early July.

 

March 30, 2017:

Our paper exploring sustainability co-creation between universities and society has just been accepted for publication in the journal Sustainability.

Trencher, Gregory, Masafumi Nagao, Chen Chiahsin, Kentaro Ichiki, Tobai Sadayoshi, Mariko Kinai, Mio Kamitani, Shojiro Nakamura, Aiko Yamauchi, and Masaru Yarime, "Implementing Sustainability Co-creation between Universities and Society: A Typology of Potential Models, Challenges and Strategies," Sustainability, 9 (4), 594 (2017).

 

March 29, 2017:

Our paper on the development of smart cities in Japan has just been published.

Nyberg, Roy A., and Masaru Yarime, "Assembling a Field into Place: Smart City Development in Japan," in Marc-David Seidel and Henrich Greve, eds., Emergence, Research in the Sociology of Organizations, Volume 50, 253-279 (2017).

 

March 12, 2017:

The Workshop for Disaster Resilience through Big Open Data and Smart Things (DRBoaST) will be organized in conjunction with IEEE Smart World Congress 2017 on August 4-8 in San Francisco. The aim of the workshop, for which I'm serving on the Organizing Committee, is to bring together researchers, practitioners, and solution providers in disaster management, IoT, smart buildings, building management and safety systems, and related areas to discuss opportunities and challenges in this field and establish future collaborations for transforming research prototypes into active emergency response systems. The deadline for submitting papers is March 21.

 

March 11, 2017:

I've joined the Sustainability Committee of the City University of Hong Kong. We advise the president on sustainability-related policies, strategies and initiatives for education, research and knowledge transfer activities in the context of the strategic plan.

 

March 8, 2017:

My presentation at the Energy Research Seminar organized by the Asian Energy Studies Centre in Hong Kong Baptist University on 2 March has been uploaded to YouTube.

 

March 7, 2017:

The School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong will organize on 21 March a seminar, "Interdisciplinary Program for Science, Technology and Public Policy: The Experience at the University of Tokyo," by Professor Hideaki SHIROYAMA, Former Dean of the Graduate School of Public Policy and Professor of Public Administration of the Graduate School for Law and Politics in the University of Tokyo. He will talk about the experience of initiating the Graduate Leaders Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) and discuss the lessons and implications for interdisciplinary programs for integrating science, technology, and public policy to address societal challenges, including energy security, environmental protection, and sustainability.

SEE Seminar

Title: Interdisciplinary Program for Science, Technology and Public Policy: The Experience at the University of Tokyo

Speaker: Prof. Hideaki SHIROYAMA Former Dean of the Graduate School of Public Policy and Professor of Public Administration of the Graduate School for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo, Japan

Date: 21 March 2017 (Tuesday)

Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Venue: Room 6-214, 6/F., Lau Ming Wai Academic Building (AC3), City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Organizer: School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong

Contact: Dr. Masaru YARIME

 

March 2, 2017:

Energy Research Seminar was organized by the Asian Energy Studies Centre at Hong Kong Baptist University on March 2. I joined experts from France and Japan in discussing policy experiences and institutional challenges in promoting clean energy innovation and transitions in Japan, China, and Europe.

Yarime, Masaru, "Encouraging Innovation for Smart Cities: An Analysis of Innovation Systems and Implications for Public Policy," Energy Research Seminar, Asian Energy Studies Centre, Hong Kong Baptist University, March 2 (2017).

 

February 27, 2017:

Our paper that develops a method for evaluating the impacts of research activities across multiple academic fields was presented at the Research Conference of the Technical Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge-Based Processing (AI) in the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE) at Okayama, Japan on February 18.

Muraoka, Koki, Yuta Yamauchi, Naoki Nonaka, Teruaki Hayashi, Masaaki Imaizumi, Seonwoo Kim, Kensaku Matsunami, Hee-Woon Lee, and Masaru Yarime, "A Study on the Evaluation Method of Research Impact across Multiple Fields," Research Conference of the Technical Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge-Based Processing (AI), Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers (IEICE), Okayama, Japan, February 18 (2017).

 

February 22, 2017:

Our paper just published in Energy Policy quantifies the diversity of countries’ supplier-portfolios of embodied energy and discusses its strategic implications for energy security.

Sato, Masahiro, Ali Kharrazi, Hirofumi Nakayama, Steven Kraines, and Masaru Yarime, "Quantifying the supplier-portfolio diversity of embodied energy: Strategic implications for strengthening energy resilience," Energy Policy, 105, 41-52 (2017).

 

February 18, 2017:

A session on Accelerating Low-Carbon Innovation Through Policy was organized on Saturday, February 18 during the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2017 Annual Meeting in Boston. I joined Professor Tobias Schmidt of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich and Professor Jessika Trancik of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in discussing how innovation studies can inform policy decisions to accelerate low-carbon innovation in the future.

Yarime, Masaru, "Encouraging Innovation on Smart Cities: An Analysis of Innovation Systems in Japan and the United States," Accelerating Low-Carbon Innovation Through Policy, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2017 Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, February 18 (2017).

 

February 15, 2017:

I gave a seminar on February 15 at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability in the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Smart Cities: Japan’s Experience and Global Implications," Golisano Institute for Sustainability Research Seminar, Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, February 15 (2017).

 

February 10, 2017:

The First Interdisciplinary Symposium on East Asian Business "Digital East Asia: Emerging Trends in Public Policy and Regulation" was held on Friday, February 10 at the East Asian Studies Center in the University of Southern California. We discussed the implications of digitalization of innovation for business and public policy in the context of East Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Digitalizing Innovation: Japan’s Experience of Developing Smart Cities and Implications for Business, Public Policy, and Sustainability in East Asia," First Interdisciplinary Symposium on East Asian Business "Digital East Asia: Emerging Trends in Public Policy and Regulation," East Asian Studies Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States, February 10 (2017).

 

February 3, 2017:

Contemporary Japan Speaker Series Part 3 "Digitalizing Innovation in Japan: The Development of Smart Cities and Implications for Business, Policy, and Sustainability in Asia-Pacific" was held at King's College London on February 2, kindly organized by the London Asia Pacific Centre for Social Science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Digitalizing Innovation in Japan: The Development of Smart Cities and Implications for Business, Policy, and Sustainability in Asia-Pacific," Contemporary Japan Speaker Series Part 3, London Asia Pacific Centre for Social Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom, February 2 (2017).

 

February 2, 2017:

STEaPP Seminar: Digitalisation of Innovation and Its Implications for Sustainability - Japan's Experience of Developing Smart Cities was held on February 1 at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London.

Yarime, Masaru, "Digitalisation of Innovation and Its Implications for Sustainability: Japan's Experience of Developing Smart Cities," STEaPP Seminar, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London, London, United Kingdom, February 1 (2017).

 

January 1, 2017:

I have moved to Hong Kong to join the School of Energy and Environment in the City University of Hong Kong. I will work on science, technology, and innovation policy, management, and governance, focusing on the implications of digitalization and globalization of innovation including smart cities and IoT for sustainability particularly in the context of Asia and beyond.

 

December 16, 2016:

The Academia International Conference on Economic and Financial Cooperation: Hong Kong and the World under the Belt and Road Initiative was held on December 15-16 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, co-organised by the Central Policy Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies. I talked about potential opportunities in exploring complementarities of Japanese and Chinese investments in innovation for sustainability through the initiative.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Sustainability under the Belt and Road Initiative: The Role of Japan in International Cooperation and Collaboration," Academia International Conference on Economic and Financial Cooperation: Hong Kong and the World under the Belt and Road Initiative, co-organised by the Central Policy Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, December 15-16 (2016).

 

December 9, 2016:

I had an opportunity to give a talk on innovation for smart cities, kindly organized by the Delegation of the European Union to Japan. We had a stimulating discussion on Japan's past experience and lessons and implications for global collaboration with the Science and Technology Counsellors of the EU and its member states and representatives from the Science and Technology Diplomatic Circle and European science organisations.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japan's Experience of Innovation for Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges in Policy, Business, and Sustainability, Delegation of the European Union to Japan, Tokyo, Japan, December 9 (2016).

 

December 3, 2016:

International Council for Science (ICSU) Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) has established the Task Group on Linking Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD). A meeting of the White Paper Team was held on December 2 in Sanya, Hainan, China to finalize White Paper 1 on Gap Analysis on Open Data Interconnectivity for Global Disaster Risk Research, which is to be published by May 2017, and to discuss the direction and content of White Paper 2 on the Next Generation Disaster Data Infrastructure led by Dr. Edward Chu and White Paper 3 on National Policies on Data for Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities and Challenges in Global Cooperation on Open Data, which I'm going to lead in the next two years.

Yarime, Masaru, "Proposal for White Paper 3 on National Policies on Data for Disaster Risk Reduction: Opportunities and Challenges in Global Cooperation on Open Data," Task Group on Linking Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD), International Council for Science (ICSU) Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA), Sanya, Hainan, China, December 2 (2016).

 

November 28, 2016:

The University of Southern California (USC) East Asian Studies Center will organize an international symposium, "Digital East Asia: Emerging Trends in Public Policy and Regulation," on February 10, 2017 in Los Angels, as the first of the symposium series on the Interdisciplinary Study of East Asian Business. I will join international experts in discussing key issues arising from the emergence of digital innovations in the public and private sectors in East Asia.

Digital East Asia: Emerging Trends in Public Policy and Regulation

Date: February 10, 2017, 10:00AM - 5:00PM

Venue: Social Sciences Building (SOS) B40, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States

10:00AM: Planning, Urbanization, and Public Policy

Masaru YARIME, University of Tokyo, "Digitalizing Innovation: Japan’s Experience of Developing Smart Cities and Implications for Business, Public Policy, and Sustainability in East Asia"

Eric HEIKKILA, University of Southern California, "Big Data, Social Media, and Emergency Information Systems"

12:00-2:00 Lunch Break

2:00PM: Regulation and the Internet

ANG Peng Hwa, University of Singapore, "Regulation of Disruptive Services such as UBER and AirBnB"

Yu HONG, University of Southern California, "China’s Internet Plus Policy and Economic Restructuring"

Yanhui WU, University of Southern California, "The Political Economy of Social Media in China"

 

November 27, 2016:

Our discussion at the CIGS International Symposium: The Role of Innovation for Long-Term Greenhouse Gas Mitigation organized by the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS) has been reported in an article on Technology Innovation in Energy in the Run-up to Marrakech by Dr. Laura Diaz Anadon, University Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the Department of Politics and International Studies in the University of Cambridge.

 

November 26, 2016:

The School of Energy and Environment (SEE) in the City University of Hong Kong offers research studies leading to the degrees of Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in all energy- or environment-related subjects. Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) is available for those who are seeking admission as new full-time PhD students. The deadline for applications is December 1, 2016.

 

November 25, 2016:

The London Asia Pacific Centre for Social Science will kindly organize my seminar on February 2, 2017 at King's College London. I will discuss digitalizing innovation in Japan through cases of smart cites and emerging innovation and their implications for business, policy, and sustainability in Asia-Pacific.

Contemporary Japan Speaker Series Part 3: Digitalizing Innovation in Japan

The Development of Smart Cities and Implications for Business, Policy, and Sustainability in Asia-Pacific

Location: Nash Lecture Theatre (K2.31) Strand Campus, King's College London, London

When: 02/02/2017 (18:15-20:00)

Speaker: Prof Masaru Yarime

Contact: asiapacificcentre@gmail.com

 

November 22, 2016:

The Academia International Conference on Economic and Financial Cooperation: Hong Kong and the World under the Belt and Road Initiative will be held on December 15-16 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, co-organised by the Central Policy Unit of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies. I will participate in the conference as one of the panelists to discuss opportunities and challenges in the initiative, including development strategies and policies, investment and finance, energy, e-commerce and information technology, infrastructure, and logistics and supply chains.

 

November 18, 2016:

The 2016 International Conference on Urban Infrastructure and Management was held on November 17-18 in Shanghai, as part of the activities of World Cities Day. How to manage an increasing urbanization is a critical agenda in China, and we discussed some of the key challenges, including transportation, investment and financing in infrastructure construction, intelligent urban management, and the development of sponge city. I gave a talk about Japan's experience of innovation for smart cities and its implications for urban sustainability in Asia and beyond.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Smart Cities: Japan’s Experience and Challenges for Urban Sustainability," The 2016 International Conference on Urban Infrastructure and Management, Shanghai, China, November 17-18 (2016).

 

November 17, 2016:

The final version of our paper on innovative policy practices to promote building energy efficiency and retrofitting in C40 cities has been published in the journal Environmental Science & Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Vanesa Castán Broto, Tomoko Takagi, Zoe Sprigings, Yuko Nishida, and Masaru Yarime, "Innovative policy practices to advance building energy efficiency and retrofitting: Approaches, impacts and challenges in ten C40 cities," Environmental Science & Policy, 66, 353-365 (2016).

 

November 16, 2016:

The 5th Asian Conference on Innovative Energy and Environmental Chemical Engineering (ASCON-IEEChE) was held in Yokohama on November 13-16. As a member of the Local Organizing Committee, I chaired Session 6 on Sustainable Engineering and Environmental Protection, in which I discussed challenges in stimulating sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Sustainable Innovation: A Case Study of Smart Cities," The 5th Asian Conference on Innovative Energy and Environmental Chemical Engineering (ASCON-IEEChE), Yokohama, Japan, November 13-16 (2016).

 

November 15, 2016:

The International Conference on the Relevance of Area Studies for the Sciences and Public Policy: Examples from Europe and Asia was held on November 14-15 at the University of Tokyo, co-organized by the Network for Education and Research on Asia (ASNET), Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), and the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ). We discussed key challenges in science and public policy, including ecological and energy transitions, health and food security, and digitalization of innovation, from comparative perspectives of Europe and Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Diversity in Implementing Smart Cities: Implications of Area Studies for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Governance," International Conference on the Relevance of Area Studies for the Sciences and Public Policy: Examples from Europe and Asia, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, November 14-15 (2016).

 

November 11, 2016:

A report has been uploaded on CIGS International Symposium: The Role of Innovation for Long-Term Greenhouse Gas Mitigation, which was held on Friday, October 7 at the University of Tokyo, organized by the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS) in collaboration with Policy Alternatives Research Institute (PARI) of the University of Tokyo. I joined international experts in discussing opportunities and challenges in policy measures and international cooperation for facilitating innovation, which has been become an critical issue since the Paris Agreement last year.

 

October 31, 2016:

The International Conference on the Relevance of Area Studies for the Sciences and Public Policy: Examples from Europe and Asia will be held on November 14-15 at the University of Tokyo, co-organized by the Network for Education and Research on Asia (ASNET), Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA), and the German Institute for Japanese Studies (DIJ). From comparative perspectives of Europe and Asia, we will discuss key challenges in science and public policy concerning sustainability, including ecological and energy transitions, health and food security, and digitalization of innovation.

 

October 27, 2016:

I gave a talk on innovation systems for global sustainability for the Energy and Environmental Seminar Series at the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS).

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation Systems for Global Sustainability," Energy and Environmental Seminar Series, Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS), Tokyo, Japan, October 27 (2016).

 

October 20, 2016:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize the 50th STIG Policy Platform Seminar "GE’s Industrial IoT Strategy: Implications for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Management, and Governance" on Friday, October 28 at the University of Tokyo. Mr. Mayoran Rajendra, a graduate of the University of Tokyo with a master's degree in precision engineering, will explain GE's strategy on the Internet of Things (IoT) / Industrial Internet and discuss its implications for science, technology, and innovation policy, management, and governance. Digital industrial transformation would have significant impacts on our efforts to move towards sustainability.

The 50th STIG Policy Platform Seminar

Date: Friday, October 28, 2016, 17:30-19:00

Venue: Kojima Conference Room, Economics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), University of Tokyo

Title: GE’s Industrial IoT Strategy: Implications for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Management, and Governance

Speaker: Mayoran Rajendra, Solution Architect, GE Digital

Abstract: GE Digital connects streams of machine data to powerful analytics and people, providing industrial companies with valuable insights to manage assets and operations more efficiently. GE’s overall capabilities help drive digital industrial transformation for big gains in productivity, availability and longevity, by leveraging PREDIX, a cloud-based operating system, purpose built for the unique needs of industry. GE’s digital transformation is not the result of being in the right place at the right time. Instead, it is the result of a structured approach that involved a strong top-down digital vision, capability development, achieving all-round buy-in and a constant focus on innovation. The implications of digital transformation via IoT / Industrial Internet are discussed for science, technology, and innovation policy, management, and governance.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 12, 2016:

Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize the 49th STIG Policy Platform Seminar "How to design future-proof regulations? Evidence-based Policymaking and Adjudication in Health" on Wednesday, October 26 at the University of Tokyo. Professor Alberto Alemanno of HEC Paris will discuss evidence-based policy making in the public health sector mainly through legal cases in Europe and the United States.

The 49th STIG Policy Platform Seminar

DateFWednesday, October 26, 2016, 18:30-20:00

Venue: School of Law Building, Room 204, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: How to design future-proof regulations? Evidence-based Policymaking and Adjudication in Health

Speaker: Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of European Union Law and Regulation, HEC Paris, France

Abstract: How to design future-proof regulations? The challenge is to integrate the best evidence available with public input. This presentation will discuss how evidence-based policy making may occur in the public health sector by focusing on some of the most controversial and experimental measures such as plain packaging for tobacco products, soda taxes and other economic incentives as well as nudges.

Reference: Alberto Alemanno and Enrico Bonadio, eds., The New Intellectual Property of Health: Beyond Plain Packaging, Edward Elgar (2016).

 

October 7, 2016:

CIGS International Symposium: The Role of Innovation for Long-Term Greenhouse Gas Mitigation was held on Friday, October 7 at the University of Tokyo, organized by the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS) in collaboration with Policy Alternatives Research Institute (PARI) of the University of Tokyo. Since the Paris Agreement was adopted at the end of last year, innovation has been increasingly emphasized in tackling climate change globally. I joined international experts in discussing opportunities and challenges in policy measures and international cooperation for facilitating innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "International Cooperation for Accelerating Innovation for Tackling Climate Change," CIGS International Symposium: The Role of Innovation for Long-Term Greenhouse Gas Mitigation, organized by the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS) in collaboration with Policy Alternatives Research Institute (PARI), University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, October 7 (2016).

 

October 2, 2016:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) will start a new initiative, GraSPP Policy Challenge - Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Technology and Policy Innovation Lab, to encourage students to make policy proposals for tackling sustainability challenges, including energy, health, cities, and climate change. An orientation session on will be held on Tuesday, October 4. Finalist groups will be invited to present their policy proposals at the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN) Student Conference at Sciences Po Paris in February 2017.

 

September 30, 2016:

My discussion about Japan's approach to smart cities with OpenGov has been reported in Citiscope.

"Japan 'smart' cities rely on public-private partnerships," Citiscope, September 30 (2016).

 

September 13, 2016:

SciDataCon 2016: Advancing the Frontiers of Data in Research was held on September 11-13 in Denver, Colorado as part of International Data Week, convened by the International Council of Science (ICSU) Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and World Data System (WDS) and the Research Data Alliance (RDA). Data-driven transformation of science was among the themes of the conference, in which I served on the Programme Committee.

Yarime, Masaru, "Providing Incentives to Data Sharing and Integration for Disaster Risk Reduction: Implications for Institutional Design and Public Policy," Session on Disasters and Disasters Risk Data, SciDataCon 2016, Denver, Colorado, United States, September 11-13 (2016).

 

September 9, 2016:

The Institute for 21st Century Energy, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, provides a policy platform on energy reflecting views, arguments, and recommendations in the American business community. A discussion with Ms. Karen Alderman Harbert, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Stephen D. Eule, Vice President, Climate & Technology, was very informative in understanding the current context of policy debates concerning energy and climate change in the U.S.

 

September 8, 2016:

I had a fruitful discussion with Ms. Sarah O. Landislaw, Director and Senior Fellow of the Energy and National Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), on EPA's Clean Power Plan and its legal, political, and institutional implications for the use of executive orders in the U.S.

 

September 7, 2016:

I made a visit to the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. for discussions on energy and climate change policy and international cooperation for innovation with Dr. Robert Marley, Director, Office of International Science and Technology Collaboration and U.S. Director of the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center (CERC), and Ms. Stephanie Duran, Director for International and External Partnerships, Office of Clean Coal and Carbon Management.

 

September 6, 2016:

I had a series of meetings with Professor Joanna Lewis of Georgetown University on green innovation in China, Professors Robert Stavins, Robert Stowe, and Joseph Aldy of Kennedy School on U.S. policy on climate change, and Professor William C. Clark of Kennedy School on technological innovation and usable knowledge for sustainability, in addition to a seminar by Professor Joseph Nye on U.S. Strategy toward China and Japan at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs in Harvard University.

 

September 5, 2016:

I talked to OpenGov about Japan's experience in developing smart cities and their implications for stimulating sustainability innovation, enhancing efficiency, flexibility, and resilience.

"Enhancing Efficiency, Flexibility and Resilience through Sustainable Smart City projects in Japan: OpenGov speaks with Dr Masaru Yarime about Smart City development in the Japanese context." OpenGov, September 5 (2016).

 

September 4, 2016:

CIGS International Symposium "The Role of Innovation for Long-Term Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Mitigation" will be held on Friday, October 7 at the University of Tokyo, organized by the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS). Since the Paris Agreement was adopted at the end of last year, innovation has been increasingly emphasized in tackling climate change globally. In this symposium I will join international experts in discussing opportunities and challenges in policy measures and international cooperation for facilitating innovation.

 

September 3, 2016:

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has established the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) for education and research on information and decision systems, statistics and data science, and social sciences to address complex societal challenges in the key domains of expertise including energy systems, urbanization, social networks, health, and finance. I had stimulating discussions with Dr. Bryan Moser and Dr. Abdelkrim Doufene on integrating systems thinking and data-driven approaches to designing and implementing innovation for sustainability.

 

August 30, 2016:

I had a lunch meeting with Professor Sarah Cheah at the National University Singapore (NUS) Business School on August 26. Her expertise on Singapore's initiative to encourage entrepreneurship taught me a lot about its national innovation system.

 

August 29, 2016:

The Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), since it was set up by the Ministry of National Development and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in Singapore in 2008, has been working to conduct research and create knowledge platforms on liveable and sustainable cities. I had an opportunity to discuss with Mr. Zhou Yimin and Dr. Joanne Khew on August 25 for collaboration on international comparison of the processes and mechanisms of establishing smart and sustainable cities.

 

August 28, 2016:

I had meetings with Professors Asit Biswas and Yumin Joo at Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore on August 25. We had good discussions for collaborative research on examining the experiences of creating innovation for sustainable smart cities in Asian countries.

 

August 27, 2016:

Secure Cities: A NetApp Dialogue was held in Singapore on August 24. As cities are increasingly interconnected, experts from the private and public sectors including INTERPOL discussed various challenges in promoting smart, secure, and sustainable cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainable Smart Cities and the Role of Data," Secure Cities: A NetApp Dialogue, Singapore, August 24 (2016).

 

August 25, 2016:

I was interviewed by TechTalkThai about smart cities and their implications for innovation policy.

"Interview with Professor Yarime Masaru about Smart City Projects in Japan with the Introduction of IoT Applications," TechTalkThai, August 24 (2016).

 

August 20, 2016:

A video showing Session MA7 Data-Intensive Science in 2010 Microsoft Research eScience Workshop held in Berkeley, California on October 11-13, 2010 has been uploaded to YouTube.

Yarime, Masaru, "Analyzing the Process of Knowledge Dynamics in Sustainability Innovation: Towards a Data-Intensive Approach to Sustainability Science," Session MA7 Data-Intensive Science, 2010 Microsoft Research eScience Workshop, Berkeley, California, United States, October 11-13 (2010).

 

August 18, 2016:

A NetApp Smart Nation Dialogue will be held in Singapore on August 24. I will talk about sustainable smart cities and the role of data. Experts will discuss how the public and private sectors can work together to secure smart cities in the regional and global contexts.

 

August 16, 2016:

Recommendations for the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), which will be held in Kenya later this month, have been submitted by Dr. KISHI Teruo, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. A particular emphasis is placed on human resource development and evidence-based policy making in science and technology, shifting from brain drain to brain circulation for Agenda 2063. I'm currently served on the Study Group on International Cooperation for the Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Network chaired by him.

 

August 10, 2016:

The 76th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM) was held on August 5-9 in Anaheim, California, under the overall theme of Making Organizations Meaningful. Our paper on smart cities in Japan was presented in Session on Emergence of Organizations & Fields.

Nyberg, Roy, and Masaru Yarime, "Assembling a Field into Place: Smart Cities in Japan," The 76th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM), Anaheim, California, United States, August 5-9 (2016).

 

August 8, 2016:

I attended the Maker Faire Tokyo 2016, which was held on August 6-7, with many exhibitions, seminars, and demonstrations made by various types of Makers including academic researchers, citizen groups, and startup entrepreneurs. The Maker movement would potentially make significant impacts on education, business, and society in general. A serious challenge would be how to scale up and assimilate it to mainstream activities.

 

August 7, 2016:

I had a meeting with Dr. Susanne Brucksch, Senior Research Fellow of Deutsches Institut fur Japanstudien (DIJ). We are currently working on a comparative study of the digitalization of innovation and its economic, social, and environmental implications between Japan and Germany.

 

August 3, 2016:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize the 48th STIG Policy Platform Seminar on International Regulatory Cooperation, Impact Assessment, and Policy Learning on Monday, September 5 in Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Jonathan B. Wiener of Duke University will discuss opportunities and challenges in international regulatory cooperation and the use of impact assessment for policy learning toward improving regulation, with significant implications for polices and regulations concerning energy, environment, and sustainability.

The 48th STIG Policy Platform Seminar

Date: Monday, September 5, 2016, 10:30-12:00

Venue: Room 203, School of Law Building, Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo

Title: International Regulatory Cooperation, Impact Assessment, and Policy Learning

Speaker: Jonathan B. Wiener, William R. and Thomas L. Perkins Professor of Law at Duke Law School, Professor of Environmental Policy at the Nicholas School of the Environment, and Professor of Public Policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States

Abstract: Regulatory standards may vary across countries. In some cases, such regulatory variation may pose barriers to trade. This has stimulated interest in “international regulatory cooperation” (IRC), in order to reduce unnecessary regulatory differences and increase trade. International agreements to promote IRC, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), seek in part to harmonize some regulatory standards. Debate continues over whether such harmonization would streamline or undermine regulatory protections. But there is a deeper role for IRC: promoting “policy learning” toward improving regulation. This approach to IRC would encourage the use of “impact assessment” (IA) to design and review regulations in each country. It would see regulatory variation across countries not only as a problem, but also as a useful source of data and experience to evaluate regulatory impacts and choose the best regulatory approaches, building a “global policy laboratory.” It would employ regulatory impact assessment not only prospectively (ex ante), but also retrospectively (ex post) and iteratively (continually), toward “planned adaptive regulation” that builds learning and updating into regulatory systems.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

 

July 30, 2016:

SciDataCon 2016: Advancing the Frontiers of Data in Research will take place on September 11-13, 2016 in Denver, Colorado as part of International Data Week, convened by the International Council of Science (ICSU) Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and World Data System (WDS) and the Research Data Alliance (RDA). Data-driven transformation of science and its implications for practice, policy, and institutions will be discussed in this conference, in which I'm taking part as a member of the Programme Committee.

 

July 29, 2016:

My appointment as Honorary Reader has been extended in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London.

 

July 27, 2016:

The third meeting of the Study Group on International Cooperation for the Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Network was held on July 27 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Among the issues discussed in the meeting are the recommendations to be submitted by Professor KISHI Teruo, Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Kenya on August 27-28, 2016, in collaboration with African countries in tackling sustainability challenges, including energy security, environmental protection, public health, and poverty reduction. Japan-ASEAN cooperation through science and technology is also an important issue to be explored further in the study group.

 

July 26, 2016:

A study on the success factors of small-scale woody biomass energy systems in Japan was conducted by Amanda Ahl and Johanna Eklund in the Division of Energy Technology in the School of Industrial Engineering and Management of KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. I worked with them as a research adviser for their field work on biomass supply chains in Japan.

 

July 22, 2016:

The Caltech–Japan Internship Program, which was started in 1994, provides Caltech students with opportunities to collaborate on industrial projects with Japanese companies. I attended the welcome luncheon for this year's interns held in Tokyo as the coordinator of the Caltech Alumni Association in Japan.

 

July 21, 2016:

The Second NetApp Smart Nation Dialogue, under the theme of "Secure Data, Secure Cities: Making Connected Cities Future-Proof," will be held in Singapore on August 24. I will take part in this event as a panelist to discuss how data can be kept safe and secure, while also being accessible to the businesses and organizations that rely on it to make informed decisions.

 

July 20, 2016:

Our paper analyzing innovative policy practices to promote building energy efficiency and retrofitting in ten cities participating in C40 has just been published online in the journal Environmental Science & Policy.

Trencher, Gregory Patrick, Vanesa Castán Broto, Tomoko Takagi, Zoe Sprigings, Yuko Nishida, and Masaru Yarime, "Innovative policy practices to advance building energy efficiency and retrofitting: Approaches, impacts and challenges in ten C40 cities," Environmental Science & Policy, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2016.06.021

 

July 14, 2016:

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Lemelson Foundation have jointly created the AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors Program designed to encourage invention and innovation. I participated in a special event organized to celebrate the newly selected Class of 2016-2017 Invention Ambassadors, who presented how their inventions have made an impact in tackling global challenges.

 

July 12, 2016:

I had an opportunity in Washington, D.C. to visit 1776, a start-up incubator and seed fund for tackling some of the most pressing challenges our society faces today, such as clean energy, healthcare, smart cities, and sustainability. Start-ups are provided with access to the latest techniques and expertise and connections to mentors, industry partners, policy makers, and investors so that they will be able to build scalable businesses.

 

July 11, 2016:

The 16th International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society Conference was held on July 6-8 in Montreal, Canada. In Track A on Innovation Systems I made a presentation on an international comparative analysis of smart cities by utilizing the framework of innovation systems.

Yarime, Masaru, "Examining Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: Towards an International Comparative Analysis," The 16th International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society Conference, Montreal, Canada, July 6-8 (2016).

 

July 10, 2016:

Our paper on university's function of co-creation for sustainability has been listed as one of the highly cited articles published in the journal Science and Public Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 41 (2), 151-179 (2014).

 

July 9, 2016:

The 32nd European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium was held at the University of Naples Federico II in Naples, Italy on July 7–9. Our paper was presented at Session on Societal Transformation and Digital Re-organization in the theme of Digital Transformations: Technology, Organization and Governance in the Algorithmic Age.

Nyberg, Roy, and Masaru Yarime, "Smart City Development in Japan: Digital Transformation or More of the Same?" The 32nd European Group for Organizational Studies (EGOS) Colloquium: Organizing in the Shadow of Power, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy, July 7–9 (2016).

 

July 8, 2016:

I had a discussion with Dr. Carolin Kaltofen at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) in University College London. Currently we are conducting a joint research project on science diplomacy, with a particular focus on tackling common challenges for sustainability in East Asia through science and technology cooperation.

 

July 7, 2016:

I had a research meeting with Na Jiao, a researcher specializing in industrial sustainability at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) in the University of Cambridge. We are currently working on examining the innovation systems of utilizing batteries used in electric vehicles.

 

July 5, 2016:

R&D Management Conference 2016 - From Science to Society: Innovation and Value Creation is currently held at Churchill College in the University of Cambridge. I made a presentation on innovation systems of smart cities from an international comparative perspective.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: A Comparative Analysis of Japan and the United States," R&D Management Conference 2016 - From Science to Society: Innovation and Value Creation, Churchill College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, July 3-6 (2016).

 

July 2, 2016:

I had a discussion with Dr. Carlos Lopez Gomez at the Centre for Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (CSTI) in the University of Cambridge. We are currently working on developing a framework to analyse upgrading processes and mechanisms in manufacturing industries, with strategic implications for decision-making systems on science, technology, and innovation policy.

 

June 28, 2016:

Our paper analyzing innovative policy practices to promote building energy efficiency and retrofitting in ten cities participating in C40 has just been accepted for publication in the journal Environmental Science & Policy.

Trencher, Gregory Patrick, Vanesa Castán Broto, Tomoko Takagi, Zoe Sprigings, Yuko Nishida, and Masaru Yarime, "Innovative policy practices to advance building energy efficiency and retrofitting: Approaches, impacts and challenges in ten C40 cities," Environmental Science & Policy, forthcoming.

 

June 25, 2016:

A new book, Technology Assessment in Japan and Europe, has been published by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Scientific Publishing, with kind supports from ITAS-KIT (Germany), RISTEX-JST (Japan) and FCT-UNL (Portugal). I contributed a chapter on utilizing strategic resource logistics for implementing sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Technology Assessment through Stakeholder Platforms: Strategic Resource Logistics for Socially Robust Models of Sustainability Innovation," in Antonio Moniz and Kumi Okuwada, eds., Technology Assessment in Japan and Europe, Karlsruhe: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Scientific Publishing, 129-145 (2016).

 

June 21, 2016:

The 47th Session of the Working Party on Innovation and Technology Policy (TIP) is currently held at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris. We discussed policy instruments for system transformation/innovation based on case studies in various fields, including industry 4.0, green growth, and smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japanese Case Study on System Transformation: Smart Communities," 47th Session of the Working Party on Innovation and Technology Policy (TIP), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris, France, June 20-22 (2016).

 

June 18, 2016:

A feature article on Japan's solar market has been published in PV Magazine, with my comments on the liberalization of the electricity market and its implications for smart cities in Japan.

"A platform for reform: Japan has made it again," PV Magazine, 78538 (2), 16-19 (2016).

 

June 16, 2016:

A review of Japan: The Precarious Future, Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., New York University Press (2015) has been published in Foreign Affairs. I contributed to this book a chapter discussing future challenges facing Japan's science and technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrated Solutions to Complex Problems: Transforming Japanese Science and Technology," in Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., Japan: The Precarious Future, New York: New York University Press and United States Social Science Research Council (SSRC), 213-235 (2015).

 

June 10, 2016:

HKU-USC-IPPA Conference on Public Policy: Coping with Policy Complexity in the Globalized World is currently held at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC) and the International Public Policy Association (IPPA). Our paper on a comparative analysis of public-private partnerships on smart cities in Asia was presented in the session on Asian Cities as Policy Innovation Hub.

Sakai, Nobuyuki, and Masaru Yarime, "The Development and Implementation of Smart Cities as a Policy Innovation: A Comparative Analysis of Public-Private Partnerships in Asia," HKU-USC-IPPA Conference on Public Policy: Coping with Policy Complexity in the Globalized World, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, June 10-11 (2016).

 

June 8, 2016:

Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize the 46th STIG Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Bayesian and Non-Bayesian Methods for the Assessment of the Risks of Major Nuclear Accidents on Friday, June 10 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor François Lévêque of Mines ParisTech will discuss the assessment of nuclear accidents damage and probabilities, based on his research on the economics and uncertainties of nuclear power.

The 46th STIG Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Friday, June 10, 2016, 10:00-11:30

Venue: Seminar Room 2, Economics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), The University of Tokyo

Title: Bayesian and Non-Bayesian Methods for the Assessment of the Risks of Major Nuclear Accidents

Speaker: Professor François Lévêque, CERNA, Centre d’Economie Industrielle, Mines ParisTech, France

Abstract: How do past observations inform us on the future risks of major nuclear accidents? How did the catastrophe at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant changed the expected frequency for such events? Little has been the consensus in answering these questions. While opponents of nuclear power claim that the probability of serious accident is very high, the industry ensures that it is negligible. Furthermore, when facing such ambiguity, or multiple sources of information, how should policy-makers behave regarding these rare but catastrophic risks? The aim of the presentation is to present two methods developed in CERNA-Mines ParisTech that try to shed light on these questions. We will first present a Bayesian method which tries to determine the effect of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident on the probability of witnessing future major nuclear accidents. Second, we will present a non-Bayesian method which tries to account for the ambiguity that characterizes the risks of nuclear power accidents.

Bio: François Lévêque is professor of economics at Mines ParisTech. He is part-time professor at the Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies (European University Institute, Florence School of Regulation). His research, teaching and consulting interests are in the areas of antitrust, intellectual property rights and network regulation. He taught economics of natural resources at the Ecole des mines de Paris (1984-1990), environmental economics at EHESS (1997-2001) and at Pavia University (1999-2002), EU Competition Law at the Boalt Law School, University of California at Berkeley (2002-2007). He created in 1999 a new major in law and economics at the Ecole des mines. He has taught industrial economics at the Ecole des mines since 1996. His expertise activity is aligned with his academic interests. He has been regularly commissioned by the French government, OECD and the European Commission to participate to advisory committees.

Reference: Lévêque François, The Economics and Uncertainties of Nuclear Power, Cambridge University Press (2015)

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

June 7, 2016:

We organized Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 54 on Tuesday, May 31 at the University of Tokyo.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 54

Title: A Study on the Success Factors of Small-Scale Woody Biomass Energy System Supply Chains in Japan

Speakers: Amanda Ahl and Johanna Eklund, School of Industrial Engineering and Management, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract There is an abundance of forest in Japan, yet a lack of utilization of woody biomass in energy systems. Small-scale woody biomass can enable a supply chain based on domestic forest that can be integrated with local industry and demands, in turn facilitating local vitalization. Successful creation of collective energy systems integrated with local communities is strongly connected to supply chain design based on local conditions and stakeholders. A supply chain perspective is key in enabling woody biomass energy systems. In these supply chains lies a complex stakeholder network, in turn incurring a need to understand both formal factors, such as technology, and informal factors, such as social relations. The purpose of this study is therefore to investigate the main challenges, success factors and convergence or divergence of perceptions of key stakeholders across the supply chain of small-scale woody biomass, based on domestic forest. In doing so, a comprehensive system’s approach is attained. This is facilitated through literature studies and semi-structured interviews with experts as well as with key stakeholders in the woody biomass supply chain in field studies in Kyushu, Japan. The key success factors of small-scale woody biomass energy system supply chains are presented. If these factors can highlighted and managed, small-scale woody biomass energy systems in Japan can be enabled by incorporating a system’s approach through a supply chain perspective.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 29, 2016:

The 45th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Moore’s Law and the Governance of Innovation will be organized on Friday, June 3 by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program. Professor Christophe Lécuyer of Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6 will discuss the emergence of new forms of innovation governance in the semiconductor industry and its implications for innovation in other sectors, including nano, bio, and photovoltaic technologies.

The 45th STIG Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Friday, June 3rd, 10:30-12:00

Venue: Room 610, 6th floor, Administration Bureau Bldg. 2, The University of Tokyo

Title: Moore’s Law and the Governance of Innovation

Speaker: Christophe Lécuyer, Professor of the History of Science and Technology, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, France, and Senior Research Fellow, Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota, United States

Abstract: The landscape of research and innovation has experienced significant changes since the early 1980s. One of these changes has been the appearance of new forms of innovation governance such as Moore’s Law and the technology roadmaps for semiconductors. How did these forms of governance emerge? What social and economic forces presided over their appearance? This paper shows that Moore’s Law, the statement that the number of transistors per microchip doubles every two years, emerged as a multipurpose tool in Silicon Valley in the first half of the 1960s. It was a technology of comprehension and persuasion; it was a marketing and promotion tool; it was a competitive device; and it was a contrivance used to allocate engineering resources and guide the development of new semiconductor technologies at the firm level. From the early 1990s to the mid-2010s, this multipurpose instrument became the centerpiece of a new governance structure in the microelectronics industry: the technology roadmaps for semiconductors. In response to fierce competition from Japan, US corporations used Moore’s Law to guide, plan and coordinate the development of device, process, and design technologies across the whole industry. Thereby, they accelerated the miniaturization of microchips and the digitalization of many industrial sectors. In the 1990s and 2000s, other industries such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and photovoltaic cells adopted similar modes of innovation governance.

Bio: Christophe Lécuyer is professor of the history of science and technology at Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6 and senior research fellow at the Charles Babbage Institute at the University of Minnesota. He taught at MIT, Stanford University, and the University of Virginia. He also held senior research appointments at Collegium de Lyon and the Institute for Advanced Studies at Central European University. He is known for his research on Silicon Valley and the history of high technologies. He is the author of Making Silicon Valley: Innovation and the Growth of High Tech, 1930-1970 (MIT Press, 2006) and the co-author of Makers of the Microchip: A Documentary History of Fairchild Semiconductor (MIT Press, 2010). He is a graduate of the Ecole Normale Supérieure and received his Ph.D. from Stanford University.

Registration: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 18, 2016:

Modeling Science, Technology and Innovation Conference was held on May 17-18 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Science Foundation’s Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP) program and the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center at Indiana University. Experts from economics, social science, scientometrics and bibliometrics, information science, physics, and science policy discussed opportunities and challenges in utilizing mathematical, statistical, and computational models in decision makings on science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Modeling Innovation Systems to Address Grand/Societal Challenges: A Case of Smart Cities," Modeling Science, Technology and Innovation Conference, organized by the National Science Foundation’s Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP) Program and the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center at Indiana University, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., United States, May 17-18 (2016).

 

May 14, 2016:

Science, Technology, and Innovation (STIG) Program of the University of Tokyo will organize the 41st Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar "Has India become more innovative since the onset of economic liberalisation?" on Wednesday, June 1 in the Hongo campus. Professor Sunil Mani of the Centre for Development Studies in Kerala, India will examine policy and institutional changes introduced for economic liberalization since the 1990s and discuss their impacts on India's national system of innovation.

The 41st Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Wednesday, June 1, 2016, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Seminar Room 2, Economics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), The University of Tokyo

Title: Has India become more innovative since the onset of economic liberalisation?

Speaker: Dr Sunil Mani, Professor, Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Abstract: Until 1991 India followed a policy of direct intervention in all matters related to economic activity. The country was subscribing to an important substituting strategy of becoming self-reliant in technology. However it never ever achieved that in any reasonable manner and her overall rate of growth of her economy never crossed what is now referred to as the “Hindu rate of growth”. All this was to change in 1991 when the economy liberalized, albeit in an ad hoc and unstructured manner. Direct intervention was replaced with indirect intervention as far as technology development was considered. The country also tried to alter her National System of Innovation (NSI) by placing private business enterprises almost at the core of her NSI. An outcome, although strongly debated within the country, has been significant improvement in her overall economic growth performance so much say that India has now emerged as the fastest growing country in the world and is likely to remain at that exalted position for some more time in the future. She has also become the largest exporter of computer software services in the world since 2005, has become the sixth largest exporter of aircraft components and is usually referred to as ‘pharmacy of the developing world’ as far as her generic drugs industry is concerned. She has also become one of the most preferred location for R&D services by MNCs. But have India really become very innovative during this phase of liberalization? It is this important question that the seminar proposes to answer with the aid of numerous indicators for measuring a country’s innovation performance as prescribed by the literature on economics of innovation. The presentation also seeks to unravel the feet that India needs to have to firmly place her on the sure path to technological dynamism.

Bio: Dr Sunil Mani is a Professor at the Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, Kerala, India and is now Visiting Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan. Earlier he has been a visiting professor at Bocconi University, Milan, Italy, the University of Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France and the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Kolkata, India and has also worked at the United Nations University- MERIT, Maastricht, The Netherlands as a researcher and head of graduate studies. He is specialized in the economics and policy studies of innovation and one of his most recent publications include a book with Professor Richard Nelson of Columbia University, TRIPS Compliance, National Patent Regimes and Innovation, Evidence and Experience from Developing Countries, Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, Mass, USA., 2013 He holds a PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and has done post-doctoral research at University of Oxford.

Registration: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 11, 2016:

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) organized the First Anniversary Symposium of ARISE Japan on Resilience on May 10 in Tokyo. ARISE has been established through public-private partnership for implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. In this symposium we introduced some of the recent initiatives for facilitating resilience in various sectors and discussed their lessons and implications for public policy and corporate management.

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding and Implementing Resilience: Opportunities and Challenges for the Future," ARISE Japan First Anniversary Symposium on Resilience, organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE), Tokyo, Japan, May 10 (2016).

 

May 4, 2016:

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) will organize Public Symposium on Resilience on May 10 in Tokyo, celebrating the first anniversary of the establishment of ARISE Japan. Resilience has been increasingly emphasized in global discussions on sustainability challenges, including climate change and disaster risk reduction. The concept plays a key role in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the global blueprint for reducing disaster losses adopted at the Third UN Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan in March last year. ARISE has been established through public-private partnership for implementing the Sendai Framework in various sectors. In this symposium, which will be held in Japanese, we will discuss the government and corporate activities for resilience and their lessons and implications for public policy and institutional design for the future.

 

April 29, 2016:

Forum Co-creation for Ecological and Social Transition was held on April 29 at the Université catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, organized by LPTransition (Louvain Partnership Research for Ecological and Social Transition). The experiences of transdisciplinary research in partnership with societal actors in different countries were discussed from a perspective of international comparison.

Yarime, Masaru, Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainability Transitions: A Reflection on Japanese Experiences of Transdisciplinary Research," Forum Co-creation for Ecological and Social Transition, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, April 29 (2016).

 

April 27, 2016:

I had a meeting at the University of Tokyo with the Renault Foundation and the Sustainable Mobility Institute (IMD), which was established by Renault and ParisTech to create a multidisciplinary platform for joint research work on the future of transport. We have started to strengthen collaboration on pressing challenges in sustainable mobility, including electromobility and autonomous driving.

 

April 24, 2016:

Modeling Science, Technology and Innovation Conference will be held on May 17-18 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., funded by the National Science Foundation’s Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP) program and the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center at Indiana University. In this agenda-setting conference, leading experts from economics, social science, scientometrics and bibliometrics, information science, physics, and science policy will discuss opportunities and challenges associated with the usage of mathematical, statistical, and computational models in science, technology, and innovation (STI) decision making. I will give a two-minute flash talk on the first day.

 

April 22, 2016:

Our paper that examines the development of smart cities in Japan through the concept of organisational fields has been accepted for publication in the Research in the Sociology of Organizations.

Nyberg, Roy, and Masaru Yarime, "Assembling a Field into Place: Smart City Development in Japan," in Marc-David Seidel and Henrich Greve, eds., Research in the Sociology of Organizations, forthcoming.

 

April 21, 2016:

Forum Co-creation for Ecological and Social Transition will be held on April 29 at the Université catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, organized by LPTransition (Louvain Partnership Research for Ecological and Social Transition). International experiences of transdisciplinary partnership research will be discussed with participants coming from Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Japan.

 

April 8, 2015:

A review has been published of the book Japan: The Precarious Future, Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., New York: New York University Press and United States Social Science Research Council (2015). I contributed to this book a chapter, "Integrated Solutions to Complex Problems: Transforming Japanese Science and Technology."

 

April 5, 2016:

Orientation Session will be organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program on Wednesday, April 6 at the University of Tokyo. If you are interested in learning various issues concerning science, technology, and innovation policy and governance, you are very welcome to join us.

 

April 1, 2016:

A roundtable on Japan's Possible Futures – Sponsored by U.S. Social Science Research Council (SSRC) was held in the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Meeting 2016 on March 31 in Seattle. This roundtable served as a book launch for Japan: The Precarious Future, edited by Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, which was published by New York University Press in December 2015. We discussed critical challenges in Japan's future, including gender issues, Abenomics and financial revival, the controversy about the constitution, post-Fukushima preparation for mega-disasters, and science and technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrated Solutions to Complex Problems: Transforming Japanese Science and Technology," Roundtable on Japan's Possible Futures – Sponsored by U.S. Social Science Research Council (SSRC), Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Conference 2016, Seattle, Washington, United States, March 31 (2016).

 

March 30, 2016:

I had a good discussion with Professor John P. Walsh at the School of Public Policy in the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. We have started to work on a project to examine the effects of policy and institutional reforms introduced in the past decade on scientific research in academia and university-industry collaboration.

 

March 28, 2016:

I had a meeting with Dr. Jeffrey Bohn, Senior Vice President of GX Labs of State Street Global Exchange in San Francisco. We discussed the evaluation of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors and its implications for corporate finance and risk assessment.

 

March 26, 2016:

I had a fruitful discussion with Professor Daniel Kammen of the University of California at Berkeley, joined by my colleague Professor Jun Arima, on policy measures and international collaboration to stimulate innovation for tackling climate change from a long-term perspective.

 

March 23, 2016:

The first meeting of the Study Group on International Cooperation for the Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Network was held on March 23, organized by the Science and Technology Advisor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We discussed how to promote science and technology to address global challenges such as energy security, environmental protection, public health, and poverty reduction in collaboration with African countries, in preparation for the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) to be held in Kenya on August 27-28, 2016.

 

March 22, 2016:

I have joined the Programme Committee of SciDataCon 2016: Advancing the Frontiers of Data in Research, which will take place on September 11-13 in Denver, Colorado, United States, as a part of International Data Week organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and the World Data System (WDS) of the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the Research Data Alliance (RDA). Addressing broader societal challenges and data-driven innovation, we will discus various issues relating to data, including, among others, policy frameworks, data quality and interoperability, long-term stewardship of data, and the research skills, technologies, and infrastructures required by increasingly data-intensive research.

 

March 15, 2016:

I gave a lecture on innovation and sustainability for the course on Science, Technology and Public Policy at the School of Public Policy in the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, United States. We discussed the effects of environmental policy on technological change, use of scientific knowledge in policy making, and stakeholder collaboration for implementing innovation for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainability: Public Policy Approaches and Their Impacts," Lecture for the Course on Science, Technology and Public Policy, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, March 14 (2016).

 

March 14, 2016:

An article on Japan's nuclear sector has been published in PV Magazine, with my comments on the country's future goal for renewable energy.

"Tough times continue for Japan's nuclear industry," PV Magazine, News, March 14 (2016).

 

March 10, 2016:

I had a good discussion with Dr. Bryan Norton, who has recently published the book Sustainable Values, Sustainable Change: A Guide to Environmental Decision Making. As Professor Emeritus he has been teaching a course on Sustainability and Environmental Policy at the School of Public Policy in the Georgia Institute of Technology. Uncertainty, complexity, and normativity involved in decision making would require a process-oriented approach to sustainability, based on pluralism and heuristic proceduralism for adaptive collaborative management.

 

March 7, 2016:

Symposium on Science and Technology Data was held on March 3-4 in Tokyo, organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and the World Data System (WDS) of the International Council for Science (ICSU), coinciding with the Seventh Plenary Meeting of Research Data Alliance (RDA). Given the strong emphasis on university-industry collaboration in science and technology policy in recent years, open science would pose many questions and challenges in encouraging innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Open Science and Its Enemies: Republic of Science and Enterprise of Technology," Symposium on Science and Technology Data, organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and the World Data System (WDS) of the International Council for Science (ICSU), Seventh Plenary Meeting of Research Data Alliance (RDA), Tokyo, Japan, March 4 (2016).

 

March 7, 2016:

The Third Symposium on the Principles for Financial Action for the 21st Century: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investment for Sustainability was held on Friday, March 4 in Tokyo, organized by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. Introducing the current state of academic findings about climate change, I discussed various kinds of climate-related risks and their implications for investors and financial institutions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Current State of Scientific Findings on Climate Change and Implications for Investors and Financial Institutions," Third Symposium on the Principles for Financial Action for the 21st Century: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investment for Sustainability, organized by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo, Japan, March 4 (2016).

 

March 1, 2016:

A series of Symposia on Science and Technology Data will be held on March 3-4 in Tokyo, organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) and the World Data System (WDS) of the International Council for Science (ICSU), coinciding with the Seventh Plenary Meeting of Research Data Alliance (RDA). Among the issues to be discussed would be open data and science, intellectual property rights, long-term data preservation, business models, and interdisciplinary data usage and applications for societal challenges. I will talk about tackling complex problems through integrated solutions with data and its implications for science, technology, and innovation policy.

 

February 29, 2016:

The Third Symposium on the Principles for Financial Action for the 21st Century, focusing on ESG investment for sustainability, will be held on Friday, March 4 in Tokyo, organized by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment. Experts from academia, government, and financial institutions will discuss investment practices and activities incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors and opportunities and challenges in the future. I will talk about the current state of academic findings about climate change and its implications for investors and financial institutions.

 

February 21, 2016:

Science and Technology Indicators Conference 2016, the annual event of the European Network of Indicator Designers (ENID), will take place at INGENIO (CSIC]UPV) in València, Spain on September 14-16. This conference, in which I'm involved as a member of the Scientific Committee, is aimed at stimulating discussions on the frontiers of S&T indicator development and use and their implications for peripheral or marginal spaces, geographically, cognitively, or socially, to the center of economic, scientific, or technological activities.

 

February 20, 2016:

A feature article on the smart city has been published in the German newspaper Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, with my comments on the implications of the development of smart cities for our relationship with new technologies and potential concerns as well as opportunities.

"Die Stadt der Alleswisser: Besuch in der Smart City," Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, February 19 (2016).

 

February 19, 2016:

Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) will organize the Third GSDM International Symposium "Global Governance and Innovation in the Fields of Medicine and Health" on February 23 at the University of Tokyo. Experts coming from academia, industry, government, and international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund will discuss opportunities and challenges in promoting medical health innovation, which involves research and development, on-site application of research findings, and collaboration through public-private partnerships.

 

February 18, 2016:

PV Magazine has published in its February 2016 issue a feature article on Japan's solar market. I made comments on the liberalization of the electricity market and its implications for the emergence of smart cities in Japan.

"A platform for reform: Japan has made it again," PV Magazine, 78538 (2), 16-19 (2016).

 

February 15, 2016:

My page has been created on the web site of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute, where I'm currently working as Visiting Scholar for the projects on Policy Measures for Improving Urban Air Quality in Asia and Transformative Innovation for Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction.

 

February 14, 2016:

There is a call for applications for participation in LKY-GraSPP Conference to be held in Tokyo on February 23 with students of Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo . We will discuss current policy challenges, including aging population, fiscal policy, education, national security, and industrial and economic development.

LKY-GraSPP Conference

Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Venue: School of Law Bldg, University of Tokyo Hongo Campus

Program:

14:00-14:10 Opening

14:10-15:40 Presentation & Discussion × 2 topics

15:40-15:50 Break

15:50-17:20 Presentation & Discussion × 2 topics

17:20-17:30 Break

17:40-18:20 Lecture of Prof. Suzuki

Policy Topics: Aging Population, Fiscal Policy, Education, National Security, and Industrial and Economic Development

Lecturers: Professor SUZUKI Kan, Professor NISHIZAWA Toshiro, Professor FUJIWARA Kiichi, and Professor YARIME Masaru

 

February 12, 2016:

The Fourth Neureiter Science Diplomacy Roundtable on Science & Technology Advice to Foreign Ministries was held on February 11 in Washington, D.C., organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Center for Science Diplomacy in partnership with the Office of the S&T Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Approximately 30 experts, diplomats, and S&T advisers were invited to discuss current challenges in connecting the S&T adviser network to scientific community, building internal S&T capacity in foreign ministries, and expanding science advisers network globally.

 

February 10, 2016:

I gave a lecture for the course on Science, Technology and Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Tracing the historical development of the national innovation system approach, we discussed the characteristics of Japanese innovation system and its challenges in the future, in comparison with other countries including China and the United States.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japan's National Innovation System and Its Future Challenges," Lecture for the Course on Science, Technology and Public Policy, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, February 9 (2016).

 

January 30, 2016:

The first SciREX Project Seminar will be held on Wednesday, February 24 at 16:00 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo, organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program. In our efforts to tackle societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity, and disaster risk reduction, the role of science and technology is increasingly emphasized in international frameworks and agreements on policy making and institutional design. Professor John P. Walsh of the Georgia Institute of Technology will discuss authorship norms and project structures in science based on a recent empirical study comparing across different academic fields in the United States.

 

January 29, 2016:

The UNISDR Science and Technology Conference on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 was held on January 27-29 in Geneva. An important issue discussed in the conference was how to promote and support the availability and application of science and technology to decision-making in disaster risk reduction. The conference was co-organized by the International Council for Science (ICSU), in which I'm serving the Task Group on Linking Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD) organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA). As LODGD has been proposed to act as a knowledge hub, we plan to publish the First White Paper on Gap Analysis on Open Data Interconnectivity for Global Disaster Risk Research and the Second White Paper on Next Generation Disaster Data Infrastructure.

 

January 28, 2016:

I made comments on the development of smart cities and communities and their implications for promoting electric vehicles (EVs) in the following article in PV Magazine.

"UK awards £40 million in funding to boost EVs," PV Magazine, News, January 27 (2016).

 

January 27, 2016:

I had a series of meetings on research projects on Science Diplomacy and Science Advice with my colleagues at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London. Through this international collaboration we aim to advance the development of science diplomacy and science advice as interdisciplinary fields of research, closely linked to the real-world practices of science and policy making.

 

January 26, 2016:

Our paper examining the resilience of embodied energy networks in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has just been published in the journal Global Environmental Research.

Sato, Masahiro, Ali Kharrazi, Hirofumi Nakayama, Steven Kraines, and Masaru Yarime, "The Resilience of Embodied Energy Networks: A Critical Dimension for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Global Environmental Research, 19 (2), 187-198 (2016).

 

January 24, 2016:

I got another interview by a journalist working for Die Zeit and Der Spiegel in Germany. As there has been a growing interest in smart city projects developed around the world including especially Japan, we discussed many questions being raised now: e.g., is technology replacing human autonomy; what is being done with all the data collected; are there likely to be unforeseeable social consequences?

 

January 23, 2016:

I got interviewed by a journalist working for PV Magazine, a monthly publication covering the latest technological trends and worldwide market developments in the field of photovoltaics. We discussed Japan's efforts to deregulate the energy sector and their implications for renewable energy.

 

January 20, 2016:

White Paper Team Meeting of the Task Group on Linked Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD) was held on January 18-19 at the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth (RADI) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, organized by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) of the International Council for Science (ICSU). We are currently working on the First White Paper on Gap Analysis on Open Data Interconnectivity for Global Disaster Risk Research, which will be published later this year.

 

January 15, 2016:

The Association for Asian Studies (AAS) Annual Meeting 2016 will be held from March 31 to April 3 in Seattle, United States. There will be a roundtable on Japan's Possible Futures, in which I will discuss the transformation of science and technology to meet societal challenges.

Japan's Possible Futures – Sponsored by U.S. Social Science Research Council (SSRC)

Organizer: Frank P. Baldwin

Date: Thursday, March 31, 2016, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Panel Abstract: The purpose of this roundtable is fourfold: introduce research on Japan’s possible futures, look beyond the disasters of 2011 at new developments in the years ahead, serve as a book launch for Japan: The Precarious Future, and enable the contributors to interact with an audience of scholars and students in a Q & A discussion. The edited volume was published by New York University Press in December 2015. The theme of the roundtable is the near-term outlook for Japan as seen by eighteen scholars (five will attend) and the scope is broad. The essays range from grim demographic constraints, employment patterns, and the rivalry between China and Japan to the legacy of Prime Minister Abe Shinzo. Some authors see gloom (but not doom) while others foresee a successful muddling through. The consensus is summed up in the book’s title: a precarious future. Each discussant will address an aspect of Japan’s future based on her/his chapter in the book. Ayako Kano will discuss gender issues. Saori Katada will discuss Abenomics and financial revival. Lawence Repeta will discuss the controversy over Japan’s constitution. William Siembieda will discuss post-Fukushima preparation for mega-disasters. Masaru Yarime will discuss the transformation of science and technology to meet social challenges. This is a committed effort to present multidisciplinary social science research at the AAS conference. Researchers in Japan are showing greater interest in the country’s future. Two public symposia in Tokyo this year have looked at where Japan will be circa 2030. Each was narrow in scope, basically limited to one discipline. This roundtable will demonstrate the benefits of a wider focus.

 

January 14, 2016:

My research seminar was organized on Wednesday, January 13 by the Resilience Engineering Research Center of the University of Tokyo, with which I'm affiliated as Cooperation Researcher.

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding and Implementing Resilience in Energy Systems: Implications for Network Governance for Global Sustainability," Research Seminar Resilience Engineering Research Center, University of Tokyo, January 14 (2016).

 

January 13, 2016:

Co-creation of knowledge and societal experiments for sustainability at universities is discussed with case studies in Japan, Sweden, and the United States in the book Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, which will be published soon by Springer.

Trencher, Gregory, Daniel Rosenberg Daneri, Kes McCormick, Toru Terada, John Petersen, Masaru Yarime, and Bernadett Kiss, "The Role of Students in the Co-creation of Transformational Knowledge and Sustainability Experiments: Experiences from Sweden, Japan and the USA," in Walter Leal Filho and Luciana Brandli, eds., Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, Berlin: Springer, 191-215 (2016).

 

January 11, 2016:

My page has been created on ORCID, which provides a registry to obtain a unique identifier and manage a record of activities for researchers.

 

December 31, 2015:

Google Scholar provides information on the citations of my publications at the end of 2015.

 

December 30, 2015:

Amazon's Author Page has been updated for 2015, with two books published and another one forthcoming.

 

December 29, 2015:

A year-end update has been made on my page at Publons, with 18 reviews of papers conducted in 2015.

 

December 25, 2015:

The book Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, edited by Walter Leal Filho and Luciana Brandli, will be published by Springer early next year. Our chapter discusses the co-creation of knowledge and experiments for sustainability based on the experiences of some leading universities in Japan, Europe, and the United States.

Trencher, Gregory, Daniel Rosenberg Daneri, Kes McCormick, Toru Terada, John Petersen, Masaru Yarime, and Bernadett Kiss, "The Role of Students in the Co-creation of Transformational Knowledge and Sustainability Experiments: Experiences from Sweden, Japan and the USA," in Walter Leal Filho and Luciana Brandli, eds., Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, Berlin: Springer, forthcoming.

 

December 22, 2015:

The IoT Acceleration Consortium was established in October 2015 in Japan to promote the development and demonstration of innovative technologies and the creation of business models for the Internet of Things (IoT) through close collaboration among academia, industry, and the public sector. I have joined the consortium as an Expert Member.

 

December 17, 2015:

The 5th Asian Conference on Innovative Energy and Environmental Chemical Engineering (ASCON-IEEChE) will be held in Yokohama, Japan on November 13-16, 2016. I have joined the Organizing Committee to support the exchange of scientific and technological knowledge among researchers and practitioners in academia and industry in Asia in various fields related to chemical engineering, particularly focusing on energy, environmental protection, and sustainability. The deadline for submitting abstracts is January 31, 2016.

 

December 15, 2015:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo will start a new Ph.D. program in April 2016, with a research focus on International Finance and Development and International Security, including Energy Security, Global Health, Risk and Resilience, and Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Governance. Everyone is very welcome to attend the information session on Thursday, December 17 at 19:00-20:00 at Room 610 on the sixth floor of the Administration Bureau Building 2 in the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo.

 

December 14, 2015:

I've joined the Editorial Board of SpringerPlus, an open-access journal that considers for publication manuscripts from all disciplines of academic research. With the first Impact Factor to be announced in June 2016, we expect a considerable increase in the number of submissions to the journal.

 

December 12, 2015:

The book Japan: The Precarious Future, edited by Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, has been published by New York University Press and U.S. Social Science Research Council (SSRC). This book is based on a project initiated by SSRC with the participation of a group of scholars of economics, politics, law, sociology, and public policy to examine the various roads that might lie ahead of Japan. Contributors explore issues such as national security, political leadership, manufacturing prowess, diplomacy, population decline, gender equality, and science and technology. This book would be essential for understanding the current landscape and future prospects of Japan, also providing valuable perspectives in thinking about the sustainability of this country.

Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., Japan: The Precarious Future, New York: New York University Press and United States Social Science Research Council (SSRC), (2015).

Introduction: Japan's Possible Futures - Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison

1. Demography as Destiny: Falling Birthrates and the Allure of a Blended Society - Sawako Shirahase

2. Precarity and Hope: Social Connectedness in Postcapitalist Japan - Anne Allison

3. Risk and Consequences: The Changing Japanese Employment Paradigm - Machiko Osawa and Jeff Kingston

4. The Future of Gender in Japan: Work/Life Balance and Relations between the Sexes - Ayako Kano

5. After Fukushima: Veto Players and Japanese Nuclear Policy - Jacques E.C. Hymans

6. Japan’s Megadisaster Challenges: Crisis Management in the Modern Era - William J. Siembieda and Haruo Hayashi

7. Fiscal Survival and Financial Revival: Possible Futures for the Japanese Economy - Saori N. Katada and Gene Park

8. Manufacturing in Japan: Factories and National Policy - Takahiro Fujimoto with Frank Baldwin

9. Integrated Solutions to Complex Problems: Transforming Japanese Science and Technology - Masaru Yarime

10. Military Cooperation and Territorial Disputes: The Changing Face of Japan’s Security Policy - Hiroshi Nakanishi

11. Economic and Strategic Leadership in Asia: The Rivalry between China-Japan - Claude Meyer

12. Possible Futures of Political Leadership: Waiting for a Transformational Prime Minister - Ellis S. Krauss and Robert J. Pekkanen

13. State Power versus Individual Freedom: Japan’s Constitutional Past, Present, and Possible Futures - Lawrence Repeta and Colin P.A. Jones

 

December 11, 2015:

The Gathering of Japan Foundation Fellows 2015 was held on Friday, December 11 in Tokyo. As an Abe Fellow I enjoyed very much discussing with other Fellows at the presentation session organized on a variety of topics, ranging from Japanese language and literature to international politics and public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "University-Industry-Government Collaboration for Innovation to Tackle Grand/Societal Challenges: Implications and Opportunities for Science and Technology Policy," The Gathering of Japan Foundation Fellows 2015, Japan Foundation, Tokyo, Japan, December 11 (2015).

 

December 10, 2015:

The International Conference on Social Research on Off-Grid Solar was organized by University College London (UCL) and the University of Edinburgh on December 9-10 at UCL. Researchers, practitioners, and policy makers brought their knowledge and expertise to discuss this growing research area from various perspectives, including technology design, business model, user interaction, and public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Assessing the Sustainability of Off-Grid Solar: Environmental, Economic, and Social Impacts of Solar LED Lanterns," International Conference on Social Research on Off-Grid Solar, organized by University College London (UCL) and the University of Edinburgh, UCL, London, United Kingdom, December 9-10 (2015).

 

December 9, 2015:

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has published a conference report on Technology and Climate Change: Innovation and Partnership for Transitional Change organized by ORF in New Delhi, India in September 2015. I was invited as one of the speakers to the conference, which focused on the strategies and policies on innovation for enabling transformative changes in global energy systems and building adaptive capacities in the country. The global debate on intellectual property rights (IPRs), adaptive and absorptive capacities, and bilateral opportunities for joint R&D are among the issues discussed in the conference, in the lead up to COP 21 currently held in Paris.

 

December 3, 2015:

The EcoDesign 2015 Conference: Sustainability through Innovation in Product Life Cycle Design is currently taking place in Tokyo. In Session on Future Design for Sustainability we discussed key concepts, methodologies, and practices recently proposed or implemented for designing possible futures towards sustainability, including participatory deliberation, stakeholder platform, uncertainty assessment, backcasting, and virtual future generations.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Sustainability Transitions: The Role of Stakeholder Platforms for University-Industry-Government Collaboration on Smart Communities," EcoDesign 2015 Conference: Sustainability through Innovation in Product Life Cycle Design, Tokyo, Japan, December 2-4 (2015).

 

December 2, 2015:

Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the University of Tokyo will organize the 40th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Thursday, December 17. Dr. Carlos Lopez-Gomez of the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (CSTI) in the University of Cambridge will discuss recent developments in the industrial-innovation policy agenda in the UK and Japan, focusing on key challenges identified globally, including the digitization of manufacturing and innovation for industrial sustainability.

The 40th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Thursday, December 17, 2016, 17:00-18:30

VenueFSeminar Room 2, Economic Research Annex (Kojima Hall), The University of Tokyo

Title: International Approaches to Industrial-Innovation Policy: A Focus on UK and Japan

Speaker: Dr. Carlos López-Gómez, Research Associate, Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (CSTI), University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and Visiting Researcher, Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo

Abstract: The role of innovation policies in supporting manufacturing-based economic growth is the subject of much debate internationally. Particularly in the context of potentially disruptive developments such as the "digitisation of manufacturing" and rapid advances in related emerging technologies, countries around the world are developing new strategies and policies to help their industries overcome current and future competitiveness challenges. Approaches adopted across countries vary considerably, owing to differences in national policy tradition and priorities, industrial strengths and institutional infrastructure. This talk will discuss recent developments in the industrial-innovation policy agenda in the UK and Japan. Emphasis will be placed on key industrial challenges recently identified in both countries and new institutional approaches aimed at supporting manufacturing innovation. Examples will be drawn from the 'digitisation of manufacturing' policy agenda in both countries.

Short Bio: Carlos López-Gómez is the head of knowledge exchange at the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (CSTI), University of Cambridge. His work explores the interfaces of industrial and innovation policy with particular emphasis on how countries capture value through manufacturing innovation. Carlos has advised regional and national governments as well as international institutions, including the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the European Commission as well as regional governments in Mexico and Spain. Carlos is currently a visiting researcher at the Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST); and at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, The University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 1, 2015:

I have just joined the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute as Visiting Scholar. My work here focuses on the research projects on Policy Measures for Improving Urban Air Quality in Asia and Transformative Innovation for Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction.

 

November 30, 2015:

The International Energy Forum (IEF) and and King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) organized a joint seminar on sustainable transport technology on November 10 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Experts invited from academia, industry, and the public sector discussed recent development and implementation of emerging transport technologies and future research directions for sustainable transportation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Innovation on Smart Cities through Stakeholder Collaboration: International Comparative Analysis," Seminar on Driving Adoption of Sustainable Transport Technology: What Policy and Business Strategies are Effective?, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 10 (2015).

 

November 27, 2015:

China-Japan Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Innovation Forum 2015 was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, China on November 25-26, organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Experts coming from academia, industry, and the public sector in Japan and China discussed various issues involving innovation-driven development, with potentials for establishing smart or intelligent societies through cooperation and collaboration between Japan and China.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation on Smart Cities through Stakeholder Collaboration: Opportunities and Challenges in Japan-China Cooperation," China-Japan Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Innovation Forum 2015: Innovation-Driven Development for Establishing Smart Societies, organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), China National Convention Center, Beijing, China, November 25-26 (2015).

 

November 21, 2015:

Energy resilience of countries was investigated by quantifying the diversity in suppliers both of direct and embodied energy through global trade networks. Our paper discussing the research findings with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has just been accepted for publication in the journal Global Environmental Research.

Sato, Masahiro, Ali Kharrazi, Hirofumi Nakayama, Steven Kraines, and Masaru Yarime, "The Resilience of Embodied Energy Networks: A Critical Dimension for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Global Environmental Research, forthcoming.

 

November 20, 2015:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo will start a new Ph.D. program in April 2016, with a research focus on International Finance and Development and International Security, including Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Governance. Information sessions will take place on Thursday, November 26 at 12:20-13:20 at Room 710 and on Thursday, December 17 at 19:00-20:00 at Room 610 in the Administration Bureau Building 2 in the Hongo Campus.

 

November 19, 2015:

Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize STIG International Symposium 2015 "Using Behavioral Science Insights to Design Innovative Public Policy and Business" on Wednesday, November 25 at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Ken Haig of Opower Japan, Professor Alberto Alemanno of HEC Paris, and leading experts will discuss recent findings of behavioral science and their implications for public policy and business in facilitating innovation for energy saving, public health, and disaster mitigation.

STIG International Symposium 2015 "Using Behavioral Science Insights to Design Innovative Public Policy and Business"

Behavioral changes in daily life are essential for saving energy, preventing diseases, and reducing damages from natural disasters. However, it is often difficult to set in place laws and other regulatory measures that are directly targeted at individual behavioral changes. That is why there is an increasing interest in using behavioral science insights, which are called "nudges." They utilizes the psychological biases of people in an attempt to lead their behaviors toward "good" outcomes. This symposium will look into innovative approaches for public policy and business utilizing nudges, focusing on energy savings and health promotion.

Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 13:00-16:00

Venue: Yayoi Auditorium Annex, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Keynote Lectures: Dr. Ken Haig, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Opower Japan Professor Alberto Alemanno, Jean Monnet Professor of Law, HEC Paris

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

 

November 18, 2015:

The 11th SciREX Seminar "An Agenda for Science and Technology Policy in The Netherlands" was held on Tuesday, November 17, organized by the Science for Redesigning Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Center. Mr. Jan Staman, Former Director of the Rathenau Institute in the Hague, talked about recent controversies in environmental issues involving science and technology in the Netherlands. I facilitated a discussion with the audience on how stakeholders in academia, government, and civil society can restore trust in science and technology, implementing innovation for tackling sustainability challenges.

Yarime, Masaru, "Questions and Discussions on Contested Science: Public Controversies about Science and Policy," The 11th SciREX Seminar "An Agenda for Science and Technology Policy in the Netherlands," Expert Club Kasumigaseki Knowledge Center, Tokyo, Japan November 17 (2015).

 

November 13, 2015:

Green Technology Center in Seoul organized GTC International Symposium 2015: Korea's Opportunities in Response to Major Countries' Climate Change and Green Technology Policy. Experts invited from the United States, Germany, China, Japan, and South Korea presented green technology policies in response to climate change in different national contests and discussed opportunities and challenges in facilitating international cooperation, with a particular focus on Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japan’s Experience of Implementing Green Innovation and Strategies for Tackling Climate Change," Green Technology Center (GTC) International Symposium 2015: Korea's Opportunities in Response to Major Countries' Climate Change and Green Technology Policy, Seoul, South Korea, November 12 (2015).

 

November 10, 2015:

King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia organized a workshop, "Drivers of Transportation Fuel Demand: Is Policy Expanding the Reach of Alternative and Fuel Efficient Vehicles?," and a seminar, "Driving Adoption of Sustainable Transport Technology: What Policy and Business Strategies are Effective?" More than 30 experts invited from academia, industry, and the public sector participated in roundtable discussions to develop new insights and identify future research directions for sustainable transportation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Innovation on Smart Cities through Stakeholder Collaboration," Seminar on Driving Adoption of Sustainable Transport Technology: What Policy and Business Strategies are Effective?, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 10 (2015).

 

November 7, 2015:

I made a visit to Ecole Polytechnique in France to discuss opportunities for strengthening cooperation and collaboration on research and educational activities with the University of Tokyo. Dr. Elena Mure and Ms. Gaelle Le Goff in charge of International Development and Professor Yukio Koriyama in the Department of Economics are very keen to promote the exchange of students and faculty members between the two institutions.

 

November 6, 2015:

The Sustainable Mobility Institute (IMD), which was established by Renault, Renault Foundation, and ParisTech in 2009, conducts research on transportation and mobility for a sustainable future. I have started to collaborate with Haruki Sawamura-san and our colleagues at École Polytechnique on a project to explore opportunities and challenges in implementing electric mobility systems in Bangalore, India.

 

October 27, 2015:

The First National Meeting in 2015 of Experts for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was organized on Tuesday, October 27 by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment to share and exchange information about the expert groups of IPBES. In the Expert Group on Deliverable 4c, which I have joined through nomination by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), we are currently developing a proposal for a catalogue of policy support tools and methodologies (IPBES/3/INF/8 Annex III) and a guidance on how the further development of policy support tools and methodologies could be promoted and catalysed in the context of the Platform (IPBES/3/5 Annex II).

Yarime, Masaru, "Current State of Activities and Discussions in the Expert Group on Catalogue of Policy Support Tools and Methodologies (Deliverable 4c)," First National Meeting in 2015 of Experts for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo, Japan, October 27 (2015).

 

October 26, 2015:

A report has been published on the Conference on Technology and Climate Change: Innovation and Partnership for Transitional Change, which was organized on September 23 by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi, India. UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd and the Indian Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar were among the speakers invited to discuss the policy frameworks required to stimulate technology innovation and global partnerships, in the lead up to COP 21 in Paris this December. In Panel 2 on Technological Transitions and Innovation: Learning from New Centers and Sectors I talked about Japan's experience of innovation on energy and lessons and implications for tackling climate change.

 

October 23, 2015:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program will organize the 38th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on the Ethos of Science Advice on Friday, November 6 at the University of Tokyo. Professor Arthur Petersen of the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) at University College London (UCL) will discuss the roles and processes of science advice for public decision-making at local, national, and international levels, based on his experiences at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

The 38th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Friday, November 6, 2015, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Seminar Room 404, School of Law Building, The University of Tokyo

Title: The Ethos of Science Advice

Speaker: Professor Arthur C Petersen, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London (UCL), United Kingdom

Abstract: There are many theories that can inform analysis of how science advice is done or should be done. Here I define “science advice” as “practices involving individuals, organisations and structures that mobilise natural and social scientific and engineering knowledge into public decision-making”. In this seminar, I will demonstrate that although some theories are well elaborated, empirical proof for the described changes, roles and processes in scientific advice is limited. After reviewing literature and outstanding questions on roles of scientific advisors at local, national and international levels, I will offer a pragmatist analysis of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Subsequently, I will assess capacity-building needs in science advice across a range of cultural and political contexts, and governance scales: What skills do future science advisors and recipients of science advice need to deal responsibly with their tasks? I will conclude with presenting elements of an ethos of scientific advice, which are based on experiences with implementing post-normal science at the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency.

Biography: Professor Arthur C Petersen (DPA PhD MA MSc) joined UCL STEaPP fulltime in September 2014 after more than 13 years’ work as scientific adviser on environment and infrastructure policy within the Dutch Government. Most recently he served as Chief Scientist of the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (2011–2014). Arthur is also Adjunct Professor of Science and Environmental Public Policy at the VU University Amsterdam (since 2011) and Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (since 2009), and has been Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (2009–2014) and at UCL STEaPP (January–August 2014). Arthur studied physics and philosophy, obtained doctorate degrees in atmospheric sciences (Doctor of Philosophy – PhD, Utrecht University, 1999) and philosophy of science (Doctor of Public Administration – DPA, VU University Amsterdam, 2006), and now also finds disciplinary homes in anthropology and political science. Most of his research is about managing uncertainty.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), The University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 20, 2015:

The Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, edited by Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, Ian Thomas, will be published next week. In this handbook I have written the first chapter on education for sustainable development and sustainability science with Dr. Yoko Mochizuki.

Mochizuki, Yoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Chapter 1 - Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and Research," in Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, eds., Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, London: Routledge, 11-24 (2015).

 

October 19, 2015:

Top downloaded papers published in Science and Public Policy from 2014 and 2015 will be free to read until the end of this year, including our paper on the university's emerging function of co-creation for sustainability.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 41 (2), 151-179 (2014).

 

October 17, 2015:

The 34th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar will be organized on Thursday, October 22 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Jan Staman, Former Director of Rathenau Institute based in the Hague in the Netherlands, will introduce a variety of issues involving controversies with regard to scientific evidence in recent years and discuss their lessons and implications for science, technology, and innovation policy and governance.

The 34th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date/Time: Thursday, October 22, 2015, 15:00-16:30

Venue: Seminar Room 102, School of Law Building, Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo

Title: Contested Science

Speaker: Jan Staman, Former Director of Rathenau Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands

Abstract: Scientific evidence for new innovation, such as shale gas exploitation, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology, is often contested in society. In this seminar, Jan Staman, who until last was the Director of Rathenau Institute, the leading institution in the field of technology assessment in Europe, will discuss a wide range of recent developments on such topics as the nexus of science and society and the contested science.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 15, 2015:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo will start a new Ph.D. program in April 2016. The main fields of research will be International Finance and Development and International Security, including science, technology, innovation policy and governance. The application period will be in the middle of January 2016.

 

October 14, 2015:

The Science for RE-designing Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Center organized the Symposium "Toward Co-evolution of Science for Policy and Policy Making Process in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy - Challenges and Future Perspectives" on Wednesday, October 14 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. I introduced to the audience the research and educational activities at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program at the University of Tokyo and discussed the implications for SciREX of current issues and opportunities, including globalization, grand/societal challenges, transdisciplinarity, emerging technologies, big data, behavioral sciences, impact assessment, and responsible research and innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Challenges and Opportunities in Coordinating Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy and Policy Making Processes," Symposium "Toward Co-evolution of Science for Policy and Policy Making Process in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy - Challenges and Future Perspectives," Science for RE-designing Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Center, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan, October 14 (2015).

 

October 10, 2015:

Co-creation of knowledge and societal experiments for sustainability at universities is examined through case studies of Japan, Sweden, and the United States in the forthcoming book Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level.

Trencher, Gregory, Daniel Rosenberg Daneri, Kes McCormick, Toru Terada, John Petersen, Masaru Yarime, and Bernadett Kiss, "The Role of Students in the Co-creation of Transformational Knowledge and Sustainability Experiments: Experiences from Sweden, Japan and the USA," in Walter Leal Filho and Luciana Brandli, eds., Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, Berlin: Springer, forthcoming.

 

October 9, 2015:

The Symposium "Toward Co-evolution of Science for Policy and Policy Making Process in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy - Challenges and Future Perspectives -" will be held at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo on Wednesday, October 14. It is organized for the first anniversary of the inauguration of SciREX (Science for RE-designing Science, Technology and Innovation Policy) Center. I will participate in the Panel on How Can We Bridge SciREX Activities and Policy Making Process: Challenges and Future Perspectives.

 

October 5, 2015:

I had discussions with Professor Aaron Levine and Dr. Jason Borenstein, Director of Graduate Research Ethics Program, at the School of Public Policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology, on ethics, responsible conduct of research, and innovation. It would be of critical importance to establish clear and appropriate rules, guidelines, and policies for ensuring research integrity so that researchers are encouraged to take risks in conducting research for innovation, without being excessively concerned about potential problems in their behavior and relationships with industry and other stakeholders.

 

October 3, 2015:

The Center for International Strategy, Technology, and Policy (CISTP) is the interdisciplinary policy research arm of the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Its research programs focus on multifaceted examination of international security, including nuclear, energy, environmental, and cyber security. I had a good discussion with Professor Jarrod Hayes on current developments at the intersection of science, technology, innovation, and foreign policy.

 

October 2, 2015:

We examined the resilience of national energy systems with measurements of diversity in production-based and consumption-based electricity in the context of globalization of trade networks. The results have just been published in the journal Energy Policy.

Kharrazi, Ali, Masahiro Sato, Masaru Yarime, Hirofumi Nakayama, Yadong Yu, and Steven Kraines, "Examining the resilience of national energy systems: Measurements of diversity in production-based and consumption-based electricity in the globalization of trade networks," Energy Policy, 87, 455-464 (2015).

 

September 29, 2015:

I had a stimulating discussion with Professor Diana Hicks at the School of Public Policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Science and technology policy is increasingly influenced by what is called grand/societal challenges in many countries, including Japan, Europe, and the United States. As it would vary substantially how these challenges are perceived and understood, depending upon historical backgrounds and societal contexts, an interesting examination could be made on the trends in the future visions illustrated through foresight studies over the past decades and the ways in which they were reflected in the process of policy making.

 

September 28, 2015:

The 10th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) is currently held in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Our paper on recent initiatives by the aviation industry to establish an innovation system for alternative jet fuels was presented in Session on the Future of Sustainability: From Crisis to Abundance? by Dr. Hiroko Nakamura.

Nakamura, Hiroko, and Masaru Yarime, "The Aviation Industry's Initiatives to Build up an Innovation System for Alternative Jet Fuels," The 10th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), Dubrovnik, Croatia, September 27-October 2 (2015).

 

September 26, 2015:

An ecological information-based approach is explored to examine the configurations of global trade networks for strategic assessment of resilience in our recent paper, which has been published online in the Journal of Industrial Ecology.

Kharrazi, Ali, Steven Kraines, Elena Rovenskaya, Ram Avtar, Shuichi Iwata, and Masaru Yarime, "Examining the Ecology of Commodity Trade Networks Using an Ecological Information-Based Approach: Toward Strategic Assessment of Resilience," Journal of Industrial Ecology, forthcoming.

 

September 25, 2015:

I had a very fruitful discussion with Professor John P. Walsh of the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology. One of the issues we discussed is how universities are addressing the challenge of implementing responsible research and innovation through university-industry collaboration. Universities are now expected to contribute to creating innovation with stakeholders, while managing various types of risk and concern, including conflict of interest, ethical consideration, and societal challenges such as sustainability. A serious examination would be required to understand how these factors actually influence the behavior of researchers and the process and outcome of research and innovation in practice.

 

September 24, 2015:

The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organized the Conference on Technology and Climate Change: Innovation and Partnership for Transitional Change on Wednesday, September 23, in New Delhi, India. UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd and the Indian Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Shri Prakash Javadekar were among the speakers who were invited to discuss the policy frameworks required to stimulate technology innovation and partnerships to facilitate transitions towards sustainability, in the lead up to COP 21 to be held in Paris this December. In Panel 2 on Technological Transitions and Innovation: Learning from New Centers and Sectors I talked about Japan's experience of innovation on energy and lessons and implications for tackling climate change.

Yarime, Masaru, "Japan’s Experience of Energy Innovation and Lessons for Tackling Climate Change," Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Conference on Technology and Climate Change: Innovation and Partnership for Transitional Change, New Delhi, India, September 23 (2015).

 

September 23, 2015:

The Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) has been established by UNESCO in co-operation with the Indian government to transform current education policies and practices by developing innovative teaching and learning methods. One of the projects at MGIEP led by Dr. Yoko Mochizuki focuses on examining school curricula in countries in the Asia-Pacific region to explore how sustainability can be well-integrated into mainstream subjects, so that students and teachers will seriously get engaged in this issue.

 

September 22, 2015:

I had a meeting with Professor K.V. Kesavan and Ms. Vindu Mai Chotani at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi, India. We discussed recent developments in Japan’s foreign policy, with their implications for the future of the Asia-Pacific region, and opportunities for Japan-Indian cooperation in various fields including economic development, climate change, and international security.

 

September 19, 2015:

Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2015 was held on September 17-19, organized by the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology. As a member of the Program Committee I joined with our colleagues reviewing papers submitted to the conference. I discussed university-stakeholder collaboration to address societal challenges with a case study of smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "Collaboration between University and Stakeholders for Promoting Innovation to Address Societal Challenges: A Case Study of Smart Cities," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2015, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, September 17-19 (2015).

 

September 18, 2015:

The resilience of national energy systems is examined with measurements of diversity in production-based and consumption-based electricity in the context of globalization of trade networks in our recent paper, which will be published soon in the journal Energy Policy.

Kharrazi, Ali, Masahiro Sato, Masaru Yarime, Hirofumi Nakayama, Yadong Yu, and Steven Kraines, "Examining the resilience of national energy systems: Measurements of diversity in production-based and consumption-based electricity in the globalization of trade networks," Energy Policy, forthcoming.

 

September 17, 2015:

Our paper discussing the co-creation of knowledge and societal experiments for sustainability at universities in Japan, Sweden, and the United States will be published soon in the forthcoming book Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, in the World Sustainability Series edited by Walter Leal Filho.

Trencher, Gregory, Daniel Rosenberg Daneri, Kes McCormick, Toru Terada, John Petersen, Masaru Yarime, Bernadett Kiss, "The Role of Students in the Co-creation of Transformational Knowledge and Sustainability Experiments: Experiences from Sweden, Japan and the USA, in Walter Leal Filho and Luciana Brandli, eds., Engaging Stakeholders in Education for Sustainable Development at University Level, Berlin: Springer, forthcoming.

 

September 13, 2015:

I discussed the future of Japan's science and technology in addressing societal challenges in a chapter contributed to the book Japan: The Precarious Future, edited by Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, to be published soon by New York University Press.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrated Solutions to Complex Problems: Transforming Japanese Science and Technology," in Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., Japan: The Precarious Future, New York: New York University Press, forthcoming.

 

September 12, 2015:

Currently I'm staying as a Visiting Scholar at the School of Public Policy (SPP) of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. SPP's Chair Professor Kaye Husbands Fealing was the inaugural program director for the National Science Foundation’s Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP) program. We discussed opportunities for research collaboration with Japan's similar initiative, Science of Redesigning Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (SciREX) program, through joint projects and exchange of researchers.

 

September 10, 2015:

The United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) is currently organizing Intensive Core (IC) Courses for students pursuing master's and doctoral degrees in sustainability-related fields. I gave a lecture on sustainability science for the course on Human Development and Global Sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Sustainability Science: Knowledge, Institutions, and Transdisciplinarity," Course on Human Development and Global Sustainability, Intensive Core (IC) Courses, United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Tokyo, Japan, September 10 (2015).

 

September 3, 2015:

The experiences of co-creating knowledge and societal experimentation through student participation at the University of Tokyo is discussed in our recent paper, which has just been published in the journal Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability.

Trencher, Gregory, Toru Terada, and Masaru Yarime, "Student participation in the co-creation of knowledge and social experiments for advancing sustainability: Experiences from the University of Tokyo," Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 16, 56-63 (2015).

 

August 31, 2015:

The International Sustainability Transitions 2015 Conference (IST 2015) was held on August 25-28 at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) of the University of Sussex in Brighton, the United Kingdom. A paper written with Katsumasa Hamaguchi of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the dynamics of geothermal energy technology deployment in the Philippines was presented in the conference.

Hamaguchi, Katsumasa, and Masaru Yarime, "The Dynamics of Geothermal Energy Technology Deployment in the Philippines – A Case Study from a Socio-Technical Transitions Perspective," International Sustainability Transitions 2015 Conference (IST 2015), Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom, August 25-28 (2015).

 

August 26, 2015:

A new book, Introduction to Natural Capital: Challenges to National Governments, Local Communities, and Private Enterprises, has just been published by NTT Press (in Japanese). It is based on intensive discussions for the past two years at the Research Group on Natural Capital with researchers and practitioners in academia, industry, government, and NGOs. I have been serving as chair of the research group, kindly supported by the secretariat hosted at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank.

Research Group on Natural Capital (Chair: Masaru Yarime), ed., Introduction to Natural Capital: Challenges to National Governments, Local Communities, and Private Enterprises, Tokyo: NTT Press, 270 pages (2015).

Yarime, Masaru, "Why Natural Capital Receives Increasing Attention," in Research Group on Natural Capital, ed., Introduction to Natural Capital: Challenges to National Governments, Local Communities, and Private Enterprises (in Japanese), Tokyo: NTT Press, 1-12 (2015).

 

August 23, 2015:

SciREX Summer Camp 2015 was held on August 21-23 in Inuyama, Aichi, organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the University of Tokyo with the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Hitotsubashi University, Osaka University, Kyoto University, and Kyushu University through the Science for Redesigning Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Program. The International Student Group, which I supervised for the group work, has won the best prize for their proposal for science, technology, and innovation policy to address food security in India.

 

August 19, 2015:

A workshop on the risk of climate change was held on August 18 at PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata in Tokyo. It was organized for the project Transformation and Resilience on Urban Coasts (TRUC), which is funded by the Belmont Forum, a group of high-level representatives from major funding agencies across the globe, in collaboration with R!SE Japan Collaboration Committee. We discussed various types of risk posed by climate change in Tokyo and possible countermeasures for mitigating them with researchers in academia and practitioners in the public and private sectors.

Yarime, Masaru, "Resilience in Climate Change Mitigation," Transformation and Resilience on Urban Coasts (TRUC) Workshop on the Risk of Climate Change in Tokyo, organized in collaboration with R!SE Japan Collaboration Committee, PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata, Tokyo, Japan, August 19 (2015).

 

August 17, 2015:

I have just joined Publons, a novel system for providing credit to peer reviewers of academic articles. As it is becoming increasingly difficult to find reviewers for a growing number of papers submitted to journals, this system is expected to provide a strong incentive to researchers by facilitating proper recognition of their contributions in evaluation.

 

August 12, 2015:

Kojin Oshiba-san and Nami Akinaga-san of Leave a Nest made a visit to my office to discuss human resource development. A critical issue at higher education institutions today is how to integrate and utilize various kinds of knowledge and expertise in natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities for tackling societal challenges we are currently facing. Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) and Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program at the University of Tokyo and the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) at University College London are among the initiatives recently started by academia to explore possibilities and opportunities through close collaboration with stakeholders in the public and private sectors.

 

August 10, 2015:

I have just finished reviewing a proposal for the Open Research Area (ORA) in Europe for the Social Sciences. It is coordinated by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR) in France, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in Germany, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the UK, and the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO) in the Netherlands to strengthen international co-operation in the field of the social sciences through a common call for proposals to fund joint research projects.

 

August 7, 2015:

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 50 will be organized on Tuesday, August 11 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Kathryn Janda of Environmental Change Institute of the University of Oxford will discuss the idea of social potential in the context of policy interventions for reducing energy use.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 50

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2015, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: New Ways to Reduce Energy Demand: Self Regulation, Voluntary Initiatives, and Social Potential

Speaker: Dr. Kathryn Janda, Senior Researcher, Lower Carbon Futures, Environmental Change Institute (ECI), University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract: Much of the people-centered attention in current work on building energy use focuses on changing the behavior of individuals around a fixed set of things and energy services. This work envisions policy interventions for reducing energy use that rest on motivating people to act on potential monetary savings or to prioritize contributing to the global good. These perspectives largely omit consideration of higher scale and more intricate social contexts, professional cultures, and expectations that shape the activities, habits, and practices behind energy use. Below we discuss a notion of “social potential” that affords a broader possible contribution of social sciences to improved understanding of building energy use and how policies might reshape this use. We begin with an overview of the basic genres of research on people and building energy use and outlines three common missed understandings evident in the energy efficiency industry's attention to people: (1) “If only they knew”; (2) “If only they could be made to care”; and (3) “If only they stayed home.” Beyond individuals, communities, and organizations, we suggest social potential as a formulation that complements and transcends the technical and behavioral savings potential concepts underpinning much of today's building energy efficiency policies, programs, and research.

Reference: Moezzi, M., & K. B. Janda. 2014. "From "if only" to "social potential" in schemes to reduce building energy use." Energy Research and Social Science, 1 (March), 30-40.

Bio: Kathryn B. Janda is an interdisciplinary, problem-based scholar and senior researcher at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on how organizations and professions (re)design, use, own, and manage non-domestic buildings. Her approach builds on literature in technological innovation, organizational decision-making, and energy policy. Her work has been supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, the UK Economic and Social Research Council, Electricité de France, the US Environmental Protection Agency, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the World Bank. She currently serves as an advisor to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change. She earned undergraduate degrees in electrical engineering and English literature from Brown University (USA) and her M.S. and Ph.D. from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked in the Energy Analysis Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (USA) and served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Environmental Policy Fellow at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Prior to her position at Oxford, she served as an assistant professor of Environmental Studies at Oberlin College (Ohio, USA), where she taught courses on energy production and consumption; interdisciplinary building analysis; environment and society; a practicum on ecological design; and qualitative research methods.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

August 6, 2015:

The first workshop on a research project on Urban Air Quality Improvement in Asia was held at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute in Tokyo. Researchers from Japan, China, and South Korea examined the past experiences of fighting against air pollution in different locations and contexts in Asia and discussed lessons and implications for designing and implementing policy measures for mitigating air pollution, with a particular focus on particulate matters that are smaller than 2.5 micrometers in diameter (PM2.5).

Yarime, Masaru, "Tackling Air Pollution in Asia: Possibilities and Challenges in Stakeholder Collaboration for Sustainability Innovation," First Workshop on the Research Project on Urban Air Quality Improvement in Asia, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan, August 6 (2015).

 

August 5, 2015:

Leading universities across the globe are increasingly engaged in stakeholder collaborations for co-creating knowledge, experience, and expertise through societal experiments on innovation for sustainability. Various modes of student participation and their possibilities and challenges to higher education institutions are discussed in our paper to be published soon in the journal Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability.

Trencher, Gregory, Toru Terada, and Masaru Yarime, Student participation in the co-creation of knowledge and social experiments for advancing sustainability: Experiences from the University of Tokyo, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, forthcoming.

 

July 31, 2015:

Task Group on Linked Open Data for Global Disaster Risk Research (LODGD), which was established in 2012 by the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) in the International Council for Science (ICSU), aims to examine the mechanisms for connecting dispersed disaster-related scientific data to enable easier and faster discovery, search, and access to data, reducing the barriers faced by researchers due to limited interconnection of existing disaster-related data. I have just joined the the LODGD Task Group in the second phase starting in 2015.

 

July 30, 2015:

A special issue on Sustainable Use of Phosphorus in Asia has just been published in the journal Global Environmental Research, edited by Professor Hisao OHTAKE, Professor Kazuyo Matsubae, and myself. A stakeholder analysis was conducted on the case of phosphorus recycling from sewage systems in Japan, with lessons and implications discussed for public policies.

Shiroyama, Hideaki, Makiko Matsuo, and Masaru Yarime, "Issues and Policy Measures for Phosphorus Recycling from Sewage: Lessons from Stakeholder Analysis of Japan," Global Environmental Research, 19 (1), 67-76 (2015).

 

July 28, 2015:

The book Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies has been published by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) in the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic of the Federal Government of Brazil. Our chapter discusses the environment as a complex natural-social system, with its implications for challenges and opportunities in public policies.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "Understanding the Environment as a Complex Natural-Social System: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Policies," in Bernardo Alves Furtado, Patrícia A. M. Sakowski, and Marina H. Tóvolli, eds., Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies, Brasilia: Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, Federal Government of Brazil, 127-140 (2015).

 

July 27, 2015:

The Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability (SEC) was established in Singapore in 2010 as a joint initiative between ETH Zurich and Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF). I had a very stimulating discussion with SEC Director and Professor Peter Edwards, who used to be one of the coordinators for the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) between ETH, MIT, Chalmers University of Technology, and the University of Tokyo. Developing further our joint activities for tackling sustainability challenges with stakeholders through AGS, SEC is currently engaged in a number of research programs, such as the Future Cities Laboratory (FCL) and the Future Resilient Systems (FRS).

 

July 26, 2015:

I had a discussion with Dr. Jansen Wee and Dr. Wan Ping Bay at the Risk Assessment and Horizon Scanning (RAHS) Programme Office in the National Security Coordination Secretariat of Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore. RAHS Think Centre is engaged in horizon scanning to identify emerging risks and opportunities with implications for national security and conducts research and analysis particularly focusing on cross-cutting issues with complex multi-faceted risks. There would be great potential in international collaboration on developing risk assessment platforms and governance frameworks in Asia.

 

July 25, 2015:

I had a meeting with Professor Asit K. Biswas at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. As part of an effort to develop the country as a "global hydrohub," the government encourages inward investment to leverage Singapore as a living laboratory to develop, test and commercialize innovative water solutions. We will explore the process and mechanism of establishing an innovation ecosystem on water through collaboration between government, industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

 

July 23, 2015:

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 49 will be held on Friday, August 7 at 17:00-18:30 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Ms. Paula Fernandez-Wulff of Université catholique de Louvain will discuss empowerment and agency in the food system from a perspective of transdisciplinary research. She is involved in Louvain Open Platform on Ecological and Social Transition (LPTransition), a new initiative led by Professor Tom Dedeurwaerdere (the author of Sustainability Science for Strong Sustainability) to explore paths towards ecological and social transition of our societies from a transdisciplinary perspective. I also gave a talk at LPTransition open seminar series 2 held on March 4, 2015. Everyone is welcome to attend the seminar.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 49

Date: Friday, August 7, 2015, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Triggering Agency in the Food System: Transdisciplinary Research and the Role of Local Food Organizations in Japan and Abroad

Speaker: Paula Fernández-Wulff, Research Fellow, Research Unit on Biodiversity Governance (BIOGOV), Louvain Open Platform on Ecological and Social Transition (LPTransition) and the Interdisciplinary Institute of Legal Sciences (JUR-I), Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

Abstract: Our food system is more globalized than ever: exotic products from distant countries, available all-year round, now populate the shelves of our supermarkets and convenience stores. Yet a parallel phenomenon is also taking place at the local level – citizens organized in collective and collaborative endeavors, sometimes through improving the food system, sometimes fighting it, and sometimes building a parallel one, are innovating in ways that aim at relocalizing the food chain in a sustainable manner. These citizens are agents of change, empowered to collectively bring about the necessary consequences that will mend the food system from the bottom-up. However, we know very little about the organizational mechanisms that favor (directly or indirectly) the active involvement of people in the transition towards a more sustainable food system. This seminar, after briefly describing the work of the BIOGOV Unit of the University of Louvain on the issue of transdisciplinary research, will present some preliminary results of the Japanese chapter of an ongoing international research project on the question of empowerment and agency in the food system.

Bio: Paula Fernández-Wulff is a multi-disciplined researcher with training in food and agriculture, biodiversity, and law. She is currently a PhD research fellow at the University of Louvain, under the supervision of Olivier de Schutter, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (2008-2014). Her current research focuses on socio-ecological transitions towards sustainable food systems and the question of agency. She holds an MSc in Environmental Governance from the United Nations University (Tokyo), where she specialized on food legal frameworks and their impact on agrobiodiversity in Mexico and Ecuador. She trained as a lawyer in France and Spain, specializing in European and International law at Complutense University and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 21, 2015:

Research Group on Natural Capital was established in April 2013 with active participation of researchers and practitioners in academia, industry, and government agencies. Since then I have been chairing the research group, with a kind support from the secretariat hosted by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank. Based on our intensive discussions for the past two years, we will soon publish a book, Introduction to Natural Capital: Challenges to National Governments, Local Communities, and Private Enterprises.

Yarime, Masaru, "Why Natural Capital Receives Increasing Attention," in Research Group on Natural Capital, ed., Introduction to Natural Capital: Challenges to National Governments, Local Communities, and Private Enterprises (in Japanese), Tokyo: NTT Press, forthcoming.

 

July 20, 2015:

World Congress on Risk 2015 is currently taking place in Singapore, organized by the Society for Risk Analysis (SRA), with the overall theme of Risk Analysis for Sustainable Innovation. In Symposium: An Integrative Approach to the Framing and Design of Sustainability Projects, which was jointly organized with my colleagues in Clark University in the United States, University of Stuttgart in Germany, and the University of Malaya in Malaysia, I discussed with Dr. Gregory Greg Trencher recent experiences of establishing and utilizing stakeholder platforms initiated by leading university researchers for sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "University-Driven Stakeholder Platforms for Sustainability Innovation," World Congress on Risk 2015, Singapore, July 19-23 (2015).

 

July 19, 2015:

I had a discussion with Dr. Carlos López-Gómez of the Centre for Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (CSTI) of the University of Cambridge. We are currently collaborating to investigate foresight as a methodology for mobilizing knowledge in public decision making, with its possibilities and challenges examined closely through a comparative case study of manufacturing foresight in Japan, the United Kingdom, and other countries.

 

July 18, 2015:

Okinawa Workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was held on July 17-18 at Okinawa Shogaku Senior High School in Naha, Okinawa. Along with presentations by two experts on development and education, I gave a lecture on environmental aspects of SDGs with a particular focus on climate change and energy issues, following which high school students discussed what challenges they need to deal with and what solutions they can propose towards sustainable development in 2030.

Yarime, Masaru, "International Trends in Discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Environmental Fields with a Focus on Climate Change and Energy Issues," Okinawa Workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Okinawa Shogaku Senior High School, Naha, Okinawa, Japan, July 17-18 (2015).

 

July 16, 2015:

I had a meeting with Dr. Robert Phaal and Mr. Yuta Hirose at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) of the University of Cambridge. Sharing research interest in the field of innovation and technology management, we collaborate to explore future-oriented concepts and methodologies, including roadmapping, foresight, and horizon scanning, and examine their implications for strategic decision making in the public and private sectors in terms of both research and practice.

 

July 15, 2015:

I had a meeting with Dr Jonny Wentworth at the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) of the UK Houses of Parliament in Westminster. POST identifies trends in science, technology, society and policy, and analyses their implications for Parliament, and horizon scanning is core to all of POST’s work, including working with select committees. We discussed the processes to identify and choose the issues and topics, criteria and methodologies used in examining them, actors involved, impacts of the findings on policy making, and collaboration with other organizations conducting similar activities, such as the Government Office for Science (GO-Science).

 

July 14, 2015:

Our paper that discusses financial institutions and instruments for resilience investment from a perspective of resilience principles has been published in the journal Sustainability.

Hill Clarvis, Margot, Erin Bohensky, and Masaru Yarime, "Can Resilience Thinking Inform Resilience Investments? Learning from Resilience Principles for Disaster Risk Reduction," Sustainability, 7 (7), 9048-9066 (2015).

 

July 13, 2015:

Science Diplomacy Workshop was held on July 12-13 at Exeter College in Oxford. This international research collaboration proposes to significantly advance the development of science diplomacy as an interdisciplinary field of research and scholarship, closely linked closely to the real-world practices of both diplomacy and science. That would be particularly important in East Asia, which currently faces serious cross-national challenges, including air pollution, energy security, resource exploration, infectious diseases, and cyber security, with complex and dynamic interactions and interdependencies between science and diplomacy.

 

July 11, 2015:

The International Scientific Conference "Our Common Future under Climate Change" was held on July 7-10 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, with approximately 2,000 participants from about 100 countries. This conference explored current understanding of various dimensions of climate change and socio-technical options for mitigation and adaptation.

Yarime, Masaru, "University-Industry-Government Collaboration for Innovation to Tackle Sustainability Challenges: Functions and Mechanisms of Stakeholder Platforms on Smart Cities," International Scientific Conference "Our Common Future under Climate Change, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France, July 7-10 (2015).

 

July 7, 2015:

We examined how resilience principles, which focus on longer-term systems perspectives, could be utilized to assess and facilitate investment in disaster risk reduction, depending on the nature of financial institutions and instruments. The following paper will be published soon in the journal Sustainability.

Hill Clarvis, Margot, Erin Bohensky, and Masaru Yarime, "Can Resilience Thinking Inform Resilience Investments? Learning from Resilience Principles for Disaster Risk Reduction," Sustainability, forthcoming.

 

July 6, 2015:

The Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London organized a seminar and roundtable, Towards a Theory of Energy Access, by Daniel Kammen, Professor of Energy at the University of California, Berkeley on Monday, July 6. One of the key challenges in promoting access to energy particularly in developing countries would be to establish trusted systems of mobile charging and payment, as demonstrated successfully in countries such as Kenya. Situated in the middle of grid expansion and off-grid energy sources, mini-grids also requires further investigation with regard to technological reliability and commercial feasibility.

 

July 3, 2015:

The Editorial Board Meeting 2015 of the journal Sustainability Science was organized on July 2, with the editors and staff members participating from countries across the globe. We discussed the current status of the journal with regard to the content and volume of the articles, the process and performance of review, and the impact of the journal. Among the new initiatives introduced are special features and topical collections so that the journal's visibility and accessibility will be enhanced.

 

July 1, 2015:

I had a meeting at Routledge in Oxfordshire to discuss the process of publishing the Handbook of Sustainability Science that I'm currently editing. Strong support from a Senior Editorial Assistant would be critical in facilitating progress.

 

June 30, 2015:

The Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) at the University of Tokyo organized the Second GSDM International Symposium "Four Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Recent Trends in Innovation, Resilience, and Security and Their Implications for the Future" on March 11, 2015. A report has just been published on the discussions we had at the conference, in which I organized Session 2 "Stimulating Innovation in an Information-Intensive Environment: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Design and Management."

 

June 25, 2015:

Research Seminar Series on Behaviour Change - Evidence into Policy are organized by the Centre for Behaviour Change (CBC) of University College London. This seminar series is aimed to increase understanding of the relationships between evidence and policy and to improve communication between researchers and policy-makers, so that evidence would become more policy-relevant and policy more evidence-based. At the first seminar "What is Policy-Relevant Evidence?," which was held on June 25, we discussed interesting issues involved in the complex, non-linear relationships between evidence and policy, including the Mintzberg Dilemma, Jowett Dilemma, and institutional resistance.

 

June 24, 2015:

The Circling the Square 2 Conference: Universities, the Media, Citizens and Politics was held on June 22-23 at the University of Nottingham, hosted by the Science, Technology and Society Priority Group. Bringing together international scholars in the natural and social sciences, practitioners at the science-policy interface, the media and citizen groups, we discussed critical issues related to the role of science in policy making, including science advice, uncertainty, science advocacy, responsible innovation, and the changing role of the university.

 

June 22, 2015:

An article has been published in Revista Desafios do Desenvolvimento on my seminar on Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies: The Environment as a Complex Object at the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, Federal Government of Brazil in Brasilia on February 12, 2015.

 

June 18, 2015:

A workshop on Empirical Studies of Roles of Scientific Advisors was organized on June 18 by the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London. It brought together more than 20 researchers and experts interested in going beyond theoretical perspectives to build an empirically-driven understanding of ‘what works’ in the space of science–policy interaction, with the aim of submitting contributions to a special issue of Science and Public Policy. I discussed the past experience and future challenges of foresight for mobilizing knowledge in public decision making.

Yarime, Masaru, "Foresight as a Methodology for Mobilizing Knowledge in Public Decision Making: Lessons and Implications for Science Advice," Workshop on Empirical Studies of Roles of Scientific Advisors, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London, United Kingdom, June 18 (2015).

 

June 16, 2015:

A public seminar, Taking a stance or calming the waters – A view from a Chief Scientific Adviser, was organized on June 16 by UCL Public Policy. Professor Ian Boyd, Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the UK government, addressed important questions such as: What are the key attributes needed of scientific advice for policy? How should scientists behave in order to deliver their advice? and What outcomes and expectations should there be of scientific advice? Key attributes of scientific advice identified by him include short/brief/concise, honest (e.g. around uncertainty), pitched to audience (policy makers vs. politicians, understand their problem), outcome-driven, practical (not theoretical), a-political (objective), option-based, and authoritative.

 

June 15, 2015:

A workshop "Science Diplomacy: What Role of 'Science' for International Relations and Diplomatic Theory?" was held on June 15 at University College London, jointly organized by the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) and Global Governance Institute (GGI). The roundtables involving fifteen international experts discussed Science in International Relations Practice and Theory and Science in Diplomatic Practice and Theory. Systematic mapping of actors and activities in science diplomacy, which would include Science in Diplomacy, Science for Diplomacy, and Diplomacy for Science, will be explored, with cases studies in various fields such as trade, security, sustainability and cyber governance.

 

June 12, 2015:

The 2015 Naples Forum on Service was held on June 9-12 in Naples, Italy. A paper written with my colleagues in Italy was presented on a common framework for knowledge co-creation identifying opportunities for collaboration between service science and sustainability science.

Golinelli, Gaetano Maria, Sergio Barile, Marialuisa Saviano, Francesca Farioli, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards a Common Framework for Knowledge Co-creation: Opportunities of Collaboration between Service Science and Sustainability Science," The 2015 Naples Forum on Service, Naples, Italy, June 9-12 (2015).

 

June 11, 2015:

The 2015 Annual Conference of the European Forum for Studies of Policies for Research and Innovation (EU-SPRI) "Innovation Policies for Economic and Social Transitions: Developing Strategies for Knowledge, Practice and Institutions" is currently held in Helsinki, Finland. I presented some of the findings of research on university-industry-government collaboration for sustainability innovation with a focus on smart cities.

Yarime, Masaru, "University-Industry-Government Collaboration for Sustainability Innovation: Functions and Mechanisms of Stakeholder Platforms on Smart Cities," The 2015 Annual Conference of the European Forum for Studies of Policies for Research and Innovation (EU-SPRI), Helsinki, Finland, June 10-12 (2015).

 

June 9, 2015:

Our paper on urban metabolism studies for sustainable urban transformation with a focus on China has been published in the journal Environmental Technology and Innovation.

Huang, Wei, Shenghui Cui, Masaru Yarime, Seiji Hashimoto, and Shunsuke Managi, "Improving Urban Metabolism Study for Sustainable Urban Transformation," Environmental Technology and Innovation, 4, 62-72 (2015).

 

June 6, 2015:

The Third Future Earth Networking Conference on Integrated Science: Future Sustainability - The Role of Science and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was held on May 24-30 in Villa Vigoni, Italy, organized by the International Council for Science (ICSU), International Social Science Council (ISSC), and the German Research Foundation (DFG). Our research on network analysis of global energy systems with implications for SDGs was presented at the conference.

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Examining the Resilience of National Energy Systems: Measurements of Diversity in Production- and Consumption-Based Electricity in the Globalization of Trade Networks," The Third Future Earth Networking Conference on Integrated Science: Future Sustainability - The Role of Science and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Villa Vigoni, Italy, May 24-30 (2015).

 

May 26, 2015:

Our paper utilizing ecological networks metrics in assessing the sustainability of the Philippine milkfish economic resource system has just been published in the journal Aquaculture, Aquarium, Conservation & Legislation.

Tumilba, Victor, and Masaru Yarime, "Ecological Network Metrics in Assessing Sustainability of the Philippine Milkfish (Chanos Chanos) Economic Resource System," Aquaculture, Aquarium, Conservation & Legislation, 8 (3), 253-264 (2015).

 

May 25, 2015:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo will organize a Briefing Session for Prospective Students on Thursday, May 28. As there is no need for registration, everyone is welcome to attend the session, which will be held in Japanese.

 

May 22, 2015:

A report has been published on the Second Japan-China Workshop on New Environmentally Sustainable Systems for China and Japan, organized by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on April 18 in Fuji-Yoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, in which I discussed the functions and mechanisms of stakeholder platforms for facilitating sustainability innovation, with potentials and challenges in collaboration between the two countries.

 

May 17, 2015:

Our paper discussing the opportunities and challenges in urban metabolism studies for sustainable urban transformation in China has been published online in the journal Environmental Technology and Innovation.

Huang, Wei, Shenghui Cui, Masaru Yarime, Seiji Hashimoto, and Shunsuke Managi, "Improving Urban Metabolism Study for Sustainable Urban Transformation," Environmental Technology and Innovation, forthcoming.

 

May 15, 2015:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 47 on Thursday, May 28 at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Ingvild Bode of the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability and the University of Tokyo will examine the United States' use-of-force policies in recent years and discuss their implications for the future of the general prohibition on the use-of-force in the context of ongoing conflicts and emerging new technologies.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 47

Date: Thursday, May 28, 2015, 16:30 - 18:00

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, University of Tokyo

Title: Altering the Playing Field: The United States' Redefinition of the Use-of-Force

Speaker: Dr. Ingvild Bode, JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (IAS), United Nations University, and the University of Tokyo

Abstract: The article will interrogate the degree to which the Obama administration has continued, even at times inadvertently, the Bush administration’s challenge on international law. Notwithstanding the Obama administration’s bold pronouncements pertaining to reversing its predecessor’s policies, little has actually changed when it comes to how the United States considers using military force. As a means to unpack this transition and apparent gap, the article will firstly, consider the apparent continuum of US use-of-force policies from the Bush to the Obama administration, specifically: the conflation in the line between pre-emptive and preventive self-defense options; the sustained post-9/11 legacies that continue to lower thresholds towards using military force; and how this ultimately contributes to the erosion of international law. Secondly, the article presents a critical contextualization of Obama’s drone program and its legal arguments in relation to his administration’s overall use-of-force policy, focusing on jus ad bellum standards. In light of the centrality of targeted killing under Obama, our article will pay particular attention to the apparent contradiction this poses with regard to his reluctance to use military force in relation to ongoing conflicts in Libya and Syria, while also looking at recent adjustments pertaining to use-of-force pronouncements against the Islamic State (IS). The article lastly considers what this will mean for international use-of-force thresholds and the future of the general prohibition on the use-of-force in the context of new and emerging technologies and theaters should the United States continue to skew and adjust its use-of-force policies on when, how, against who and where to use such force.

Bio: Ingvild Bode is a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) International Research Fellow (postdoc) with joined affiliation at the Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, United Nations University, Tokyo and the University of Tokyo. Her research interests include the human element in international relations, UN peacekeeping, state recourse to the use-of- force and conflict narratives. At UNU, Ingvild works primarily on a research project (2 years) funded through a JSPS grant-in-aid for scientific research (kakenhi), which is entitled ‘Individual Agency and Policy Change in the Area of Peace and Security’. Ingvild’s work has been published in journals such as Global Governance and she is also the author of two research monographs, Individual Agency and Policy Change: The People of the United Nations (Routledge, March 2015), Governing the Use-of-Force in International Relations: The Post-9/11 US Challenge on International Law (with Aiden Warren, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), and the textbook Key Concepts in International Relations (with Thomas Diez and Aleksandra Fernandes da Costa, Sage, 2011). Previously, Ingvild was a PhD fellow and lecturer at Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany where she taught on a range of subjects including International Relations theories, the United Nations system, humanitarian assistance and political science methods. She also served as the Tübingen delegations’ faculty advisor to the National Model United Nations New York from 2009 to 2012. Before this position, Ingvild was employed at Friends of Europe in Brussels, Belgium, and worked for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland as well as for the Goethe-Institute Ottawa, Canada. Ingvild holds a PhD in Political Science/International Relations from Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen. Her thesis entitled ‘The People of the United Nations: Individual Agency and Policy Change in the United Nations’ was recognized with the “Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award” by the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2012. Previously, she graduated with a M.A. in Political Science and English Literature from Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 14, 2015:

We will organize the 33rd Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar/Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 48 on smart cities on Friday, June 5 at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Roy Nyberg of the University of Tokyo and the University of Oxford will discuss the conceptualization and implementation of smart cities in Japan and their implications and challenges for policy making for sustainability from a global perspective.

The 33rd Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar/Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 48

Date: Friday, June 5, 2015, 16:30 - 18:00

Venue: Seminar Room 2, Economic Research Annex Building (Kojima Hall), Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo

Title: Smart Cities in Japan - Reflections on Policy Implications

Speaker: Dr. Roy Nyberg, Canon Foundation Fellow, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo, Japan, and Research Associate, Institute of Science, Innovation and Society, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract: In this presentation I will consider the emergence of the concept of ‘smart cities’, through the efforts of various types of organisations active in this area, and what are some of the policy implications that this phenomenon may have. I will ground the main discussion by first describing some of the conceptualisations of smart cities. Although there is no one widely accepted definition, this concept is frequently seen as a way to achieve efficiencies in utility services such as energy, water, waste and transport. I will also briefly summarise some of the main concerns discussed in smart cities literature. I will then describe my on-going project on smart cities and what are the more prominent findings so far. In the last part of the presentation I will relate these findings and insights to first some of the organisation theory frameworks, and then to policy research frameworks, and consider what are possible policy implications. I conclude by reflecting on possible contributions to policy research, organisation theory and research methods.

Bio: Dr Roy Nyberg is a social scientist focusing on issues of management and organisations. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Oxford in 2015. He currently holds a Visiting Research Fellowship funded by the Canon Foundation Europe at the Graduate School of Public Policy of the University of Tokyo, and a Research Associate post at the University of Oxford. His prior working career, in his native Finland, consists of project management positions in the airline industry and in regional government in technology and strategy development areas. He also has experience as an entrepreneur in Internet and mobile services, as well as in advertising and in design. His research interests are in innovation, technology management, and entrepreneurship, and his current work at the University of Tokyo focuses on smart cities in Japan.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 2, 2015:

The book Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies will be published soon by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) in the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic of the Federal Government of Brazil. To this book we contributed a chapter discussing the environment as a complex natural-social system, identifying challenges and opportunities for public policies.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "Understanding the Environment as a Complex Natural-Social System: Challenges and Opportunities for Public Policies," in Bernardo Alves Furtado, Patrícia A. M. Sakowski, and Marina H. Tovolli, eds., Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies, Brasilia: Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic, Federal Government of Brazil, forthcoming.

 

April 30, 2015:

We explored an ecological information-based approach to examining the configurations of global trade networks for strategic assessment of resilience. Our paper reporting the results has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Industrial Ecology.

Kharrazi, Ali, Steven Kraines, Elena Rovenskaya, Ram Avtar, Shuichi Iwata, and Masaru Yarime, "Examining the Ecology of Commodity Trade Networks using an Ecological Information-Based Approach: Towards Strategic Assessment of Resilience," Journal of Industrial Ecology, forthcoming.

 

April 27, 2015:

I made a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad on April 27 to discuss with my colleagues for collaboration on introducing renewable energy technologies and smart grid systems in India.

 

April 26, 2015:

I participated in a field visit to Thollapalli village located about 108 km away from Bangalore, organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). TERI trained rural youth as Rural Energy Entrepreneurs, one of whom has established Uttam Urja shop for selling and disseminating clean energy technologies in and around Bagepalli. They have installed Integrated Domestic Energy System (IDES), a solar powered system that provides two light points, a mobile charging outlet along with a forced draft mud cook stove to meet the basic energy needs of a rural household, including lighting, cooking, and communication.

 

April 25, 2015:

Third International Conference on Micro Perspectives for Decentralized Energy Supply (MES 2015) was held on April 23-25 in Bangalore, India, organized by the Microenergy Systems Research Group at the Technische Universität Berlin, the BMS College of Engineering, and the Berkeley Rural Energy Group at the University of California at Berkeley. I made a presentation on the results of sustainability assessment of environmental, economic, and social impacts of LED solar lanterns introduced in a rural area without access to electricity in Kenya.

Yarime, Masaru, Jacob Kithinji Peters, and Samuel Wanjohi Kiru, "Introducing Solar LED Lanterns to Rural Kenya: Sustainability Assessment of Environmental, Economic, and Social Impacts," Third International Conference on Micro Perspectives for Decentralized Energy Supply (MES 2015), Bangalore, India, April 23-25 (2015).

 

April 20, 2015:

Our paper written with colleagues in China and Japan discussing the implications of urban metabolism studies for sustainable urban transformation in the case of China has just been accepted for publication in the journal Environmental Technology and Innovation.

Huang, Wei, Shenghui Cui, Masaru Yarime, Seiji Hashimoto, and Shunsuke Managi, "Improving Urban Metabolism Study for Sustainable Urban Transformation," Environmental Technology and Innovation, forthcoming.

 

April 19, 2015:

Second Japan-China Workshop on New Environmentally Sustainable Systems for China and Japan was organized by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on April 18 in Fuji-Yoshida, Yamanashi, Japan. I discussed the functions and mechanisms of stakeholder platforms for facilitating sustainability innovation, with potentials and challenges in collaboration between the two countries.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stakeholder Platforms for Sustainability Innovation: Potentials and Challenges for Japan-China Collaboration," Second Japan-China Workshop on New Environmentally Sustainable Systems for China and Japan, organized by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Fuji-Yoshida, Yamanashi, Japan, April 18 (2015).

 

April 18, 2015:

A report has been uploaded on the Public Forum on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: Launching the International Network for Advancing Transdisciplinary Education, which was organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) on March 15 in Sendai, Japan as an official event of the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR). In this forum I discussed transdisciplinarity based on the experience of education and research in sustainability science with implications of knowledge integration and stakeholder collaboration for resilience and disaster risk reduction.

 

April 14, 2015:

We will organize a discussion meeting on Big Data and Public Policy on Thursday, April 16 at 15:00-17:00 at Meeting Room 610 in Administration Building 2 in the Hongo campus.

Following short introductory talks by Dr. Steven Kraines on artificial intelligence and Mr. Nonaka Naoki on recent research topics and concrete examples on the analysis of big data, we will discuss possibilities and challenges in this emerging field. The issue of big data can be considered as social phenomena to be examined as a research subject for understanding the societal impacts and implications for public policy, management, and governance and at the same time as a research methodology to be utilized in conducting research activities by ourselves.

In particular we invite researchers working on public policy and social sciences with some ideas and proposals for utilizing various kinds of data which they possess, but have not fully analyzed or examined yet, perhaps because of lack of methodologies or practical tools. I hope we could identify researchers and graduate students in engineering and natural sciences who could collaborate with social scientists so that these large amounts of data accumulated in different fields of public policy and social sciences can be analyzed for producing outputs which could not be obtained before. There would be considerable opportunities available for sustainability challenges, including, among others, energy security, environmental protection, pubic health, and resilience through the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) at the University of Tokyo.

 

April 13, 2015:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo is expected to start a Ph.D. program in April 2016. The main fields of research and education will be International Finance/Development and International Security, which includes Science, Technology, Innovation and Public Policy. For those who are interested in studying these issues, you are encouraged to apply for admission to this new program.

 

April 9, 2015:

The book Japan: The Precarious Future, edited by Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, will be published later this year by New York University Press. I have contributed a chapter discussing some of the critical challenges facing Japan's science and technology in the precarious future.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrated Solutions to Complex Problems: Transforming Japanese Science and Technology," in Frank Baldwin and Anne Allison, eds., Japan: The Precarious Future, New York: New York University Press, forthcoming.

 

April 3, 2015:

Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program led by the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) and the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo will organize an orientation session on Thursday, April 9 at 17:00-19:00 at Room 203 on the second floor of the School of Law Building. A special lecture will be given by Mr. OHTAKE Satoru, Senior Executive Director of Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). Everyone is welcome to join us.

 

April 1, 2015:

The recipients of Abe Fellowship 2014 have been announced by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) of the United States. With my fellowship I plan to examine university-industry-government collaboration for innovation to address grand challenges or societal challenges in the case of Japan with implications for science and technology policy by comparing Japan, Europe, and the United States.

 

March 29, 2015:

I have been selected for Abe Fellow for the academic year 2014. Abe Fellowship, which is awarded by the United States Social Science Research Council (SSRC), Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP), and the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) based in New York, is designed to encourage international multidisciplinary research on policy-relevant topics of pressing global concern.

Yarime, Masaru, "University-Industry-Government Collaboration for Innovation to Address Grand/Societal Challenges: Comparative Analysis of Science and Technology Policy in Japan, Europe, and the United States," Abe Fellow 2014, Abe Fellowship Program, United States Social Science Research Council (SSRC), Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP), and the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), New York, United States.

 

March 28, 2015:

We had a research meeting on March 27 at the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (CSTI) in the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) at the University of Cambridge. The digitization of manufacturing, as conceptualized in Industrie 4.0 and Cyber-Physical Systems, and its potential impacts on science, technology, and innovation policy, concerning products, production processes, and supply chains, was among the issues discussed for the next International Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Forum.

 

March 26, 2015:

A kick-off meeting was held on March 26 on a new project on Charting Science Advice at Local, National and International Levels, initiated by the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London, where I have an appointment as Honorary Reader. This is an empirical framework-building project aimed at helping practitioners work towards more successful and appropriate science-policy interactions.

 

March 23, 2015:

Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM), led by the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) and the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, will organize an information session for GSDM on Friday, April 3 at Sanjo Hall in the Hongo campus. If you are interested, please join us.

Information Session for GSDM, Spring 2015

Date: Friday, April 3, 2015, 18:00-19:00

Venue: Large Conference Room, Second Floor, Sanjo Conference Hall, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

 

March 19, 2015:

Korean Institute of Energy Research (KIER) in Daejeon, South Korea kindly organized my seminar on March 19. I discussed technological innovation systems of smart cities with opportunities and challenges for international comparison and cooperation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Technological Innovation Systems of Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges for International Comparison and Cooperation," Research Seminar, Korean Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon, Republic of Korea, March 19 (2015).

 

March 17, 2015:

I gave a seminar on stimulating innovation for sustainability at the Department of Nuclear and Energy Engineering of Jeju National University in South Korea.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Sustainability: Co-evolution of Technology and Institutions," Department of Nuclear and Energy Engineering, Jeju National University, Jeju, Republic of Korea, March 17 (2015).

 

March 15, 2015:

The Official Public Forum of the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: Launching the International Network for Advancing Transdisciplinary Education was held on Sunday, March 15 in Sendai, Japan, co-organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and the University Network for Climate and Ecosystems Change Adaptation Research (UN-CECAR). I reflected on the experience of transdisciplinary education in sustainability science and discussed the key aspects of knowledge integration and stakeholder collaboration for resilience and disaster risk reduction.

Yarime, Masaru, "Transdisciplinarity in Sustainability Science: Knowledge Integration and Stakeholder Collaboration for Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction," Official Public Forum on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: Launching the International Network for Advancing Transdisciplinary Education, United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), Sendai, Japan, March 15 (2015).

 

March 14, 2015:

I have joined the Program Committee for the Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, which will be held on September 17-18, 2015 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

 

March 13, 2015:

The stakeholder analysis we conducted for phosphorus recycling from sewage systems in Japan, with implications for strategies and public policies, has been accepted for publication for the journal Global Environmental Research.

Shiroyama, Hideaki, Makiko Matsuo, and Masaru Yarime, "Issues and Policy Measures for Phosphorus Recycling from Sewage: Lessons from Stakeholder Analysis of Japan," Global Environmental Research, forthcoming.

 

March 11, 2015:

The Second GSDM International Symposium "Four Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Recent Trends in Innovation, Resilience, and Security and Their Implications for the Future" was organized on Wednesday, March 11 by the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo. In Session 2: Stimulating Innovation in an Information-Intensive Environment: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Design and Management, based on emerging trends in innovation involving a massive amount of various types of data and information created in diverse areas, ranging from energy saving and water supply to precision medicine and disaster risk reduction, we discussed with experts in academia, industry, and the public sector what kinds of strategies, public policies and institutional frameworks would be necessary and how we could implement them by collaborating with stakeholders.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Session 2: Stimulating Innovation in an Information-Intensive Environment: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Design and Management," Second GSDM International Symposium "Four Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Recent Trends in Innovation, Resilience, and Security and Their Implications for the Future," organized by the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo, March 11, 2015.

 

March 10, 2015:

Workshop on Future Strategies for Science and Technology: Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) of Emerging Technologies for a Super-Cyber Society was held on Tuesday, March 10 in Tokyo, organized by the Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in cooperation with the National Institute of Informatics (NII). I discussed challenges in understanding a super-cyber society with implications for economics and policy studies of big data.

Blackstock, Jason, and Masaru Yarime, "Understanding a Super Cyber Society: Towards Economics and Policy Studies of Big Data," Workshop on Future Strategies for Science and Technology: Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) of Emerging Technologies for a Super-Cyber Society, organized by the Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in cooperation with the National Institute of Informatics (NII), Tokyo, March 10 (2015).

 

March 9, 2015:

The Eighth Symposium on Informatics was held on March 9 at the Science Council of Japan in Tokyo. Introducing the activities at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL), I discussed recent trends in science and technology policy for tackle grand/societal challenges, with implications for managing risks and innovation for a super-cyber society.

Blackstock, Jason, and Masaru Yarime, "Science and Technology Policy for Grand/Societal Challenges: Managing Risks and Innovation for a Super-Cyber Society," The Eighth Symposium on Informatics, Science Council of Japan, Tokyo, Japan, March 9 (2015).

 

March 8, 2015:

The Science Council of Japan will organize an international symposium on informatics on Monday, March 9. On behalf of Dr. Jason Blackstock, a colleague of mine at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL), I will discuss the implications of an increasingly information-intensive environment for science and technology policy for stimulating innovation in a way that contributes to tackling societal challenges.

 

March 6, 2015:

Second European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference was held on March 5-6 in Berlin, Germany, organized by the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform and the German Phosphorus Platform (DPP), which has officially been launched in this conference. Key challenges have been identified for future actions, including raising public awareness, reforming governance systems including policies and regulations, and demonstrating and implementing innovative technologies with stakeholders in society.

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Global Stakeholder Platforms for Sustainable Phosphorus Governance," Second European Sustainable Phosphorus Conference, Berlin, Germany, March 5-6 (2015).

 

March 5, 2015:

A public forum on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: Launching the International Network for Advancing Transdisciplinary Education will be organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and the University Network for Climate and Ecosystems Change Adaptation Research (UNCECAR) on March 15 in Sendai, Japan, as an official side event of the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. I will examine transdisciplinary approaches in the context of sustainability science and discuss potentials and challenges for resilience and disaster risk reduction.

 

March 4, 2015:

Louvain Open Research Platform on Ecological and Social Transition (LPTransition) is a new initiative led by Professor Tom Dedeurwaerdere at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) in Belgium to explore paths towards ecological and social transition of our societies from a transdisciplinary perspective. At the LPTransition open seminar series 2 held on March 4, I discussed knowledge integration and multi-actor collaboration through transdisciplinarity, focusing on the functions of stakeholder platforms, with implications for sustainability transitions.

Yarime, Masaru, "Transdisciplinarity for Knowledge Integration and Multi-Actor Collaboration: Functions of Stakeholder Platforms and Implications for Sustainability Transitions," LPTransition Open Seminar Series 2, Louvain Open Research Platform on Ecological and Social Transition, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, March 4 (2015).

 

March 2, 2015:

Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering (RACE) at the University of Tokyo, since its creation in 1992, has been leading research activities exploring complex, dynamic interactions between humans and artifacts in society. I have just received an invitation to join RACE as an Affiliate Research Fellow from April 2015.

 

March 1, 2015:

The Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) will organize an international symposium, "Four Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Recent Trends of Innovation, Resilience, and Security and Implications for the Future" on Wednesday, March 11 at the University of Tokyo.

In Session 2: Stimulating Innovation in an Information-Intensive Environment: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Design and Management, Dr. Timothy Dalton of IBM Research in the United States will give a keynote speech, following which I will moderate panel discussion with leading experts on how to encourage innovation in an increasingly information-rich environment for tackling societal challenges, including energy security, public health, environmental protection, and sustainability.

 

February 27, 2015:

Professor Miranda Schreurs of the Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU) at Freie Universität Berlin in Germany kindly organized my seminar on Friday, February 27. Considering the effects of environmental policies on technological change, I discussed that knowledge integration and multi-actor collaboration through stakeholder platforms would be a key for governing innovation for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainability: Knowledge Integration and Multi-Actor Collaboration through Stakeholder Platforms," Research Seminar, Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU), Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany, February 27 (2015).

 

February 25, 2015:

Second European Technology Assessment (TA) Conference: The Next Horizon of Technology Assessment is held on February 25-27 in Berlin, Germany in the framework of the EU FP7-funded project Parliaments and Civil Society in Technology Assessment (PACITA). This project is aimed at increasing the capacity and enhancing the institutional basis for knowledge-based policy-making on issues involving science, technology and innovation. In Session on Technology Assessment in East Asia: Experiences and New Approaches, I discussed emerging experience and practices of stakeholder collaboration on innovation for sustainability and their implications for technology assessment in a global context.

Yarime, Masaru, "Emerging Experiences and Practices of Stakeholder Collaboration on Innovation for Sustainability: Implications for Technology Assessment in a Global Context," Session on Technology Assessment in East Asia: Experiences and New Approaches, Second European Technology Assessment (TA) Conference: Next Horizon of Technology Assessment, Berlin, Germany, February 25-27 (2015).

 

February 24, 2015:

UCL Energy Seminar "Exploring the Social Life of Smart Grids: Insights from the CLNR Project" was held on Tuesday, February 24 at the Energy Institute of University College London (UCL). The findings of the Customer-Led Network Revolution (CLNR) project on the behavior of energy users were introduced to discuss their implications for possible interventions and policy measures. The idea of flexibility capital would be very useful in exploring the potential to change their behavior, going beyond just providing economic incentives.

 

February 19, 2015:

My seminar on Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies: The Environment as a Complex Object, organized on February 12 by the International Seminar, Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) of the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic (SAE/PR) in Brasilia, Brazil, has been uploaded on YouTube.

Yarime, Masaru, "Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies: The Environment as a Complex Object," International Seminar, Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA), Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic (SAE/PR), Brasilia, Brazil, February 12 (2015).

 

February 18, 2015:

The Department of Science, Technology, and Policy Studies (STePS) at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands kindly organized my seminar on February 18. We had very fruitful discussions on the role of hybrid or boundary organizations involving different types of organizations and the problem in identifying the relevant stakeholders for possible exclusion in the process of stakeholder collaboration in sustainable phosphorus governance. A comparison could also be fruitfully explored with the case of rare earth elements, with strategic, institutional, and geopolitical implications elaborated further.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Sustainability Innovation through University-Stakeholder Collaboration: The Case of Emerging Initiatives on Phosphorus across the Globe," STePS Colloquium, Department of Science, Technology, and Policy Studies (STePS), Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands, February 18 (2015).

 

February 15, 2015:

I will give a talk about governing sustainability innovation through university-stakeholder collaboration at STePS Colloquium at the Department of Science, Technology, and Policy Studies (STePS) in the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS) at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands on February 18.

 

February 14, 2015:

Our paper discussing reflexivity in development assistance through the concepts of dual accountability and communicative asymmetry has been published in the International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice.

Karlsson, Martin, and Masaru Yarime, "Reflexivity in Development Assistance: The Obstacles of Dual Accountability and Communicative Asymmetry in Achieving Reflexive Governance," International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice, 10 (1), 17-27 (2015).

 

February 13, 2015:

I gave a seminar on Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies: The Environment as a Complex Object on February 12 at the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) in Brasilia, Brazil, a federal public foundation linked to the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs of the Presidency of the Republic (SAE/PR). Dr. Bernardo Alves Furtado, Deputy Director of the Directorate for Regional, Urban and Environmental Policies and Studies (DIRUR), Dr. Julio Cesar Roma, Coordinator of Sustainability Studies of DIRUR, and Dr. Fabiano Pompermayer, Researcher of the Directorate for Sectoral Studies and Policies, Innovation, Regulation and Infrastructure (DISET) at IPEA kindly discussed my presentation, which was followed by stimulating exchanges with the participants.

 

February 8, 2015:

During the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) to be held on March 14-18 in Sendai, Japan, the Public Forum on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction will be organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) on March 15. I will join other experts in a panel discussion on past experiences and theoretical frameworks for launching the International Network for Advancing Transdisciplinary Education (INATE).

 

February 5, 2015:

The Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) will kindly organize my seminar Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies: The Environment as a Complex Object on February 12 in Brasilia, Brazil. I will discuss with Dr. Bernardo Alves Furtado, Deputy Director of the Directorate for Regional, Urban and Environmental Policies and Studies (DIRUR), Dr. Julio Cesar Roma, Coordinator of Sustainability Studies of DIRUR, and Dr. Fabiano Pompermayer, Researcher of the Directorate for Sectoral Studies and Policies, Innovation, Regulation and Infrastructure (DISET) at IPEA.

 

February 4, 2015:

Our article published in Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment has been included in the Most Read Social Science Articles published in Routledge journals in 2014 in the field of accounting.

Hill Clarvis, Margot, Martin Halle, Ivo Mulder, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards a new framework to account for environmental risk in sovereign credit risk analysis," Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, 4 (2), 147-160 (2014).

 

February 3, 2015:

The Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) and the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) will organize an international symposium, "Four Years after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Recent Trends of Innovation, Resilience, and Security and Implications for the Future" on Wednesday, March 11 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. In Session 2 on Stimulating Innovation in an Information-Intensive Environment: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Design and Management, Dr. Timothy Dalton of IBM Research in the United States will give a keynote speech, following which I will moderate panel discussion with leading experts on innovation for tackling societal challenges, including energy security, public health, environmental protection, and sustainability.

 

February 2, 2015:

I have received an appointment from the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) to serve the Working Group on CODATA (Committee on Data for Science and Technology, International Council for Science, ICSU, Paris, France) and the Working Group on WDS (World Data System, ICSU) in the Subcommittee on International Scientific Data in the Committee on Informatics.

 

February 1, 2015:

I have joined the Japanese group of the R!SE Initiative, a global alliance of public- and private-sector actors to take leadership on resilience and disaster risk reduction led by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). A public event for R!SE Japan Launch will be held in Tokyo on March 12, which will be followed by the UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai on March 14-18. I will participate in a public forum on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction to be organized by the United Nations University on March 15.

 

January 31, 2015:

I will take the role of the External Examiner for the doctoral dissertation of a graduate student at the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) of the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Kasthoory Rajalingam, "Analysing Technology, Provisions and Knowledge Capital Barriers in Commercialising Nanotechnology Research and Development in Malaysia," Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Ng Boon Kwee; External Examiner: Masaru Yarime), Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, expected in June 2015.

 

January 30, 2015:

I will give a seminar at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands on February 18, kindly organized by the Department of Science, Technology, and Policy Studies (STePS). The topic to be discussed in the seminar governance of sustainability innovation through university-stakeholder collaboration, referring to the case of emerging initiatives for sustainable phosphorus management across the globe.

 

January 23, 2015:

The Fifth International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) was held on January 22-24 at the United Nations University in Tokyo. In Session 3 on Co-design and Co-creation of Knowledge for Sustainability, organized by the Sapienza University of Rome and the Italian Association of Sustainability Science (IASS), I discussed past experiences of collaboration among university, industry, and government for facilitating innovation, with possibilities and challenges for its potential extension for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in University-Industry-Government Collaboration," Fifth International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS), United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan, January 22-24 (2015).

 

January 22, 2015:

LPTransition is a scientific research platform, both pluri-disciplinary and trans-sectorial, initiated by the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) in Belgium. An open seminar "Towards Transdisciplinary Research on Social and Ecological Transition" will be organized on March 4, and I will join Professor Tom Dedeurwaerdere of UCL and Dr. Jérôme Pelenc of Université Libre de Bruxelles in discussing theoretical and empirical issues of transdisciplinary research and their implications for promoting social innovations.

 

January 18, 2015:

The Tokyo Conference on International Study for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience: Towards a new science and technology to consolidate disaster risk reduction and sustainable development was held on January 14-16 at the University of Tokyo, jointly organized with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), and the Science Council of Japan. We presented some of the findings of our research exploring network governance for sustainability through resilience and disaster risk reduction in global energy systems.

Yarime, Masaru, Ali Kharrazi, Masahiro Sato, Hirofumi Nakayama, and Steven Kraines, "Toward Network Governance for Sustainability: Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in Global Energy Systems," Tokyo Conference on International Study for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience: Towards a new science and technology to consolidate disaster risk reduction and sustainable development, jointly organized by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), and the Science Council of Japan, University of Tokyo, Japan, January 14-16 (2015).

 

January 13, 2015:

Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), the most important funding agency in Switzerland, is responsible for the scientific evaluation of research proposals. I'm invited to review research proposals for SNSF as an external expert.

 

January 12, 2015:

Having served the Editorial Board of Sustainability Science from 2009-2015, I will continue to work for the journal as Editor for another term from 2015-2017.

 

January 11, 2015:

The Fifth International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) will be held on January 22-24 at the United Nations University in Tokyo. In Session 3 on Co-design and Co-creation of Knowledge for Sustainability, to be organized by the Sapienza University of Rome and the Italian Association of Sustainability Science (IASS), I will discuss science, technology, and innovation governance for sustainability, focusing on university-industry-government collaboration.

 

January 6, 2015:

The Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) in Brasilia, Brazil is organizing a project on Modeling Complex Systems for Public Policies in collaboration with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). I will give a seminar on Environment as a Complex Object at IPEA on February 12.

 

January 4, 2015:

United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) will be held on March 14-18 in Sendai, Japan. I will join as a member of the panel the Public Forum on Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction: Launching the International Network for Advancing Transdisciplinary Education (INATE), organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability on March 15.

 

January 3, 2015:

The Tokyo Conference on International Study for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience: Towards a new science and technology to consolidate disaster risk reduction and sustainable development will be held on January 14-16 at the University of Tokyo, jointly organized with the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), and the Science Council of Japan. Our poster will be presented on network governance for sustainability through resilience and disaster risk reduction in global energy systems.

 

January 2, 2015:

Research Seminar on Case Studies of Transdisciplinary Research will be held on March 4 at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCL) in Belgium, jointly organized with Professor Tom Dedeurwaerdere, Director of the Biodiversity Governance (BIOGOV) Unit of the Centre for Philosophy of Law (CPDR) at UCL, and Dr. Jérome Pelenc of Free University of Brussels (ULB). I will discuss the case of emerging initiatives for sustainable phosphorus governance through stakeholder engagement across the globe.

 

January 1, 2015:

Second European Technology Assessment (TA) Conference will be held on February 25-27, 2015 in Berlin, Germany in the framework of the FP7 funded project Parliaments and Civil Society in Technology Assessment (PACITA), which is aimed at increasing the capacity and enhancing the institutional basis for knowledge-based policy-making on issues involving science, technology and innovation. I will participate in the session Technology Assessment in East Asia: Experiences and New Approaches, chaired by António Moniz, Go Yoshizawa, and Michiel Van Oudheusden.

 

December 31, 2014:

Year-end update has been made on Amazon's Author Page, with two books published this year and another book forthcoming in June 2015.

Mochizuki, Yoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and Research," in Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, eds., Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, London: Routledge, forthcoming.

Yarime, Masaru, Cynthia Carliell-Marquet, Deborah T. Hellums, Yuliya Kalmykova, Daniel J. Lang, Quang Bao Le, Dianne Malley, Kazuyo Matsubae, Makiko Matsuo, Hisao Ohtake, Alan Omlin, Sebastian Petzet, Roland W. Scholz, Hideaki Shiroyama, Andrea E. Ulrich, and Paul Watts, "Dissipation and Recycling: What Losses, What Dissipation Impacts, and What Recycling Options?" in Roland W. Scholz, Amit H. Roy, Fridolin S. Brand, Debbie T. Hellums, and Andrea E. Ulrich, eds., Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap, Dordrecht: Springer, 247-274 (2014).

Gomes, Catarina, and Masaru Yarime, "Diversity of Human Capital as a Driver for Corporate Responsibility Engagement: The Case of the Luxury Industry," in Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres, eds., Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, Sheffield, United Kingdom: Greenleaf Publishing, 148-162 (2014).

 

December 30, 2014:

An event report has been published on the International Energy Policy Roundtable for Smart Communities: Promoting Synergies and Accelerating Innovation held on Friday, December 12 at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) in Tokyo, organized by the Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA). I moderated discussions with experts and practitioners in academia, industry, and the public sector in Japan and the United States opportunities and challenges in promoting collaboration between the two countries, including complementary business models, academic leadership, institutional coordination and standardization, and human resource development.

 

December 27, 2014:

The Department Science, Technology and Policy Studies (STePS) at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands will kindly organize my seminar on February 18, 2015. I will discuss governance of sustainability innovation through a case study of managing phosphorus use and recycling with stakeholders in the supply chain.

 

December 25, 2014:

Third Session of the Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-3) will be held on January 12-17, 2015 in Bonn, Germany. Among the agenda to be discussed at the meeting is the Information on work related to policy support tools and methodologies (deliverable 4 (c)), to which I have contributed as a member of the expert group.

 

December 22, 2014:

Natural Capital Working Group has been initiated since April 2013, receiving financial support from Trust Forum Foundation. As the chair of the working group, I'm currently working with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank to organize regular meetings with experts and practitioners in academia, industry, and the public sector to discuss possibilities and challenges in effective evaluation and sustainable management of natural capital, with implications for government policies, corporate strategies, and institutional design.

 

December 12, 2014:

International Energy Policy Roundtable for Smart Communities: Promoting Synergies and Accelerating Innovation was held on Friday, December 12 at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ) in Tokyo, organized by the Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA). I chaired Session I on Smart Community Vision from Japan, with experts and practitioners in private companies. Among the issues addressed in the meeting are robust business models, active engagement with communities, and close collaboration with stakeholders in various sectors.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Session I on Smart Community Vision from Japan," International Energy Policy Roundtable for Smart Communities: Promoting Synergies and Accelerating Innovation, organized by the Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA), Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan (FCCJ), Tokyo, Japan, December 12 (2014).

 

December 8, 2014:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar 46 tomorrow, on Tuesday, December 9 at the University of Tokyo. Professor Matthew A. Shapiro of Illinois Institute of Technology will discuss international collaboration on green research and development in East Asia. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 46

Date: Tuesday, December 9, 13:00-14:00

Venue: Room 625 (Exercise Room 8), Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: International Collaboration and Green Technology Generation: Assessing the East Asian Environmental Regime

Speaker: Dr. Matthew A. Shapiro, Associate Professor of Political Science, Lewis College of Human Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology, United States

Abstract: This paper considers the extent to which the Northeast Asian countries — China, Japan, S. Korea, and Taiwan — are collaborating as a legitimate group to produce “green” R&D. Forcing a revision of traditional institutional analysis, such collaboration efforts can overlap with existing policies of regional coordination, but they can also pave the way for future, formal coordination efforts. Employing a mixed methods approach which triangulates data based on expert interviews as well as green patenting output over the last 33 years, it is confirmed here that the presence of the Northeast Asian environmental regime is strongly associated with the development of green R&D among countries in the region. It can be further confirmed that Northeast Asia is on the cusp of becoming a genuine counterweight to the existing dominance of the U.S. and Western Europe.

Bio: Matthew A. Shapiro is an Associate Professor of Political Science, Lewis College of Human Sciences, Illinois Institute of Technology. He was trained in political science, economics, and public policy at the University of California at San Diego (B.A.) and the University of Southern California (M.A. & Ph.D). He also earned an M.A. in Korean Studies at Yonsei University’s Graduate School of International Studies in Seoul, having won a Woojung Scholarship to study there. Dr. Shapiro’s published and ongoing research lies at the intersection between economics and public policy. More specifically, he attempts to understand how national innovation systems are formed and contribute to sustainable development, how climate change is addressed and impacted by relevant policies and political forces, and how communications from politicians, scientists, and the media impact both of these areas. In political science, these concerns fall under the purview of science, technology, and environmental politics (STEP), information technology and politics (ITP), and East Asian politics. Dr. Shapiro’s work has been published in The Pacific Review, American Politics Research, Environment & Planning, International Journal of Public Policy, and Scientometrics among others. He teaches courses in research methods, public policy, political economy, and Asian politics for the Department of Social Sciences.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 5, 2014:

The Second National Meeting of Experts for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was held on Friday, December 5 at the Ministry of the Environment. I presented a report on the current state of activities and discussions in the Expert Group on Catalogue of Policy Support Tools and Methodologies (Deliverable 4c), on which I'm currently serving as an expert nominated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Yarime, Masaru, "Current State of Activities and Discussions in the Expert Group on Catalogue of Policy Support Tools and Methodologies (Deliverable 4c)," Second National Meeting of Experts for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo, Japan, December 5 (2014).

 

December 4, 2014:

Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, edited by Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, will be published soon next year. We contributed to the handbook the first chapter, which explores a evolving and multifaceted relationship between Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Sustainability Science in the context of integrating education, research, and engagement with society.

Mochizuki, Yoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Chapter 1. Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and Research," in Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, eds., Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, London: Routledge, forthcoming.

 

November 28, 2014:

Science, Technology, Innovation Governance (STIG) Program at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) organized the International Symposium on Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance: Making the Most of Science and Innovation through Better Governance on Friday, November 28 at the University of Tokyo. I discussed the role of stakeholder platforms and social experimentation in governing science, technology, and innovation for societal challenges.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Science, Technology, and Innovation for Societal Challenges: Stakeholder Platforms and Social Experimentation," International Symposium on Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance: Making the Most of Science and Innovation through Better Governance," University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, November 28 (2014).

 

November 18, 2014:

I have joined as a faculty member the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM), led by the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) and the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo. Currently I'm co-advising four doctoral students working on policy and institutional issues related to science, technology, and innovation for tackling with societal challenges.

 

November 15, 2014:

Smart City Innovations Roundtable will be held on Friday, December 12 in Tokyo, hosted by the Japan Smart Community Alliance (JSCA) and the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ). I will moderate discussions on visions and technologies for smart cities with experts in Japanese industries.

 

November 14, 2014:

A review of the book Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport (Frank Geels, Rene Kemp, Geoff Dudley, and Glenn Lyons, eds., London: Routledge) has been published in the Mobile Lives Forum, an institute for research on and discussion about mobilities. To this book we contributed a chapter on the electrification of automobility.

Orsato, Renato J., Marc Dijk, Rene Kemp, and Masaru Yarime, "The Electrification of Automobility: The Bumpy Ride of Electric Vehicles towards Regime Transition," in Frank Geels, Rene Kemp, Geoff Dudley, and Glenn Lyons, eds., Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport, London: Routledge, 205-228 (2012).

 

November 13, 2014:

An analysis of stakeholder collaboration and societal experimentation for creating innovation to address social challenges is conducted with Dr. Gregory Trencher through a case study, the result of which has just been published in the Journal of Science Policy and Research Management.

Yarime, Masaru, and Gregory Trencher, "Creating Innovation to Address Societal Challenges: An Analysis of Stakeholder Collaboration and Social Experimentation" (in Japanese), Journal of Science Policy and Research Management, 29 (2/3), 118-131 (2014).

 

November 12, 2014:

Sichuan Administration Institute (SAI), a specialized institution directly under the Sichuan Provincial Government in China, kindly organized my seminar on Tuesday, November 11. I discussed the role of public policy and administration for promoting science, technology, and innovation for sustainability in China.

Yarime, Masaru, "The Role of Public Policy and Administration for Promoting Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainability in China," Sichuan Administration Institute (SAI), Chengdu, Sichuan, China, November 11 (2014).

 

November 12, 2014:

The 9th Trilateral Science and Technology Policy Seminar was held on November 10-11 in Chengdu, China, organized by the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development (CASTED), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Policy and Management (CAS/IPM), National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) of Japan, Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) of Korea, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP). In Session on S&T Innovation for Green Development, I made a presentation on governing science, technology, and innovation for sustainability, discussing opportunities and challenges in public policy and international cooperation in East Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Public Policy and International Cooperation in East Asia," The 9th Trilateral Science and Technology Policy Seminar, Chengdu, China, November 10-11 (2014).

 

November 9, 2014:

International Conference on Higher Education for Sustainable Development: Higher Education Beyond 2014 was held on Sunday, November 9 at Nagoya University in Japan, organized by the United Nations University (UNU) in collaboration with UNESCO, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), UN Environment Programme, UN Global Compact Principles for Responsible Management Education initiative and the International Association of Universities. In Group 5 on Sustainability Science and Engagement with Society I discussed the potential in integrating education, research, and engagement with society in sustainability science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) and Sustainability Science: Integrating Education, Research, and Engagement with Society," Session 5 on HESD: Sustainability Science and Engagement with Society, International Conference on Higher Education for Sustainable Development: Higher Education Beyond 2014, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan, November 9 (2014).

 

November 7, 2014:

International Symposium on Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance: Making the Most of Science and Innovation through Better Governance will be held on Friday, November 28 at the University of Tokyo, organized by the Science, Technology, Innovation Governance (STIG) Program at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP). We will discuss key issues and challenges in science, technology, and innovation governance, including how to mobilize scientific knowledge effectively in public decision making for societal challenges including sustainability.

 

November 6, 2014:

Multimedia from my seminar at the Institute for Science and Society (ISS) of the University of Nottingham have been uploaded to the ISS website.

Yarime, Masaru, “Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainability Science: Academic Development, Institutionalization, and Stakeholder Collaboration,” ISS/STS Seminar Series, Institute for Science and Society (ISS), University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, October 16 (2014).

 

November 5, 2014:

The 29th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Theory and Practice of Governance for Urban Sustainability Transitions: Cases from Europe, Latin America and the Pacific will be held on Thursday, November 13 at the University of Tokyo, organized by Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program. Professor Niki Frantzeskaki of the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) will discuss governance for sustainability transitions, focusing on institutional barriers and drivers for policy change in various fields including energy, water and ecosystems at urban and regional scales. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

The 29th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Thursday, November 13, 10:30-12:00

Venue: Second Floor, Economics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), Hongo Campus, The University of Tokyo

Speaker: Dr. Niki Frantzeskaki, Associate Professor, Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Title: Theory and Practice of Governance for Urban Sustainability Transitions: Cases from Europe, Latin America and the Pacific

Abstract: Participatory models for policy design and institutionalization are at core of current research. The identification and verification of the institutional barriers and drivers for policy change are being researched with a focus on the energy, water and ecosystems governance at urban and regional scales.

Scientific Coordinator of EU FP7 Research Project ARTS, Accelerating and Rescaling Transitions to Sustainability (2013-2016)

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program, University of Tokyo

 

November 4, 2014:

The Dutch Research Institute For Transitions (DRIFT) at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam in the Netherlands has published a working paper, Studying sustainability transitions in welfare states: A research agenda for Japan and the Netherlands. This is based on the outcome of a joint seminar of Dutch and Japanese researchers on opportunities and challenges of sustainability transitions in welfare states, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Julia Wittmayer, Katharina Hölscher, Niki Frantzeskaki, Derk Loorbach, Hideaki Shiroyama, Kyoko Ohta, PJ Beers, Bram Bos, Eefje Cuppen, John Grin, Satoko Hotta, Shinya Kajiki, Masahiro Matsuura, Satoru Mizuguchi, Akihisa Mori, Rob Raven, Yohei Yamaguchi, and Masaru Yarime, "Studying sustainability transitions in welfare states: A research agenda for Japan and the Netherlands," Working Paper, Dutch Research Institute For Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, October (2014).

 

November 3, 2014:

International Symposium on Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG): Making the Most of Science and Innovation through Better Governance will be held on Friday, November 28 at the University of Tokyo. The invited speakers include Dr. Kenneth Oye (Associate Professor of Political Science and Engineering Systems, Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Dr. Michael Rogers (former Adviser in Science and Ethics, Bureau of European Policy Advisers, the European Commission), Dr. David Laws (Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science, University of Amsterdam), Dr. Jason J Blackstock (Head, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London). Everyone is welcome to join us in discussing key opportunities and challenges in science, technology, and innovation governance.

 

November 2, 2014:

The book Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands has just been published by Greenleaf Publishing in the United Kingdom. We contributed to this book a chapter that examined the diversity of human capital as a driver for corporate responsibility engagement.

Gomes, Catarina, and Masaru Yarime, "Diversity of Human Capital as a Driver for Corporate Responsibility Engagement: The Case of the Luxury Industry," in Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres, eds., Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, Sheffield, United Kingdom: Greenleaf Publishing, 148-162 (2014).

 

November 1, 2014:

The 9th Trilateral Science and Technology Policy Seminar will be held on November 10-11 in Chengdu, China to to promote information sharing on science and technology policy and innovation research among Japan, China, and South Korea. I will give a talk in Session on S&T Innovation for Green Development.

 

November 1, 2014:

My seminar has been updated on the Transportation@MIT website.

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards Network Governance for Sustainability: Promoting Resilience in Energy Systems," Transportation@MIT Seminar Series, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, Untied States, September 22 (2014).

 

October 31, 2014:

Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (Te-DRR) Conference 2014 was organized on October 31 in Tokyo by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and the University Network for Climate and Ecosystems Change Adaptation Research (UNCECAR). I discussed challenges and opportunities for transdisciplinary education for disaster risk reduction, by examining the experiences of knowledge integration and stakeholder collaboration in sustainability science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Experiences of Knowledge Integration and Stakeholder Collaboration in Sustainability Science: Challenges and Opportunities for Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction," Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (Te-DRR) Conference, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan, October 31 (2014).

 

October 29, 2014:

International Conference on Higher Education for Sustainable Development: Higher Education Beyond 2014 will be held on November 9 at Nagoya University in Japan, organized by the United Nations University (UNU) in collaboration with UNESCO, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the UN Environment Programme, the UN Global Compact Principles for Responsible Management Education initiative and the International Association of Universities. In Session 5 on Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) - Sustainability Science and Engagement with Society I will discuss the opportunities and challenges that sustainability science currently faces, including academic development of concepts and methodologies, institutionalization, and collaboration with stakeholders in society for sustainability transformations.

 

October 27, 2014:

The Manchester Institute of Innovation Research kindly organized my seminar on Monday, October 27 at Manchester Business School. I discussed opportunities and challenges in promoting innovation for sustainability through university-stakeholder platforms, with leading cases initiated by universities in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stimulating Innovation for Sustainability: Functions, Organizations, and Strategies of Stakeholder Collaborations in Society," Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, Manchester Business School, University of Manchester, United Kingdom, October 27 (2014).

 

October 25, 2014:

I have received an appointment as an External Assessor in the field of Economics and Policy Studies of Technological Change at the University of Malaya in Malaysia.

 

October 24, 2014:

The International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) organized Sustainability Science Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 22-24. In Session on Sustainable Nutrient Management in the Anthropocene, I examined emerging national/regional initiatives on phosphorus management in Japan, Europe, and North America and discussed possibilities and challenges for the governance of sustainability innovation through stakeholder platforms at the global level.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governance of Sustainability Innovation through Stakeholder Platforms: Global Initiatives for Managing Phosphorus within the Planetary Boundary," Session: Sustainable Nutrient Management in the Anthropocene, International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) Sustainability Science Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 22-24 (2014).

 

October 24, 2014:

I will take the role of the external examiner for the doctoral dissertation of Ms. Rethabile Bonang Melamu on Waste-Based Bioenergy - Beyond Assessments of Potential into Implementation, supervised by Professor Harro von Blottnitz of Environmental & Process Systems Engineering, at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

 

October 23, 2014:

Resilience Engineering Research Center (RERC) at the University of Tokyo was established in April 2013 to promote research and education on resilience engineering by integrating various fields of engineering for safety and risk management. I have just joined RERC as a cooperation researcher.

 

October 21, 2014:

On Monday, October 20 I had a meeting with Dr. Jason Blackstock, Dr. Michele Acuto, and Professor Arthur Petersen at the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL), where I have an appointment of Honorary Reader. We discussed research and educational issues on mobilizing scientific knowledge in public decision making, including capacity building for effective science advice.

 

October 20, 2014:

Transdisciplinary Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (Te-DRR) Conference 2014 will be held on October 31 in Tokyo, organized by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) and the University Network for Climate and Ecosystems Change Adaptation Research (UNCECAR). Reflecting on the experiences of knowledge integration and stakeholder collaboration in sustainability science, I will discuss challenges and opportunities for transdisciplinary education for disaster risk reduction.

 

October 19, 2014:

Sustainability Science Congress 2014 will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark on October 22-24, organized by the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU). I will discuss the governance of sustainability innovation through stakeholder platforms by looking at emerging global initiatives on phosphorus in the session on sustainable nutrient management in the anthropocene.

 

October 18, 2014:

Our paper examining the diversity of human capital as a driver for corporate responsibility engagement through a case study of the luxury sector will be published in the book Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands by Greenleaf this month.

Gomes, Catarina, and Masaru Yarime, "Diversity of Human Capital as a Driver for Corporate Responsibility Engagement: The Case of the Luxury Industry," in Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres, eds., Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, Sheffield, United Kingdom: Greenleaf Publishing, 148-162 (2014).

 

October 17, 2014:

I had a very stimulating discussion with Professor Tom Dedeurwaerdere, Director of the Biodiversity Governance Unit at the Centre for Philosophy of Law of the Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium on Friday, October 17 in London. We plan to organize a workshop on science and practice in the context of transdisciplinarity and implications for public decision making, with detailed examination of different issues including climate change, biodiversity, and phosphorus.

 

October 16, 2014:

On Thursday, October 16 I gave a seminar on challenges and opportunities in sustainability science at the Institute for Science and Society (ISS) of the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.

Yarime, Masaru, "Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainability Science: Academic Development, Institutionalization, and Stakeholder Collaboration," ISS/STS Seminar Series, Institute for Science and Society (ISS), University of Nottingham, United Kingdom, October 16 (2014).

 

October 16, 2014:

I have contributed a short article on challenges and opportunities for sustainable phosphorus governance to the web site of the Future Earth.

Yarime, Masaru, "Can we build sustainable phosphorus governance?," Future Earth: Research for Global Sustainability, October 16 (2014).

 

October 10, 2014:

I had a very fruitful discussion with Dr. Shuan S.Ghazi, Research Fellow on Innovation Studies and Development of the United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and social Research institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) about innovation and business strategies for the bottom of the pyramid (BOP).

 

October 6, 2014:

We will organize the 27th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar/The 31st GSDM Seminar on October 7 at 14:00 in the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Sami Mahroum of INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools based in France, will discuss black swan start-ups and the role of government policy. If you are interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, and public policy, please join us.

The 27th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar/The 31st GSDM Seminar

Title: Black Swan Start-ups and the Role of Government Policy

Speaker: Dr Sami Mahroum, Academic & Executive Director, INSEAD Innovation and Policy Initiative, Fontainebleau, France

Date: Tuesday, October 7, 14:00-15:30

Venue: Faculty of Engineering Bldg. No.14, Room 429-433, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Organizers: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program and the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM), University of Tokyo

 

October 3, 2014:

My presentation at the Microsoft Research eScience Workshop held in October 2010 in Berkeley, California has been included in the archives of the Microsoft Research Video.

Yarime, Masaru, "Analyzing the Process of Knowledge Dynamics in Sustainability Innovation: Towards a Data-Intensive Approach to Sustainability Science," 2010 Microsoft Research eScience Workshop, Berkeley, California, United States, October 11-13 (2010).

 

September 29, 2014:

The 26th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Social Spaces in Governance – For the Future of Fukushima will be held on October 1 at 10:00-13:00 at Room 404 of the Faculty of Law Building in Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Arie Rip in the Department of Science, Technology, and Policy Studies (STePS) at the University of Twente in the Netherlands will make a keynote speech, Spaces as an Approach for Policy and Governance, which will be followed by presentations by experts and researchers and a panel discussion with all the participants.

 

September 28, 2014:

The Institute for Science and Society (ISS) and the Science, Technology and Society (STS) Priority Group at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom organize ISS/STS Research Seminar Series. I will give a seminar on October 16 about opportunities and challenges in sustainability science, including academic development, institutionalization, and stakeholder collaboration.

 

September 27, 2014:

We will organize an introductory session to the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program for the Winter Semester on October 1 at the University of Tokyo. Students who are interested in such issues as science and technology policy, university-industry collaboration, corporate strategy and management, and societal impacts and implications are very welcome to attend the meeting.

Date: Wednesday, October 1, 17:10-17:40

Venue: School of Law Building, Room 203, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

 

September 26, 2014:

Graduate Program for Mechanical Systems Innovation (GMSI) and the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) at the University of Tokyo is currently organizing the 2014 GMSI-GSDM Summer Camp, which has brought together 64 graduate students with engineering backgrounds from 19 leading universities across the globe. I gave a plenary lecture on promoting science, technology, and innovation for tackling with societal challenges, including energy security, health care, and environmental protection, and its implications for public policy and its implications for public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science, Technology, and Innovation for Tackling with Societal Challenges: Knowledge, Networks & Public Policy," Plenary Lecture, 2014 GMSI-GSDM Summer Camp, Graduate Program for Mechanical Systems Innovation (GMSI) and the Global Leader program for Social Design and Management (GSDM), University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, September 26-29 (2014).

 

September 23, 2014:

On September 23 I gave a guest lecture at the George Perkins Marsh Institute at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts in the Untied States. I talked about the issue of encouraging innovation for sustainability by discussing opportunities and challenges in collaborating with stakeholders in society based on case studies of university-led initiatives across the globe.

Yarime, Masaru, "Encouraging Innovation for Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges in Collaborating with Stakeholders in Society." Guest Lecture, Department of International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE) and the George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts, Untied States, September 23 (2014).

 

September 22, 2014:

I gave a seminar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on Monday, September 22, as a part of Transportation@MIT Seminar Series. My talk focused on conceptual and methodological issues in understanding resilience in global energy systems with opportunities and challenges in establishing network governance for sustainability, considering implications for the transportation sector. I appreciate very much valuable comments and suggestions from the faculty and graduate students of the Engineering Systems Division (ESD) and other schools and departments at MIT, which have pushed me to think further and more carefully about this topic.

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards Network Governance for Sustainability: Promoting Resilience in Energy Systems," Transportation@MIT Seminar Series, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, Untied States, September 22 (2014).

 

September 20, 2014:

The Fourth Annual Conference of the Japan Forum of Business and Society (JFBS) was held on September 18-19 in Tokyo with the theme of Sustainability and Strategy. We presented a preliminary result of our study on the strategy of Vale S.A., a major mining company in Brazil, for dealing with the issue of a serious shortage in urban infrastructure by integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) and competitive advantage through collaboration with local governments.

De Souza, Felipe Francisco, Masaru Yarime, Andre Sorensen, Isabel Ache Pillar, and Andreia Rabetim, "The Strategy of Vale S.A. for Urban Infrastructure Shortage Reduction: Strategic Relationship Behaviour with Local Governments as a Competitive Advantage for Sustainable Business," Fourth Annual Conference of the Japan Forum of Business and Society (JFBS), Tokyo, Japan, September 18-19 (2014).

 

September 19, 2014:

On Monday, September 22 I will give a seminar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is kindly organized by Transportation@MIT. I will discuss resilience in energy systems in the context of network governance for sustainability with implications for transportation.

Transportation@MIT Seminar Series

Toward Network Governance for Sustainability: Promoting Resilience in Energy Systems and Implications for Transportation

September 22, 12:30 pm - 2 pm, MIT campus, Room 3-442

Masaru Yarime, Ph.D., Project Associate Professor of Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo; and Honorary Reader, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering & Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London

Lunch will be served at 12 pm.

 

September 18, 2014:

The 2014 International Conference on Sustainable Development Practice was held on September 17-18 at Columbia University in New York, with the theme of Advancing Evidence-Based Solutions for the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. In Session on Low-Carbon Energy and Sustainable Industry, I presented some of the preliminary findings of our research on resilience in global energy systems, discussing implications of network governance for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Yarime, Masaru, Masahiro Sato, Ali Kharrazi, and Hirofumi Nakayama, "Resilience in Global Energy Systems: Implications of Network Governance for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," 2014 International Conference on Sustainable Development Practice, Columbia University, New York, Untied States, September 17-18 (2014).

 

September 17, 2014:

George Perkins Marsh Institute (GPMI) at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts in the Untied States is very kind to organize my guest lecture on September 23. I will talk about opportunities and challenges in collaborating with stakeholders in society for encouraging innovation for sustainability.

 

September 15, 2014:

Seminar Series are organized by the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIoIR) at Manchester Business School for First Semester 2014-2015. I will give a seminar on October 27, 2014 about stimulating innovation for sustainability by examining the functions, organizations, and strategies of stakeholder collaborations in society.

 

September 11, 2014:

Seminar on Studying Sustainability Transitions in Welfare States: A Research Agenda for Japan and the Netherlands is taking place on September 10-13 at the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) of Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. I discussed the opportunities and challenges in establishing systems for knowledge integration and implications for the governance of sustainability transitions by examining the case of phosphorus.

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Systems for Knowledge Integration on Phosphorus: Implications for the Governance of Sustainability Transitions," Studying Sustainability Transitions in Welfare States: A Research Agenda for Japan and the Netherlands, Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands, September 10-13 (2014).

I also talked about the state of precarious universities by examining their experiences, expectations, and experimentation for sustainability transitions at TAC Talk 2: Life-Based Lessons from Japan, organized by the Transition Academy and DRIFT on September 11.

Yarime, Masaru, "Precarious Universities: Experiences, Expectations, and Experimentation for Sustainability Transitions," TAC Talk 2: Life-Based Lessons from Japan, Transition Academy and Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands, September 11 (2014).

 

September 5, 2014:

The Second Thematic Conference on Knowledge Commons: Governing Pooled Knowledge Resources with Special Attention to the Fields of Medicine and the Environment is being held on September 5-6 at New York University School of Law in the United States, organized by the International Association for the Study of the Commons with support from the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy at NYU School of Law. I made a presentation on transdisciplinary approaches to knowledge integration through stakeholder platforms with implications for knowledge commons for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Transdisciplinary Approaches to Knowledge Integration through Stakeholder Platforms: Implications for Knowledge Commons for Sustainability, Second Thematic Conference on Knowledge Commons: Governing Pooled Knowledge Resources with Special Attention to the Fields of Medicine and the Environment, New York University School of Law, New York, United States, September 5-6 (2014).

 

September 4, 2014:

Sustainable Phosphorus Summit 2014 was held on September 1-3 in Montpellier, France. At Round Table on National/Regional Phosphorus Platforms: Lessons Learned?, I made an introductory talk on the functions of stakeholder platforms for sustainable phosphorus management with a case study of Japan, which was followed by discussions with experts and practitioners involved in establishing platforms in Europe and the United States, exploring opportunities and challenges for a global platform in the future.

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Stakeholder Platforms for Sustainable Phosphorus Governance: The Case of Japan," Round Table on National/Regional Phosphorus Platforms: Lessons Learned?, Sustainable Phosphorus Summit 2014, Le Corum, Montpellier, France, September 1-3 (2014).

 

August 31, 2014:

International Conference on Sustainable Development Practice will be held on September 17-18 at Columbia University in New York, with the theme of Advancing Evidence-Based Solutions for the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda. In Session on Low-Carbon Energy and Sustainable Industry, I will present some preliminary findings of our research on resilience in global energy systems, with implications of network approaches to addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

August 29, 2014:

The International Conference on Sustainability Transitions 2014: Impact and Institutions was held on August 27-29 at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. I made a presentation on governing the process of sustainability transitions through stakeholder platforms with a case study of phosphorus management in Japan and Europe.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governing the Process of Sustainability Transitions: Creation of Stakeholder Platforms for Sustainable Phosphorus Management," International Conference on Sustainability Transitions 2014: Impact and Institutions, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, August 27-29 (2014).

 

August 23, 2014:

TAC (Think & Act for Radical Change) Talk is a platform for open dialogue around ideas pushing the frontiers of transformative science and practice, organized by the Transition Academy and the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) at Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. I will speak at TAC Talk 2: Life-Based Lessons from Japan on September 11.

 

August 22, 2014:

The result of our research on measuring the impact of financial training for microfinance on sustainable urban development in Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya has just been published in the African Journal of Sustainable Development.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Microfinance for the Urban Bottom of the Pyramid Segment in Nairobi’s Kibera Slum in Kenya: Does Financial Training Impact on Sustainable Urban Development?" African Journal of Sustainable Development, 4 (1), 1-15 (2014).

 

August 19, 2014:

Our paper on an analysis of stakeholder collaboration and societal experimentation for creating innovation to address social challenges has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Science Policy and Research Management.

Yarime, Masaru, and Gregory Trencher, "Creating Innovation to Address Societal Challenges: An Analysis of Stakeholder Collaboration and Social Experimentation" (in Japanese), Journal of Science Policy and Research Management, forthcoming.

 

August 13, 2014:

Our paper on university partnerships for co-designing and co-producing urban sustainability has been introduced to the members of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN). ISCN is a global network of leading colleges, universities, and corporate campuses to exchange information, ideas, and best practices for achieving sustainable campus operations and integrating sustainability in research and teaching.

Trencher, Gregory, Xuemei Bai, James Evans, Kes B McCormick, and Masaru Yarime, "University Partnerships for Co-designing and Co-producing Urban Sustainability," Global Environmental Change, 28, 153–165 (2014).

 

August 12, 2014:

Sustainable Phosphorus Summit 2014 will be held on September 1-3 in Montpellier, France. Round Table on National/Regional Phosphorus Platforms: Lessons Learned? will be joined by experts and practitioners involved in establishing platforms for sustainable phosphorus management in different counties/regions. I will discuss the mechanisms and processes of creating stakeholder platforms in Japan, Europe, and the United States and their implications for exploring a global platform in the future.

 

August 11, 2014:

I had a meeting with Professor Guojun Song of the Institute for Environmental Policy and Planning (IEPP) of the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the Renmin University of China in Beijing. He is a leading expert in environmental policy and management in China, particularly for air pollution control. We have started to collaborate on a project with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute on policy analysis and recommendation for reducing air pollution, with a focus on particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less (PM2.5).

 

August 6, 2014:

Sustainability Science Congress will be organized on October 22-24 in Copenhagen, Denmark by the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU). This international and solution-oriented conference will be an excellent opportunity to provide a platform for science-policy interface on global sustainability challenges. In Session on Sustainable Nutrient Management in the Anthropocene I will discuss the governance of sustainability innovation through stakeholder platforms by taking the case of national/regional initiatives currently emerging on phosphorus management, with implications for establishing a global regime in the future.

 

July 26, 2014:

A large-scale international survey was conducted on university partnerships for urban sustainability in Europe, Asia and North America to examine defining features such as focus areas, geographical scales, mechanisms, actors and motivations, and to identify commonly encountered drivers, barriers and potential impacts. The results of the research has been just published in the journal Global Environmental Change.

Trencher, Gregory, Xuemei Bai, James Evans, Kes B McCormick, and Masaru Yarime, "University Partnerships for Co-designing and Co-producing Urban Sustainability," Global Environmental Change, 28, 153–165 (2014).

I hope it would also contribute to academic as well as policy discussions on co-design and co-production for transformations to sustainability at international programs including the Future Earth.

 

July 25, 2014:

The First National Meeting of Experts for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was held on Thursday, July 24 at the Ministry of the Environment. I presented a report on the current state of activities and discussions in the Expert Group on Catalogue of Policy Support Tools and Methodologies (Deliverable 4c) of IPBES, on which I'm currently serving as an expert nominated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Yarime, Masaru, "Current State of Activities and Discussions in the Expert Group on Catalogue of Policy Support Tools and Methodologies (Deliverable 4c)," First National Meeting of Experts for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), Ministry of the Environment, Tokyo, Japan, July 24 (2014).

 

July 25, 2014:

The Interim Evaluation Report on the Mission-Oriented Research and Data and Information Infrastructure of the Science for Redesigning Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Program was submitted to the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP). I have contributed to this report as a member of the Evaluation Panel.

Evaluation Panel, "Interim Evaluation Report on the Mission-Oriented Research and Data and Information Infrastructure," Science for Redesigning Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Program, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Tokyo, July (2014).

 

July 24, 2014:

Indicator Workshop of the Asia-Pacific Nexus Project was organized by the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto on Thursday, July 24. I discussed the possibility of an index approach based on the balance between efficiency and resilience towards quantitative assessment of sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "Towards Quantitative Assessment of Sustainability: An Indexation Based on the Balance between Efficiency and Resilience," Indicator Workshop, Asia-Pacific Nexus Project, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Kyoto, Japan, July 24 (2014).

 

July 18, 2014:

The Second Workshop on the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST 2015) was held on July 17-18 at Tohoku University in Sendai. I presented the findings of research conducted with our colleagues for an analysis of the sustainability of global energy systems based on efficiency and resilience and its implications for network governance.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "Targeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Global Energy Systems through Network Governance," Second Workshop on the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST 2015), Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, July 17-18 (2014).

 

July 15, 2014:

I had a meeting with Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes of the School of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology on Monday, July 14 to collaborate on a project to examine the interface between political economy and sustainable policy in Argentina, Japan and Iceland. At Georgia Tech I have given a lecture before on sustainability innovation and its implications for corporate strategy, public policy, and institutional design, co-organized by the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Sustainability Innovation: Corporate Strategy, Public Policy, and Institutional Design," Lecture co-organized by the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy and the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta with cooperation from the Japan-America Society of Georgia and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., November 16 (2009).

 

July 11, 2014:

The Third International Workshop of RISTEX Science of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy on Technology Assessment: A Stable Solution or Only Relevant Under Pressure? was held on Friday, July 11 in Tokyo, organized by the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL) in Portugal, and the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). I introduced to the participants the activities of our project on strategic resource logistics for creating sustainability innovation through stakeholder platforms and discussed the potential and challenges in implementing technology assessment by integrating the methodologies of material flow analysis and supply chain analysis and the practice of stakeholder engagement from a transdisciplinary perspective, by considering the case of sustainable phosphorus governance.

Yarime, Masaru, "Strategic Resource Logistics for Creating Sustainability Innovation through Stakeholder Platforms: Implications for Technology Assessment," Third International Workshop of RISTEX Science of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy on Technology Assessment: A Stable Solution or Only Relevant Under Pressure?, Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo, Japan, July 11 (2014).

 

July 10, 2014:

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 45 will be held on Tuesday, July 22 at 17:00 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Frank Ling of Cleantech.Org and Smart Wire Grid based in San Francisco will discuss opportunities and challenges in promoting innovations for a resilient, low-carbon grid, based on the experience of the Green Electricity Network Integration (GENI) program of the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). Anybody will be welcome to attend the seminar.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 45

Date: Monday, July 22, 2014, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Innovations for a Resilient, Low-Carbon Grid: Review of the US Department of Energy's Green Electricity Network Integration (GENI) Program

Speaker: Dr. Frank Ling, Manager, Cleantech.Org, and Consultant, Smart Wire Grid, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract: The smart grid can help to improve the efficiency and reliability of the aging electricity grid in industrialized countries, as well as to support the deployment of resilient, low-carbon electricity infrastructure in developing countries, which are the drivers of the world’s growing greenhouse gas emissions. In the US, about 10% of the electricity does not reach the end-users and $80 billion in economic losses are due to blackouts and unreliable power. To address these deficiencies and to dramatically expand the integration of sporadic sources of power like solar and wind into the energy mix, both hardware and software innovations are needed to modernize the grid. In this study, key successes from the Green Electricity Network Integration (GENI) program of the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) are identified.

Biography: Frank Ling is manager of Cleantech.Org and consultant for Smart Wire Grid. He has previously been a researcher at the Institute for Global Change Adaptation Science (ICAS) in Ibaraki University and at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Frank has also been consultant for ADB and an expert review for the IPCC. Dr. Ling conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and at the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) at the University of California at Berkeley. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from UC Berkeley and his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 9, 2014:

The Initiative for Next Generation Aviation Fuels (INAF) has been established by the University of Tokyo, Boeing, Japan Airline, All Nippon Air, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Narita International Airport, Japan Petroleum Exploration, and relevant stakeholders. I have joined the working groups with experts in academia, industry, and the public sector to examine the entire supply chains involving raw material production, processing technologies, and distribution channels to create a roadmap for promoting the use of biofuels in aviation.

 

July 5, 2014:

I have accepted an invitation to become the external examiner for the doctoral dissertation on national climate change policy in Malaysia written by Mr. Ezwan Arman at the Department of Science & Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya in Malaysia.

Arman, Ezwan, "Phronetic Perspective in Policy Analysis: An Investigation on National Climate Change Policy in Malaysia," Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad; External Examiner: Yarime, Masaru), Department of Science & Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, expected in December 2014.

 

July 4, 2014:

Workshop on Disaster Risk Governance and Earth System Governance: How Do They Relate? was held on July 4 in London, chaired by Professor Arthur Petersen of the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL), with experts in academia, international organizations, and civil society organizations. The aim of the workshop was to jointly analyze and identify outstanding research questions on the coupling of Disaster Risk Governance and Earth System Governance. It would be very important to analyze the differences in the processes and mechanisms of mobilizing scientific and technological knowledge in terms of the nature of knowledge involved, time range considered, and stakeholders involved, in exploring potential integration of the governance systems for disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA).

 

July 3, 2014:

The 2014 Norwich Conference on Earth System Governance: Access and Allocation in the Anthropocene was held on July 1-3 at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, the United Kingdom. In Session on the Role of Science in Transformations toward Sustainability, we discussed a data-intensive approach to quantifying the concept of sustainability and its implications for earth system governance.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "A Data-Intensive Approach to Quantifying the Concept of Sustainability: Implications for Network Governance," The 2014 Norwich Conference on Earth System Governance: Access and Allocation in the Anthropocene, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom, July 1-3 (2014).

 

June 30, 2014:

Understanding Risk Forum 2014: Producing Actionable Information is held on June 30-July 4 in London, co-organized by the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL) with the World Bank Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR). Our colleagues at STEaPP and the Institute for Risk and Disaster Reduction (IRDR) organized a session on Educating Future Leaders in Understanding Risk, which facilitated vibrant discussions on how to create leaders for disaster risk management and governance in the public and private sectors.

 

June 28, 2014:

Drivers, barriers and potential impacts are analyzed in promoting university partnerships for co-designing and co-producing urban sustainability in our recent paper, which will be published soon in the journal Global Environmental Change.

Trencher, Gregory Patrick, Xuemei Bai, James Evans, Kes B McCormick, and Masaru Yarime, "University Partnerships for Co-designing and Co-producing Urban Sustainability," Global Environmental Change, forthcoming.

 

June 26, 2014:

In a request from the Board of the Council for Social Sciences of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), I provided my expert evaluation of a research proposal submitted for Research Talent 2014. It is always a rewarding experience to review an excellent research proposal.

 

June 25, 2014:

Energy Systems Conference: When Theory Meets Reality was held on June 24-25 in London, organized by the Energy Institute. We presented the result of a preliminary attempt to explore resilience in energy systems by applying the ecological information-based approach.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "Exploring Resilience in Energy Systems: An Application of the Ecological Information-Based Approach," Energy Systems Conference: When Theory Meets Reality, London, United Kingdom, June 24-25 (2014).

 

June 24, 2014:

I participated in the first meeting with all the staff members of the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL) on Tuesday, June 24. We discussed future visions and strategies for the department's activities, including the newly established master's program and forthcoming doctoral program, as well as branding and outreach to society.

 

June 23, 2014:

I was invited to participate in the UK Manufacturing Professors' Forum held on Monday, June 23 at the National Liberal Club in London by the Professor Sir Mike Gregory of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) of the University of Cambridge. It was a great opportunity to share views with experts in academia, industry , and government and identify opportunities for the UK’s rapidly evolving manufacturing research and translation capability, with significant potentials for building international networks.

 

June 18, 2014:

Japan-China Young Scientists Interdisciplinary Academic Forum 2014 on Multi-Generational Co-Creating Society and Eco Cities was held on June 16-17 in Beijing, China, jointly organized by the China Association of Science and Technology (CAST) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). I discussed the opportunities and challenges for collaboration between Japan and China in creating innovation for eco cities through public engagement.

Yarime, Masaru, "Creating Innovation for Eco Cities through Public Engagement: Opportunities and Challenges for Japan-China Collaboration," Japan-China Young Scientists Interdisciplinary Academic Forum 2014 on Multi-Generational Co-Creating Society and Eco Cities, jointly organized by the China Association of Science and Technology (CAST) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Beijing, China, June 16-17 (2014).

 

June 17, 2014:

The following paper written with my colleagues in Japan and Europe on the challenge of integrating academic development, institutionalization, and collaboration with stakeholders in establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions has been listed as one of the Top 5 Most Cited Papers published in 2012 in the journal Sustainability Science.

Yarime, Masaru, Gregory Trencher, Takashi Mino, Roland W. Scholz, Lennart Olsson, Barry Ness, Niki Frantzeskaki, and Jan Rotmans, "Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and collaborations with stakeholders,"Sustainability Science7 (Supplement 1), 101-113 (2012).

 

June 13, 2014:

The Final Report on Social Innovation has been completed for submission to the Program for Supporting University-Industry-Government Collaboration of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), coordinated by Professor UETA Kazuhiro of Kyoto University. I worked with Dr. Gregory Trencher to contribute a chapter on the role of universities for creating innovation with stakeholders in local contexts.

Yarime, Masaru, and Gregory Trencher, "Role of Universities for Creating Innovation with Stakeholders in Local Contexts" (in Japanese), in Kazuhiro Ueta, ed., Report on Social Innovation, for submission to the Program for Supporting University-Industry-Government Collaboration, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), May (2014).

 

June 7, 2014:

The 22nd Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Title: Fishing for Complementarities: Competitive Research Funding and Research Productivity

Speaker: Dr. Cornelia Lawson, Science, Technology and Society Priority Group, University of Nottingham, United Kingdom; and Bureau for Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge (BRICK), Collegio Carlo Alberto, Italy

Date: Monday, June 2, 15:00 – 16:30

Venue: School of Law Bldg., 2F 204, The University of Tokyo

Abstract: In most countries in Europe, where universities have primarily been financed through block grants, governments have introduced or increased the amount of funding distributed through competitive funding schemes. Additionally, shrinking public research budgets meant that researchers are increasingly encouraged to look for funding elsewhere, e.g. source funding from industry and other sponsors. This paper empirically investigates complementarities between different sources of research funding with regard to academic publishing. From the sample of UK engineering academics, we find that competitive funding is associated with an increase in ex-post publications but that industry funding decreases the marginal utility of public funding by lowering the publication and citation rate increases associated with public grants. However, when holding all other explanatory variables at their mean, the negative effect of the interaction does not translate into an effective decrease in publication and citation numbers. The paper also shows that the positive effect of public funding is driven by UK research council and charity grants and that EU funding has no significant effect on publication outcomes. In addition to these results from UK data, cases of Germany and Italy will be discussed in this seminar.

Bio: Dr. Lawson joined the University of Nottingham in 2013 as a research fellow of the Science, Technology and Society Priority Group. She also has been affiliated to the Bureau for Research in Innovation, Complexity and Knowledge (BRICK), Collegio Carlo Alberto, Italy since 2010. Dr. Lawson was awarded a PhD in Economics from City University, London, in January, 2011 with a thesis on university-industry collaboration. Her main areas of research interests include science and innovation policy; university-industry-collaboration and academic patenting; researcher mobility and careers in academia; interdisciplinarity and thematic mobility; and so forth.

References:

Hottenrott, H. and Lawson, C. (2014) Research grants, sources of ideas and the effects on academic research, Economics of Innovation and New Technology, 23 (2), 109-133.

Hottenrott, H. and Lawson, C. (2013) Fishing for Complementarities: Competitive Research Funding and Research Productivity, ZEW Discussion Paper 13-113.

Lawson, C. (2013) Academic patenting: the importance of industry support, Journal of Technology Transfer, 38(4), 509-535.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo

 

June 6, 2014:

A public workshop on Technology Assessment: A Stable Solution or Only Relevant Under Pressure? will be organized on July 11 in Tokyo, with the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany, Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL) in Portugal, and the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). I will discuss the potential and challenges in implementing technology assessment through stakeholder platforms for sustainability innovation.

 

June 2, 2014:

The 29th NOA Conference, a one-on-one business matchmaking event between U.S. firms and Japan’s electric power utilities and suppliers, was held on Thursday, May 22 in Tokyo, Japan. Smart Wire Grid, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, participated in this conference as a company producing innovative technology solutions for the electric utility industry. I had a meeting to discuss energy policy, market, and technology with Mr. Woody Gibson (Founder & Senior Advisor to the CEO), Mr. Yves Meyer (Strategic Markets Associate), and Dr. Frank Ling (Consultant).

 

May 31, 2014:

The Second Discussion Meeting on the Science for Redesigning Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) was organized by the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management on Friday, May 30 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. I discussed the implications of "Grand Challenges" or "Societal Challenges" in promoting science, technology, and innovation for the Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan, which is currently under discussion for introduction in 2016.

Yarime, Masaru, "Promoting Science, Technology, and Innovation for Grand Challenges/Societal Challenges: Implications for the Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan," Second Discussion Meeting on the Science for Redesigning Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX), Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, May 31 (2014).

 

May 28, 2014:

The Japan Forum of Business and Society (JFBS) is an academic association to promote academic research and discussions on the relationship between business and society, encouraging cooperation and collaboration among academia, industry, government, and civil society organizations from global perspectives. I have recently joined the Editorial Committee for supporting and facilitating academic activities of JFBS.

 

May 27, 2014:

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 44 will be held on Friday, June 6 at 16:30 in Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Roy Nyberg of the University of Oxford will discuss the organisational efforts and challenges in the emergence of mobile health in England and Finland, which is used to make an argument about a rich view of innovation. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 44

Date: Friday, June 6, 2014, 16:30-18:00

Venue: Exercise Room 8 (625), Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: From a Lean to a Rich View of Innovation: Case Evidence from the Emergence of Mobile Health

Speaker: Dr. Roy Nyberg, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract: The concept of innovation - widely used but seldom carefully defined - tends to be employed to describe advances in technology and service concepts. Whether defined implicitly or explicitly, the general argument has been about superior technical features. In one popular example, Christensen (1997) made an argument about ‘disruptive innovation’, in which he claimed that the primary factor to explain change from existing technical arrangements to new solutions is in product features. I argue that this is a lean view of innovation, and will make a case for a richer view, which I draw from my empirical work on the emergence of mobile health. The last few years have seen increasing public talk of mobile technology use in health care in many Western countries. A look below the surface reveals that there have been efforts to improve cost and health outcome efficiencies by use of mobile devices for about two decades. I discuss the organisational efforts and challenges in the emergence of mobile health, in England and Finland, and use this evidence to make an argument about a rich view of innovation.

Bio: Roy Nyberg completed political science degrees from York University (Toronto) and the London School of Economics and Political Science, as well as a management research degree from the University of Oxford. He defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Oxford in April 2014 on the topic of early moments of emergence and the introduction of mobile technology in health care. His earlier professional career in the airline industry and regional development have involved management positions in the implementation of novel technology and strategic practices. Drawing on these experiences, his research interests focus on the emergence of new technology and concepts of organising, on aspects of innovation, and on strategies of implementation.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 26, 2014:

Our paper examining universities' emerging function of co-creating sustainability through collaboration with stakeholders in society has been listed as one of the Most-Read Articles published in the journal Science and Public Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 41 (2), 151-179 (2014).

 

May 24, 2014:

The Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, edited by Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, is expected to be published in 2015. Our chapter discusses potential synergies between Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Sustainability Science in the context of re-purposing higher education and research.

Mochizuki, Yoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and Research," in Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Geoffrey Thomas, eds., Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, London: Routledge, forthcoming.

 

May 23, 2014:

I was invited to give a seminar for the Project on Strategic Governance and the Management of Academia on Thursday, May 22 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. We discussed the role of university in promoting science, technology, and innovation to address societal challenges through collaboration with stakeholders.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science, Technology, and Innovation for Addressing Societal Challenges: The Role of University in Collaboration with Stakeholders," Research Seminar for the Project on Strategic Governance and the Management of Academia, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan, May 22 (2014).

 

May 16, 2014:

The Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL) organized its first Research Symposium on Friday, May 16. I joined the department's research staff as Honorary Reader and presented my current research activities and ideas for future projects.

Yarime, Masaru, "Knowledge Systems for Sustainable Phosphorus Governance: Global Analysis and Implementation of Stakeholder Platforms," STEaPP Research Symposium, Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom, May 16 (2014).

We had very stimulating discussions on how to understand and strengthen science, technology and engineering (STE) advice for, and impact within, public decision-making processes, particularly institutional, organizational, and practical dimensions of science and engineering advice and topical cases of STE knowledge mobilization and use in decision-making.

 

May 15, 2014:

The complete version of our paper proposing a new framework to incorporate environmental risk into sovereign credit risk analysis has been published in the Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment. It was based on a project with my colleagues at the Institute of Environmental Sciences of the University of Geneva, United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP-FI), and Global Footprint Network in Geneva, Switzerland.

Hill Clarvis, Margot, Martin Halle, Ivo Mulder, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards a new framework to account for environmental risk in sovereign credit risk analysis," Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, 4 (2), 147-160 (2014).

 

May 13, 2014:

I was invited to give a seminar on social innovation by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute on Tuesday, May 13. Identifying some of the important characteristics of social innovation, I discussed its possibilities and challenges in addressing societal challenges, with a particular reference to policy and strategic implications for developing countries.

Yarime, Masaru, "Possibilities and Challenges in Social Innovation: Policy and Strategic Implications for Developing Countries" Research Seminar, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan, May 13 (2014).

 

May 11, 2014:

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) completed the selection process for the Deliverables as follows: Task Force on capacity-building (Deliverable 1a & 1b); Task Force on indigenous and local knowledge systems (Deliverable 1c); Task Force on knowledge and data (Deliverable 1d); Expert Group to develop a guide on production and integration of assessments from and across all scales (Deliverable 2a); Expert Group for scoping of a methodological assessment and development of a guide regarding diverse conceptualization of values of biodiversity and nature’s benefits to people including ecosystem services (Deliverable 3d); and Expert Group to develop a guide on and a catalogue of policy support tools and methodologies (Deliverable 4c), which I have joined as an expert by the nomination of UNESCO.

 

May 10, 2014:

The impact of financial training through microfinance on sustainable urban development, with a particular focus on the bottom of the pyramid segment in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya is examined in our recent article to be published soon in the African Journal of Sustainable Development.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Microfinance for the Urban Bottom of the Pyramid Segment in Nairobi’s Kibera Slum in Kenya: Does Financial Training Impact on Sustainable Urban Development?" African Journal of Sustainable Development, forthcoming.

 

May 6, 2014:

In the Resilience 2014 Conference currently taking place in Montpellier, France, I made a presentation on the possibilities and challenges in utilizing knowledge resources on adaptation to climate change with a case study of weather insurance as an institutional tool for promoting community resilience.

Yarime, Masaru, "Utilizing Knowledge Resources on Adaptation to Climate Change: Weather Insurance as an Institutional Tool for Promoting Community Resilience ," Resilience 2014 Conference - Resilience and Development: Mobilizing for Transformation, Montpellier, France, May 4-8 (2014).

 

May 5, 2014:

The Resilience 2014 Conference - Resilience and Development: Mobilizing for Transformation is currently taking place in Montpellier, France. Today I participated in an off-site session on the Resilience of Business held at IBM Montpellier. We had a very stimulating discussion on some of the key aspects of resilience, such as diversity, modularity, and feedback loop, and their implications for operationalization of the concept in the practice of business, including, among others, systemic evaluation and long-term perspectives, with all the difficulties and challenges involved.

 

May 4, 2014:

Our paper on quantification methods of sustainability including the ecological information-based approach has been listed as one of the Most Downloaded Articles published in the academic journal Ecological Indicators.

Kharrazi, Ali, Steven Kraines, Lan Hoang, and Masaru Yarime, "Advancing quantification methods of sustainability: A critical examination of emergy, exergy, ecological footprint, and ecological information-based approaches," Ecological Indicators, 37, 81–89 (2014).

 

May 1, 2014:

I have received an invitation to join Expert Group on a Guide and Catalogue on Policy Support Tools and Methodologies for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), based in Bonn, Germany. The objective of the catalogue of policy support tools and methodologies is to facilitate easy access by decision makers to tools and methodologies promoted by IPBES.

 

April 28, 2014:

I have just accepted an appointment as Honorary Reader of University College London (UCL) in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP). The appointment would involve lectures, seminars, tuition, and participation in the research activities at STEaPP in the field of science, technology, and innovation policy and governance from a global perspective.

 

April 25, 2014:

I have joined the Evaluation Panel on Mission-Oriented Research and Data and Information Infrastructure of the Science for Redesigning Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (SciREX) Program at the National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

 

April 23, 2014:

Our paper discussing a new framework to take into account environmental risk in sovereign credit risk analysis has been listed in Environmental Accounting Top 25 articles published in academic journals of Taylor & Francis.

Hill Clarvis, Margot, Martin Halle, Ivo Mulder, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards a new framework to account for environmental risk in sovereign credit risk analysis," Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, 10.1080/20430795.2013.837810 (2013).

 

April 20, 2014:

The University of Tokyo and Evonik Industries, a specialty chemical company in Germany, have made an agreement on strategic partnership for strengthening innovation activities. As I participated in the Innovation Partnership Forum: Chemistry for Innovation, which was organized by the Division of University Corporate Relations (UCR) with Evonik on April 8, we discussed the potential for expanding university-industry collaboration to promote innovation for addressing societal challenges, such as energy, environment, and sustainability.

 

April 18, 2014:

Our paper examining the emerging university function of co-creating sustainability through collaboration with stakeholders in society has been published in the academic journal Science and Public Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 41 (2), 151-179 (2014).

 

April 18, 2014:

Our paper on a case study on emerging practices of phosphorus recycling from sewage systems in Japan has been published in the academic journal Sociotechnica. The study is based on a comparative analysis of problem recognition by the relevant stakeholders in different sectors concerning the supply chain of phosphorus.

Sato, Jun, Toshihide Sato, Yuji Nakagawa, Sho Hayashi, Sho Matsumoto, Hideaki Shiroyama, Makiko Matsuo, and Masaru Yarime, "Challenges in the Diffusion of Recycled Phosphorus from Sewage Systems in Japan" (in Japanese), Sociotechnica, 11, 108-118 (2014).

 

April 15, 2014:

A public workshop on Technology Assessment and Simulation: A Stable Solution or Only Relevant Under Pressure? will be organized in Tokyo on July 11, with the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS) of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, Faculty of Science and Technology of Universidade Nova de Lisboa in Portugal, and the Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society (RISTEX) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). I will discuss the potential and challenges in implementing technology assessment through stakeholder platforms for sustainability innovation.

 

April 12, 2014:

The book Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, edited by Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres, will be published soon by Greenleaf Publishing in the United Kingdom. In this book we discussed the influence of an inclusive work culture on innovative corporate responsibility strategies in the luxury sector.

Gomes, Catarina Pessanha, and Masaru Yarime, "Promoting an Inclusive Work Culture for Innovative Corporate Responsibility Strategies - A Case Study in the Luxury Sector," in Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres, eds., Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, Sheffield: Greenleaf Publishing, forthcoming.

 

April 11, 2014:

A workshop was organized on April 11 for the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST 2015), in which I have been working on proposals of post MDGs in the context of society's need for water and energy. I made a presentation of a working paper with Dr. Ali Kharrazi on resilience in energy systems implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this paper we discuss the concept of sustainability as a balance between efficiency and resilience, which would be dependent on diversity, modularity, and feedback, with implications for public policy and strategy for SDGs.

Yarime, Masaru, and Ali Kharrazi, "Resilience in Energy Systems: Implications for Public Policy and Strategy for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Working Paper prepared for the Workshop on Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST 2015), Tokyo, April 11 (2014).

 

April 10, 2014:

Today I received a visit from Ms. Christine Ax of the Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI) based in Vienna, Austria. As the author of a recent book, Wachstumswahn – Was uns in die Krise führt und wie wir wieder heraus kommen (Growth Illusion - What leads us into the crisis and how we come out again), she is interested in transition concepts, pathways and scenarios on a sustainable future and a post-growth society. Japan is regarded, in some sense, as the future in terms of the aging and shrinking demographic trend and slow economic growth. We discussed how countries like Japan, and some other followers a little later, could cope with the formidable challenge of maintaining the quality of life, without being able to expect such a level of economic growth as in the past.

 

April 3, 2014:

Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change, Working Group III contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (WGIII AR5) and its Summary for Policymakers will be made available after approval at the Twelfth Session of Working Group III to be held in Berlin, Germany on April 7-11. I participated in WGIII AR5 as one of the Expert Reviewers.

 

April 1, 2014:

The Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program of the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo will organize an orientation session on April 11 at 18:30-19:30 at Room 204 on the second floor of the School of Law Building. A special lecture will be given by Professor SUZUKI Hiroshi, Former Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Everyone is welcome to join us.

 

March 31, 2014:

The winter semester 2013-2014 ended today. In this semester I supervised the following doctoral dissertation and master's theses:

Trencher, Greg, "Co-creative university partnerships for urban transformations towards sustainability: Beyond the third mission through technology transfer," Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Examination Committee Members: Mino, Takashi, Yamaji, Eiji, Onuki, Motoharu, Matsuda, Nagao, Masafumi, and Baba, Yasunori), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2014).

Karlsson, Martin, "Smart Grid Innovation Processes and the Social Construction of Technology in Japan and the U.S.A.," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Nagao, Masafumi), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2014).

Shimizu, Tomomi, "Responsible Supply Chain Management as Compliance, Conventional, or Strategic CSR: A Case Study of Conflict Minerals Management in Electronics Companies in Japan, Europe, and the United States," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Matsuda, Hirotaka), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2014).

Mihashi, Rina, "Integrating Human Capital, Investment, Institution, and Natural Resource: Empirical Evidence for Their Relationships with Economic Growth and Development," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Matsuda, Hirotaka), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2014).

Zhang, Beibei, "Housing Abandonment in Japan: Patterns, Dynamics and Policies," (Supervisor: Asahi, Yasushi; Co-adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2014).

Dr. Gregory Trencher and Mr. Martin Karlsson received the Award of the Dean of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences for their excellent academic achievements.

 

March 30, 2014:

Our paper discussing a framework for integrating environmental, economic, social, and governance dimensions for urban sustainability in Kenya has been published in the latest issue of the journal Sustainability Science.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Moving towards urban sustainability in Kenya: a framework for integration of environmental, economic, social, and governance dimensions," Sustainability Science, 9 (2), 205-215 (2014).

 

March 20, 2014:

The Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) will organize an open session for graduate students who are interested in participating in GSDM on Friday, April 4 at 17:00-18:00 at Sanjo Conference Hall in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo.

 

March 18, 2014:

The 20th Policy Platform Seminar

Research Portfolios for Societal Problems: Conceptual Frameworks and Analytical Tools

Date: Monday, April 21, 2014, 15:00 – 16:30

Venue: School of Law Bldg., 2F 204, The University of Tokyo

Speaker: Dr. Ismael Rafols, Science and Technology Policy Research (SPRU), University of Sussex, United Kingdom, and Instituto de gestión de la innovación y del conocimiento (INGENIO), Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain

Abstract : While research portfolios have been extensively used as a heuristic for managing R&D with tangible economic benefits, they remain ill-defined in the wider science policy context, when research is aimed at achieving societal outcomes. We therefore analyze the uses of the term “research portfolio”, using analogies derived from the financial sector, but arguing for a new conception of public research portfolios. In particular, we insist on making connections to research landscapes, considering levels of diversity in research, focusing on interactions between projects, and adopting a broader interpretation of risk and returns of public research. Illustrating our proposals with bibliometric data and mapping techniques applied to avian influenza research, we argue that these new foundations can lead to tangible benefits for public sector research, fostering inclusivity, allowing for “alternative” portfolios to be considered, as well as promoting cost-effectiveness and transparency. Most importantly, we believe that our robust, yet basic, foundations for research portfolios can facilitate public deliberation and lead to the development of new science policy tools.

Bio: Dr. Rafols works on the mapping of interdisciplinary fields and emergent technologies such as biotech or nanotech, combining scientometrics, network analyses and qualitative approaches. The goal of his research is to improve transparency and plurality in technology assessment and foresight, and in evaluations of scientific organisations. Dr. Rafols serves as Editorial Advisor in the journal Scientometrics. His research work has been published in Research Policy, Scientometrics, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, and so forth. Dr. Rafols started his career in physics then pursues a specialisation in statistical physics and complex systems which eventually led him to conduct research in cell and developmental biology combining experimental approaches and mathematical modelling (PhD, Tohoku Univ). Afterwards, he came to SPRU to undertake an MS in Science and Technology Policy and shortly after joined the faculty. Since 2012, he became a research fellow at INGENIO (CSIC-UPV). He was awarded an EU postdoctoral Marie Curie fellowship and Ramon y Cajal Fellowship.

 

March 18, 2014:

The 19th Policy Platform Seminar

Scientists International Mobility: Impact on Performance and Networks - Evidence for 16 Countries Based on the GlobSci Survey

Date: Monday, April 14, 2014, 15:00 – 16:30

Venue: School of Law Bldg., 2F 204, The University of Tokyo

Speaker: Prof. Giuseppe Scellato, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Abstract: The research group of Prof. Scellato has conducted Global Science Project (funded by the US National Bureau of Economic Research and the Italian Government) since 2011, which aims at improving our understanding on the international mobility of scientists, their networking and team composition. The project involved a large survey that produced over 19 thousand responses from scientists in 16 countries (Japan, US, etc.). At the present time it represents the most comprehensive survey of international mobility. Based on extensive analyses from the rich data, Prof. Scellato reports some key findings, including the variation in the immigration and emigration patterns across 16 countries, determinants of international mobility, impact on scientific performance, and collaboration patterns of mobile and immobile scientists, and discusses policy implications.

References: Foreign-born scientists: mobility patterns for 16 countries. Nature Biotech, 30: 1250-3, 2012.

Choice of Country by the Foreign Born for PhD and Postdoctoral Study: A Sixteen-Country Perspective. NBER Working paper, 2013.

Migrant Scientists and International Networks. Research Policy (forthcoming).

The mover’s advantage: The superior performance of migrant scientists. Economic Letters, 122: 89–93, 2014.

Bio: Prof. Giuseppe Scellato holds a Ph.D. in Economics and is assistant professor at the Politecnico di Torino, where he teaches financial accounting and corporate finance at graduate level, and economics and management of innovation at post-graduate level. Since 2008 he is also research affiliate of the Bureau of Research in Innovation Complexity and Knowledge at Collegio Carlo Alberto, Turin. His main research interests include economics and management of innovation, the economic analysis of intellectual property rights and the economics of science. These themes are investigated both theoretically and with micro econometric techniques. His recent scientific works have appeared in leading international journals, including Science, Nature Biotechnology, Research Policy, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Business Research, Cambridge Journal of Economics.

 

March 17, 2014:

The book Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap has just been published by Springer. I have contributed with my colleagues in Europe, Asia, and North America a chapter on dissipation and recycling of phosphorus with implications for establishing platforms for stakeholder collaboration in promoting sustainability innovation at the global scale.

Yarime, Masaru, Cynthia Carliell-Marquet, Deborah T. Hellums, Yuliya Kalmykova, Daniel J. Lang, Quang Bao Le, Dianne Malley, Kazuyo Matsubae, Makiko Matsuo, Hisao Ohtake, Alan Omlin, Sebastian Petzet, Roland W. Scholz, Hideaki Shiroyama, Andrea E. Ulrich, and Paul Watts, "Dissipation and Recycling: What Losses, What Dissipation Impacts, and What Recycling Options?" in Roland W. Scholz, Amit H. Roy, Fridolin S. Brand, Debbie T. Hellums, and Andrea E. Ulrich, eds., Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap, Dordrecht: Springer, 247-274 (2014).

 

March 16, 2014:

Our paper on examining the methodologies for sustainability assessment tools at higher education institutions has been listed as one of the Most-Read Articles published in the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development.

Yarime, Masaru, and Yuko Tanaka, "The Issues and Methodologies in Sustainability Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Challenges," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 6 (1), 63-77 (2012).

 

March 10, 2014:

The First Symposium on Sustainable Use and Management of Phosphorus was held on Monday, March 10 at the University of Tokyo. Following presentations by experts on global food production, material flow analysis, and agricultural resource management, I facilitated discussions in the final session with more than 300 participants from academia, industry, government, media, and civil society on future actions and innovations for sustainable use and management of phosphorus through platform creation.

 

March 9, 2014:

I have just finished reviewing a research proposal submitted for the Research Talent Programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), in a request from the Board of NWO Social Sciences. It is a very fruitful experience to act as a peer-reviewer of an excellent proposal made by a prominent researcher.

 

March 7, 2014:

Nexus 2014: Water, Food, Climate and Energy Conference is being held on March 5-8 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in United States. This conference brings together scientists and practitioners working in government, civil society and business, and other stakeholders focusing on the questions of how and why the nexus approach is, and can be, used on international and local levels to address the interconnections among the issues of water, food, climate, and energy for developing integrated solutions. I discussed the potential and challenges of the concept of natural capital in addressing the nexus of water, energy, and climate, with some cases of best practice in the financial sector.

Yarime, Masaru, "Natural Capital Evaluation for Addressing the Nexus of Water, Energy, and Climate: Best Practices in the Financial Sector," Nexus 2014: Water, Food, Climate and Energy Conference, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, March 5-8 (2014).

 

March 6, 2014:

Our paper on the impact of access to financial services on microcredit clients, institutions, and urban sustainability has been published by the African Development Bank. The study is based on a detailed statistical analysis of the field survey conducted at the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Microcredit for the Development of the Bottom of the Pyramid Segment: Impact of Access to Financial Services on Microcredit Clients, Institutions and Urban Sustainability," Working Paper Series 199, African Development Bank (2014).

 

March 5, 2014:

Workshop on the Visualization of Public Communications was held at the University of Tokyo, with Professor Roland W. Scholz of the Fraunhofer Project Group for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS in Germany. We presented the findings of our research examining the challenges in the diffusion of recycled phosphorus from sewage systems in Japan. This research has been conducted in close collaboration with the Global Transdisciplinary Processes for Sustainable Phosphorus Management (TraPs) project, in which I'm working as the Node Leader for Dissipation and Recycling from Science, along with my colleague from Industry.

Yarime, Masaru, Makiko Matsuo, and Hideaki Shiroyama, "Challenges in the Diffusion of Recycled Phosphorus from Sewage Systems in Japan," Workshop on the Visualization of Public Communications, University of Tokyo, Japan, March 5 (2014).

 

March 4, 2014:

The 2014 Norwich Conference on Earth System Governance will be held on July 1-3 at the University of East Anglia in the U.K. More than 400 abstracts were submitted by researchers in 40 countries to the International Review Panel, on which I served as one of the independent reviewers, addressing broadly the two main themes, Access and Allocation of Resources (Water, Food, Energy, Health and Wellbeing, Forests and Carbon Rights) and Transformative Pathways to Sustainability.

 

March 3, 2014:

A case study was conducted with my colleagues on emerging practices of phosphorus recycling from sewage systems in Japan, based on a comparative analysis of problem recognition by the relevant stakeholders in different sectors. Our paper reporting the results of the study has just been accepted for publication in the journal Sociotechnica.

Sato, Jun, Toshihide Sato, Yuji Nakagawa, Sho Hayashi, Sho Matsumoto, Hideaki Shiroyama, Makiko Matsuo, and Masaru Yarime, "Challenges in the Diffusion of Recycled Phosphorus from Sewage Systems in Japan" (in Japanese), Sociotechnica, forthcoming.

 

March 2, 2014:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 43 on Friday, March 14 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Mélanie Despeisse of the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) at the University of Cambridge will discuss the potential and challenges of university-industry collaboration to support sustainable industrial systems, focusing on the reuse, recovery and recycling of end-of-life vehicles. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 43

Date: Friday, March 14, 2014, 16:00-17:30

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Collaboration Research to Support Sustainable Industrial Systems: The Case of End-of-Life Vehicles

Speaker: Dr. Mélanie Despeisse, Lead Researcher, Centre for Industrial Sustainability, Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Abstract: The global industrial system is faced with a great challenge: by 2050, it must double its output while only using 50% of current resources and reducing by 80% greenhouse gas emissions. The EPSRC Centre for Industrial Sustainability has identified three specific and connected waves of change (or Grand Challenges) to address this challenge: Eco-efficiency, Eco-factories and a Sustainable Industrial Systems. The centre works collaboratively with industrial partners to organise and run the research that is needed to allow industry to smoothly ride these waves. In this presentation, we will discuss the reuse, recovery and recycling of End-of-Life Vehicles as a practical example of Sustainable Industrial Systems.

Bio: Mélanie Despeisse graduated from Ecole Supérieure des Sciences et Technologies de l'Ingénieur de Nancy (France) with an Engineering degree in Industry and Environment, from Chalmers University (Sweden) with a Master's degree in Industrial Ecology, and from Cranfield University (England) with an MSc by Research and a PhD in Sustainable Manufacturing. She has over 4 years of experience in Sustainable Manufacturing, Industrial Ecology and related subjects. Mélanie currently works for the EPSRC Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Industrial Sustainability. Her research interests focus mainly on the relationship between industry and environmental sustainability at various scales.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

February 28, 2014:

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, which is jointly organized by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Finance Initiative have launched the process for the Financial Sector Guidance for Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting. As a member of the Technical Working Group on GHG Risk Management, I participated in the kick-off meeting to develop a practical conceptual framework to help financial institutions and investors better understand, assess and manage potential financial risk associated with carbon assets.

 

February 25, 2014:

Our paper analyzing the emerging university function of co-creating sustainability through collaboration with stakeholders in society has been selected as one of the Most-Read Articles published in the journal Science and Public Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 10.1093/scipol/sct044 (2013).

 

February 24, 2014:

First China-Japan (CAS-JST) Workshop on New Environmentally Sustainable Systems for Japan and China was held on February 21-22 at the Institute of Urban Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Xiamen, China. Jointly organized by CAS and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), this workshop initiated collaborative efforts for address urban sustainability by integrating science, technology, and policy making. I discussed the role of stakeholder involvement in promoting sustainability innovation with potentials and challenges in collaboration between Japan and China for urban sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governance for Sustainability Innovation: Potentials of Japan-China Collaboration," First China-Japan (CAS-JST) Workshop on New Environmentally Sustainable Systems for Japan and China, jointly organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Institute of Urban Environment, CAS, Xiamen, China, February 21-22 (2014).

 

February 17, 2014:

I had a meeting with Mr. John King, Director of Clean Energy and Power Technology at the Austin Chamber of Commerce on Monday, February 17. As Austin is rapidly attracting new energy businesses and capital from around the country, the Chamber of Commerce is at the forefront of new initiatives for supporting entrepreneurs and innovators, trying to establish the city as a hub for clean energy technologies and services.

 

February 17, 2014:

Clean TX Forum on the Commercial Building Retrofit Market and Taking Advantage of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) was held on Monday, February 17 at the University of Texas at Austin. Organized by CleanTX, a clean energy cluster development group headquartered in Austin, Texas, the meeting facilitated presentations and discussions on the current trends and challenges in emerging markets on energy efficiency technologies and services in Texas. With active participations from academia, business, and government, this kind of forum could be a model for promoting stakeholder collaboration on sustainability innovation.

 

February 14, 2014:

I had a meeting with Professor Thomas Edgar, Director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin on Friday, February 14. At a university that has long been involved in conducting research on energy technologies, the Pecan Street project functions as a catalyst to effectively integrate human, financial, and organizational resources on education, research, and societal contribution for sustainable energy, which increasingly requires cross-sectoral and inter-/trans-disciplinary collaboration.

 

February 13, 2014:

On Thursday, February 13 I also had a discussion with Mr. Brewster McCracken, President and CEO of Pecan Street Inc., a smart grid research and commercialization consortium headquartered at the University of Texas at Austin. Through collaboration with the City of Austin, Austin Energy, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Technology Incubator, Environmental Defense Fund, and the University of Texas at Austin, this research and development organization has been focusing on developing and testing new technology, business model and customer behavior surrounding advanced energy management systems with member companies in industry.

 

February 13, 2014:

I made a visit to the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI) on Thursday, February 13 to discuss with Mr. Isaac Barchas, Director of ATI, the role of the technology incubator in promoting clean energy innovation. In Austin, Texas, where research on energy has been actively pursued, the Pecan Street project is considered to establish a platform that would fulfill a similar function as what SEMATECH did for the semiconductor industry so that the clean technology industry will be promoted through university-industry-government collaboration.

 

February 12, 2014:

On Wednesday, February 12 I visited Austin Energy in Texas, Untied States to learn how the utility company has been engaged in the Pecan Street Project, a smart grid research project that began in Austin in 2008 as a community collaboration. We discussed how the utility plays an important role in such an innovative initiative based on close collaboration with stakeholders and what the company is hoping to achieve through the research and development at the project. One of the crucial issues is to establish trust in the utility among end users, which would make it easier for them to feel that they take control of themselves with novel advanced technologies such as smart meters.

 

February 12, 2014:

The Workshop on Postcards from the Future: Implications of Big Data for Science and Society will be organized on Saturday, February 15 at the Graduate School of Public Policy of the University of Tokyo. Working with experts from academia, industry, government, and civil society in Japan and overseas, the participants will explore the meanings and impacts of accelerating availability and accessibility of various types of data for strategic decision making and implementation on science, technology, and innovation governance.

 

February 2, 2014:

On Sunday, February 2 I visited the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in the United Arab Emirates, following the signing of the academic cooperation agreement with the University of Tokyo just one week ago. I discussed with the faculty members of the Department of Engineering Systems and Management, where research and educational activities center around creation and implementation of innovation in fields related to sustainability, with a particular focus on energy, water, and food, to explore potentials and opportunities for complementaries between different innovation systems.

 

February 1, 2014:

On Friday, January 31 I had a very fruitful discussion with Mr. Tomoo Machiba, Senior Programme Officer on Knowledge Management of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). As the potential of various types of renewable energy has been increasingly explored across the globe, IRENA could play a crucial role in facilitating knowledge creation and dissemination, taking into account the diversity and specificity of local conditions and contexts.

 

January 30, 2014:

The First Symposium on Sustainable Use and Management of Phosphorus will be held on Monday, March 10 at the University of Tokyo. I will chair the final session to facilitate discussions with all the participants from academia, industry, and the public sector on possible actions for sustainable use and management of phosphorus in the future.

 

January 29, 2014:

I had an opportunity to visit the Doha-based broadcasting station Al Jazeera to meet some of the production members, including journalists and experts with diverse international backgrounds. Since the Arab Spring, this broadcasting station has promoted its importance globally, with its extensive coverage of what has been happening in the Middle East.

 

January 28, 2014:

International Sustainable Built Environment Conference (ISBE) is being held on January 28-30 in Doha, Qatar. I presented a paper with Randa Ziadeh Bushnaq on the analysis of the role of government mandate on green buildings in Dubai from a multi-stakeholder perspective. As the Gulf region has recently been experiencing a rapid growth, it would be critically important to examine the factors promoting the design and implementation of sustainable buildings, by coordinating appropriate incentives to relevant stakeholders, including developers, contractors, consultants, suppliers, and building owners.

Ziadeh, Randa, and Masaru Yarime, "Mandating Green Buildings in Dubai: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective," International Sustainable Built Environment Conference (ISBE), Doha, Qatar, January 28-30 (2014).

 

January 27, 2014:

On Monday, January 27 I had a meeting with HE Seyed Mohammad Hossein Adeli, Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Qatar, together with Mr. Mohammed Al Riyami, Head of Energy and Gas Market Analysis Department. We discussed potential impacts of global agenda on sustainability, including climate change and sustainable development goals (SDGs), as well as emerging innovations such as smart grid systems on future development of gas markets across the world.

 

January 26, 2014:

The Ninth Meeting of the University-Industry-Government Strategic Council for the Security and Management of Phosphorus Resources was organized on Friday, January 24 in Tokyo by the Committee for the Promotion of Phosphorus Resources Recycling, on which I'm serving as one of the Executive Secretaries. I introduced key ideas and concepts in the Future Earth project and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and discussed their implications for promoting phosphorus resources recycling through collaboration between stakeholders in academia, industry, and the public sector.

Yarime, Masaru, "Science, Technology, and Innovation in the Future Earth and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Implications for Phosphorus Resources Recycling," Ninth Meeting of the University-Industry-Government Strategic Council for the Security and Management of Phosphorus Resources, Committee for the Promotion of Phosphorus Resources Recycling, Tokyo, January 24 (2014).

 

January 23, 2014:

The Second Geneva Summit on Sustainable Finance will be held on November 27, 2014 at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Serving on the scientific committee of the conference, I would like to encourage submission of research papers, which will be accepted until May 30, 2014.

 

January 21, 2014:

Since 2013 I have been serving as Chair on the Natural Capital Working Group, receiving support from Trust Sixty Foundation. With the secretariat established at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, this working group is facilitating discussions on theoretical as well as practical dimensions of natural capital at different levels and their implications for corporate strategy, public policy, and institutional design with leading researchers and experts in academia, industry, and government. We expect to make proposals for promoting better understanding of the concept of natural capital and its implementation in various sectors in society.

 

January 18, 2014:

A public symposium on Possible Futures for Japan will be held on January 31, 2014 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. The outcome of this research project, which has been supported by the United States Social Science Research Council (SSRC) and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP), will be published by New York University Press in 2014. In my chapter I discussed the historical development of Japanese science and technology for its possible transformation to meet societal challenges.

Yarime, Masaru, "Transforming Japanese Science and Technology to Meet Societal Challenges," in Anne Allison and Frank Baldwin, eds., Possible Futures for Japan, New York: New York University Press, forthcoming.

 

January 17, 2014:

The book Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap will be published soon by Springer. I have contributed with my colleagues a chapter on dissipation and recycling of phosphorus with implications for establishing platforms for stakeholder collaboration in promoting sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, Cynthia Carliell-Marquet, Deborah T. Hellums, Yuliya Kalmykova, Daniel J. Lang, Quang Bao Le, Dianne Malley, Kazuyo Matsubae, Makiko Matsuo, Hisao Ohtake, Alan Omlin, Sebastian Petzet, Roland W. Scholz, Hideaki Shiroyama, Andrea E. Ulrich, and Paul Watts, "Dissipation and Recycling: What Losses, What Dissipation Impacts, and What Recycling Options?" in Roland W. Scholz, Amit H. Roy, Fridolin S. Brand, Debbie T. Hellums, and Andrea E. Ulrich, eds., Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap, Dordrecht: Springer, forthcoming.

 

January 14, 2014:

United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) Japan Group organized a meeting on January 14 in Tokyo to report the outcomes of the series of workshops and meeting, including the UNEP FI Global Roundtable 2013, held during the Sustainable Finance Week in November 2013 in Beijing, where I made a presentation at the Workshop on the Natural Capital Declaration: From Awareness to Implementation - Moving towards systematic inclusion of natural capital in financial products across asset classes. I introduced the findings of the Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis (E-RISC) project, in which I have been participating as one of the Advisory Committee Members, and the Natural Capital Working Group chaired by myself and discussed some of the implications for future opportunities and challenges, particularly the possibility of utilizing the latest scientific data and knowledge through more close collaboration with scientists and technical experts in academia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges in UNEP FI Projects and Activities: Implications for Utilizing Scientific Data and Knowledge through Collaboration with Scientists and Technological Experts," United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) Japan Group Meeting, Daiwa Securities, Tokyo, January 14 (2014).

 

January 11, 2014:

I have joined the Technical Working Group 5: Carbon Asset Risk for the Financial Sector Guidance for Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting. The guidance is currently under development with Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, which is jointly organized by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Finance Initiative for the financial sector to account for GHG emissions associated with lending and investment portfolios.

 

January 10, 2014:

I have just received an invitation for my appointment as Honorary Reader from the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) at University College London (UCL). My contribution would be expected to the development of education and research programs and organization of lectures, seminars, and workshops on science, technology, and innovation policy and governance from an international perspective.

 

January 8, 2014:

On Wednesday, January 8 I gave a special lecture on regulatory science at the Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) of the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo. I reviewed previous studies on the mechanisms and impacts of regulatory, management, and governance approaches to innovation and discussed their implications for public policy, corporate strategy, and institutional design in promoting sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Regulatory, Management, and Governance Approaches to Sustainability Innovation," Special Lecture on Regulatory Science, Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS), Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, January 8 (2014).

 

January 2, 2014:

The following paper discussing the obstacles of dual accountability and communicative asymmetry in achieving reflexive governance in development assistance has been accepted for publication in the International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice.

Karlsson, Martin, and Masaru Yarime, "Reflexivity in Development Assistance: The Obstacles of Dual Accountability and Communicative Asymmetry in Achieving Reflexive Governance," International Journal of Sustainability Policy and Practice, forthcoming.

 

December 31, 2013:

Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development is expected to be published next year. Our chapter will discuss integration of sustainability science and education for sustainable development at universities from a global perspective.

Mochizuki, Yoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Education for Sustainable Development and Sustainability Science: Re-purposing Higher Education and Research," in Matthias Barth, Gerd Michelsen, Marco Rieckmann, and Ian Thomas, eds., Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development, London: Routledge, forthcoming.

 

December 31, 2013:

Our article on innovation path creation through co-evolution of supply and demand in the emergence of hybrid-electric cars has been listed in Top 25 Hottest Articles published in the journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change.

Dijk, Marc, and Masaru Yarime, "The Emergence of Hybrid-Electric Cars: Innovation Path Creation through Co-Evolution of Supply and Demand," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 77 (8), 1371-1390 (2010).

 

December 30, 2013:

Our article on managing a transition to sustainability in Indonesia has been included in Top 25 Hottest Articles, the list of the 25 most frequently downloaded articles (July to September 2013) published in the journal Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions.

Jupesta, Joni, Rizaldi Boer, Govindan Parayil, Yuko Harayama, Masaru Yarime, Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira, and Suneetha M. Subramanian, "Managing the Transition to Sustainability in an Emerging Economy: Evaluating Green Growth Policies in Indonesia," Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 1 (2), 187-191 (2011).

 

December 29, 2013:

The University of Tokyo has recently started the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM), led by the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) with a university-wide support and cooperation. Currently I'm supervising a doctoral research project on university-industry collaboration for innovation in science parks in China.

 

December 28, 2013:

Our paper on the diversity of human capital as a driver for promoting corporate responsibility in the luxury industry will be published in Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, a forthcoming book in June 2014.

Gomes, Catarina, and Masaru Yarime, "Diversity of Human Capital as a Driver for Corporate Responsibility Engagement: The Case of the Luxury Industry," in Miguel Angel Gardetti and Ana Laura Torres, eds., Sustainable Luxury: Managing Social and Environmental Performance in Iconic Brands, Sheffield, United Kingdom: Greenleaf Publishing, forthcoming.

 

December 27, 2013:

A workshop on social innovation was held on Friday, December 27, organized by Professor UETA Kazuhiro of the Graduate School of Economics at Kyoto University. Our project is aimed at contributing case studies of social innovation across the globe to the Center of Innovation S&T-based Radical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (COI STREAM) supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). I discussed a systemic approach to analyzing social innovation focusing on its structure, functions, and dynamics.

Yarime, Masaru, "A Systemic Approach to Analyzing Social Innovation: Structure, Functions, and Dynamics," Workshop on Social Innovation for the Center of Innovation S&T-based Radical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (COI STREAM) supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan, December 27 (2013).

 

December 25, 2013:

I sent my review of a paper submitted for the Journal of Cleaner Production.

 

December 22, 2013:

Environmental & Resource Economics Workshop 23 was held on Friday, December 20, at Tohoku University, organized by Professor Managi Shunsuke of the Graduate School of Environmental Studies. I examined recent approaches to understanding the sustainability of natural-social systems and their implications for the governance of innovation for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governance of Innovation for Sustainability," Environmental & Resource Economics Workshop 23, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, December 20 (2013).

 

December 19, 2013:

The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo is currently accepting applications for Master of Public Policy, International Program (MPP/IP) starting in October 2014. The application deadline is January 15, 2014.

 

December 16, 2013:

On December 16 I attended the Expert Group Meeting on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development Goals held at Columbia University, organized by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the United Nations Department of Social and Economic Affairs (UN-DESA). The importance and complexity of mobilizing science and technology for sustainable development raise the general question of how S&T should be incorporated in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among the questions we discussed in the meeting include whether there should be a separate S&T goal and whether technology transfer and diffusion should figure directly in the statement of the new SDGs.

 

December 14, 2013:

I attended the Sixth Session of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on December 13. Among the issues discussed in this session was Science, Technology, and Innovation, Knowledge Sharing, and Capacity Building. A particular consideration was given to ensuring and expanding open access to knowledge and information and promoting capabilities for data collection and statistical analysis.

 

December 13, 2013:

Our posters are presented at Eco Products 2013 held on December 12-14 at Tokyo Big Sight, with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and the Ecosystem Conservation Society Japan.

Yarime, Masaru, and Kaori Nomura, "UNEP FI E-RISC Project: Integrating Ecological Risks into Sovereign Credit Risk Assessment," Eco Products 2013, Tokyo, Japan, December 12-14 (2013).

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards Quantitative Assessment of Sustainability: An Application of Ecological Information-Based Approach to Resource Networks," Eco Products 2013, Tokyo, Japan, December 12-14 (2013).

 

December 12, 2013:

Special Seminar on Natural Capital: Global Trends in Natural Capital and Leading Initiatives in Japan was held on Thursday, December 12 at Eco Products 2013 in Tokyo, organized by the Natural Capital Working Group, for which I have been serving as Chair, in collaboration with Trust Sixty Foundation and the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) based in Geneva, Switzerland. I made a keynote speech on the historical backgrounds on the increasing importance of natural capital at international organizations and the latest trends in leading initiatives in the public as well as private sectors across the globe.

Yarime, Masaru, "Why Natural Capital Matters - Global Trends," Keynote Speech, Special Seminar on Natural Capital: Global Trends in Natural Capital and Leading Initiatives in Japan, Eco Products 2013, Tokyo, Japan, December 12 (2013).

With leading experts and practitioners in academia, industry, government, and civil society organizations, we discussed current challenges in introducing and implementing the concept of natural capital in various sectors, including the availability and reliability of necessary data, development of appropriate methodologies, creation of needs and demands, and establishment of favorable institutional conditions, which will be crucial in incorporating the idea of natural capital into mainstream business activities and strategies.

 

December 7, 2013:

The Fifth Academic Workshop on Systems Innovation was held on December 6-7 at the University of Tokyo with the main theme of the Power of Networks. It was jointly organized by the Department of Systems Innovation and Resilience Engineering Research Center, where I'm working as Adjunct Research Fellow. I discussed possibilities of a network approach to examining sustainability with its implications for designing and implementing a sustainable governance of innovation systems.

Yarime, Masaru, "A Network Approach to Understanding Sustainability: Implications for the Governance of Innovation Systems," Fifth Academic Workshop on Systems Innovation: Power of Networks, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, December 6-7 (2013).

 

December 3, 2013:

Our paper on an analysis of the mechanism of creating innovation by Pasteur-type scientists through close collaboration with industry on photocatalyst has been published in a special issue of Hitotsubashi Business Review on university-industry collaboration.

Baba, Yasunori, Naohiro Shichijo, and Masaru Yarime, "Challenges of Pasteur-Type Scientists for Innovation: A Case of Photocatalyst" (in Japanese), Hitotsubashi Business Review, 61 (3), 6-20 (2013).

 

November 30, 2013:

The 25th Annual Meeting of the Japan Association for Bioethics is taking place on November 30 - December 1 at the University of Tokyo. In Session on the Governance System for Sustainable Development of Life Science, I made an introduction to recent trends in public policies and institutions concerning science, technology, and innovation to draw implications for establishing a governance system for sustainability innovation. There were stimulating discussions on how the public sector can intervene for regulating science and technology that can be used for "dual uses," which is also linked to the issue of how to assess the value of science and technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Governance for Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Session on the Governance System for Sustainable Development of Life Science, 25th Annual Meeting of the Japan Association for Bioethics, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, November 30 (2013).

 

November 30, 2013:

I gave a special lecture on theories and practices of sustainability innovation on Saturday, November 30 at the Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS) of the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Theories and Practices of Sustainability Innovation," Special Lecture, Business Creation and Management for Environmental Industries, Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, November 30 (2013).

 

November 27, 2013:

The Second Marketing Conference 2013 was held on Sunday, November 10 in Tokyo, organized by the Japan Marketing Academy. Our paper co-authored with KUMAZAWA Taku was presented on an analysis of crowd funding from a perspective of the community-based governance mechanism.

Kumazawa, Taku, and Masaru Yarime, "Transformation of the Paradigm of Marketing Induced by Crowd Funding: An Analysis of the Community-Based Governance Mechanism" (in Japanese), Second Marketing Conference 2013, Waseda University, Tokyo, November 10 (2013).

 

November 27, 2013:

The 25th Annual Meeting of the Japan Association for Bioethics will be held on November 30 - December 1 at the University of Tokyo. In Session on the Governance System for Sustainable Development of Life Science, I will examine recent trends in public policies and institutions concerning science, technology, and innovation and discuss possibilities and challenges in establishing a governance system for sustainability innovation.

 

November 26, 2013:

The Fifth Academic Workshop on Systems Innovation will be held on December 6-7 at the University of Tokyo, jointly organized by the Department of Systems Innovation and Resilience Engineering Research Center, which I have recently joined as Adjunct Research Fellow. As the main theme of the workshop deals with the power of network, I will discuss a network approach to examining sustainability and its implications for the governance of innovation systems.

 

November 24, 2013:

I have joined as a member of the Evaluation Committee the project on the Social Experimental Research on Deliberation for Experts and Citizens on the Risk of Earthquake and Tsunami to Nuclear Facilities and the Risk of Radioactivity to Health, supported by the Basic and Fundamental Strategic Research Initiative on Nuclear Energy of the Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and Technology (MEXT). As a part of the project, Expert Forum on the Risk of Earthquake and Tsunami to Nuclear Facilities was organized on Saturday, November 23 at the University of Tokyo, with experts on the design of nuclear facilities and geotechnical assessment of risk of earthquake and tsunami discussing frankly technical, organizational, and institutional challenges and implications for the future.

 

November 18, 2013:

I have joined the Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management (GSDM) led by the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo. This program has bee selected as one of the Programs for Leading Graduate Schools by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). A new doctoral program is expected to start at GraSPP in 2015, in cooperation with other affiliate schools and departments in the university.

 

November 16, 2013:

Our paper examining the diversity of human capital as a driver for promoting corporate responsibility through a case study of the luxury industry has been accepted for publication in a forthcoming book, Sustainable Luxury, by Greenleaf Publishing in the UK.

Gomes, Catarina, and Masaru Yarime, "Diversity of Human Capital as a Driver for Corporate Responsibility Engagement: The Case of the Luxury Industry," in Ana Laura Torres and Miguel Angel Gardetti, eds., Sustainable Luxury, Sheffield, United Kingdom: Greenleaf Publishing, forthcoming.

 

November 11, 2013:

United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) is organizing various meetings on issues related to sustainability and finance in the Sustainable Finance Week on November 10-15 in Beijing, China. Workshop on the Natural Capital Declaration: From Awareness to Implementation - Moving towards systematic inclusion of natural capital in financial products across asset classes was held on November 11. In Session on NCD in Practice: Hardwiring natural capital in finance, I presented the best practice of natural capital evaluation in banking and regional development in Japan for discussion with experts in financial institutions and international organizations.

Yarime, Masaru, "Practice of Natural Capital Evaluation in Environmental Rating Loans and Regional Development in Japan," Workshop on the Natural Capital Declaration: From Awareness to Implementation - Moving towards systematic inclusion of natural capital in financial products across asset classes, United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) Sustainability Finance Week, Beijing, China, November 11 (2013).

 

November 9, 2013:

Our paper on the emerging function of universities to collaborate for sustainability with stakeholders in society has been ranked as one of the Most-Read Articles published in the journal Science and Public Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 10.1093/scipol/sct044 (2013).

 

November 8, 2013:

Our paper on examining various methodologies for quantification of sustainability, including ecological footprint and ecological information-based approaches, has been published in the journal Ecological Indicators.

Kharrazi, Ali, Steven Kraines, Lan Hoang, and Masaru Yarime, "Advancing quantification methods of sustainability: A critical examination of emergy, exergy, ecological footprint, and ecological information-based approaches," Ecological Indicators, 37, 81–89 (2014).

 

November 7, 2013:

On Wednesday, November 6 I received a visit from Ms. Geneviève Ferone, a French business expert specialized in socially responsible investing, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable development, with Ms. Marjorie Hamelin. Ms. Ferone is a Board Member of the Chirac Foundation and Vice Chair of the Shift Project, which is aimed at promoting sustainable economy incorporating latest scientific findings and best practices of business. We discussed leading cases of innovation in Japanese industries including the automotive sector and policy initiatives to promote sustainability in the fields of energy, water, and food. She plans to publish her fifth book on Japanese green excellence in 2014.

 

November 7, 2013:

We organized the 13th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Technology Transfer in U.S. Universities: Policies and Practices by Professor John P. Walsh, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States on Wednesday, November 6 at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program at the University of Tokyo. He presented the findings of research on recent policy shifts encouraging technology transfer in the U.S. and practices of technology transfer at research-intensive universities, including licensing, patenting, and technology transfer office (TTO) staffing. Leading U.S. universities, such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, generated statement of best practices in order to ensure universities fulfill their public interest mission while still encouraging technology transfer and development.

 

November 1, 2013:

Sustainable Finance Week will be held on November 10-15 in Beijing, China. A series of meetings will be organized by the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI), including the Global Roundtable. At Session on the Natural Capital Declaration: Material for all Asset-Classes - How to move towards a more systematic inclusion in loans, bonds, equities and insurance? on November 11, I will present the best practice of natural capital evaluation in banking and regional development in Japan for discussion with experts in financial institutions and international organizations.

 

October 30, 2013:

On Wednesday, October 30 we organized at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) a special lecture by Professor HARAYAMA Yuko of the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) of the Cabinet Office of the Japanese government. Introducing the Comprehensive Strategy on Science, Technology, and Innovation, which was adopted by the Japanese government in June this year, she discussed the actual process of policy making from design to implementation, incorporating and influenced by diverse perspectives and interests of stakeholders.

 

October 29, 2013:

Dr. Ali Kharrazi, who successfully completed his Ph.D. in Sustainability Science under my supervision at the University of Tokyo in September this year, has been awarded as Green Talents 2013 by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

 

October 28, 2013:

Special Seminar on Natural Capital will be held on Thursday, December 12 at Eco Products 2013 in Tokyo, organized by the Natural Capital Working Group in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) based in Geneva, Switzerland, and Trust 60 Foundation. I will discuss the latest trends in leading initiatives on natural capitals across the globe with other experts and practitioners participating from academia, industry, government, and civil society organizations.

Special Seminar on Natural Capital at Eco Products 2013: Global Trends in Natural Capital and Leading Initiatives in Japan

Date: December 12, 2013, 10:00-12:00

Venue: Room 102, Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan

Organizers: Natural Capital Working Group, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) and Trust 60 Foundation

Keynote Speech: "Why Natural Capital Matters - Global Trends," YARIME Masaru, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo

Presentations 1: "Beyond GDP and Natural Capital," SATO Masahiro, Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University

Presentation 2: "Evaluation of Natural Capital at Shimokawa-cho, Hokkaido," KASUGA Takashi, Shimokawa-cho Government, Hokkaido

Presentation 3: "Natural Capital and Corporate Management Risk," KANAI Tsukasa, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Tokyo

Panel Discussion: "Economic Evaluation: Evaluation of Nature in Land Use," HATTORI Toru, CEPA Japan; "Land Ownership: Legal Challenges in Natural Capital and Land," YOSHIHARA Shoko, Tokyo Foundation; and "Ecological Conservation: Green Infrastructure and Brown Infrastructure," SEKI Takeshi, Ecosystem Conservation Society Japan

 

October 25, 2013:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 42 on Friday, November 8 at 16:30 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Rakhyun E. Kim of the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) will discuss his pioneering approach to network analysis for understanding the dynamics of international environmental law as a complex adaptive system. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 42

Date: Friday, November 8, 16:30-18:00

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: How Is Network Analysis Useful in Understanding the Dynamics of International Environmental Law?

Speaker: Rakhyun E. Kim, United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), Yokohama, Japan

Abstract: The network perspective has become a useful way of studying a wide range of complex systems. Network analysis uncovers the underlying system architecture by reducing the system to an abstract structure capturing only the basics of connection patterns between its components. The patterns are then treated as mathematical objects and analysed with network metrics such as centrality and modularity. Such an analysis, if done over time, helps us to understand the dynamics on and of the network, and the interactions between the two dynamics. In this presentation, I will discuss one way in which network analysis has been useful in understanding international environmental law as a self-organizing system. In a recent study, I revealed and characterized the evolving structure of the web of international environmental treaty law. The structure was approximated using 1001 cross-references among 747 multilateral environmental agreements concluded from 1857 to 2012. Known network analysis measures were used to answer the following questions: has a complex system of international environmental treaty law emerged? If so when, and what does it look like? What are its topological properties? To what extent is the institutional complex fragmented? After presenting key empirical findings, I will conclude by outlining future research plans for further enhancing our understanding of the dynamics of international environmental law as a complex adaptive system.

Kim, Rakhyun E., "The emergent network structure of the multilateral environmental agreement system," Global Environmental Change (2013), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.07.006

Biography: Rakhyun E. Kim has recently joined the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) as a Postdoctoral Fellow after completing a PhD in the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University. His research can be characterized as an interdisciplinary research at the interface between international environmental law and Earth system science from a complex adaptive systems perspective. Rak has a number of publications on international environmental law and governance, which appeared in the journals such as Global Environmental Change, International Environmental Agreements, Transnational Environmental Law, and Review of European Community and International Environmental Law. In 2013, Rak received the inaugural Oran R. Young Prize for his research on the emergent network structure of the multilateral environmental agreement system. Rak has professional affiliations with a number of other institutes including the Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (an Associate Fellow), the Earth System Governance Project (a Research Fellow), and the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law (a member of the steering committee of its Group of Young Professionals). He holds a Master of Environmental Law (First Class Honours) from the University of Auckland Faculty of Law and a Master of Science in Geography from the University of Auckland School of Environment.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 23, 2013:

We organized a special lecture by Professor HASHIMOTO Kazuhito of Graduate School of Engineering of the University of Tokyo on science, technology, and innovation policy for the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) on Wednesday, October 23. As a member of the Council for Industrial Competitiveness at the Prime Minister's Office, closely involved in the highest level of policy-making processes, he discussed from the perspective of a natural scientist the current challenges in Japan's science, technology, and innovation system, including funding, organizations, and institutional frameworks.

 

October 15, 2013:

Minamata Convention on Mercury was adopted and opened for signature at the Conference of Plenipotentiaries held in Minamata and Kumamoto, Japan on October 9-11. The Global Environment Facility (GEF), which has been supporting significant efforts to address the challenges of managing and eliminating the use of mercury, and the World Bank organized the GEF-World Bank Joint Seminar on the Minamata Convention on Mercury and the Role of the GEF at the World Bank Tokyo Office on October 4, in which I discussed the possibilities of various approaches to implementing sustainable management of mercury.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Management of Mercury," World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF) Joint Seminar on Minamata Convention on Mercury, World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center, Tokyo, Japan, October 4 (2013).

 

October 14, 2013:

Our paper on examining the methodologies used in sustainability assessment tools for higher education institutions was listed as one of the Most-Read Articles during September 2013 in the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development.

Yarime, Masaru, and Yuko Tanaka, "The Issues and Methodologies in Sustainability Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Challenges," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 6 (1), 63-77 (2012).

 

October 13, 2013:

Our paper on the innovation path creation for hybrid electric cars through co-evolution of supply and demand was selected as one of the most downloaded articles published in the journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change.

Dijk, Marc, and Masaru Yarime, "The Emergence of Hybrid-Electric Cars: Innovation Path Creation through Co-Evolution of Supply and Demand," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 77 (8), 1371-1390 (2010).

 

October 12, 2013:

I have contributed a short article on a strategy for higher education institutions to integration education, research, and societal contribution for sustainability to a forthcoming book on commitments and actions for implementing the Rio+20 People's Sustainability Treaty on Higher Education, which has been initiated by COPERNICUS Alliance, European Network on Higher Education for Sustainable Development.

Yarime, Masaru, "A Strategy to Integrate Education, Research and Societal Contribution for Sustainability," in COPERNICUS Alliance and Zinaida Fadeeva, eds., Transforming Higher Education Towards Sustainable Development, United Nations University Press, forthcoming.

 

October 11, 2013:

Resilience Engineering Research Center was established in the University of Tokyo in April 2013. I will join the research center as an adjunct research fellow, in exploring academic concepts and methodologies for contributing to moving towards a sustainable society, going beyond the traditional static understanding of resilience mainly in the context of risk management.

 

October 9, 2013:

Our paper on critical examination of quantification methods of sustainability including ecological footprint and ecological information-based approaches has been accepted for publication in the journal Ecological Indicators.

Kharrazi, Ali, Steven Kraines, Ngoc Lan Hoang, and Masaru Yarime, "Advancing Quantification Methods of Sustainability: A Critical Examination of Emergy, Exergy, Ecological Footprint, and Ecological Information-Based Approaches," Ecological Indicators, forthcoming.

 

October 9, 2013:

My Author's Page has been created at Amazon.co.jp.

 

October 8, 2013:

Our paper on a new framework for evaluating and incorporating environmental risk into sovereign credit risk assessment, written with my colleagues at the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) and Global Footprint Network (GFN) based in Geneva, Switzerland, has been published online in the Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment. This article elaborates the findings of the Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis (E-RISC) project organized by UNEP FI and GFN, to which I contributed as a member of the Advisory Committee.

Hill Clarvis, Margot, Martin Halle, Ivo Mulder, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards a new framework to account for environmental risk in sovereign credit risk analysis," Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, 10.1080/20430795.2013.837810 (2013).

 

October 7, 2013:

Our paper on the mechanism of producing innovation by Pasteur-type scientists in the case of photocatalyst has been accepted for publication in the journal Hitotsubashi Business Review.

Baba, Yasunori, Naohiro Shichijo, and Masaru Yarime, "Challenges of Pasteur-Type Scientists for Innovation: A Case of Photocatalyst" (in Japanese), Hitotsubashi Business Review, forthcoming.

 

October 6, 2013:

Global Leader Program for Social Design and Management led by the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo has been selected as one of the Programs for Leading Graduate Schools by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). A new doctoral program will be created at GraSPP, in cooperation with other schools and departments in the university, and probably will start in April 2015.

 

October 6, 2013:

In Summer Semester 2013 I supervised the following doctoral dissertations and master's theses:

Kharrazi, Ali, "Quantifying the Concept of Sustainability: Holistic Approaches for Intensive and Extensive Dimensions," Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Examination Committee Members: Mino, Takashi, Yamaji, Eiji, Onuki, Motoharu, Matsuda, Hirotaka, and Iwata, Shuichi), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Omlin, Alan Paul, "Energy Efficiency in Evolutionary Systems: The Jevons' Paradox in Global Marine Shipping," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Onuki, Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Ziadeh, Randa Samih Abdallah, "Mandating Green Building in Dubai: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Nagao, Masafumi), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Pathirana, Shakila Madhushani, "Functions of Stakeholders for Diffusion of Energy Efficiency Technologies in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Case Study of the Sri Lankan Apparel Industry," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Onuki, Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Gomes, Catarina Pessanha, "Promoting an Inclusive Work Culture for Innovative Corporate Responsibility Strategies: A Case Study in the Luxury Sector," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Akiyama, Tomohiro), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Tauzin, Guillaume Andrea Jeremie, "Supporting Energy Decision-Making: A Multi-Criteria Analysis of France’s 2025 Electricity Generation Scenarios," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Akiyama, Tomohiro), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Tomozawa, Takanori, "Study on the Effects of University-Industry Collaboration at the Different Stages of the Solar Cell Technology Lifecycle," Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Motohashi, Kazuyuki; Examination Committee Members: Yarime, Masaru, Sakata, Ichiro, Mogi, Gento, and Woolgar, Lee), Department of Technology Management for Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Kim, Onnuri, "The Commons for Collaborative Multi-level Governance: Analyzing the Commons Systems' Role as a Social Learning Arena through the Case of the Contemporary Commons Systems in Seoul, Korea," Master's Thesis (Supervisor: Shiroyama, Hideaki; Co-advisers: Yarime, Masaru, and Matsuura, Masahiro), Master of Public Policy, International Program (MPP/IP), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Chiou, Boya, "Very-Low and Lowest-Low Fertility in Asia: Implications of Singlehood and Government Interventions," Research Paper (Supervisor: Shiroyama, Hideaki; Examination Committee Member: Yarime, Masaru), Master of Public Policy, International Program (MPP/IP), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo, September (2013).

Margallo, Ronald Dizon, "Prospect for the Regulation of the Philippine Financial Sector in the Medium-Term," Research Paper (Supervisor: Shiroyama, Hideaki; Examination Committee Member: Yarime, Masaru), Master of Public Policy, International Program (MPP/IP), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo, September (2013).

 

October 5, 2013:

I have joined the Editorial Board of the Journal of Corporate Citizenship, which focuses on integrating theory about corporate citizenship with management practice.

 

October 4, 2013:

World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF) Joint Seminar on Minamata Convention on Mercury was held on October 4 at the World Bank Tokyo Office. Mr. Hiroaki Takiguchi, Senior Environmental Specialist on Climate and Chemicals of GEF, introduced the GEF’s role and efforts under the new convention. I also discussed the opportunities and challenges for sustainable management of mercury.

Yarime, Masaru, "Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Management of Mercury," World Bank and Global Environment Facility (GEF) Joint Seminar on Minamata Convention on Mercury, World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center, Tokyo, Japan, October 4 (2013).

 

September 27, 2013:

Our paper examining the sustaining and marginalizing communities in the process of rural aging has been published in the journal Sustainability Science.

Kudo, Shogo, and Masaru Yarime, "Divergence of the sustaining and marginalizing communities in the process of rural aging: a case study of Yurihonjo-shi, Akita, Japan," Sustainability Science, 8 (4), 491-513 (2013).

 

September 26, 2013:

Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2013 is taking place on September 27-29 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, United States. This conference has become one of the most important meetings for researchers and practitioners working on public policy for science, technology, and innovation in the U.S. and other countries in the world. In Session 5b: Collaboration, Funding and Regional Development, I made a presentation on emerging institutions for encouraging sustainability innovations through establishing university as a platform for collaboration with stakeholders in society.

Yarime, Masaru, "Institutions for Encouraging Sustainability Innovation: University as a Platform for Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2013, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, September 27-29 (2013).

I also chaired Session 3d: Renewable Energy Policy and S&T in the conference.

 

September 25, 2013:

The Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Minamata Convention on Mercury will be held on October 9-11 in Minamata and Kumamoto, in which the convention will be presented for adoption and opened for signature in order to prevent global environmental pollution and health damage caused by mercury. Global Environment Facility (GEF) plays the role of serving as the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, particularly for supporting developing countries.

In this occasion, World Bank and GEF Seminar on Minamata Convention on Mercury will be organized on October 4 at the World Bank Tokyo Office. Mr. Hiroaki Takiguchi, Senior Environmental Specialist on Climate and Chemicals of GEF, will highlight the GEF’s role and efforts under the new convention. I will also make my comments on the opportunities and challenges in addressing global mercury pollution in this seminar. If you are interested in this issue, please join us.

 

September 21, 2013:

The 10th ASIALICS Conference: The Roles of Public Research Institutes and Universities in Asia’s Innovation Systems was held on September 20-21 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. In Session on Innovation for Sustainable Development, I made a presentation on examining some of the innovation systems recently emerging to address societal challenges by establishing university-stakeholder collaboration.

Yarime, Masaru, "Emerging Innovation Systems to Address Societal Challenges through University-Stakeholder Collaboration," 10th ASIALICS Conference: The Roles of Public Research Institutes and Universities in Asia’s Innovation Systems, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan, September 20-21 (2013).

I also chaired Session on Innovation for Inclusive Development II and worked as the discussant for four presentations made by researchers coming from Singapore, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines.

 

September 19, 2013:

The International Conference on CSR and Corporate Governance is held on September 19-20 in Tokyo. The result of a preliminary analysis of responsible supply chain management for conflict minerals in Japanese companies was presented in Session 2 on CSR of Japanese Companies I.

Shimizu, Tomomi, and Masaru Yarime, "Responsible Supply Chains as Risk Management or Strategic CSR: The Case of Conflict Minerals Management in Japanese Companies," International Conference on CSR and Corporate Governance, jointly organized by the Japan Forum of Business and Society (JFBS), Humboldt University International CSR Conference (HU CSR), and Japanese German Center Berlin (JDZB), Tokyo, September 19-20 (2013).

I also chaired Session 1 on Business and Local Community/NPO.

 

September 18, 2013:

I chaired the Doctoral Workshop on CSR and Corporate Governance held on September 18 in Tokyo. Participants from more than 10 countries presented their research findings on key issues such as CSR and financial performance, communication strategies, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the effect of shareholders and stakeholders.

 

September 13, 2013:

I have joined the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST-2015). Our work in this project will evaluate the process and outcomes of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and examine challenges and opportunities in making proposals for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the post-2015 period.

 

September 4, 2013:

The International Conference on CSR and Corporate Governance will be held in Tokyo on September 19-20, 2013, jointly organized by the Japan Forum of Business and Society (JFBS), Humboldt University International CSR Conference (HU CSR), and Japanese German Center Berlin (JDZB). I'm working for this conference as a member of the Program Committee. We will discuss potentials and challenges in integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate governance for sustainability from global perspectives. I will also organize a doctoral workshop on September 18, in which doctoral students coming from overseas will present their research findings. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

 

August 31, 2013:

We will organize the Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 41 on Tuesday, September 10 at 17:00-18:30 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Chris Jones of the University of Manchester in the U.K. will discuss recent developments in energy and climate change policy in the U.K. through introducing research activities at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, a joint research initiative involving universities in the U.K. and beyond.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 41

Date: Tuesday, September 10, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: The Pursuit of a Very Low Carbon Energy System in the UK: An Introduction to the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester

Speaker: Dr Christopher William Jones, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

Abstract: This seminar will present insights into UK energy and climate change policy. It will also discuss the research of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester (Tyndall Manchester) which relates to this. The UK has a legally binding target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% (against 1990 levels) by 2050 (Climate Change Act of 2008). The UK Government has also agreed to adopt, were appropriate, interim emissions budgets that are recommended by the Committee on Climate Change advisory body. In doing so the UK Government has subscribed to the aim of ‘doing its fair share’ to ‘avoid dangerous climate change’ by limiting global mean temperature rise to no greater than 2°C above the pre-industrial average. Tyndall Manchester conducts policy relevant research that tackles the key technical and social challenges associated with the very low carbon energy system needed to achieve these aims. Current Tyndall Manchester projects cover; demand-side energy management, resilience of electricity systems to climate impacts, sustainable bio-energy development, shale gas international shipping emissions, food security and rapid rates of solar PV technology adoption. ‘Tyndall Manchester’ is part of the wider Tyndall Centre, which is spread across the universities of East Anglia (UEA), Newcastle, Oxford, Cardiff, Sussex, Southampton and Fudan (Shanghai).

Biography: Dr Christopher William Jones is a researcher from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester. His PhD, ‘utilising nuclear energy for low carbon heating services’ was an interdisciplinary study of the potential to improve the net energy efficiency of new build nuclear power stations in the UK by linking them to district heating networks. His research skills include energy scenario development, energy system analysis with geographic information systems (GIS) software, techno-economic assessment of energy technology pathways, focus groups, stakeholder workshops and interview based qualitative social science. Recent projects include a review of non-nuclear low carbon energy futures for Friends of the Earth and the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s ‘Multi-criteria Assessment of Nuclear Sustainability’ (SPRIng). As of 2013 his research focus will move to renewable energy with a project developing and evaluating scenarios for large scale solar PV uptake in the UK.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

August 30, 2013:

The 6th Annual Conference for the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (AIE 2013) was held on August 29-30 in Oxford, jointly organized by the Technology and Management for Development Centre based in the University of Oxford Department for International Development, National Entrepreneurship Research Center, Tsinghua University, and the Research Center for Technological Innovation, Tsinghua University. The main theme this year was Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Inclusive and Sustainable Development. I made a presentation on establishing a social business model for sustainability innovation with a case study of solar LED lanterns in Africa.

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing a Social Business Model for Sustainability Innovation: Stakeholder Collaboration for Introducing Solar LED Lanterns to Africa," 6th Annual Conference of the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Inclusive and Sustainable Development, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, August 29-30 (2013).

 

August 29, 2013:

I visited the Global Canopy Programme (GCP) in Oxford to discuss the Natural Capital Declaration (NCD), a joint initiative with the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI). By joining NCD, financial institutions including banks, investors and insurance firms have made their commitment to change their business models to reflect the materiality of natural capital for the financial sector. Working groups are currently working on key challenges such as understanding of the impacts and dependencies on natural capital, integration to products, accounting, and reporting.

 

August 28, 2013:

I had a meeting with the Editor of Environment and Sustainability of Routledge-Earthscan in Oxford for possible publication of a Handbook of Sustainability Science, which discusses the key issues and challenges in this rapidly developing field, including academic concepts and methodologies such as natural-social interaction, knowledge systems, and transdisciplinarity, institutionalization involving programs, journals, and societies, and collaboration with stakeholders including business and public policy communities, addressing societal problems with effective and visible impacts.

 

August 27, 2013

I visited the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) of University College London (UCL) to discuss future collaboration for research and education on policy and institutional challenges involving science, technology, and innovation.

 

August 21, 2013:

Our paper on a new framework for evaluating and incorporating environmental risk into sovereign credit risk assessment has just been accepted for publication in the Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment. This is based on the E-RISC project organized by the United Nations Environment Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) and Global Footprint Network (GFN), to which I contributed as a member of the Advisory Committee.

Hill, Margot, Martin Halle, Ivo Mulder, and Masaru Yarime, "Towards a New Framework to Account for Environmental Risk in Sovereign Credit Risk Analysis," Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment, forthcoming.

 

August 15, 2013:

Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit (ISDS) 2013 was held in Ibadan, Nigeria on August 13-15, organized by the Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV) of the University of Ibadan. Our paper on the impact of financial training on sustainable urban development was presented in this conference, based on a detailed statistical analysis of the field survey conducted at the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Mutisya, Emmanuel and Masaru Yarime, "Microfinance for the Urban Bottom of the Pyramid segment in Nairobi's Kibera Slum: Does Financial Training Impact on Sustainable Urban Development?," Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit (ISDS) 2013, Centre for Sustainable Development (CESDEV), University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, August 13-15 (2013).

 

August 12, 2013:

Our paper on the emerging function of universities to collaborate for sustainability with stakeholders in society has just been published online in the academic journal Science and Public Policy.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the third mission: Exploring the emerging university function of co-creation for sustainability," Science and Public Policy, 10.1093/scipol/sct044 (2013).

 

August 10, 2013:

Open Seminars on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy: Technological Innovation and Societal Transformation are held on August 3-17 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. On Saturday, August 10, I discussed the issues of global sustainability innovation by referring to theoretical models, statistical analysis, and case studies in different sectors and countries.

Yarime, Masaru, "Global Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Open Seminars on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy: Technological Innovation and Societal Transformation, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, Japan, August 10 (2013).

 

August 9, 2013:

The latest issue of Nikkei Ecology (September 2013) covers the emerging issue of natural capital, which includes my comments on the importance of active engagement in discussions on incorporating environmental risks into credit rating of sovereign bonds, based on my experience of working on UNEP FI E-RISC project with financial institutions in Europe.

"Learning Natural Capital from Scratch: An Emerging Issue in Environmental Management" (in Japanese), Special Coverage, Nikkei Ecology, 171, 22-35 (2013).

 

August 8, 2013:

The Fourth Japan-China Interdisciplinary Young Scientists' Academic Forum: Contributions of Science and Technology to Planning Green Cities was held on August 7-8 in Beijing, China, jointly organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). I discussed how to implement Japan-China partnership to encourage innovation for urban sustainability by analyzing cases of stakeholder collaboration in eco/smart cities in China and other countries.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Japan-China Partnership on Innovation for Urban Sustainability," Fourth Japan-China Interdisciplinary Young Scientists' Academic Forum: Contributions of Science and Technology to Planning Green Cities, Beijing, China, August 7-8 (2013).

 

August 5, 2013:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 40 on Monday, August 19 at 17:00 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Jarrod Hayes of the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States will discuss the function of democratic identity and the process of constructing "threats" in international relations. Through close examination of U.S. relations with two rising powers, China and India, we will consider long-term implications for the sustainability of international relations involving major powers in the future.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 40

Date: Monday, August 19, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Identity and the Construction of National Security: U.S. Relations with China and India

Speaker: Dr. Jarrod Hayes, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States

Abstract: Jarrod Hayes explores why democracies tend not to use military force against each other. He argues that democratic identity - the shared understanding within democracies of who "we" are and what "we" expect from each other - makes it difficult for political leaders to construct external democracies as threats. At the same time, he finds that democratic identity enables political actors to construct external non-democracies as threats. To explore his argument, he looks at U.S. relations with two rising powers: India and China. Through his argument and case studies, Professor Hayes addresses not just the democratic peace but also the larger processes of threat construction in international security, the role of domestic institutions in international relations, and the possibility for conflict between the United States and the world's two most populous countries.

Bio: Jarrod Hayes is an assistant professor of international relations at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2003 he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder in astrophysics and political science. He completed his Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations at the University of Southern California in 2009. Prior to joining the Georgia Tech faculty, he was the ConocoPhillips Assistant Professor of International Relations at the University of Oklahoma. His research appears in the European Journal of International Relations, International Organization, and International Studies Quarterly. He also has a book in press examining U.S. security relations with India and China with Cambridge University Press.

Constructing National Security: U.S. Relations with India and China

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

August 3, 2013:

We will organize the 11th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Wednesday, August 21 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo, in conjunction with Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 39. Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Mr. Tsukasa Kanai of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings will discuss institutional evolution of environmental finance and its implications for innovation in Japan from academic as well as practical perspectives.

The 11th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar and Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 39 on Institutional Evolution of Environmental Finance and Innovation: Possibilities and Challenges to Japan in the Context of Globalization

Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2013, 15:00-17:00

VenueFEconomics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), Conference Room, Second Floor, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Speakers: Dr. Janelle Knox-Hayes, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Mr. Tsukasa Kanai, Head, Corporate Social Responsibility Office, Corporate Planning Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc., Tokyo, Japan

Language: English/Japanese (no simultaneous translation provided)

Session 1: "Environmental Finance: Developing emissions markets to direct clean energy under different models of governance"

Speaker: Dr. Janelle Knox-Hayes, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States; and Research Associate, Department of Geography and Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract: The relationship between finance and economic growth is a long debated topic within economic geography. In this presentation, analysis of emerging carbon emissions markets in the United States, Europe, China and Japan is used to explore the relationship between finance and economic growth. Carbon markets lend unique insight into the operation of finance because they are built in advance of the underlying commodities markets (clean energy markets) they are meant to influence. In each case, the varying relationship between finance and industry has had an impact on shaping the markets, and in turn has influenced their ability to direct investment into clean energy. In Europe, institutional logics of finance and have created a low growth but stable investment in clean energy. In the United States, the predominance of financial markets, with little emphasis on industry, has directed investment away from clean energy and into other modes of finance. In Japan, the emphasis on manufacturing and heavy industry have nested the emissions markets in logics of technology transfer and clean energy development, but the absence of financial innovation has inhibited the growth of underlying clean energy markets. In China, centralized authority has enabled the government to leverage foreign investment into wind and solar industries, but the absence of price discovery and insufficient market depth has led to a collapse in clean energy demand. The most successful economies are able to balance the influence of financial and industrial sectors in the creation and operation of new markets.

Bio: Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes Janelle Knox-Hayes is an assistant professor in the school of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a research associate at the Oxford University Department of Geography and Environment. Dr. Knox-Hayes joined the School of Public Policy after completing her PhD in Economic Geography at the University of Oxford. Her dissertation research was funded by the National Science Foundation and investigated the development of carbon emissions markets looking through the lens of regulatory and financial service institutions, with the use of surveys, interviews, and close-dialogue. She is interested in the political and economic dynamics underpinning energy transition and sustainable development. Her current research is funded by the Social Science Research Council and focuses on the institutional development of carbon emissions markets in Asia, with particular emphasis on the economic and policy drivers that develop these markets as well as their impact on social and economic systems.

Session 2: "Current Practices and Future Challenges in Environmental Finance in Japan: What Can be Achieved with 21st Century Financial Action Principles" (in Japanese)

Speaker: Mr. Tsukasa Kanai, Head, Corporate Social Responsibility Office, Corporate Planning Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, Inc., Tokyo, Japan

Abstract: The Japanese financial institutions have recently established the 21st Century Financial Action Principles to contribute to making progress towards a sustainable society. The possibilities and challenges of environmental finance to Japan will be discussed in the context of accelerating globalization.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 27, 2013:

The first international workshop on the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST-2015) was held on July 25-27 in Yokohama, Japan. In Session on Social Sustainability - Environment and Resources, I made an introductory address on the concepts, methodologies, and measurements for developing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the context of the Post-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards Developing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Concepts, Methodologies, and Measurements," Yokohama Workshop on the Project on Sustainability Transformation beyond 2015 (POST-2015), Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, July 25-27 (2013).

 

July 25, 2013:

At the request of the Council for Social Sciences of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), I served as one of the reviewers of research proposals for Research Talent 2013 (Onderzoekstalent 2013).

 

July 19, 2013:

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) will organize Public Seminars on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy: Innovation and Societal Transformation in August 2013. I will give a lecture in Japanese on Global Sustainability Innovation on Saturday, August 10 at 15:00-16:30 at GRIPS in Tokyo.

 

July 18, 2013:

My page has been created at Google Scholar.

 

July 6, 2013:

Our paper on a framework for integrating environmental, economic, social, and governance dimensions for urban sustainability in Kenya has just been published online in the journal Sustainability Science.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Moving towards urban sustainability in Kenya: a framework for integration of environmental, economic, social, and governance dimensions," Sustainability Science, 10.1007/s11625-013-0223-7 (2013).

 

July 5, 2013:

Out work on examining the current conditions on sanitation in the Kibera slums in Nairobi is referred to in an article in Diamond Online, covering the opportunities and challenges in economic development in Africa.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Understanding the Grassroots Dynamics of Slums in Nairobi: The Dilemma of Kibera Informal Settlements," International Transaction Journal of Engineering, Management, & Applied Sciences & Technologies, 2 (2), 197-213 (2011).

 

July 3, 2013:

I made a review of a book proposal for Environment and Sustainability at Routledge in the United Kingdom.

 

July 2, 2013:

We will organize the 10th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on July 18 at 17:00-19:00 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo (in Japanese). Policy makers from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) will discuss the current opportunities and future challenges in promoting green innovation.

10th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Thursday, July 18, 2013, 17:00-19:00

Venue: Room 101, School of Law Building, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Green Innovation Now: Where, Who, What

Speakers: Mr. KONO Takashi, Deputy Director, Global Environmental Affairs Office, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

Mr. SHIMAKAWA Tomoyasu, Deputy Director, Environmental Policy Division, Policy Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)

Mr. YOSHIDA Satoshi, Deputy Director, Climate Change Policy Division, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment (MOE)

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo

 

June 28, 2013:

Our presentation on an ecological information-based approach to examining the robustness of economic resource networks won the second place in the poster competition at the 7th International Society for Industrial Ecology Biennial Conference held on June 25-28 in Ulsan, South Korea.

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Robustness of Economic Resource Networks: An Ecological Information Based Approach," 7th International Society for Industrial Ecology Biennial Conference: Strategy for Green Economy, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, South Korea, June 25-28 (2013).

Our work on resource logistics analysis of phosphorus was also presented in the conference.

Matsubae, Kazuyo, Masafumi Mizoguchi, Kenichi Nakajima, Keisuke Nansai, Masaru Yarime, and Tetsuya Nagasaka, "Resource logistics analysis on phosphorus and its implication on resource governance," 7th International Society for Industrial Ecology Biennial Conference: Strategy for Green Economy, University of Ulsan, Ulsan, South Korea, June 25-28 (2013).

 

June 28, 2013:

I will join the the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Corporate Citizenship, one of the first academic journals to focus on the theory and practice of corporate citizenship.

 

June 24, 2013:

Our paper on a quantitative analysis of the patterns of research collaboration on sustainability has become the most cited paper among those published in the academic journal Sustainability Science in 2010.

Yarime, Masaru, Yoshiyuki Takeda, and Yuya Kajikawa, "Towards Institutional Analysis of Sustainability Science: A Quantitative Examination of the Patterns of Research Collaboration," Sustainability Science, 5 (1), 115-125 (2010).

 

June 22, 2013:

We will organize the 9th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar on Friday, July 12 in the Hongo campus. Dr. Derk Loorbach of the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) of Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands will discuss the theory and practice of transition management to integrate science, governance, and entrepreneurship for promoting major societal changes towards sustainability.

9th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date: Friday, July 12, 2013, 17:00-19:00

Venue: Economics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), Conference Room, Second Floor, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Transition Management: Science, Governance and Entrepreneurship for Sustainability Transitions

Speaker: Dr. Derk Loorbach, Director of the Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT) and Associate Professor at the Faculty of Social Science, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: This lecture will introduce the transition management approach as it has developed over the last decade in Europe and beyond. Transition management is a governance approach that brings together business, science, policy and civil society in new ways to guide and accelerate major systemic changes in society towards sustainability. The transition perspective shows that most of the urgent sustainability challenges cannot be solved only by new technologies, top-down policies or market-based innovation. Rather, transitions are fundamental systemic changes in the way that we have organized and institutionalized societal systems such as energy, food, health care, education and welfare. As the global changes and pressures combined with bottom-up innovations increasingly show the pathways to possible sustainable futures, the core challenge becomes how to collectively shift our cultures, structures and practices in this direction. This lecture will present the theory as well as practical examples how such major transitions to sustainability can be analyzed and influenced, through research, policy, entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo

 

June 21, 2013:

The 4th International Conference on Sustainability Transitions (IST 2013) was held on June 19-21 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich in Switzerland. In Session on Global Diffusion of Environmental Innovation, I made a presentation on global co-evolution of technology and institutions for innovation on lead-free solders through university-industry-government networks in different countries/regions:

Yarime, Masaru, "Global Co-evolution of Technology and Institutions for Environmental Innovations: Development and Diffusion of Lead-Free Solders in Asia, Europe, and the United States," 4th International Conference on Sustainability Transitions (IST 2013), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Switzerland, June 19-21 (2013).

 

June 19, 2013:

Global Transdisciplinary Processes of Sustainable Phosphorus Management (Global TraPs) First World Conference was held on Tuesday, June 18 in Beijing, China, in collaboration with the Global Partnership on Nutrient Management (GPNM), organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). In the Dialogue Session on Recycling Policy and Technology Innovation, I made a keynote speech on co-evolution of technology and public policy for the sustainability of phosphorus recycling.

Yarime, Masaru, "Co-evolution of Technology and Public Policy for the Sustainability of Phosphorus Recycling," Keynote Speech, Dialogue Session on Recycling Policy and Technology Innovation," Global Transdisciplinary Processes of Sustainable Phosphorus Management (Global TraPs) First World Conference, Global Conference on Nutrient Management, Beijing, China, June 18-20 (2013).

 

June 17, 2013:

The 10th International Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE) 2013: Ecological Economics and Institutional Dynamics is held on June 17-21 in Lille, France. Our paper on inclusive capital and human development integrating natural and human capitals is presented in the conference:

Mihashi, Rina, Masaru Yarime, Tomohiro Akiyama, and Jia Li, "Inclusive Capital and Human Development: Integrating Human and Natural Capitals," The 10th International Conference of the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE) 2013: Ecological Economics and Institutional Dynamics, Lille, France, June 17-21 (2013).

 

June 15, 2013:

I was invited to visit the newly established Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) at University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom for my presentation on the university's function of establishing a platform for cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, and global collaboration for implementing innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy for Implementing Innovation: STEaPP as a Platform for Cross-Disciplinary, Cross-Sectoral, and Global Collaboration," Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP), University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom, June 14 (2013).

 

June 10, 2013:

Our paper discussing the causes of phosphorus dissipation and opportunities and challenges in phosphorus recycling will be published soon in a forthcoming book by Springer, Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap:

Yarime, Masaru, Cynthia Carliell-Marquet, Deborah T. Hellums, Yuliya Kalmykova, Daniel J. Lang, Quang Bao Le, Dianne Malley, Kazuyo Matsubae, Makiko Matsuo, Hisao Ohtake, Alan Omlin, Sebastian Petzet, Roland W. Scholz, Hideaki Shiroyama, Andrea E. Ulrich, and Paul Watts, "Dissipation and Recycling: What Losses, What Dissipation Impacts, and What Recycling Options?" in R. W. Scholz, A. H. Roy, F. S. Brand, D. T. Hellums & A. E. Ulrich, eds., Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap, Dordrecht: Springer, forthcoming.

 

June 6, 2013:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 38 on Monday, June 24 in Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor David Sundaram and Dr. Gabrielle Peko of the University of Auckland Business School in New Zealand will discuss how enterprises can integrate sustainability and adaptability in the context of corporate strategy, organizational structure, and information systems.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 38

Date: Monday, June 24, 17:00-18:30

Venue: Room 708, Seventh Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Sustainable and Adaptive Enterprises: Interweaving the Deliberate and Emergent

Speakers: Professor David Sundaram and Dr. Gabrielle Peko, Department of Information Systems and Operations Management, University of Auckland Business School, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract: Enterprises that want to compete in the dynamic markets of today need to be able to respond to the ever-increasing rates of change. At the same time, enterprises strive to be ever more sustainable in terms of economic, environmental, and societal concerns. Enterprises are being challenged at all levels to meet the demands for sustainability and in a manner that can handle the complexity that is present. In this research we seek to determine how enterprises could integrate sustainability objectives with adaptive approaches to manage complexity and uncertainty. The overarching objective of the research is to explore how an enterprise can become both sustainable and adaptive by interweaving the deliberate and emergent in the context of strategy, business processes, organisational structures and information systems.

"Sustainability modelling and reporting: From roadmap to implementation"

We would also like to introduce our more recent project on organisational and personal sustainability and explore potential avenues for collaboration.

Bio: David Sundaram is an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management at the University of Auckland Business School. He is an engineer by background, a teacher, researcher, and consultant by profession, and a lifelong student. He is passionate about the modelling, design, and implementation of flexible and evolvable information, visualization, decision, knowledge, and social systems. The architecting and design of learning, adaptive, agile, and sustainable enterprises and societies is close to his heart.

Gabrielle Peko is a lecturer in the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management at the University of Auckland Business School. Her research interests include Adaptive and Sustainable Enterprises, Business Process Design, Supply Chain Management, and Decision Support Systems.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

June 4, 2013:

I have joined the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Energy Systems and Policy, an open-access journal of Nature Publishing Group (NPG), which publishes the journal Nature.

 

May 30, 2013:

Our paper on empirical analysis of natural resource abundance and human development is presented at the 47th Annual Conference of the Canadian Economics Association (CEA) currently held at HEC Montréal, Quebec, Canada.

Mihashi, Rina, and Masaru Yarime, "Natural Resource Abundance and Human Development: Empirical Evidence for Period 1990-2010," 47th Annual Conference of the Canadian Economics Association (CEA), HEC Montréal, Quebec, Canada, May 30 - June 2 (2013).

 

May 29, 2013:

We will organize the 8th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar will be held on Thursday, June 27 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Vaughan C. Turekian and Dr. Tom C. Wang of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will discuss U.S. science and technology diplomacy on international issues, including sustainable development, climate change, clean energy, and avian influenza.

8th Policy Platform (PoP) Seminar

Date and Time: Thursday, June 27, 2013, 15:00-17:00

Venue: Economics Research Annex (Kojima Hall), Conference Room, 2nd floor, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: U.S. Science and Technology Diplomacy

Speakers: Dr. Vaughan C. Turekian (Chief International Officer, Director of the Center for Science Diplomacy, and Editor-in-Chief of Science & Diplomacy, AAAS) and Dr. Tom C. Wang (Deputy Director of the Center for Science Diplomacy, AAAS)

Organizer: Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG), Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP), University of Tokyo

Registration required.

 

May 28, 2013:

Opportunities and challenges in transforming Japanese science, technology, and innovation are discussed in my chapter contributed to a forthcoming book, Possible Futures for Japan, edited by Anne Allison and Frank Baldwin for publication by New York University Press.

Yarime, Masaru, "Transforming Japanese Science and Technology to Meet Societal Challenges," in Anne Allison and Frank Baldwin, eds., Possible Futures for Japan, New York: New York University Press, forthcoming.

 

May 24, 2013:

The complete version of our paper on collaboration between university and stakeholders in society for sustainable urban transformations has been just published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, and Ali Kharrazi, "Co-creating sustainability: cross-sector university collaborations for driving sustainable urban transformations," Journal of Cleaner Production, 50, 40-55 (2013).

 

May 18, 2013:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 37 on Monday, June 3 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Mr. Jouni Juntunen of Aalto University in Finland will discuss how users work on home energy technologies for sustainability innovation. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 37

Date: Monday, June 3, 17:00-18:30

Venue: GraSPP Meeting Room 610, Sixth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: User Innovation in Sustainable Home Energy Technologies

Speaker: Jouni K. Juntunen, Doctoral Candidate and Project Researcher, Department of Management and International Business, School of Business, Aalto University, Aalto, Finland

Abstract: There is an increasing interest in small-scale energy production from renewable sources. While much hope has been placed on more active energy users, it has remained less clear what citizens can and are willing to do. We charted user inventions in heat pump and wood pellet burning systems in Finland in years 2005–2012. In total we found 192 inventions or modifications that improved either the efficiency, suitability, usability, maintenance or price of the heat pump or pellet systems, as evaluated by domain experts. Our analysis clarifies that users are able to successfully modify, improve and redesign next to all subsystems in these technologies. It appears that supplier models do not cater sufficiently for the variation in users’ homes, which leaves unexplored design space for users to focus on. The inventive users can speed up the development and proliferation of distributed renewable energy technologies both through their alternative designs as well as through the advanced peer support they provide in popular user run Internet forums. These online forums bring together users to have discussion around purchase, use and maintenance of these technologies. Forums help otherwise dispersed and heterogeneous users to create a specific kind of learning space that helps some users to “grow inventive” even as the majority of users therein remain indifferent towards their specific projects. These findings open a discussion on how the actions of typically a small group of inventive users are embedded in and supported by the activities of a broader user base and how such users can be of benefit to energy and climate policy.

Short bio: Jouni K. Juntunen is a doctoral candidate and project researcher in Aalto University, School of Business. In his dissertation he is investigating technology domestication processes, user development and user innovations in the context of micro-generation technology. Jouni studied Industrial Engineering and Management in University of Oulu, Finland. Prior to coming Aalto University, he was working 15 years in telecommunication business in Finland, China and Japan and hold positions in the areas of design for manufacturing, product management, technology marketing and industry analyst relations. Whilst pursuing his doctoral studies, he is also working in a research project that is exploring local adaptation and innovation-in-practice in energy efficiency and carbon neutrality.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 15, 2013:

International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST) 2013 is held on May 15-17 in Cincinnati, Ohio in the United States. Our research findings are presented in the conference as follows:

Kharrazi, Ali, Elena Rovenskaya, Brian D. Fath, and Masaru Yarime, "Quantifying the Sustainability of Economic Resource Networks: An Ecological Information-Based Approach," International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST), Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, May 15-17 (2013).

Pathirana, Shakila, and Masaru Yarime, "Functions of Stakeholders for Diffusion of Energy Efficiency Technologies in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises: A Case Study of the Sri Lankan Apparel Industry," International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST), Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, May 15-17 (2013).

 

May 14, 2013:

International Organization for Migration (IOM) is currently conducting a study on the Effectiveness of Solar Lanterns in Reducing Insecurity and Gender-Based Violence among Internally Displaced Persons in Puntland, Somalia. I'm working with Panasonic and the University of Nairobi to conduct baseline and post-intervention studies to examine the impact of the distribution of solar lanterns on the levels of gender-based violence and to assess the cost effectiveness of solar lanterns in reducing the number of reported cases of insecurity and violence.

 

May 6, 2013:

I'm invited to serve for another term as editor for the academic journal Sustainability Science. I will be handling submitted manuscripts in the field of sustainability and science, technology, and innovation.

 

May 5, 2013:

Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes of the School of Public Policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology started her stay as Abe Fellow at Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) of the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) of the University of Tokyo. She has worked on the institutional evolution of environmental financial markets in Europe and the United States. We will collaborate to conduct a comparative study with Asian markets, including Tokyo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing.

 

May 4, 2013:

Our paper on sustainability assessment tools for higher education institutions was listed as one of the Most-Read Articles during March 2013 in the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development.

Yarime, Masaru, and Yuko Tanaka, "The Issues and Methodologies in Sustainability Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Challenges," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 6 (1), 63-77 (2012).

 

May 1, 2013:

My review of a paper for the academic journal Higher Education was submitted to the editor.

 

April 30, 2013:

My review of a paper for the Journal of Corporate Citizenship was submitted to the editor.

 

April 29, 2013:

My review of a paper for the academic journal Global Environmental Change was submitted to the editor.

 

April 27, 2013:

Working Group on Natural Capital, with financial support from Trust Sixty Foundation, organized its first meeting on Friday, April 26 at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank in Tokyo. As the Chair of the working group, I gave a introductory lecture on natural capital in the context of recent discussions on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our group members, participating from academia, industry, and government, will discuss theoretical as well as practical dimensions of natural capital in local, national, and global levels and their implications for corporate strategy and public policy.

Yarime, Masaru, "Natural Capital in the Context of Recent Discussions on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Chair's Introductory Lecture, Working Group on Natural Capital First Meeting, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Tokyo, April 26 (2013).

 

April 26, 2013:

I was invited to give a seminar organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) Japan Group on Friday, April 26 at Daiwa Securities in Tokyo. We discussed the findings of the UNEP FI E-RISC project, in which I participating as a Advisory Committee Member, and its implications for future actions in the financial industry.

Yarime, Masaru, "UNEP FI Project on Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis (E-RISC): Its Findings and Implications for Future Actions in the Financial Industry" (in Japanese), United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) Japan Group Seminar, Daiwa Securities, Tokyo, Japan, April 26 (2013).


April 22, 2013:

I submitted my comments as an external reviewer of the Second Order Draft (SOD) of the Working Group III (Mitigation of Climate Change) contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). IPCC AR5 is expected to be published in April 2014.

 

April 17, 2013:

Our paper on quantifying the concept of sustainability with an ecological information-based approach has just been published online in the academic journal Ecological Economics.

Kharrazi, Ali, Elena Rovenskaya, Brian D. Fath, Masaru Yarime, and Steven Kraines, "Quantifying the sustainability of economic resource networks: An ecological information-based approach," Ecological Economics, 90, 177-186 (2013).

 

April 16, 2013:

Our paper on the emerging function of universities to co-create sustainability with stakeholders in society has been accepted for publication in the journal Science and Public Policy:

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, Kes McCormick, Christopher Doll, and Steven Kraines, "Beyond the Third Mission: Exploring the Emerging University Function of Co-creation for Sustainability," Science and Public Policy, forthcoming.

 

April 10, 2013:

Our paper on a framework for addressing urban sustainability in Kenya has been accepted for publication in the academic journal Sustainability Science:

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Moving towards Urban Sustainability in Kenya: Framework for Integration of Environmental, Economic, Social, and Governance Dimensions," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

April 1, 2013:

From April 1 I start working at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) at the Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. My research and educational activities at GraSPP will center around public policy, corporate strategy, and institutional design for encouraging innovation for societal issues, including health, energy and the environment, through close collaboration with stakeholders in the public as well as private sectors from a global perspective.

 

March 31, 2013:

The Graduation Ceremony of the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) was held on Monday, March 25 for the doctoral and master's students who completed the program successfully in the winter semester 2012-2013. In this semester I supervised the following doctoral dissertation and master's theses:

Mutisya, Emmanuel Musau, "Access to Microfinance and Financial Training for Innovative Urban Sustainability: Collective Investments at the Bottom of the Pyramid Segment in Urban Kenya," Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Todo, Yasuyuki), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Akiyama, Yuki, "Analysis of Relation between Corporate Environmental Performance and Financial Performance for Environmental Evaluation of Manufacturing Firms," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Matsuda, Hirotaka), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Arai, Tomoko, "Potential of Fashion Brands to Solve Sustainability Issues of the Fashion Industry: A Case Study of Motherhouse," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Onuki, Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Kohtake, Reina, "Demand Response Assessment and Strategy Planning for the Condominium Residential Sector in Japan," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Steven Kraines), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Zhen, Wei Ting, "System Establishment for 'Smart Life': International Comparison of Social Business Models and Consumer Behavior" (in Japanese), Master's Thesis (Co-Adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Dr. Mutisya and Mr. Akiyama received the Award of the Dean of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences for their excellent academic achievements.

 

In this academic year I also advised for the following doctoral dissertations and master's theses:

Ozeki, Tamane, "Organizational Collaboration and Industrial Formation: An Analysis of Japanese Firms in the Field of Organic Electroluminescence (EL)" (in Japanese), Doctoral Dissertation (Supervisor: Baba, Yasunori; Examination Committee Members: Yarime, Masaru, Kagawa, Yutaka, Segawa, Koji, and Watanabe, Toshiya), Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Kozawa, Kie, "Motivation of Purchasing a Local Wooden House Case study of Kochi Prefecture, Japan," Master’s Thesis (Supervisor: Yamamoto, Hirokazu; Co-adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2013).

Kamath, Reshma, "Sustainable Growth of Base of Pyramid (BOP) Markets through Cooperative-Style Multinational Corporation (MNC) Ventures," Master's Thesis (Adviser: Lee Geun, Vice Chairman: Yarime, Masaru, Thesis Committee Member: Moon Hwy-Chang), Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, May (2012).

 

March 22, 2013:

Our paper on quantifying the concept of sustainability has been just accepted for publication in the journal Ecological Economics.

Kharrazi, Ali, Elena Rovenskaya, Brian D. Fath, Masaru Yarime, and Steven Kraines, "Quantifying the Sustainability of Economic Resource Networks: An Ecological Information-Based Approach," Ecological Economics, forthcoming.

 

March 14, 2013:

The following article has been just published online in the Journal of Cleaner Production:

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, and Ali Kharrazi, "Co-creating sustainability: cross-sector university collaborations for driving sustainable urban transformations," Journal of Cleaner Production, 10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.11.047 (2012).

 

March 9, 2013:

The International Conference on Using Evidence and Human Resource Development for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Processes was held on Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9 at the International House of Japan in Tokyo, organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the Graduate School of Public Policy of the University of Tokyo. I made my comments as a discussant and joined a panel discussion on Evidence-Based Policy Making Process and Human Resource Development for STI Processes.

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on the Role of Real-time Technology Assessment in STI Processes," International Conference on Using Evidence and Human Resource Development for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Processes, International House of Japan, Tokyo, Japan, March 8-9 (2013).

 

March 5, 2013:

I gave a public research seminar on innovation for sustainability on Monday, March 4 at the School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development (SEED) of the University of Waterloo in Canada. I discussed the innovation systems approach and its potential integration with innovation management perspectives, with implications for corporate strategy and public policy for sustainability.

Yarime, Masaru, "Creating Innovation for Sustainability: Integration of Innovation Systems and Management Perspectives," Public Research Seminar, School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development (SEED), University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, March 4 (2013).

 

March 1, 2013:

The International Conference on Using Evidence and Human Resource Development for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Processes will be held on March 8-9 at the International House of Japan in Tokyo. It is organized by the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) Program of the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo. I will participate in the conference as a discussant to Professor David Guston of Arizona State University, who will talk about the role of real-time technology assessment in STI processes. Everyone is welcome to join us.

 

February 12, 2013:

International Conference on CSR and Corporate Governance will be held in Tokyo on September 19-20, 2013, with a doctoral workshop planned on September 18, jointly organized by the Japan Forum of Business and Society (JFBS), Humboldt University International CSR Conference (HU CSR), and Japanese German Center Berlin (JDZB). As a member of the Program Committee, I would like to encourage you to present your research findings in this conference. The deadline for submitting proposals is May 31.

Program Committee: Joachim Schwalbach (Professor, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Germany), Nick Barter (Senior Lecturer, Griffith University, Australia), Wanjun Jiang (Associate Professor, Peking University, China), Gregory Jackson (Professor, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany), Masaru Yarime (Associate Professor, University of Tokyo, Japan), and Kanji Tanimoto (Professor, Waseda University, Japan)

 

February 1, 2013:

Kick-off Symposium for Clean Tech Open Japan 2013 was organized on Friday, February 1 at the Kawasaki International Eco-Tech Fair 2013. I made a brief presentation on university-industry-government collaboration for promoting sustainability innovations and discussed potentials and challenges in the global development and diffusion of clean technologies with international experts, including Masayuki Karasawa, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Programme Director of CITYNET; and Kevin Braithwaite, Chair of the Clean Tech Open Global Ideas Competition.

Yarime, Masaru, "Stakeholder Collaboration for Creating Innovations for Global Sustainability," Kawasaki International Eco-Tech Fair 2013, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan, February 1 (2013).

 

January 29, 2013:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar on Friday, February 8 at 16:00 at Room 204 on the second floor of the Environmental Building. Dr. Tobias Schmidt and Mr. Joern Huenteler in the Chair of Sustainability and Technology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich will discuss critical challenges in public policy and financial investment for scaling-up of renewable energy in developing countries. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 36

Date: Friday, February 8, 2013, 16:00-17:30

Venue: Room 204, Second Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Scaling-up Renewable Energy in Developing Countries

Speakers: Tobias Schmidt and Joern Huenteler, Chair of Sustainability and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, Switzerland

Presentation 1: Derisking Renewable Energy Investment

O. Waissbein, Y. Glemarec, H. Bayraktar, T.S. Schmidt (presenting), United Nations Development Programme

Abstract: Around the world, developing countries are seeking to rapidly scale-up renewable energy investment. While renewable energy potentials are often favorable in developing countries, they remain mostly untapped. The reasons lay not just in higher technology cost of renewables, but in the challenges in securing long-term affordable finance. This is the case as - contrary to fossil fuel-based technologies - investment cost and their financing are the primary cost driver for electricity generated from renewable sources. Due to a number of perceived or actual behavioral, technical, regulatory, financial or administrative barriers and associated investment risks in developing countries, financing costs (e.g., the terms of debt) are significantly higher in developing countries. Reducing the financing costs and improving access to long-term affordable finance is therefore an important lever in leveraging investments in renewable energy technologies. In order to lower financing cost, the UNDP proposes to address the risks in the investment environment by means of public de-risking instruments.

Public derisking measures can broadly be divided into two groups: - Policy derisking instruments seek to remove the underlying barriers that are the root causes of risks. As the name implies, these instruments utilize policy and programmatic interventions to mitigate risk and include. - Financial derisking instruments do not seek to directly address the underlying barriers, but instead transfer the risks that investors face to public actors, such as development banks.

The objective of this report is to provide guidance for policymakers in selecting and quantifying the impact of public instruments in promoting investment in renewable energy. To this end, the UNDP team developed a framework to estimate the effects of risks and de-risking measures on the financing costs of renewable energies in a bottom-up techno-economic model and apply it to on-shore wind energy in four exemplary countries: Kenya, Mongolia, Panama, and South Africa. The modeling results show that the effects of public de-risking instruments by far outweigh their costs (especially in the case of policy derisking instruments). This indicates that de-risking can be a very effective and efficient lever to reduce the cost of renewable energy technologies and attract large scale private investment into these technologies in developing countries.

Presentation 2: Financing Feed-in Tariffs in Developing Countries under the Post-Kyoto Climate Policy Regime - The Case of Thailand

Joern Huenteler (1) presenting, Christian Niebuhr (1,2), Tobias Schmidt (1), Reinhard Madlener (2), Volker Hoffmann (1), (1) ETH Zurich, Switzerland (2) RWTH Aachen University, Germany

Abstract: In recent years, more and more developing countries have adopted feed-in tariff (FIT) policies to attract investment in renewable energy. The differentiated and performance-based support structure makes FITs very suitable for country-led mitigation initiatives, so called Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), in the electricity sector. However, there is a lack of experience and best practices on how to design policies, how to project the abatement cost and how to allocate the financing gap between different stakeholders in general and in combination with FITs specifically. In this paper, we use the Thai Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP), to study the incremental cost of FITs, and to quantify potential funding sources under the post-2012 climate policy regime. The analysis is based on a power plant-level techno-economic model of the Thai electricity sector.

We show that when no fuel subsidies are assumed, the incremental costs are relatively small for most renewable energy technologies. If NAMAs are designed adequately, the overall funding needs are in the range of $7bn for the anticipated renewable energy diffusion under the AEDP by 2021. Yet our analysis also shows that the international carbon market is unlikely to be able to cover a significant part of the remaining funding gap, even when strong international commitment is assumed. This makes additional NAMA finance necessary. We elaborate on possible funding structures for NAMA finance and discuss how to address key uncertainties when determining the incremental costs ex-ante. We highlight that, in order to secure the accountability of potential financial support by developed countries, adequate baseline methodologies and data transparency will become major challenges for efficient funding allocation within internationally supported NAMAs.

Biographies:

Tobias Schmidt works as post-doctoral researcher in the Group of Sustainability and Technology and also serves as lecturer for ETH Zurich's Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences. Furthermore, he currently works as consultant to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Environment & Energy Group. In his dissertation, Tobias investigated how climate-relevant policies trigger low-carbon technological change in the power sector.

Joern Huenteler is a researcher in the Group of Sustainability and Technology at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich. He investigates the influence of policy support on innovation and industrial performance in the renewable energy sector. Joern holds a diploma degree in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration from RWTH Aachen University (Germany) and a M.Sc. in Engine Thermophysics from Tsinghua University (Beijing, China).

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

January 17, 2013:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 35 on Wednesday, January 30 at 10:00 at Room 204 on the second floor of the Environmental Building. Dr. Anthony Halog of the University of Queensland in Australia will discuss a system framework for developing concepts, methodologies, and tools for sustainable industrial networks.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 35

Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 10:00-11:30

Venue: Room 204, Second Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: A System Thinking Framework for Developing Configurations of Sustainable Industrial Networks

Speaker: Anthony Halog, PhD, MBA, Lecturer in Industrial Environmental Management/LCA Certified Professional, School of Geography, Planning & Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Abstract: Attaining industrial sustainability at the local/regional level requires collaborative efforts from participating agents toward common goals including resource conservation, low carbon emissions, production efficiency, economic viability, and corporate social responsibility. Our existing socio-technical systems should transition or evolve toward achieving system sustainability. This study aims to operationalize the idea of system sustainability by developing a conceptual framework for computational modelling and design of an industrial ecology-modelled forest biorefinery. Novel system-based modelling tools that take into consideration the three pillars of sustainability along with stakeholders’ interest should be developed. The weakening forest product industry in Maine is at the core of the proposed ecologically sustainable industrial park development. This will demonstrate a system model of the dynamic exchange of wastes and resources to produce sustainable value-added products. The ensuing framework involves integrated decision support, which can help in evaluating such a system with the goal of reducing overall energy and resource consumptions, while improving the economic, environmental and social performance of eco-industrial clusters. System dynamics (SD), materials flow analysis (MFA), life cycle assessment (LCA) and agent-based modelling (ABM) are modelling tools which can be applied to capitalize individual agents’ potential for designing prospective configurations/topologies of an industrial ecosystem.

Biography: Anthony Halog joined the University of Queensland in October 2012 from the University of Maine, USA where he was an Assistant Professor in Industrial Ecology. Dr Halog has held various positions as Visiting Faculty Fellow at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory of US Department of Energy, USA; as an Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Research Fellow at the Finnish Forest Research Institute; as Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan; and as an Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the National Research Council of Canada. He has been recently selected as a Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society (IAS -STS), Austria. His qualification in environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) has been officially certified by the American Centre for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA) since January 2009. Dr. Halog worked before as Quality Control Engineer/ISO Consultant in food, cement and consumer industries in the Philippines, plastic moulding industry in Singapore and toy factory in Thailand. His research transcends traditional boundaries of natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences. He is currently developing quantitative and computational models and tools to assess emerging technologies and industrial ecosystems, which can provide exciting breakthroughs in research and educational innovation in sustainability science and engineering. Broadly, his interests are industrial ecology/eco-efficiency, sustainable consumption and production, environmental lifecycle assessment (LCA), eco-design, coupled human and natural systems, industrial sustainability, and renewable energy production.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

January 10, 2013:

Our article was chosen as one of the best of 2012 for OurWorld 2.0 published by the United Nations University:

Gregory Trencher and Masaru Yarime, "Universities co-creating urban sustainability," OurWorld 2.0, May 23 (2012).

 

January 3, 2013:

Conference Report of the Third International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS 2012), to which I contributed as a member of the International Steering Board, has been just published on the web page of the conference.


December 26, 2012:

Launching the Phase 1 Report of the United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI, Geneva) project on Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis (E-RISC), to which I have been contributing as a member of the Advisory Committee, I organized a seminar in Tokyo, following the similar events held in London, Sydney, and New York.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to A New Angle on Sovereign Credit Risk – E-RISC: Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis," United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI, Geneva) E-RISC Project Seminar, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Tokyo, Japan, December 26 (2012).

 

December 19, 2012:

We will organize Sustainability Innovation Seminar 34 on governance and public policy on low-emission vehicles in the United Kingdom on Monday, January 28 at 16:30-18:00 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building. Dr. Karen Anderton of the University of Oxford will discuss the organizational governance of the low carbon vehicle regime in the U.K. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Sustainability Innovation Seminar Series 34

Date: Monday, January 28, 2013, 16:30-18:00

Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Mapping the UK Low Emission Vehicle Policy Landscape"

Speaker: Dr. Karen Anderton, Institute for Carbon and Energy Reduction in Transport, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract:

This paper is concerned with the organisational governance of the low carbon vehicle regime in the UK. It focuses on the emerging relationships and governance structures developed through current activities to decarbonise the transport infrastructure.

Efforts have been underway for several years in the UK to prime the low carbon vehicle market and associated infrastructure required to promote efficient alternatives to the internal combustion engine. Such activities have been conducted through a host of public, private and non-profit organisations working together to understand the appetite for and barriers to uptake of alternatively-fuelled vehicles. The main objective of this paper was to map and understand the roles played by these various organisations. As such the interactions between: car and energy industries, transport, research and energy departments of government, national and local/city governments and civil society were investigated through conducting semi-structured interviews with participants from these diverse sectors. It was important to ascertain an understanding of particular roles assumed by certain entities and whether there is clarity between parties as to where ultimate responsibility lies within the project/policy delivery teams.

Initiatives such as the 'Plugged-in Places' scheme - which is deploying electric vehicle pilot projects across selected metropolitan areas and regions - amongst others were examined to explore whether such projects inform future policy development and strategic direction in the roll-out of future infrastructure. Any 'bottlenecks' or 'gaps' in the development and implementation of policies associated with delivering alternatively-fuelled vehicles were also identified. Finally, the level of engagement of ‘mainstream/leading’ car companies versus niche/SME enterprises was considered, as well as the impact of EU regulation and policy over activities in the UK.

Bio: Karen Anderton is a James Martin Research Fellow at the Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford. Karen’s research focuses on organisational and governance considerations in transport and environmental policymaking across levels. She completed her DPhil thesis “Sub-national government responses to reducing the climate impact of cars”, at TSU in January 2012. Karen has been working on environmental policy issues for well over a decade and focused on climate change issues since 2003. She holds a LLB (Hons) in Law and International Politics (2002) and an MSc (with Distinction) in Environment and Development (2003). Alongside her research, she has been an independent consultant since 2007 and has consulted for various international public, private and non-profit clients including UN Habitat, nrg4SD, UKCIP, NICCD, Global Action Plan and The Climate Group. She is also a Trustee of the Climate Outreach and Information Network (COIN).

Contact: YARIME Masaru


December 14, 2012:

The Research Center for Sustainable Mechanical Systems at the Toyota Technological Institute organized a public symposium on Thursday, December 13 in Nagoya. As the keynote speaker, I discussed the possibilities and challenges for creating sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Creating Sustainability Innovation: Its Possibilities and Challenges" (in Japanese), Keynote Speech, Public Symposium of the Research Center for Sustainable Mechanical Systems, Toyota Technological Institute, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, December 13 (2012).

 

December 12, 2012:

The following article has been just published online in the Journal of Cleaner Production:

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, and Ali Kharrazi, "Co-Creating Sustainability: Cross-Sector University Collaborations for Driving Sustainable Urban Transformation," Journal of Cleaner Production,
10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.11.047 (2012).


December 8, 2012:

I have joined a project initiated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to conduct a study on the effectiveness of providing solar lanterns in reducing cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) within internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Somalia. This project is conducted through close collaboration with IOM Nairobi Office, University of Nairobi, and the Ministries of Women Development and Social Affairs in Garowe, Puntland, and a final report is expected to be published next year.

 

December 6, 2012:

Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, edited by Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, will be published soon by Kobundo in Tokyo. I have contributed to the dictionary an entry on Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), in Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, eds., Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, Tokyo: Kobundo, 481 (2012).

 

December 4, 2012:

The following article has been just published online in the academic journal Sustainability Science:

Kudo, Shogo, and Masaru Yarime, "Divergence of the sustaining and marginalizing communities in the process of rural aging: a case study of Yurihonjo-shi, Akita, Japan," Sustainability Science,
10.1007/s11625-012-0197-x (2012).

 

December 2, 2012:

Phase 1 Report of the Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis (E-RISC) project, to which I have been contributing as a member of the Advisory Committee, has been just published by the United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative (UNEP FI) and Global Footprint Network in Geneva, Switzerland. I plan to organize a seminar on this issue in Tokyo in December.

"A New Angle on Sovereign Credit Risk – E-RISC: Environmental Risk Integration in Sovereign Credit Analysis," United Nations Environmental Programme Financial Initiative and Global Footprint Network, Geneva, Switzerland, November (2012).


December 1, 2012:

I gave a special lecture on sustainability innovation on Saturday, December 1 at the Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Theories and Practices of Sustainability Innovation," Special Lecture, Business Creation and Management for Environmental Industries, Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, December 1 (2012).


November 30, 2012:

A workshop on the Center of Innovation (COI) was organized on Friday, November 30 by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). I participated in this workshop as one of the experts in academia, industry, and public institutes to identify major challenges to be explored for creating innovation to address key issues such as the environment, resources, energy, aging and declining population, global industrial competitiveness, and safe and secure society.


November 29, 2012:

The following article has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Cleaner Production:

Trencher, Gregory, Masaru Yarime, and Ali Kharrazi, "Co-Creating Sustainability: Cross-Sector University Collaborations for Driving Sustainable Urban Transformation," Journal of Cleaner Production, forthcoming.


November 22, 2012:

The International Conference on EcoBalance 2012: Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Society was held on November 20-23 in Yokohama. I chaired the Session on Sustainable Nutrient Management and made the following presentations:

Yarime, Masaru, "Encouraging Innovation for Sustainable Phosphorus Management: Technology, Management, and Public Policy," International Conference on EcoBalance 2012: Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Society, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, November 20-23 (2012).

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Evaluating Ecological Risks of Fixed Income Investments, An Ecological Network Perspective," International Conference on EcoBalance 2012: Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Society, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan, November 20-23 (2012).


November 13, 2012:

The following paper has just been accepted for publication in the academic journal Sustainability Science:

Kudo, Shogo, and Masaru Yarime, "Divergence of the Sustaining and Marginalizing Communities in the Process of Rural Aging: A case study of Yurihonjo-shi, Akita, Japan," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.


November 3, 2012:

Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, edited by Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, will be published soon by Kobundo in Tokyo. I have contributed to the dictionary an entry on sustainability science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), in Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, eds., Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, Tokyo: Kobundo, forthcoming.

 

October 21, 2012:

The Third SUSTAIN.CAFE was held on Friday, October 19 in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. I talked about the current challenges we face for academic development, institutionalization, and societal contribution in the field of sustainability science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science and Its Challenges in Academic Development, Institutionalization, and Societal Contribution," Third SUSTAIN.CAFE, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo, October 19 (2012).


October 18, 2012:

The Research Center for Sustainable Mechanical Systems of the Toyota Technological Institute will organize a symposium on December 13 in Nagoya. As the invited speaker, I will discuss the possibilities and challenges for creating sustainability innovation. Everyone is welcome to attend the symposium.

 

October 18, 2012:

A workshop on strategies on materials and energy was organized by the Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). In Session on Research Strategy for Social and Economic Challenges, I discussed the strategic resource logistics for sustainability innovation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Strategic Resource Logistics for Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Workshop on Strategies on Materials and Energy, Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo, October 17 (2012).


October 12, 2012:

Session on natural capital accounting and innovative financial mechanisms was held on Thursday, October 11 in the Civil Society Policy Forum of the Annual Meetings of IMF and World Bank Group 2012. I discussed integration of environmental risks into
credit rating, introducing E-RISK project organized by UNEP Financial Initiative in Geneva.

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrating Environmental Risks into Credit Rating for Sustainability," Session on How Natural Capital Accounting and Innovative Financing Mechanisms Can Achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target No. 20, Civil Society Policy Forum, 2012 Annual Meetings of IMF and World Bank Group, Tokyo Japan, October 11 (2012).


October 10, 2012:

The following article on the role of microfinance for sustainability in urban Kenya will be published soon in the African Statistical Journal of the African Development Bank.

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Microcredit for the Development of the Bottom of the Pyramid Segment: Impact of Access to Financial Services on Microcredit Clients, Institutions and Urban Development," African Statistical Journal, forthcoming.


September 30, 2012:

The 2012 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group will be held in Tokyo in early October. We will organize a Session on Natural Capital Accounting and Innovative Financial Mechanisms on Thursday, October 11 at 16:00-17:30, as a part of the Civil Society Policy Forum. I will talk about the UNEP Financial Initiative's project on Integrating Ecological Risks into Sovereign Credit Risk Models and Investments, on which I have been working as a member of the Advisory Committee. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

 

September 21, 2012:

U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Advisory Committee for Cyberinfrastructure published the Final Report of the Task Force on Data and Visualization, to which I contributed through the workshops.

Task Force on Data and Visualization, “Final Report,” Advisory Committee for Cyberinfrastructure, National Science Foundation (NSF), Washington, D.C., United States (2011).


September 20, 2012:

I visited the Leuphana University of Lueneburg in Germany on Tuesday, September 18 and made a public presentation on creating innovation for sustainable energy:

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing forth Innovation on Renewable Energy in the Region: University as a Platform for Stakeholder Collaboration and Social Experimentation for Sustainability, Public Seminar, Leuphana University of Lueneburg, Germany, September 18 (2012).

 

September 10, 2012:

The final version of our article on electric vehicles in Japan with full bibliographic details has been published in the journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change:

Pohl, Hans, and Masaru Yarime, "Integrating Innovation System and Management Concepts: The Development of Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Japan," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 79 (8), 1431-1446 (2012).


September 7, 2012:

I made comments on public trust in science in Japan in the following article in Chemistry World, published by the Royal Society of Chemistry of the United Kingdom:

"Rebuilding public trust in Japanese Science," Simon Perks, Chemistry World, Royal Society of Chemistry, United Kingdom, September 6 (2012).

 

September 7, 2012:

Lyon-UT-Yokohama Workshop on Dealing with Urban Vulnerability was held on September 6-7 in Yokohama, jointly organized by the University of Lyon, City of Lyon, and the University of Tokyo. This workshop is a follow-up to the Todai Forum 2011 Workshop on Facing Urban Vulnerability: New Approaches to Urban Design and Architecture held at Siège du Conseil Région Rhône-Alpes in Lyon on October 20, 2011, organized by the University of Tokyo, Université de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, and Institut National Supérieurs de Sciences Appliquées (INSA). In Session 1 on General Framework for Vulnerability and Resilience Theories, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding Sustainability as a Balance between Efficiency and Resilience," Lyon-UT-Yokohama Workshop on Dealing with Urban Vulnerability, jointly organized by the University of Lyon, City of Lyon, and the University of Tokyo, Yokohama, Japan, September 6-7 (2012).

 

September 5, 2012:

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 33 will be organized on Tuesday, September 11 at 10:00-11:00 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. Ms. Manjusha Thorpe of the University of Cambridge will discuss the successful scale-up of innovative process technologies in the chemical and biotech sectors and its implications and challenges for sustainability. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 33

Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2012, 10:00-11:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Enablers of the Successful Scale up of Innovative Process Technologies Involving Industrial Biotechnology: Implications and Challenges for Sustainable Operations

Speaker: Manjusha Thorpe, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

Abstract:
The development of innovative process technologies is becoming increasingly important in the chemical industry. Furthermore, in response to the quest for more environmentally sustainable operations, new technologies often involve the replacement of conventional chemical processes with biotechnology processes. Companies will have an advantage in achieving competitive operations in shorter timeframes if they have the ability to overcome the challenges faced when scaling up new process technologies.

Initial research has been carried out using data from interviews conducted with members of five multi-national companies operating in the processing industry. The initial research confirmed the importance of various types of knowledge in achieving successful scale up. However, there were deficits. In particular, the lack of a formalised process including the identification, development, utilisation, capture and transfer of the knowledge that is critical for scale up. The interview data also revealed additional factors that appear critical in determining scale up performance. These include articulation of the tradeoffs between batch and continuous processing during scale up and the uniqueness of scaling up industrial biotechnology processes.
Further research is underway and this research focuses on understanding the problems encountered during scale up and solutions for overcoming these problems. In particular, the knowledge and skills that enable successful scale up are being investigated and the means of identifying knowledge gaps and knowledge sources is also being examined.

A case study methodology is be used to carry out the investigation and, to a large extent, the data is being obtained from interviews. The interviews are being conducted with members of the R&D, process engineering, operations, project management and business functions of companies in order to obtain a number of perspectives on the scale up of processes. Furthermore, scale up is being investigated across the pharmaceutical, specialty chemicals, commodity chemicals, petrochemical and industrial biotechnology sectors of the process industry. This will allow comparisons to be made across sectors and in particular, will allow lessons learned to be applied to the more nascent industrial biotechnology processes.
The research is expected to result in a knowledge map that describes the knowledge required for the successful scale up of a range of process technologies. In addition, mitigation methods for overcoming the problems typically encountered in scale up will be provided. The map and methods are expected to assist companies in streamlining the scale up of new process technologies, in particular biotechnology processes. This can help in achieving more sustainable solutions to future global chemical requirements.

Bio:
Manjusha Thorpe joined the Centre for Technology Management at the University of Cambridge in 2010. Manjusha studied both chemical engineering and Japanese as an undergraduate and before joining the University of Cambridge, Manjusha worked in industry for 14 years in Australia, Indonesia and Singapore. One of Manjusha's more recent achievements was successfully starting up and managing the Singapore operation of a global consulting company dedicated to benchmarking the competitiveness of capital projects executed by the oil, gas, mining, minerals, metals and processing industries.

Contact: YARIME Masaru


August 31, 2012:

The Third International Conference on Sustainability Transitions (IST2012) was held at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in Copenhagen, Denmark on August 29-31. In the conference I made the following presentations:

Yarime, Masaru, "A Systems Approach to Sustainability Innovation: Maintaining a Balance between Efficiency and Resilience," Third International Conference on Sustainability Transitions, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 29-31 (2012).

Suwa, Aki, Masaru Yarime, and Joni Jupesta, "Transition into Sustainable Energy Systems: A Case Study of Geothermal Development in Japan," Third International Conference on Sustainability Transitions, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark, August 29-31 (2012).

 

July 26, 2012:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 32 on Friday, August 3 at 10:30-12:00 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Michiko Iizuka of UNU-MERIT in the Netherlands will discuss the Kyoto mechanisms and their impacts on the diffusion of renewable energy technologies in BRICS countries. Everyone is welcome to join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 32

Date: Friday, August 3, 10:30-12:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: The Kyoto Mechanisms and the Diffusion of Renewable Energy Technologies in the BRICS

Speaker: Dr. Michiko Iizuka, Research Fellow, United Nations University Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), Maastricht, The Netherlands

Abstract:
The importance of renewable energy is well accepted at the global level. In this presentation, we will look at the role of Kyoto Mechanisms (Joint implementation and Clean Development Mechanisms) in diffusing the renewable energy technology in BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). China, India and Brazil are recently increasing their presence in the field of renewable energy technology. In addition to the relationship to Kyoto mechanism, the presentation will try to illustrate the manufacturing capability in China, India, and Brazil.

Short Bio:
Michiko Iizuka is a policy specialist in the field of development, innovation and sustainability. She is currently a research fellow at United Nations University-MERIT since 2008. Prior to that, she has worked at International Development Center of Japan (IDCJ) as a researcher, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (UNECLAC) as an environmental officer. Her main areas of interest are innovation system, science and technology, industrial & innovation policy in developing countries focusing on agriculture and environmental issues. She is also a visiting fellow at SPRU, University of Sussex.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 15, 2012:

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 31 will be organized on Monday, July 23 at 16:45-18:15 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes of the Georgia Institute of Technology will discuss the institutional development of environmental finance in Asia, the United States and Europe from a comparative perspective. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 31

Date: Monday, July 23, 16:45-18:15
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Comparative Analysis of the Institutional Development of Environmental Finance in Asia, the United States and Europe

Speaker: Janelle Knox-Hayes, Assistant Professor, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States, and Research Associate, Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract:
Human and natural systems are becoming increasingly mismatched in their scale of operation and reproduction. Problems such as climate change and biodiversity loss have arisen from the lack of synchrony between economic and environmental systems. In response, policy makers are turning increasing attention to environmental finance—the pricing of environmental goods and externalities through financial mechanisms. While markets liberate information and extend the reach of communication of the value of reducing emissions, they divorce the production processes from their material context. I investigate the initiation and evolution of environmental finance in Asia through investigation of financial centers, their organizations, actors and processes. The study analyzes the institutionalization of environmental finance by investigating its initiation in five prominent Asian financial centers: Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Beijing/Tianjin. Specifically, the analytical focus lies on the financial service networks in these cities as elucidated through interviews with financial experts. Environmental finance is just being initiated in Asia. However, Asia provides an important context for investigation into how financial products and services are transferred across cultural boundaries. In comparing various regional approaches to environmental finance, the beneficial impacts of clean energy development become clear. Clean energy provides a material source of economic growth that mitigates environmental damage.

Biography:
Janelle Knox-Hayes is an assistant professor in the school of Public Policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a research associate at the Oxford University Department of Geography and Environment. Dr. Knox-Hayes joined the School of Public Policy after completing her PhD in Economic Geography at the University of Oxford. Her dissertation research was funded by the National Science Foundation and investigated the development of carbon emissions markets looking through the lens of regulatory and financial service institutions, with the use of surveys, interviews, and close-dialogue. She is interested in the political and economic dynamics underpinning energy transition and sustainable development. Her current research is funded by the Social Science Research Council and focuses on the institutional development of carbon emissions markets in Asia, with particular emphasis on the economic and policy drivers that develop these markets as well as their impact on social and economic systems.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 7, 2012:

The 14th International Schumpeter Society Conference was held at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia on July 2-5. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Transforming University-Industry Collaboration to a Multi-Stakeholder Platform for Sustainability Innovation: Emerging Practices at Universities," 14th International Schumpeter Society Conference, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, July 2-5 (2012).


July 7, 2012:

Writers' workshop on the book project Possible Futures for Japan was held on Saturday, June 30 to Sunday, July 1 at Shonan International Village Conference Center in Kanagawa, Japan. This project is jointly organized by the United States Social Science Research Council (SSRC) and the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership (CGP). Abe Fellowship Program 20th Anniversary Symposium "Possible Futures for Japan" was also held on Monday, July 2 at the International House of Japan in Tokyo. The outcomes of this project, in which I discuss opportunities and challenges in science, technology, and innovation for a sustainable future, will be published by New York University Press in spring 2013:

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Science and Technology for State Power, Business Competitiveness, or Societal Resilience?", in Anne Allison and Frank Baldwin, eds., Possible Futures for Japan, New York: New York University Press, forthcoming.

 

June 20, 2012:

The International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) 2012 Symposium: The Power of Partnerships is held on June 19-21 at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon in the United States. Our article on universities co-creating urban sustainability has been presented as one of the case studies for the symposium:

Gregory Trencher and Masaru Yarime, "Universities Co-creating Urban Sustainability," Case Study, International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) 2012 Symposium: The Power of Partnerships, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, United States, June 19-21 (2012).

 

June 17, 2012:

The International Association of Project and Program Management (IAP2M), in collaboration with the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ) and the Development Engineering Society of Japan (DESJ), organized the Second Collaborative Congress between Academic Societies on Sustainability and Project Management Systems on Saturday, June 16 at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Koganei, Tokyo. I made the following keynote speech:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Innovation through Stakeholder Collaboration," Keynote Speech, Second Collaborative Congress between Academic Societies on Sustainability and Project Management Systems, organized by the International Association of Project and Program Management (IAP2M) in collaboration with the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ) and the Development Engineering Society of Japan (DESJ), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, June 16 (2012).

 

June 17, 2012:

I have joined as an Expert Reviewer the process for Working Group III (Mitigation of Climate Change) First Order Draft (FOD) of the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

 

June 10, 2012:

The Symposium on Possible Futures for Japan will be held on Monday, July 2 at the International House of Japan in Tokyo to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Abe Fellowship Program. The project "Possible Futures" is organized by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) of the United States and the results of the project will be published in Anne Allison and Frank Baldwin, eds., Possible Futures for Japan, New York: New York University Press in spring 2013. The public symposium will bring the public and policy communities into the discussion of the near-term prospects and challenges for Japan in the fields of politics, economy, society, and international security. I will discuss science, technology, and innovation for a sustainable future. English-Japanese translation will be provided.


June 8, 2012:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 30 on Monday, June 18 at 15:00 at Lecture Room 3. Professor Jacques Hymans of the University of Southern California will discuss a historical institutional analysis of Japan’s policy on nuclear energy. If you are interested in this issue, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 30

Date: Monday, June 18, 15:00-16:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker: Jacques E.C. Hymans, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Southern California, United States

Title: "Japan's Nuclear Policy: Institutional Obstacles to Change"

Abstract:
Japan's nuclear policy mix has remained substantially unchanged ever since its origins in the 1950s. Japan has consistently promoted nuclear energy production, attempted to create an entire fuel cycle, and abstained from building nuclear weapons. The earthquake and tsunami that wrecked the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant caused a great surge in anti-nuclear sentiment both in public opinion and in the Diet. Many observers have assumed that this anti-nuclear wave will cause a radical policy shift away from nuclear power. By contrast, an historical institutionalist analysis suggests that the changes at the level of national policy are likely to be more apparent than real, more incremental than dramatic, and at least as responsive to "pro-nuclear" as to "anti-nuclear" sentiments. But at the same time, changes at the prefectural level and in the private sector could severely undermine efforts to implement the traditional policy.

Bio:
Jacques E.C. Hymans is Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California. Hymans is the author of the recently published book Achieving Nuclear Ambitions: Scientists, Politicians, and Proliferation (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and The Psychology of Nuclear Proliferation: Identity, Emotions, and Foreign Policy (Cambridge University Press, 2006), which received the Edgar S. Furniss Book Award for best first book in national and international security, and the Alexander L. George Book Award for best book in political psychology. His article "Veto Players, Nuclear Energy, and Nonproliferation: Domestic Institutional Barriers to a Japanese Nuclear Bomb" appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of International Security.

Jacques E. C. Hymans, "Botching the Bomb," Foreign Affairs, May/June (2012).

Contact: YARIME Masaru


June 7, 2012:

The International Association of Project and Program Management (IAP2M), in collaboration with the Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ) and the Development Engineering Society of Japan (DESJ), will organize the Second Collaborative Congress between Academic Societies "Sustainability and Project Management Systems" on Saturday, June 16 at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in Koganei, Tokyo. I will discuss sustainability science and its implications for innovation management. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

 

June 7, 2012:

The book Management of Technology (MOT): Fundamentals and Applications (in Japanese) has been just published by Rikotosho in Tokyo. In this book I have written the following article:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability and the Management of Technology: Social Innovation through a Collaboration Platform between Academia, Industry, and the Public Sector" (in Japanese), Satoshi Yoshida, Shoji Takeichi, Junichi Tomita, Robert Phaal, Yu Morishita, and Masaru Yarime, eds., Management of Technology (MOT): Fundamentals and Applications, Tokyo: Rikohtosho, 217-228 (2012).

 

June 7, 2012:

The Asian Clean Energy Forum 2012 was held on June 4-8 at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila, the Philippines. At the International Workshop on Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Access to Energy we discussed innovative business models for delivering energy access, end-user financing, and results-based financing. The role of local banks would be critically important for providing the financing function to retailers as well as end users.


June 2, 2012:

The first workshop on E-RISC project (Environmental Risk in Sovereign Credit Assessments: Integrating Ecological Risk into Sovereign Bond Credit Risk Assessment and Investment) was held on May 30 at KfW Bankengruppe in Frankfurt, Germany. This project is organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Financial Initiative in Geneva in collaboration with the Global Footprint Network, and I participated in the workshop as a member of the Advisory Committee. We had very fruitful discussions with experts in leading financial institutions, including Standard & Poor's. It will be important to integrate accounting risks based on biocapacity degradation and topological risks based on the network structure of exchange in biocapacity.


May 26, 2012:

Mr. Daniel A. Clune, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs of the U.S. Department of State visited the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo on May 24. We had very fruitful discussions on climate change and science diplomacy with students and faculty members of of GPSS. Mr. Clune came to Japan to participate in the Sixth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 6) held in Okinawa on May 25-26, representing the United States in the meeting for the first time.


May 23, 2012:

The following article on innovative initiatives for urban sustainability at universities across the globe has been just published in Our World 2.0 of the United Nations University.

Trencher, Gregory, and Masaru Yarime, "Universities co-creating urban sustainability," Our World 2.0, May 23 (2012).


May 17, 2012:

We will have Sustainability Seminar with General Electric (GE) and the University of Tokyo on Saturday, May 19 at 13:00-15:00 in the Hongo campus. It is organized by SUS+, the student organization for sustainability at the University of Tokyo. The language to be used at the seminar is Japanese, but anybody is welcome to join us.

Yarime, Masaru, "Social Collaboration for Sustainability Innovation," Sustainability Seminar with General Electric (GE) and the University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, May 19 (2012).

 

May 15, 2012:

The following article on electric vehicles in Japan has been just published online in the academic journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change (Elsevier), Articles in Press:

Pohl, Hans, and Masaru Yarime, "Integrating Innovation System and Management Concepts: The Development of Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Japan," Technological Forecasting and Social Change (2012), doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2012.04.012.


May 5, 2012:

United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Financial Initiative and Global Footprint Network have initiated a project on Pushing the Frontier in Environmental Analysis on Sovereign Bonds - Integrating ecological risk in sovereign credit risk models and investments. As a member of the Advisory Committee, I will participated in the first workshop to be held on May 30 at KfW Bankengruppe in Frankfurt, Germany. We will discuss with experts and practitioners in financial institutions the financial materiality of ecological risks relevant for the credit risk evaluation of government bonds and the development of methodologies for credit rating agencies, investors and financial information providers to integrate ecological data in their models.


April 28, 2012:

The following article on recent trends and future challenges in the methodologies of sustainability assessment tools for higher education institutions has been just published in the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development (SAGE):

Yarime, Masaru, and Yuko Tanaka, "The Issues and Methodologies in Sustainability Assessment Tools for Higher Education Institutions: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Challenges," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, 6 (1), 63-77 (2012).


April, 27, 2012:

I have joined as a member from academia the Univeristy-Industry-Government Meeting on the Strategy for Sustainable Management of Phosphorus, organized by the Council for the Promotion of Phosphorus Recycling in Japan. This is a national platform for collaboration between the key stakeholders for discussing and implementing strategies for sustainable management of phosphorus. We will also collaborate with other international initiatives, including Global Traps (Transdisciplinary Processes for Sustainable Phosphorus Management).

 

April 25, 2012:

A proposal of a business model for providing clean water in India has been accepted as one of the projects for the Cooperative Preliminary Study on Base of Pyramid (BOP) Business Collaboration Promotion of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). We will collaborate with JICA and Poly Glu International to conduce sustainability assessment of the business model from an integrated perspective including environmental, economic, and social dimensions.

 

April 15, 2012:

I have joined the Working Group on CODATA and the Working Group on WDS of the Subcommittee on International Scientific Data of the Committee on Information Science of the Science Council of Japan. CODATA (Committee on Data for Science and Technology) and WDS (World Data System) are the committees working together for promoting improved scientific and technical data management and use in the International Council for Science (ICSU) based in Paris, France.

 

April 15, 2012:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 29 on Tuesday, April 17 at 16:40-18:20 at Lecture Room 3. Dr. Sugiyama of F. Hoffmann-La Roche in Switzerland will discuss a systems approach to sustainable improvement in pharmaceutical production processes based on a sophisticated understanding of cultural diversity and specificity. Everyone is welcome to attend the seminar.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 29

Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012, 16:40-18:20
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Understanding and Leveraging “Japan Quality” for Sustainable Improvement of Pharmaceutical Production Processes

Speaker: Dr. Hirokazu Sugiyama, Head of Operational Excellence Project Office, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Sterile Drug Product Manufacturing Kaiseraugst, Basel, Switzerland

Abstract:
Japan is known as a market where customers value cosmetic appearance of products in addition to the product performance itself. This is valid for pharmaceutical products such as tablets, capsules or liquid vials, and many western companies are struggling with high reject rates of shipped goods in the visual inspection of Japanese local partners. In this seminar, a systems approach of Roche’s Parenterals production facility in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland, will be presented for (1) installing organizational capability to understand “Japan Quality” and (2) leveraging this specific voice of customer for a general improvement of manufacturing processes.

Short bio:
Hirokazu Sugiyama studied chemical engineering at the University of Tokyo and earned his PhD from ETH Zurich. His PhD thesis was on “Decision-making framework of chemical process design” considering economy, environmental impacts and process hazard as multi-objective decision criteria. In 2007 Dr. Sugiyama joined F. Hoffmann-La Roche first as a management trainee in technical operations, and since 2009 he is responsible for continuous improvement of new sterile drug production facility in Kaiseraugst, Switzerland.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

April 6, 2012:

The following article on the development of electric and hybrid electric vehicles in Japan will be published soon in the academic journal Technological Forecasting & Social Change (Elsevier):

Pohl, Hans, and Masaru Yarime, "Integrating Innovation System and Management Concepts: The Development of Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles in Japan," Technological Forecasting & Social Change, forthcoming.


April 5, 2012:

I have joined the project Possible Futures, organized by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) of the United States. In this project, I will contribute a chapter on science, technology, and innovation of Japan to the forthcoming book Possible Futures for Japan to be published by New York University Press in spring 2013.

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Science and Technology for the Nation, Economy, or Society?" In preparation for publication in Anne Allison and Frank Baldwin, eds., Possible Futures for Japan, New York: New York University Press, scheduled to be published in spring 2013.

 

April 4, 2012:

Our paper presented at the 18th Biennial Conference of the International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM) on Ecological Modelling for Global Change and Coupled Human and Natural Systems, Beijing, China, September 20-23, 2011 has been just published in Procedia Environmental Sciences (Elsevier).

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Quantifying the Sustainability of Integrated Urban Waste and Energy Networks: Seeking an Optimal Balance between Network Efficiency and Resilience," Procedia Environmental Sciences, 13, 1663-1667 (2012).

 

April 2, 2012:

Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, edited by Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, will be published soon by Kobundo in Tokyo. I have contributed to the dictionary an entry on sustainability science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), in Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, eds., Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, Tokyo: Kobundo, forthcoming.

 

March 27, 2012:

The book Sustainability and Peace (in Japanese) has been just published by Kokusai Shoin in Tokyo. To this book I contributed the following papers and translation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability and Peace - Multifaceted Approaches: A Perspective from Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), in Kazuhiko Takeuchi and Yasushi Katsuma, eds., Sustainability and Peace, Tokyo: Kokusai Shoin, 105-119 (2012).

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability and Peace - Multifaceted Approaches: Panel Discussion" (in Japanese), in Kazuhiko Takeuchi and Yasushi Katsuma, eds., Sustainability and Peace, Tokyo: Kokusai Shoin, 139-144 (2012).

Meadows, Dennis (Ogawa, Naoko, and Masaru Yarime, trans.), "Implications of Limits to Growth for Peace," in Kazuhiko Takeuchi and Yasushi Katsuma, eds., Sustainability and Peace, Tokyo: Kokusai Shoin, 25-41 (2012).

 

March 25, 2012:

I have joined the Advisory Committee for the Project on Integrating Ecological Risk in Sovereign Credit Ratings and Government Bonds, initiated by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Finance Initiative and Global Footprint Network in Geneva, Switzerland. In this project we will investigate the impacts of ecological risk on sovereign credit ratings and develop robust methodologies for evaluate them with major financial institutions in the world. This will have significant implications for countries such as Japan, with its reliance on natural resources in other countries through imports.


March 23, 2012:

Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) organized the Graduation Ceremony on Friday, March 23 for the master's students who completed the program successfully in the winter semester 2011-2012. In this semester I supervised the master's theses of the following students:

Kudo, Shogo, "Sustainability in the Marginalization Process of Rural Communities: Implication for Managing an Ageing Society," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Adviser: Onuki, Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Hirose, Yuta, "Application of the Data-Intensive Approach to Technological Innovation System for Sustainability," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Adviser: Iwata, Shuichi), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Tumilba, Victor Ramil Marius Tronco, "An ex-post perspective on human-ecological system resilience and dynamics: A case study of the Philippine brackish-water pond aquaculture," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Adviser: Onuki, Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Teixeira, Mariena Irineu, "Productive Use for Rural Electrification: The Impacts of the Single Key Consumer Approach on the Net Social Benefit Components," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Todo, Yasuyuki; Co-Adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Watanabe Osorio, Juan Haruichi, Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Horita, Hasahide; Co-Adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Mr. KUDO Shogo received the Award of the Dean of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences for his excellent academic achievement.

 

In this semester I also advised on the master's theses and doctoral dissertations of the following students:

Sudo, Chihiro, "Solving Societal Challenges through Market Mechanisms: What Are the Conditions for Establishing BOP Businesses" (in Japanese), Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Sato, Jin; Co-advisers: Minato, Takayuki, and Yarime, Masaru), Department of International Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Asaoka, Daisuke, "Formation of Prewar Electric Industry in Japan: The Growth of Firms and Institutional Evolution" (in Japanese), Doctoral Dissertation (Principal Adviser: Baba, Yasunori; Evaluation Committee Members: Mikuriya, Takashi, Hashimoto, Takehiko, Shiroyama, Hideaki, and Yarime, Masaru), Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Murayama, Mai, "A Fundamental Study of Governance in Transformation of Social Systems: Views of Negotiation on Technology Transfer at United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Consideration on Public Transportation for Rural Cities in Japan" (in Japanese), Doctoral Dissertation (Principal Adviser: Kunishima, Masahiko; Evaluation Committee Members: Yamaji, Eiji, Horita, Masahide, Yarime, Masaru, and Ozawa, Kazumasa), Department of International Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, March (2012).

Sakamaki, Ryuji, "Research on Effective Use of PC Mouse Log Analysis in Web Marketing" (in Japanese), Doctoral Dissertation (Principal Adviser: Someya, Satoshi; Evaluation Committee Members: Okamoto, Koji, Sasaki, Ken, Yarime, Masaru, and Nishihara, Yoko), Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, December (2011).

 

March 23, 2012:

The Research Symposium on Building Resilience and Adaptability in the Built Environment - Technologies, Business Models, Policy Tools, and Stakeholder Engagement was held on Friday, March 23, organized by the Institute of Industrial Science in the Komaba Research Campus of the University of Tokyo. In Session 1 on Vulnerability and Resilience of Buildings and Urban Systems I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Resilience and Adaptability for Sustainability Innovation: Establishing Social Business Models through Stakeholder Collaboration, Research Symposium on Building Resilience and Adaptability in the Built Environment - Technologies, Business Models, Policy Tools, and Stakeholder Engagement," Institute of Industrial Science, Komaba Research Campus, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, March 23 (2012).

As there was a presentation focusing on the structure of cities, it would be very important to integrate the dimensions of structure and flows in fully understanding the sustainability of urban systems.

 

March 21, 2012:

Global TraPs Workshop IV “Defining Case Studies – Setting Priorities” was held on March 16-18 in El-Jadida, Morocco. Global TraPs (Transdisciplinary Processes for Sustainable Phosphorus Management), jointly led by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), brings together researchers from various disciplines in academia and producers and users of phosphorus to work in nodes organized around the global phosphorus supply chain from exploration of phosphorus resources to its utilization and recycling.

In the workshop, as the node leader on dissipation and recycling, I made the following presentations and facilitated groups discussions with Professor Daniel J. Lang of Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany:

Yarime, Masaru, Carliell-Marquet, C., Lang, D., Le, Q.B., Malley, D., Matsubae, K., Ohtake, H., Omlin, A., Petzet, S., Scholz, R.W., Shiroyama, H., Ulrich, A.E., Watts, P., "Dissipation and Recycling: What Flows, What Impacts, and What Recycling Options?," Paper prepared for publication in Roland W. Scholz, Amit H. Roy, Fridolin S. Brand, Debbie Hellums, and Andrea Ulrich, eds., Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Transdisciplinary Roadmap, Berlin: Springer, forthcoming.

Yarime, Masaru, et al., "Priority Setting for Case Studies on the Node on Dissipation and Recycling," Global TraPs Workshop IV, El-Jadida, Morocco, March 16-18 (2012).

 

March 14, 2012:

On March 14, I gave a lecture on technology foresight and sustainability to the students of B.Sc. Program in Science and Technology Studies (STS) of the University of Malaya.

Yarime, Masaru, "Technology Foresight and Sustainability: A Perspective from Japan," SFES3213: Technology Mapping, Department of Science and Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, March 14, (2012).

Practitioners working on technology foresight in Malaysia also participated in my lecture, and we had very interesting discussions on the achievements and challenges in this field in other countries including Japan. Probably one of the future challenges is to integrate technology foresight and technology assessment, which traditionally tended to be conducted after a certain technology has been already developed, in a way to merge moving upstream and downstream.

 

March 13, 2012:

I had an opportunity to give a lecture to the students of the M.Sc. Program in Science, Technology and Sustainability in the Department of Science and Technology Studies of the University of Malaya.

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science: Towards a New Approach in Integrating STI and Sustainability," SFGS 6120: Introduction to Science, Technology and Sustainability, M.Sc. Program in Science, Technology and Sustainability, Department of Science and Technology Studies, University of Malaya, March 12 (2012).

This programme is designed to equip post-graduate students with the core knowledge, tools and skills to achieve the transition to sustainability via science, technology and innovation (STI). We had very stimulating discussions on different interpretations of the idea of sustainability, probably reflecting the diversity of cultural and religious backgrounds in Malaysia.

 

March 9, 2012:

I have just started to stay as Visiting Professor at the Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS) of the Faculty of Science of the University of Malaya. On March 9 I gave a presentation about teaching, research and outreach activities at the University of Tokyo on sustainability science and innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Education, Research and Societal Contribution Activities at the University of Tokyo on Sustainability Science and Innovation," Department of Science and Technology Studies (STS), Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 9 (2012).

We had very fruitful discussions with researchers who are involved in the Science, Technology and Sustainability Program as well as the Sustainability Science Cluster on diverse perspectives on the nature of sustainability science and their implications for the concepts and methodologies to be adopted in education, research, and engagement with local communities.

 

March 8, 2012:

I visited the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) of Universiti Sains Malaya (USM) in Penang, Malaysia on March 7 with Dr. Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad of the University of Malaya. After I gave the following presentation, we introduced some of our projects on sustainability with each other and discussed the challenges in establishing this field in academia and the possibility of collaboration through exchange of students and researchers in the future.

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science as an Emerging Academic Field: A Perspective from Japan," Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) of Universiti Sains Malaya (USM), Penang, Malaysia, March 7 (2012).

 

March 6, 2012:

I participated in the International Workshop on Faith and Power on March 5 and 6, organized by the Noordin Sopiee Chair in Global Studies, in conjunction with the Centre for Policy Research and International Studies (CenPRIS) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in Penang, Malaysia. As ASEAN countries are moving towards more robust integration politically as well as economically, this theme is increasingly important in understanding complex interactions between religion and politics in the context of the diversity of this region.

 

March 3, 2012:

International Seminar on Sustainability Science Research and Education in Support of Africa's Development was held on March 1-3 by the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) of the University of Tokyo and the United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP). Approximately 20 participants came from universities and research institutes in Africa to discuss education and research in sustainability science for Africa's future. I made the keynote speech on integrating education, research, and societal contribution in sustainability science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Integrating Education, Research, and Societal Contribution in Sustainability Science: Opportunities and Challenges for Japan-Africa Collaboration in Higher Education Institutions," Keynote Speech, International Seminar on Sustainability Science Research and Education in Support of Africa's Development, organized by the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo and the United Nations University Institute for Sustainability and Peace (UNU-ISP), Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan, March 3 (2012).

For the last three years I have been involved in the project on Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) as a member of the Steering Committee with a focus on the Working Group on Community-Based Innovation for Sustainable Urban Development in Africa. As a new graduate program will start this year, this seminar was organized to promote further support for the ESDA project.

 

February 29, 2012:

Coca-Cola Young Environmental Leaders Summit 2012 is being held in Kuriyama-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido on February 27-March 3. This summit is organized by Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) through Asian Program for Incubation of Environmental Leaders (APIEL), and approximately 30 graduate students coming from Asian countries are participating in the summit. I made the keynote lecture on corporate social responsibility (CSR), and its implications for corporate strategy for exploring the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) business.

Yarime, Masaru, "Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainability: Integrating Corporate Strategy and Public Policy for Innovation," Keynote Lecture, Coca Cola Young Environmental Leaders Summit 2012, organized by the Asian Program for Incubation of Environmental Leaders (APIEL), Uenbetsu Shogakko Coca-cola Environment House, Kuriyama-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido, Japan, February 27 (2012).

 

February 29, 2012:

The International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012 was held on February 20-23 at the Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona in the United States, in which I participated as a member of the International Steering Board. At the conference I chaired the Ph.D. Session and made the following presentations:

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Ph.D. Session," Ph.D. Session, International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States, February 20 (2012).

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to the Case of Rebuilding from the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake: The Role of Sustainability Science," Ph.D. Session, International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States, February 20 (2012).

It was a very fruitful opportunity for graduate students working in different places to exchange views and approaches to this evolving field of sustainability science. The posters presented at the session include the following:

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Quantifying the Sustainability of International Economic Flows: A Data-Intensive Approach," Poster Presentation, International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States, February 20 (2012).

Kudo, Shogo, and Masaru Yarime, "Sustainability in the Marginalization Process of Rural Community: Implication for Managing Ageing Society," Poster Presentation, International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States, February 20 (2012).

Satanarachchi, Niranji, Takashi Mino, and Masaru Yarime, "Conceptualizing Sustainability Dynamics: Towards an analytical framework emphasizing on the dimensions of a given human-natural systems’ path movement and their implications on sustainability of the overall system-context unit," Poster Presentation, International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States, February 20 (2012).

 

February 12, 2012:

The following articles has been just published in the academic journal Sustainability Science (Springer):

Yarime, Masaru, Gregory Trencher, Takashi Mino, Roland W. Scholz, Lennart Olsson, Barry Ness, Niki Frantzeskaki, and Jan Rotmans, "Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and collaborations with stakeholders," Sustainability Science, 7 (Supplement 1), 101-113 (2012).

Shiroyama, Hideaki, Masaru Yarime, Makiko Matsuo, Heike Schroeder, Roland Scholz, and Andrea E. Ulrich, "Governance for sustainability: knowledge integration and multi-actor dimensions in risk management," Sustainability Science, 7 (Supplement 1), 45-55 (2012).

Wiek, Arnim, Francesca Farioli, Kensuke Fukushi, and Masaru Yarime, "Sustainability science – Bridging the gap between science and society," Sustainability Science, 7 (Supplement 1), 1-4 (2012).

 

February 12, 2012:

On Friday, February 10 I had a very fruitful discussion over breakfast with Professor Daniel Kammen of the Energy and Resources Group (ERG) of the University of California at Berkeley, introduced by Dr. Frank Ling, a member of Caltech Alumni Japan. He is a leading expert on energy, serving as the World Bank Group's Chief Technical Specialist for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. As he is also interested in sustainability science, with a particular focus on energy, I hope we will promote further collaboration with ERG of UC Berkeley.


February 9, 2012:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 28 on Thursday, February 9 at 17:00 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building. Mr. Robert Vazille, President of Kemis based near Paris, introduced the philosophy of CODATA France’s new project, Observatoire des Données du Développement Durable (O3D) (Data Observatory on Sustainable Development), and discussed relationships with decision makers in the private and public sectors and collaboration with academia. We will also jointly explore career paths for students and young researchers working on sustainability science in industry and the public sector.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 28

Date: Thursday, February 9, 17:00-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: CODATA France Project O3D: Relationships with decision makers, international development and liaison with academia

Speaker: Mr. Robert Vazille, President of Kemis, Senlis, France

Bio:
Mr. Robert Vazille is a Member of the Executive Committee of CODATA France and Project Manager of O3D. He has a variety of professional experience in industry, including President of Toyo Ink in Europe, Visiting director: Board de Toyo Ink, President of Francolor Pigments, General Manager of ICI Francolor, Member of the Executive Committee of the Fine Chemical Manufacturing Organization of ICI, Member of the Executive Committee of ICI France, General Manager of ICI France Baleycourt, Member of the Executive Committee of the Polyurethane business of ICI, Production Manager - Polyethylene – ICI Fos sur Mer, Senior Project Engineer – ICI Holland – Engineering Department, and Construction Engineer – EL4 – Nuclear Industry – CAFL.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

February 6, 2012:

The following articles has been just published in the academic journal Sustainability Science (Springer) Online First:

Yarime, Masaru, Gregory Trencher, Takashi Mino, Roland W. Scholz, Lennart Olsson, Barry Ness, Niki Frantzeskaki, and Jan Rotmans, "Establishing sustainability science in higher education institutions: towards an integration of academic development, institutionalization, and collaborations with stakeholders," Sustainability Science, 10.1007/s11625-011-0157-5 (2012).

Shiroyama, Hideaki, Masaru Yarime, Makiko Matsuo, Heike Schroeder, Roland Scholz, and Andrea E. Ulrich, "Governance for sustainability: knowledge integration and multi-actor dimensions in risk management," Sustainability Science, 10.1007/s11625-011-0155-z (2012).

Wiek, Arnim, Francesca Farioli, Kensuke Fukushi, and Masaru Yarime, "Sustainability science – Bridging the gap between science and society," Sustainability Science, 10.1007/s11625-011-0154-0 (2012).

 

February 4, 2012:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 27 on Monday, February 6 at 16:30-18:00 at Lecture Room 2 on the second floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Pranab Baruah of the University of Oxford will discuss novel methodologies for analyzing low-carbon energy system transition in the U.K. and current strategies for corporate carbon management. Everybody is welcome to join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 27

Date: Monday, February 6, 2012, 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 2, Second Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Sustainability at national and corporate level: Low-carbon energy system transition in the UK and supply chain carbon management

Speaker: Pranab Baruah, LEED AP, MBA, PhD (Eng.), Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract:
Energy is the backbone to a developed economy and a robust, resilient and reliable energy system has been key to growth, competitiveness and high quality of life in developed economies. In the UK, its energy system is facing serious challenges as it needs to transform to deliver ambitious low carbon and renewable energy goals while maintaining security of supply and affordable energy costs.

In the first part of the presentation, energy research carried out under UK Infrastructure Transition Research Consortium*, an interdisciplinary research program developing novel tools and techniques to analyse national infrastructure systems, will be presented. We will review existing methods and studies to model energy system transition to deliver goals such as GHG reduction and security of supply. Elucidating on the current state of UK energy system, we will present example results of a new approach to analyse robustness of future possible transition scenarios of UK energy system.

Transitioning to a low carbon economy challenges not only the infrastructure entities but all participants in the economy. With ever increasing regulatory pressure, public awareness on environmental issues and pressure to innovate to be remain competitive, leading corporations are preparing for this paradigm shift. In the second part of the presentation will look at drivers, challenges, opportunities and current state of corporate carbon management in general. Currently available approaches and protocols to undertake supply chain carbon footprinting and management will be presented with examples.

*This work is part of 5-year UK Infrastructure Transition Research Consortium project led by Univ of Oxford and comprising of 7 universities as well as 40+ 40+ external partners (corporations, institutions, government agencies etc.). Aim of the project develop and demonstrate a new generation of system simulation models and tools to inform analysis, planning and design of 5 key national infrastructure (NI) systems, namely energy, transport, water, waste and ICT. The research programme deals with energy, transport, water, waste and ICT systems at national scale, developing new methods for analysing their performance, risks and interdependencies. ITRC will provide a virtual environment in which to test strategies for long term investment in NI and understand how alternative strategies perform with respect to policy constraints such as reliability and security of supply, cost, carbon emissions, and adaptability to demographic and climate change.

Recommended readings:
1. ITRC Fast Track Analysis report
2. GHG Protocol Corporate Standard and Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard

References for further research will be provided.

Biography:
Pranab Baruah is an energy researcher based in Lower Carbon Futures group, University of Oxford. He is currently involved in Infrastructure Transition Research Consortium (ITRC) led by Univ of Oxford and Bottom up Perspective in Industrial Demand Modelling project led by Univ of Bath. He has been also an independent sustainability services consultant to several companies and international NGOs. Prior to joining Oxford, Pranab worked at the University of Tokyo in various capacities on satellite remote sensing applications, global ecosystem model improvement and sustainability science projects while facilitating strategic initiatives (intl. symposiums, research network etc.) for 2 international centers within the university. He has an MBA in Strategic Carbon Management, a PhD in Engineering (Geoinformatics) and a professional certification in LEED Green Building Rating System (LEED AP BD+C).

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

January 30, 2012:

On Saturday, January 28 I gave a special lecture on business strategy, public policy, and institutional design for sustainability innovation at the Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS) at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology.

Yarime, Masaru, "Business Strategy Public Policy, and Institutional Design for Sustainability Innovation," Special Lecture for the Course on Business Creation and Management for Environmental Industries, Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, January 28 (2012).


January 27, 2012:

I was invited to participate in a seminar of the research project on Integrated Use of Accident Statistics and Insurance Statistics on Road Traffic Accidents organized by the Japan Research Center for Transport Policy in Tokyo and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Research and Development Investment in the Automotive Industry: Implications for Environmental Protection and Safety," Seminar of the Research Project on Integrated Use of Accident Statistics and Insurance Statistics on Road Traffic Accidents, Japan Research Center for Transport Policy, Tokyo, January 28 (2012).

 

January 20, 2012:

I have joined the Expert Group on Social Challenges of Climate Change and Global Business, organized by the Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau of the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI). It is becoming increasingly important to take appropriate measures for adaptation to cope with climate change in the future, which is expected to have significant impacts on a wide range of areas such as agriculture, fishery, food, water, health, and disaster management. We plan to discuss with experts in academia, industry, NGOs, and the public sector to identify effectively the needs in developing countries and the technologies, products, and services required and to develop the methodologies for evaluating the effects of the measures for adaptation accurately.

 

January 13, 2012:

Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) 2009 Annual Conference was held on November 5-6, 2009 at the Asia Pacific Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia. I participated as a speaker in Plenary Session Four: Innovation and the Emerging Sustainable Enterprise Economy in the Asia-Pacific Region and received an interview, which has been uploaded to YouTube:

"2009 APABIS Annual Conference - Interview with Ashoke Joshi and Masaru Yarime," Asia Pacific Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, November 6 (2009). (Uploaded to YouTube on October 27, 2011).

 

January 6, 2012:

I contributed as a Guest Editor to publishing the special issue of the academic journal Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal on Sustainable decision making in a time of crisis: public and private perspectives with Dr. Malcolm McIntosh of the Asia Pacific Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Australia, and Dr. Vesselin Popovski of the United Nations University.

McIntosh, Malcolm, Vesselin Popovski, and Masaru Yarime, "Decision-making in a time of crisis," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 2 (2), 189-191 (2011).

 

January 6, 2012:

International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2012 will be held at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Arizona in the U.S. on February 20-23, 2012. As a member of the Steering Committee, I will organize the Ph.D. session to promote intellectual exchange and interaction among graduate students working on sustainability science at different universities across the globe.


December 29, 2011:

The following articles will be published soon in the academic journal Sustainability Science (Springer):

Yarime, Masaru, Gregory Trencher, Takashi Mino, Roland W. Scholz, Lennart Olsson, Barry Ness, Niki Frantzeskaki, and Jan Rotmans, "Establishing Sustainability Science in Higher Education Institutions: Towards an Integration of Academic Development, Institutionalization, and Collaborations with Stakeholders," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

Shiroyama, Hideaki, Masaru Yarime, Makiko Matsuo, Heike Schroeder, Roland Scholz, and Andrea E. Ulrich, "Governance for Sustainability: Knowledge integration and multi-actor dimensions in risk management," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

Wiek, Arnim, Francesca Farioli, Kensuke Fukushi, and Masaru Yarime, "Sustainability science – Bridging the gap between science and society," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

December 23, 2011:

We organized the 5th Research Group Meeting on Kashiwa Sustainable City on Thursday, December 22 at the University of Tokyo. We discussed the role of the national fund PNB for sustainability in Malaysia and electricity supply by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Research Group Meeting on Kashiwa Sustainable City 5

(Jointly organized with Tokyo Think Sustainability and Clean Green Forum)

Date: Thursday, December 22, 2011, 17:15-19:00

Venue: IR3S Meeting Room, Administration Building No. 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

17:15-17:45: "On Malaysia and PNB's Activities," Mr. MIZUSHIMA Tadashi, Representative Director, PNB Assess Management (Japan) Co., Ltd.

17:45-18:45: "Policies of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for Energy Supply," Mr. INOSE Naoki, Vice Governor, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

18:45-19:00: "Activities of Research Group on Kashiwa Sustainable City," Dr. YARIME Masaru, Associate Professor, Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo; and Mr. FUKUI Eduardo, Managing Director, Clean Green Partners, Ltd.

We had very stimulating discussions on institutional design for energy supply in Tokyo. Based on networking through this research group, we intend to establish a platform for collaboration between academia, industry, the public sector for promoting sustainability innovation.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 16, 2011:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 26 on Wednesday, December 21 at 16:30-18:00 at Lecture Room 3 of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo.

Mr. Sahba Sobhani, Program Manager of the Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York will discuss how the development of inclusive business models will create opportunities for sustainability around the globe, based on his experience of managing the Growing Inclusive Markets Initiative at UNDP. If you are interested in this issue, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 26

Date: Wednesday, December 21, 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Development of Inclusive Business Models for Global Sustainability

Speaker: Sahba Sobhani, Programme Manager, Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) Initiative, Private Sector Division, Partnerships Bureau, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York, U.S.A.

Bio:
Sahba Sobhani is the lead author of the first GIM report, “Creating Value for All: Strategies for Doing Business with the Poor”. Previously, he managed two key private sector initiatives in the executive office of the former Administrator of UNDP, Lord Malloch Brown, including the Commission on the Private Sector and Development headed by Paul Martin, the former Prime Minister of Canada, and Ernesto Zedillo, Mexico’s former President, and the African Financial Markets Initiative. In this capacity, he was the co-author of “Unleashing Entrepreneurship” Report, the seminal report of the Private Sector Commission produced at the request of then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and the managing editor of the African Stock Markets Handbook. Sahba Sobhani has also worked in the private sector at Idealab in Palo Alto and Newscom Limited in Singapore. He is a graduate of Yale University.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 14, 2011:

The book Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport has been just published by Routledge in London. To this book I contributed the following chapter:

Orsato, Renato J., Marc Dijk, Rene Kemp, and Masaru Yarime, “The Electrification of Automobility: The Bumpy Ride of Electric Vehicles towards Regime Transition,” in Frank Geels, Rene Kemp, Geoff Dudley, and Glenn Lyons, eds., Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport, London: Routledge, 205-228 (2011).

This is published in the book series of Routledge Studies in Sustainability Transitions.

 

December 7, 2011:

Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences at the University of Tokyo has been selected as one of the Leading Programs for Doctoral Education by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). This is a global leadership initiative to create future leaders who will contribute to promoting sustainability at the global level.


December 2, 2011:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 25 on Tuesday, December 6 at 14:00 at the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Erik Simanis of Johnson School of Management of Cornell University will discuss the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) business and its implications for the strategy of sustainable global enterprise. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 25

Date: Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 14:00-16:00
Venue: IR3S Meeting Room, Fourth Floor, Administration Bureau Building 2, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) Business and the Strategy of Sustainable Global Enterprise

Speaker: Dr. Erik Simanis, Managing Director of Market Creation Strategies, Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise, Johnson School of Management, Cornell University, United States

Erik Simanis is Managing Director of Market Creation Strategies at the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University's Johnson School of Management. His applied research focuses on advancing innovation and business development strategies for commercializing new product categories. Erik has led and consulted for new business ventures in India, Africa, Mexico, the former Soviet Union, and the U.S., and has held management positions in the wood products and transportation industries. His most recent work has been published in The Wall Street Journal, Sloan Management Review, and the journal Innovations. Erik holds a PhD in Management from Cornell, an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received the Norman Block Award for highest academic achievement, and a BA magna cum laude from Wake Forest University.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

November 21, 2011:

The book Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action has been just published by Palgrave Macmillan in the United Kingdom. In that book I have written the following articles:

Yarime, Masaru, “Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainability Science: A Perspective Based on Research and Educational Experiences,” in Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI), ed., Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 254-258 (2011).

Fadeeva, Zinaida, Laima Galkute, Heila Lotz-Sisitka, Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Miguel Chakon, and Masaru Yarime, "University Appraisal for Diversity, Innovation and Change towards Sustainable Development: Can it be done?" in Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI), ed., Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 308-313 (2011).

 

November 12, 2011:

APIEL Symposium 2011 "Societal Collaboration through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Actions towards Global Sustainability" was held on Friday, November 11 at Koshiba Hall in the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. In the Panel Discussion, I made the following presentation for introduction:

Yarime, Masaru, "Societal Collaboration for Global Sustainability: University's Function, Methodology, and Creation of Global Leaders" (in Japanese), APIEL Symposium 2011 Societal Collaboration through CSR: Actions for Global Sustainability, Koshiba Hall, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo, November 11 (2011).

Then I facilitated discussions with experts and practitioners from the United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) Initiative, Sanyo Electric, Sompo Japan, Kuroba, Yokohama Water, and Coca Cola. We discussed potentials and challenges in integrating CSR and inclusive business, roles and functions of collaboration with stakeholders in society, approaches and methodologies of societal collaboration, and the creation of global leaders for sustainability, including skills and competence, career path development, and institutional support. Integration of education, research, and contribution to society can be explored by establishing the university as a platform for societal collaboration.

 

November 12, 2011:

The Research Project on Urban Reformation Program for Realization of a Bright Low-Carbon Society organized the second workshop on Tuesday, November 8 at the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. In the session on the Information Group, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Integration of Knowledge for Urban Sustainability" (in Japanese), Second Workshop of the Research Project on Urban Reformation Program for Realization of a Bright Low-Carbon Society," Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo, November 8 (2011).

 

November 4, 2011:

We will organize APIEL Symposium 2011 "Societal Collaboration through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Actions towards Global Sustainability" on Friday, November 11 at Koshiba Hall in the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. Mr. Shuan SadreGhazi of UNU-MERIT will discuss the experiences of the Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) Initiative of UNDP. I will facilitate discussions with experts from academia, industry, and the public sector on potentials and challenges in implementing CSR activities for global sustainability through collaboration with stakeholders in society.

APIEL Symposium 2011 "Societal Collaboration through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Actions towards Global Sustainability"

Date: Friday, November 11, 2011, 13:30-17:00

Venue: Koshiba Hall, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Program:

13:30-13:35 Opening Remarks

EGAWA Masako, Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo

13:35-13:45 Introduction

MINO Takashi, Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo

13:45-14:25 Keynote Speech

"Inclusive Business: A New Perspective on Private Sector Contribution to Development"
Shuan SADREGHAZI, PhD Researcher, United Nations University – Maastricht Economics and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT), Maastricht, The Netherlands; and Research Fellow, Case Study Review Manager, Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), New York, U.S.A.

14:25-15:10 Presentations from Industry and the Public Sector (Part 1)

"Shining Ray of Hope to Save Lives - Solar Lantern," HOTTA Takayuki, Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd.

"Social Action of KUBOTA Group," HONJO Seiichi, Kubota Corporation

"Adaptation and Mitigation - Sompo Japan's Approach," SEKI Masao, Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.

15:10 – 15:30 Break

15:30-16:00 Presentations from Industry and the Public Sector (Part 2)

"From Contribution to Society to Business Development," NAGAI Yasutoshi, Yokohama Water Corporation

"The Coca-Cola Educational & Environmental Foundation," MATSUTAKA Keiichi, Coca Cola Educational & Environmental Foundation

16:00-16:55 Panel Discussion

Facilitator: YARIME Masaru, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo

16:55-17:00 Closing Remarks

Hanaki Keisuke, Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

(MC: ONUKI Motoharu, Project Associate Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo)

 

November 4, 2011:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 24 on Monday, November 7 at 15:00-16:30 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. Ms. Leslie Elder, Senior Nutrition Specialist of the World Bank, will talk about a multi-partner effort, Scaling Up Nutrition: A Framework for Action (SUN), to fight malnutrition and its implications for global sustainability. If you are interested in this issue, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 24

Date: Monday, November 7, 2011, 15:00-16:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) for Sustainable Development: Role of World Bank

Speaker: Leslie Elder, Senior Nutrition Specialist, The World Bank, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

Abstract:
There is a great deal of momentum at both the global and country levels around the need to improve nutrition outcomes in the crucial first 1000 days of a child's life -- even more so as food prices are climbing again --  and the World Bank is playing a crucial leadership role. A multi-partner effort called Scaling up Nutrition: A Framework for Action is to fight malnutrition using cost-effective and proven interventions to prioritize actions for pregnant women and children under the age of 24 months. The framework carries the endorsement of more than 80 multilateral, bilateral, academic, and civil society agencies and institutions that are active in the nutrition and development field.  Leslie Elder, World Bank’s Senior Nutrition Specialist will present on the crucial role that nutrition plays for human security/development.

Bio:
Leslie Elder is a Senior Nutrition Specialist with the World Bank, based in Washington D.C. in the central Human Development unit.  There, she provides nutrition technical support to Bank teams across the various regions.  She also supports global nutrition advocacy and partnership activities of the Bank, engaging with UN, bilateral, and civil society organization partners to strengthen the global aid architecture for improved nutritional status of vulnerable populations globally.  Prior to joining the Bank in October 2009, Leslie was the Deputy Director for the Gates Foundation-supported Saving Newborn Lives Project, implemented by Save the Children/US.  She has also worked for John Snow, Inc. and AED, providing technical leadership to USAID-funded nutrition and health projects in countries in Latin America, South Asia, Africa and East Asia, including the MotherCare project in Indonesia.  Leslie began her career in health as a nurse, working with newborns, mothers and young children in the USA and Nepal.

Press Release: Canada, Japan, USAID, and The World Bank Appeal for Faster, Coordinated Action in Battling Malnutrition

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

November 4, 2011:

The Project on Introducing Solar Lanterns to Areas without Access to Electricity in Africa has been conducted through collaboration between Sanyo Electric, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), University of Tokyo, and the University of Nairobi in Kenya. The project has been supported by the Public-Private Partnership for Achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

November 4, 2011:

The Policy Dialogue on Climate Change in Africa was held in Tokyo from October 31 to November 2, by inviting delegations from 15 African countries who are involved in negotiations on climate change. The policy dialogue was organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of the Environment with experts from academia, private companies, and international organizations. We discussed Japan's support for African countries in fighting against climate change and exchanged views and opinions on negotiations for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Durban, South Africa from the end of November.

In Dialogue 2: Toward Green Growth in Africa by Inclusive Cooperation between Multiple Stakeholders, I made the keynote speech and facilitated panel discussions with the participants from Japan and African countries.

Yarime, Masaru, Encouraging Sustainability Innovation in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges for Green Growth," Dialogue 2: Toward Green Growth in Africa by Inclusive Cooperation between Multiple Stakeholders, Policy Dialogue on Climate Change in Africa, hosted by the Government of Japan, Tokyo, October 31 (2011).

 

November 4, 2011:

The Second Multidisciplinary Science Forum was organized on October 28 in Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan, by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). Sir Anthony Leggett, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics in 2003, discussed the potentials and challenges in utilizing superconductors to address environmental and energy problems. In the forum I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science as a Multidisciplinary Science: Understanding Complex, Dynamic Interactions between Natural, Human, and Social Systems," JSPS Second Multidisciplinary Science Form, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.A., October 28 (2011).

 

October 22, 2011:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 23 on Monday, October 24 at 15:00-16:30 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Sander van der Leeuw, Dean of the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University (ASU) in the U.S., will discuss systemic approaches to sustainability studies. The University of Tokyo has been collaborating with ASU for educational and research activities on sustainability science. Please join us in this seminar.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 23

Date: Monday, October 24
Time: 15:00-16:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Systemic Approaches to Sustainability Studies"

Speaker: Dr. Sander van der Leeuw, Professor and Dean, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, United States

Abstract: Based on two examples, one historical and one modern, I will argue why and how one could apply a systems approach to improve our understanding of socio-environmental co-evolutions. Both these cases are about water - in the first case there is too much, and in the second too little. But the real emphasis is on how humans have changed their environment in such a way that ultimately they have got into trouble. The talk will end with some remarks about how we could do better, which were to a great extent inspired by the Japanese Satoyama-Satoumi Ecosystems project.

Bio-sketch: An archaeologist and historian by training, van der Leeuw taught at the universities of Leyden, Amsterdam, Cambridge (UK), and the Sorbonne before coming to the USA. His research interests include archaeological theory, ancient ceramic technologies, regional archaeology, (ancient and modern) man-land relationships, GIS and modelling, and Complex Systems Theory. He did archaeological fieldwork in Syria, Holland and France, and conducted ethno-archaeological studies in the Near East, the Philippines and Mexico. In the ‘90’s he coordinated a large-scale interdisciplinary EU funded series of projects looking at the relationship between people and their environments, and in particular at land degradation, in all the countries of the Northern Mediterranean Rim, from Greece to Portugal. In February 2004, he joined ASU as Professor of Anthropology and Director of the School of Human Evolution and Social Change. Currently, he is also Dean of the School of Sustainability and Co-director of the Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative at Arizona State University. He is an External Professor of the Santa Fe Institute, a Corresponding Member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences and a member of the Institut Universitaire de France. His publications include 16 books and over 120 papers and articles on archaeology, ancient technologies, socio-environmental and sustainability issues, as well as invention and innovation.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 22, 2011:

Todai Forum 2011 was organized in Paris and Lyon, France in October. I participated in Session on Facing Urban Vulnerability: New Approaches to Urban Design and Architecture held at Siège du Conseil Région Rhône-Alpes in Lyon on October 20. This session was jointly organized by the University of Tokyo, Université de Lyon, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, and Institut National Supérieurs de Sciences Appliquées (INSA). I discussed implications for understanding urban vulnerability from a perspective of sustainability science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Urban Vulnerability, Resilience, and Sustainability: Some Implications from Sustainability Science," Session on Facing Urban Vulnerability: New Approaches to Urban Design and Architecture, Todai Forum 2011, Siège du Conseil Région Rhône-Alpes, Lyon, France, October 20 (2011).


October 15, 2011:

UNU Seminar on Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Africa was held at the United Nations University Headquarters in Tokyo on October 14. In Session on International Cooperation in Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Africa, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Higher Education for Sustainability in a Globalizing World: Opportunities and Challenges for Japan-Africa Collaboration," UNU Seminar on Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Africa, United Nations University Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan, October 14 (2011).

Based on the three-year project on Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) through collaboration between Japan and African universities, we plan to launch graduate programs on sustainability in major universities in Africa soon.

 

October 12, 2011:

We had a visit by a delegation of 20 people from leading universities in Africa, including Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi in Kenya, the University of Cape Town in South Africa, the University of Ghana, the University of Zambia, and the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. For the last three years we have been working together on the project on Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) to start up graduate programs at African universities. The University of Tokyo has been collaborating with Kenyatta University and the University of Nairobi on Community-Based Innovation for Sustainable Urban Development in Africa. We expect to help create entrepreneurs for tackling with sustainability challenges in urban areas through establishing robust business models at the societal level.

 

October 9, 2011:

The 18th Biennial International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM) Conference: Ecological Modelling for Global Change and Coupled Human and Natural Systems was held on September 20-23 in Beijing, China. At Session V on Urban Systems, we made the following presentation:

Kharrazi, Ali, and Masaru Yarime, "Quantifying Sustainability of Integrated Urban
Systems: Seeking an Optimal Balance Between Efficiency & Resilience," 18th Biennial International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM) Conference: Ecological Modelling for Global Change and Coupled Human and Natural Systems, Beijing, China, September 20-23 (2011).

 

October 9, 2011:

In Summer Semester 2011 I supervised the following master's theses and doctoral dissertation, which have been completed successfully:

Tensay, Abebe Tiga, "Network of Knowledge Generation and Transfer in Sustainability: Toward an Inclusive System Discovery Approach," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Advisor: Onuki, Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Su, Yala, The Impact of Transit Oriented Development on Sustainable Urban Mobility in Beijing: A case study of Tongzhou and Changping, Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Kunishima, Masahiko; Co-Advisor: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Som, Chanthida, "Community-Private Sector Partnership in Community-Based Ecotourism Development: Contribution to Sustainability, A Case of Chambok in Cambodia," Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Yokohari, Makoto; Co-Advisor: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Chen, Haiting, "Investigation of Infrastructure's Impacts on Rural Communities' Values in China: A Case Study of Hangzhou Bay Bridge," Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Minato, Takayuki; Co-Advisor: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Phuntsho, Loday, "Sustainability of Agriculture Land Use in Eastern Bhutan in Relation to Climatic, Topographic and Social Factors," Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Oguchi, Takashi; Co-Advisor: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Yao, Qin, "CDM: Solution or Illusion? - Evidence from Rural Jiangzhe, China," Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Todo, Yasuyuki; Co-Advisor: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Razafimahefa, Hasina Miarintsoa, "Developing a Sustainable Financing of Protected Areas: Watershed-Based Payment for Ecosystems Services in Madagascar," Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Zaal Kikvidze; Co-Advisor: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2011).

Tanaka, Yasuyuki, "The Research of Rating Method for the Movie Contents: Extraction of Value That Composes Movie and Method of Evaluating Uncertain Model" (in Japanese), Doctoral Dissertation (Principal Adviser: Hamano, Yasuki; Evaluation Committee Members: Iwata, Shuichi, Daiguji, Hirofumi, Hirota, Koichi, and Yarime, Masaru), Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, June (2011).

 

October 8, 2011:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 22 on Friday, October 7 at 18:00-19:30 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Ismael Rafols of SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research) of the University of Sussex in the U.K. discussed potentials and challenges in interdisciplinary science and implications for research and educational activities in sustainability science.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 22

Date: Friday, October 7
Time: 18:00-19:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building

Title: "Challenges in Interdisciplinary Science"

Speaker: Dr. Ismael Rafols, SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research), University of Sussex, United Kingdom

Biosketch:
Ismael Rafols is Research Fellow at SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research), the University of Sussex. He studies the emergence of hybrid scientific fields, such as bionanotechnology or synthetic biology, relying on bibliometric tools and expert interviews. His recent research focuses on the development of mapping methods to identify areas/topics of knowledge integration. He has a background in Physics (BSc, Barcelona) and a PhD in Biophysics (PhD, Tohoku Univ., Sendai, Japan).

Abstract:
In this talk, I will introduce some conceptualisation of interdisciplinarity, then will discuss a specific study. This study provides new quantitative evidence on how journal rankings can disadvantage interdisciplinary research during research evaluations. Using publication data, it compares the degree of interdisciplinarity and the research performance of innovation studies units with business and management schools in the UK. Using various mappings and metrics, this study shows that: (i) innovation studies units are consistently more interdisciplinary than business and management schools; (ii) the top journals in the Association of Business Schools’ rankings span a less diverse set of disciplines than lower ranked journals; (iii) this pattern results in a more favourable performance assessment of the business and management schools, which are more disciplinary-focused. Lastly, it demonstrates how a citation-based analysis challenges the ranking-based assessment. In summary, the investigation illustrates how ostensibly ‘excellence-based’ journal rankings have a systematic bias in favour of mono-disciplinary research. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications of these phenomena, in particular how resulting bias is likely to affect negatively the evaluation and associated financial resourcing of interdisciplinary organisations, and may encourage researchers to be more compliant with disciplinary authority.

Paper Available at:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/ir28/IDR/Rafols2011-Rankings&IDR.pdf

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 8, 2011:

The Fourth International Tokyo Colloquium 2011 on Sustainability Science & Education: Towards Reconstruction and Rebirth was held on Wednesday, October 5 at Sky Hall in Hosei University Ichigaya Campus in Tokyo, jointly organized by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, University of Tokyo, United Nations University, and Hosei University. I participated in Working Group 5: Collaborative Innovation for Sustainable Reconstruction and Rebirth and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Creating a Platform for Sustainability Innovation through University-Industry Collaboration," 4th International Tokyo Colloquium on Sustainability Science & Education: Towards Reconstruction and Rebirth, Hosei University Ichigaya Campus, Tokyo, October 5 (2011).

 

October 8, 2011:

We organized the Eighth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on Tuesday, October 4 at the Graduate School of Economics of the University of Tokyo. Associate Professor SAWADA Yasuyuki of the University of Tokyo reported some of the findings of a recent project on evaluating the impacts of the anti-malaria Olyset Net and discussed implications for future actions for preventing malaria in Africa.

Eighth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Tuesday, October 4, 18:30-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Impact Evaluation of Olyset Net: IDE-JETRO Project on LLlN in Madagascar"

Speaker: Yasuyuki Sawada and Junichi Yamasaki, Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 8, 2011:

Clean Green Forum 2011 in Tokyo - Investors and Advisors Meet UP was held on Thursday, September 29 at Thomson Reuters in Tokyo. I talked about recent issues and topics in the field of sustainability innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Recent Issues and Topics in the Field of Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Clean Green Forum 2011 in Tokyo - Investors and Advisors Meet Up, Thomson Reuters, Tokyo, September 29 (2011).

 

September 30, 2011:

Our recent article has turned out to be the third most downloaded article in the academic journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change (Elsevier) in the period of April to June 2011.

Dijk, Marc, and Masaru Yarime, "The Emergence of Hybrid-Electric Cars: Innovation Path Creation through Co-evolution of Supply and Demand," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 77 (8), 1371-1390 (2010).


September 27, 2011:

The following article has been just published in the academic journal Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions (Elsevier):

Jupesta, Joni, Rizaldi Boer, Govindan Parayil, Yuko Harayama, Masaru Yarime, Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira, and Suneetha M. Subramanian, "Managing the Transition to Sustainability in an Emerging Economy: Evaluating Green Growth Policies in Indonesia," Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 1 (2), 187-191 (2011).

 

September 24, 2011:

UNU Seminar on Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Africa will be held on Friday, October 14 at the United Nations University Headquarters in Tokyo. In Session on International Cooperation in Higher Education for Sustainable Development in Africa I will discuss opportunities and challenges for Japan-Africa collaboration in higher education for sustainability in the context of a globalizing World. Everyone will be welcome to participate in this seminar.


September 24, 2011:

The Fourth International Tokyo Colloquium 2011 on Sustainability Science & Education: Towards Reconstruction and Rebirth will be held on Wednesday, October 5 at Sky Hall in Hosei University Ichigaya Campus in Tokyo. This colloquium is organized to establish a collaborative platform for sustainability science through partnerships between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, University of Tokyo, United Nations University, and Hosei University. I will participate in Working Group 5: Collaborative Innovation for Sustainable Reconstruction and Rebirth. If you are interested in this issue, please join us.

 

September 24, 2011:

Clean Green Forum 2011 in Tokyo - Investors and Advisors Meet UP will be held on Thursday, September 29 at Thomson Reuters in Tokyo. I will talk about recent trends and challenges on sustainability and innovation. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

Date: Thursday, September 29, 2011
Time: 18:00 - 20:30
Venue: Thomson Reuters, 30/F Akasaka Biz Tower (5-3-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

 

September 22, 2011:

Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2011 was held on September 15-17 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. In this conference I chaired Session 5.e: Research Funding Organisations and Their Effects on the Science System: The Case of the European Research Council and made the following presentation in Session 10.c: Economic Capacity and Science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Dynamics of Sustainability Innovation Systems: Implications from Case Studies," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2011, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, September 15-17 (2011).

Georgia Institute of Technology has become a major hub of research activities on science, technology, and innovation policy in the United States.


September 15, 2011:

The following article will be published soon in the Journal of Education for Sustainable Development (SAGE):

Yarime, Masaru, and Yuko Tanaka, "The Issues and Methodologies in Sustainability Assessment Tools for Higher Educational Institutions: A Review of Recent Trends and Future Challenges," Journal of Education for Sustainable Development, forthcoming.

 

September 12, 2011:

The book Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology will be published soon by Kobundo in Tokyo. In this dictionary I have contributed an article on Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), in Munesuke Mita, Masachi Osawa, Shunya Yoshimi, and Kiyokazu Washida, eds., Contemporary Dictionary of Sociology, Tokyo: Kobundo, forthcoming.

 

September 10, 2011:

The following article will be published soon in the academic journal Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions (Elsevier):

Jupesta, Joni, Rizaldi Boer, Govindan Parayil, Yuko Harayama, Masaru Yarime, Jose A. Puppim de Oliveira, and Suneetha M. Subramanian, "Managing the Transition to Sustainability in an Emerging Economy: Evaluating Green Growth Policies in Indonesia," Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, forthcoming.

 

September 10, 2011:

The following article will be published soon in the academic journal Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal:

McIntosh, Malcolm, Vesselin Popovski, and Masaru Yarime, "Editorial: Special Issue on Sustainable Decision-Making in a Time of Crisis: Public and Private Perspectives," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, forthcoming.

 

September 10, 2011:

The book Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action will be published soon by Palgrave Macmillan in the United Kingdom. In that book I have written the following articles:

Yarime, Masaru, “Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainability Science: A Perspective Based on Research and Educational Experiences,” in Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI), ed., Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming.

Fadeeva, Zinaida, Laima Galkute, Heila Lotz-Sisitka, Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Miguel Chakon, and Masaru Yarime, "University Appraisal for Diversity, Innovation and Change towards Sustainable Development: Can it be done?" in Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI), ed., Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming.

 

September 10, 2011:

The Japanese book Sustainability and Peace will be published soon by Kokusai Shoin in Tokyo. To this book I contributed the following article:

Yarime, Masaru, "From a Perspective of Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), in Kazuhiko Takeuchi and Yasushi Katsuma, eds., Sustainability and Peace, Tokyo: Kokusai Shoin, forthcoming.

I also translated the following article written by Professor Dennis Meadows:

Dennis Meadows (Ogawa, Naoko, and Masaru Yarime, trans.), "Implications of Limits to Growth for Peace," in Kazuhiko Takeuchi and Yasushi Katsuma, eds., Sustainability and Peace, Tokyo: Kokusai Shoin, forthcoming.

 

September 9, 2011:

I visited the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) France of the International Council for Science (ICSU) in Paris, France on Friday, September 2 and made the following lecture at Observatoire des Données du Développement Durable (O3D):

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima: A Perspective from Sustainability Science," Observatoire des Données du Développement Durable (O3D), Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) France, Paris, France, September 2 (2011).

We had very fruitful discussions on the implications of the recent disaster for science, technology, economy, policy, and institutions. The governance systems in Japan and France seem to have similar characteristics.

 

September 9, 2011:

I visited the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS Lyon) in Lyon, France on Thursday, September 1. Currently I'm working with Dr. Marie Augendre, Assistant Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Lyon II to make a research proposal "Circulation and Reframing of Information in Seismic Extreme Situations (CRISES)" and discussed with Professor Jean-Yves Toussaint, Director of CNRS UMR 5600 Environnement, Ville, Société, for research collaboration in the future.

 

September 9, 2011:

Global Transdisciplinary Processes for Sustainable Phosphorus Management (Global TraPs) Project Workshop III - Setting the Stage for P Research: Identifying Guiding Questions, Critical Issues and Case Studies was held on August 29-30 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland. I have been involved in the Global TraPs project as Node Leader (Science) on Dissipation and Recycling. In this workshop I made the following presentation and organized discussions among leading researchers and practitioners working actively in this field around the world:

Yarime, Masaru, Daniel Lang, and Andrea Ulrich, "Working Group Session: Node on Dissipation and Recycling," Global Transdisciplinary Processes for Sustainable Phosphorus Management (Global TraPs) Project Workshop III - Setting the Stage for P Research: Identifying Guiding Questions, Critical Issues and Case Studies, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland, August 29-30 (2011).

It would be very interesting as a methodology of sustainability science to trace the global life cycle of one material, phosphorus (P), to identify the relevant actors involved at different phases and to examine scientific, technological, economic, and social dimensions.

 

September 9, 2011:

Energy Saving and Disaster Management EXPO 2011 was held in Akita-shi, Akita on Friday, August 26. I made the following lecture:

Yarime, Masaru, "Proposals for a Sustainable World" (in Japanese), Energy Saving and Disaster EXPO 2011, Akita-shi, Akita, Japan, August 26 (2011).

 

August 10, 2011:

The 2011 ProSPER.Net Young Researchers' School "Learning from Japan's Experiences on Urban Sustainability" was held on Monday, August 8 at the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. I gave the following lecture and discussed with young researchers participating from countries around the world including Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Concepts and Methodologies in Sustainability Science and Implications for Urban Sustainability," 2011 ProSPER.Net Young Researchers' School, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, August 8 (2011).

 

August 10, 2011:

The Advisory Committee for Research on the Current Situation of Uses of Movie Sites on the Internet, which I joined as one of the members, has just published the Final Report. Movie sites on the Internet have provided opportunities for individuals to create their own music and to listen to others' music, facilitating matching activities between supplies and demands among them. A crucial challenge is to establish an appropriate system in which the benefits created through these activities will be shared and sustained from a long-term perspective.

 

August 7, 2011:

The following article has been just published in Our World 2.0 of the United Nations University:

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Investing at the Bottom of the Pyramid for Sustainable Development," Our World 2.0, July 25 (2011).

 

August 7, 2011:

The Ninth meeting of the Research Group on Green Innovation, organized by Professor UETA Kazuhiro of the Graduate School of Economics of Kyoto University, was held on Thursday, August 4 at Gakushi Kaikan in Tokyo. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Recent Trends in Research on Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Ninth Meeting, Research Group on Green Innovation, Gakushi Kaikan, Tokyo, August 4 (2011).

 

August 1, 2011:

As a part of the Third International Forum for Sustainable Asia and the Pacific (ISAP 2011) organized by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Expert Workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Asia-Pacific Region was held in Yokohama on July 25-26, jointly organized by IGES and the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS). Working as Facilitator for the Open Discussion on Identifying Success Factors and Barriers in ESD Implementation, I also made the following presentation and facilitated discussions with the leading experts in Asia in this field.

Yarime, Masaru, "Discussion on Development of Conceptual Framework for Research on ESD Indicators," Expert Workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Asia-Pacific Region, Pacifico Yokohama, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Tokyo, July 25-26 (2011).

 

July 31, 2011:

We organized the fourth meeting of Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Group on Thursday, July 21 in the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. ICHIKAWA Yoshiaki of Hitachi, currently Chair of TC 111 of IEC, discussed recent trends in international standardization in environmental fields with a particular focus on smart city.

Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Group, Fourth Meeting

Date: Thursday, July 21, 2011, 17:30-19:30

Venue: Administration Bureau Building No. 2, Room 623, Graduate School of Public Policy, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

"Recent Trends in International Standardization on Smart City"

Dr. ICHIKAWA Yoshiaki, Senior Chief Engineer, Environmental Strategy Office, Hitachi, Ltd., and IEC TC 111 Chair

Discussion with Participants

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 15, 2011:

The International Workshop on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) was organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on Wednesday, July 5 in Tokyo. In this workshop I chaired the Session B2: Various Countries' Policy and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Policies for Promoting Innovation on Climate Change," International Workshop on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), Tokyo, Japan, July 5 (2011).

The International Symposium on IPCC AR5 was also held on July 6 in Tokyo. In this symposium I participated in the Panel Discussion and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Transferring Solar LED Lanterns to Africa: Implications for Reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions," International Symposium on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), Tokyo, Japan, July 6 (2011).

As AR5 is expected to be released in 2014, we discussed national and international policies and technology transfer to be dealt with in Working Group III, which focuses on the mitigation of climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, with Coordinating Lead Authors (CLAs) and Lead Authors (LAs) participating from Japan and overseas.

 

July 1, 2011:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 21 on Thursday, July 7 at 13:00-14:30 at Lecture Room 2 on the second floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Janelle Knox-Hayes of the School of Public Policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology in the U.S. will discuss the institutional evolution and establishment of environmental finance from an international perspective. If you are interested, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 21

Date: Thursday, July 7
Time: 13:00-14:30
Venue: Lecture Room 2, Second Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: The Architecture of Carbon Markets: The Institution of Resource to Finance Conversion

Speaker: Janelle Knox-Hayes, Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy, School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, United States

Education:
Ph.D., Geography and Environment (Fields: Economic Geography, Environmental Finance), University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, June 2009.
M.S. (Distinction), Nature, Society, and Environmental Policy, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, September 2006.
B.A. (Distinction), Ecology/Evolutionary Biology (Summa Cum Laude), International Affairs, and Japanese Language and Civilizations, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, December 2004.

Abstract:
Human and natural systems are becoming increasingly mismatched in their scale of operation and reproduction. Problems such as climate change and biodiversity loss have arisen from the lack of synchrony between economic and environmental systems.  In response, policy makers are turning increasing attention to environmental finance, the pricing of environmental goods and externalities through financial mechanisms. I seek to investigate the initiation and evolution of environmental finance in Asia, through investigation of financial centers, their organizations, actors and processes. The proposed study analyzes the institutionalization of environmental finance by investigating its initiation in five prominent Asian financial centers: Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Beijing/Tianjin.  Specifically, the analytical focus lies on the financial service networks in these cities as elucidated through interviews with financial experts.  Environmental finance is just being initiated in Asia.  However, Asia provides an important context for investigation into how financial products and services are transferred across cultural boundaries. In addition, preliminary evidence suggests that carbon financial services are finding more purchase in Asia than the United States in wake of the recent financial crisis.  As environmental finance grows and becomes more important, this could signal a shift of financial power from the Western to the Eastern financial centers.  In relation to these interests, I plan to investigate three key questions: 1) how is environmental finance institutionalized and how does it operate, 2) is Asian environmental finance innovative or an extension of existing financial channels and logics, and 3) in what ways do developing environmental finance systems incorporate spatial and temporal dimensions?  The project builds directly off of research I have conducted on emissions markets in the US and Europe, allowing for the extension of empirical results and the development and refinement of theory.  As an initial step in this research I seek to conduct preliminary studies in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore during the first half of 2011.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

June 22, 2011:

An international symposium will be organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on Wednesday, July 6 in Tokyo to discuss the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). As AR5 is expected to be released in 2014, we will discuss issues to be dealt with in Working Group III, which focuses on the mitigation of climate change through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

 

June 22, 2011:

The book Engaging with Environmental Justice: Governance, Education and Citizenship has been just published by Inter-Disciplinary Press in the United Kingdom. The following chapter has been written by Ms. Carla Alvial-Palavicino and me:

Alvial-Palavicino, Carla, and Masaru Yarime, "Sharing and Shaping Perceptions: Dialogues with Expertise in the Deployment of Renewable Energy Technologies," in Matthew Cotton and Bernardo Heisler Motta, eds., Engaging with Environmental Justice: Governance, Education and Citizenship, Oxford: Inter-Disciplinary Press, 189-200 (2011).

 

June 21, 2011:

I visited the Paris office of Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC) to discuss the possibility of collaboration with regard to collection and sharing of various kinds of data related to sustainability. I had a fruitful discussion with Professor Jean-Pierre Caliste of UTC, who is also the President of Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) France, on the concepts and methodologies which would be necessary to investigate sustainability science.


June 21, 2011:

I visited the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris on June 18 to discuss with Dr. Yoko Mochizuki, Programme Specialist of the Section of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), how to promote ESD widely in society. As the traditional community of education and other sectors in society including industry and policy makers might not necessarily have had enough communication with each other in the past, it would be of critical importance to develop and elaborate concepts for establishing common agenda so that various stakeholders can collaborate together.


June 21, 2011:

I had a meeting with experts on human resources, Mr. Jeff Wilson, Mr. Yinka R. Adebayo, and Dr. Makoto Suwa, at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva, Switzerland on June 16. We discussed potential collaboration for training for those coming from developing countries on climate change and disaster management through the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) at the University of Tokyo.


June 21, 2011:

The Second International Conference on Sustainability Transitions was held on June 13-15 at Lund University in Sweden. In Session C11 - The Role of Firms and Industry in Transitions, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Innovation as a Social Process of Knowledge Transformation," Second International Conference on Sustainability Transitions, Lund University, Lund, Sweden, June 13-15 (2011).

This was a great opportunity to combine the knowledge and experience accumulated in the two communities of sustainability science and innovation studies, which basically have evolved rather independently without so much interaction with each other.


June 21, 2011:

I visited Nairobi, Kenya from June 6-12 to conduct a case study for the Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The case for examination is the business of developing and diffusing, and utilizing solar LED lantern developed by Sanyo Electric. I also stayed in a small village in Embu, where most of the houses do not have access to electricity, to see the potentials and obstacles in replacing kerosene lamps with solar LED lanterns. It would be very important to investigate how to establish a sustainable business model by integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the bottom-of-pyramid (BOP) strategy. A crucial aspect of the project is to make an impact assessment of the products introduced in the field with regard to environmental, economic, and social aspects, which would be essential to move towards sustainability.

 

May 28, 2011:

Mr. Robert Vazille of the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) France of the International Council for Science (ICSU) visited the Kashiwa campus on Thursday, May 27. We had a very fruitful discussion with regard to establishing a forum to collect, share, and exchange data and information on issues related to sustainability science. We plan to promote collaboration between academia, industry, and the public sector with Todai Business and Innovation for Sustainability (T-BIS) and Observatoire des Données du Développement Durable (O3D).


May 26, 2011:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 20 on Thursday, May 26 at 13:00-14:30 at Lecture Room 2 on the second floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. The speaker was Professor Philippe Gorry of the Medical School of the University of Bordeaux in France. We discussed the challenges in promoting innovations on orphan drugs for rare diseases and their implications for the sustainability of the public health system.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 20

Date: Thursday, May 26
Time: 13:00-14:30
Venue: Lecture Room 2, Second Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "How to Conceal the Cost of Innovation and the Sustainability of Public Health System: The Example of Orphan Drugs and Rare Diseases"

Speaker: Philippe GORRY, MD-PhD, Associate Professor of Cell Biology, Medical School, University of Bordeaux, France

Biography:
Philippe GORRY, MD-PhD, Associate Prof. of Cell Biology at the Medical School of the University of Bordeaux (France). Trained in medical genetic, his research field was on cancer-prone rare diseases & he is an inventor with several patents on transgenic mice. For many years, he has been Vice-Dean for technology transfer, administrator of the university incubator, and past-funding & executive director of Aquitaine-Valo technology transfer office of the University of Bordeaux. Member of several national and international, scientific and tech transfer societies, he is working as an expert on biotechnology for governmental or private organization (ESHG, NIH-OTT, OECD,...). He served as a the President of the association of French university technology managers, "Réseau C.U.R.I.E."., as well as board members of the Licensing Executive Society – France. Last year, he joined the laboratory of economics GREThA and undertook research projects on patent mapping & IP assets valuation with a focus on orphan drug market (http://gretha.u-bordeaux4.fr/-gorry-philippe- ). This work is supported by FP7 research program FINNOV and through the support of the Natl. Res. Agency (ANR) program GEDI (http://gedi.gerpisa.org/ ). Finally, he is involved in the development of a financial and patent intelligence facility so called ViaInno (http://viainno.gretha.u-bordeaux4.fr/ ).

Abstract:
Rare disorders is the name of diseases, with varied etiology and low-prevalence for the majority of which there is no treatment available. About 5,000 identified diseases are classed as "orphan" due to the absence of response in terms of diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Drug development for these diseases has been limited by a lack of understanding of the pathophysiology mechanisms and the prohibitive cost of investing in a novel drug with poor market potential. Orphan drugs (OD) is the term quoted to those drugs intended for the treatment of rare diseases and which qualify as drugs scientifically viable but not viable from an economic point. To encourage the development of such drugs for rare syndromes, OD legislation was put in place in the European Union (EU) in 2000 and were inspired from the US model where an OD legislation dates back to 1983. Today, with the assignment of more than 500 OD designations by the FDA and EMEA, these incentives have contributed to the development of many innovative biotechnology products. While the EU OD act is encompassing its 10th anniversary in 2010, we might ask if the OD market exclusivity provision was the strongest of ODA incentives? Indeed ODs give opportunities for pharma firms moving into more niche designations away from mass market at a time, the blockbuster business model have troubles constraining Big Pharma companies to find new markets & sources of profits. The increased availability of OD with their high cost raises debate surrounding their affordability & cost-effectiveness, & so their public funding by national health services & innovation systems.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 20, 2011:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 19 on Friday, May 20 at 16:30-18:30 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. Everybody is welcome to attend the seminar.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 19

Date: Friday, May 20, 2011
Time: 16:30-18:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "The Role of Religious Community in Recycling: Empirical Insights from Malaysia"

Speaker: Dr. Zeeda F. Mohamad, Department of Science & Technology Studies, Faculty of Science, University Malaya, Malaysia

Abstract:
Optimism on the power of religion to create large-scale and deep-seated ecological transformation (Foltz et. al, 2003; Tucker and Williams, 1997; Chapple and Tucker, 2000; Hessel and Ruether, 2000) plus the strong religious socio-demographics of the country (Sharifah Zaleha and Hezri, 2009) has encouraged ideas on the important role of religious communities in the adoption of environmental practices in Malaysia. However, these are mostly discussed at the theoretical and conceptual level with little systematic empirical observation on the ground. Moreover, the role of religious communities in Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) is extremely limited in the mainstream literature, with only a few exceptions (Arafat, 2010, Al-Khatib et al,2009).This paper aims to reduce this gap by providing some early empirical evidence on the potential role of religious communities to enhance public adoption of recycling as a form of environmental practice. From a set of successful cases in Malaysia, we can observe that the advantages that such communities possess can be viewed in several ways: the systematic way in which they operate; their ability to conduct long-term programmes; their unique organisational structure; their multiple motivational drivers for recycling and their collective potential to expand their programmes to various parts of the larger community. The findings have also shown that the potential role of religious communities in environmental practices, such as recycling, also need to be understood from the viewpoint of specific socio-religious elements of a particular community to support different aspects of a recycling programme.

References:
Al-Khatib, I. A., H. A. Arafat, et al. (2009). "Enhanced solid waste management by understanding the effects of gender, income, marital status, and religious convictions on attitudes and practices related to street littering in Nablus - Palestinian territory." Waste Management 29(1): 449-455.
Arafat, H. S. (2010). Can Religion Serve as a catalyst for sustainable waste management? Islam as case study 11th Mediterranean Research Meeting Florence and Montecani Terme
Foltz, C. K., Denny, F. M. and Baharuddin, A. (eds) (2003) Islam and Ecology: A Bestowed Trust. Boston: Harvard University Press
Tucker, M. E. and Williams, D. R. (eds) (1997) Buddhism and Ecology: The Interconnected of Dharma and Deeds. Boston: Harvard University Press
Chappel, C. K. and Tucker, M. E. (eds) (2000) Hinduism and Ecology: The Intersection of Earth, Water and Sky. Boston: Harvard University Press
Hessel, D. T. and Ruether, R. R. (eds) (2000) Christianity and Ecology: Seeking the Well-Being of the Earth and Humans. Harvard University Press
Syarifah Zaleha, S. H. and Hezri, A. (eds.) (2009) Religion and the environmental challenges: Voices from Malaysia. LESTARI.

 

Title: "Evolution of Capabilities in Agribusiness: The Case of the Mexican Daily Sector"

Speaker: Dr. Rocio Alvarez Tinoco, Science and Technology Policy Research (SPRU), University of Sussex, United Kingdom

Abstract:
The aim of this thesis is to investigate how capabilities are created, accumulated and evolved as dairy farmers and dairy processors interact with other actors (e.g. suppliers, government organisations, research organisations, universities, MNCs, etc.) in three Mexican dairy regions in the Mexican dairy sector (MDS). The MDS plays an important part in mitigating the social problem of malnutrition in low-income families and reducing peasant migration. In particular, this thesis analyses the processes of capabilities building to integrate the value chains of those firms in complex socio-economic and technological systems. In these processes, regional actors, their networks and institutions have played major interdependent roles during globalisation following the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA (i.e. 1994-2004), which ended a long period of imports substituting industrialisation regime. This thesis proposes the concept of sector-specific regional capabilities (i.e. regional capabilities) and an analytical framework based on this concept in order to fill gaps in the literature on evolutionary economics, firm, organisation and strategy and regional innovation systems. The thesis investigates the integration of the micro (firms) and meso (regions) levels of capabilities development in agribusiness in a developing context. The research builds upon four main theoretical approaches: 1) dynamic capabilities of firms; 2) regional system of innovation, including regional capabilities, 3) sectoral systems of innovation; and 4) a function-based approach to comparing regional performance in capabilities building aimed at improving policy making. By combining elements of these approaches, this research articulates the logic of the coevolution of routines into improved and new capabilities within farms and dairy processors (i.e. intra-organisational capabilities) and between these actors and other organisations (i.e. inter-organisational capabilities), which carried out collective activities and processes involving learning.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 19, 2011:

We organized the third meeting of Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Group on Wednesday, May 18 at the Tokyo Office of White & Case LLP.

Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Group, Third Meeting

Date: May 18, 18:00-20:00

Venue: White & Case LLP, Tokyo Office

18:00-18:45 "Recent Topics on Finance and the Environment," Mr. TAKEGAHARA Keisuke, Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Promotion Office, Research & Design Department, Development Bank of Japan

18:45-19:30 "Industrial Organization, Finance, and Innovation: The Case of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Section 1603," Mr. SAITO Jun, Nikon Corporation

19:30-20:00 Discussion

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 14, 2011:

The 17th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference was held at the Earth Institute of Columbia University in New York on May 8-10. At the conference I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, " Encouraging Sustainability Innovation through a Process of Knowledge Transformation in Society," 17th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States, May 8-10 (2011).

Mutisya, Emmanuel, and Masaru Yarime, "Urban Sustainability, Microfinance Technologies and Public Services: The Case of Nairobi, Kenya," 17th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, United States, May 8-10 (2011).

 

Currently I'm involved in the Growing Inclusive Markets (GIM) Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to conduct a case study of an inclusive business model implemented by a Japanese firm. In New York I also visited UNDP Headquarters to have a discussion meeting with the GIM team.

 

April 30, 2011:

The book Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport will be published soon by Routledge. In this book I have written the following chapter:

Orsato, Renato J., Marc Dijk, Rene Kemp, and Masaru Yarime, “The Electrification of Automobility: The Bumpy Ride of Electric Vehicles towards Regime Transition,” in Frank Geels, Rene Kemp, Geoff Dudley, and Glenn Lyons, eds., Automobility in Transition? A Socio-Technical Analysis of Sustainable Transport, London: Routledge, forthcoming.

 

April 28, 2011:

The book Sustainability Science: A Multidisciplinary Approach has been just published by the United Nations University Press. In this book I have written the following chapter:

Yarime, Masaru, “Exploring Sustainability Science: Knowledge, Institutions, and Innovation,” in Hiroshi Komiyama, Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Hideaki Shiroyama, and Takashi Mino, eds., Sustainability Science: A Multidisciplinary Approach, Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 98-111 (2011).

 

April 28, 2011:

I have joined the Advisory Committee for Research on the Current Situation of Uses of Movie Sites on the Internet, organized by the Record Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). We will make advice and suggestions on the survey research conducted by RIAJ on how movie sites are used on the internet for considering implications for the future of the content industry.

 

April 26, 2011:

The following article has been published recently in the academic journal Nanotechnology Perceptions:

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding Sustainability Innovation as a Social Process of Knowledge Transformation," Nanotechnology Perceptions, 6 (3), 143-153 (2010).

 

April 25, 2011:

I gave the following lecture for You & Earth Lecture at UBS Securities Japan on Monday, April 25 in Tokyo:

Yarime, Masaru, "Encouraging Sustainability Innovation through Social Collaboration" (in Japanese), You & Earth Lecture, UBS Securities Japan, Tokyo, April 25 (2011).

 

April 25, 2011:

I have joined the Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP) of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Tokyo as a Supporting Faculty Member. I will teach the course "Sustainability Strategy II."

 

April 20, 2011:

Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) edited the book, Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action, which will be published soon by Palgrave Macmillan. In that book I have written the following article:

Fadeeva, Zinaida, Laima Galkute, Heila Lotz-Sisitka, Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Miguel Chakon, and Masaru Yarime, "University Appraisal for Diversity, Innovation and Change towards Sustainable Development: Can it be done?" in Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI), ed., Higher Education in the World 4: Higher Education Committed to Sustainability - From Understanding to Action, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, forthcoming.

 

April 3, 2011:

In the academic year 2010-2011 I supervised the following Master's theses, which have been completed successfully:

Suzuki, Ryoko, "Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility for Millennium Development Goals: Planning Projects for Business Opportunities and Sustainability," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Advisor: Kunishima, Masahiko), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2011).

Tanaka, Yuko, "Comparative Analysis on Sustainability Assessment and Reporting Frameworks for Higher Education Institutions," Master's Thesis (Principal Advisor: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Advisor: Sato, Jin), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2011).

Enoki, Minami, "Sustainability of Culture as a Dynamics Process: Transformation of Knowledge in Urushi Industry in Japan," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-adviser: Sato, Jin), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2011).

Takahashi, Miyuki, "Sustainability Analysis of Bio-based and Biodegradable Plastics," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yanagisawa, Yukio; Co-adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2011).

Alvial Palavicino, Carla Maria Elizabeth, "The Role of Expertise in the Co-Production of Sustainable Technologies: A Case Study on Knowledge Dynamics from Microgrids Development in a Rural Community in Chile," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yarime, Masaru; Co-Advisor: Iwata, Shuichi), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2010).

Xu, Qing, "Technological Innovation System of Membrane Bioreactor in China," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Onuki, Motoharu; Co-adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2010).

Aliyanti, Kurnia, "Analyzing Impact of Grass Root ODA Program on Community Capacity Development towards Sustainability," Master's Thesis, (Principal Adviser: Todo, Yasuyuki; Co-adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2010).

Md. Abdul, Latif, "A Study on Effectiveness of Field Water Tube as a Practical Indicator to Irrigate SRI Rice Field in Alternate Wetting and Drying Irrigation Management Practice," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: Yamaji, Eiji; Co-adviser: Yarime, Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2010).

Ms. SUZUKI Ryoko has received the Dean's Award of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences for her academic achievement.

 

April 2, 2011:

From March 16 - 26 I stayed at Groupe de Recherche en Économie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA) of the University of Bordeaux IV, Bordeaux, France as Visiting Professor. I gave lectures to graduate students as well as the following research seminars:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sectoral Studies of Environmental Innovation: Cases of the Chemical, Materials, Automotive, and Electronic Industries," Research Seminar, Groupe de Recherche en Économie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA), University of Bordeaux IV, Bordeaux, France, March 17 (2011).

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science: Transforming University as a Platform for Innovation through Social Experimentation between Academia, Industry, and the Public Sector," Research Seminar, Groupe de Recherche en Économie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA), University of Bordeaux IV, Bordeaux, France, March 22 (2011).

 

April 2, 2011:

International Workshop on Problem-Based Learning in Sustainability Programs was held on March 9 - 10 in Tempe, Arizona in the United States, organized by School of Sustainability of Arizona State University (ASU). With other participants coming from the United States, Europe, and Africa, I presented our activities at the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) at the University of Tokyo at Session on Exemplary PBL Courses from Different Sustainability Programs.

Yarime, Masaru, "Problem-Based Learning for Integrating Education, Research, and Contribution to Society for Sustainability: University as a Platform for Social Experimentation through Stakeholder Collaboration," International Workshop on Problem-Based Learning in Sustainability Programs, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States, March 9-10 (2011).

 

April 2, 2011:

The Second International Conference on Sustainability Science in Asia (ICSS Asia) was held on March 2 - 4 in Hanoi, Vietnam, organized by the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S), The University of Tokyo (UT), and Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU), and co-organized by the Asian Institute of Technology Vietnam (AITVN) and United Nations University (UNU). I organized Session on Sustainability Innovation and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing forth Global Sustainability Innovation through Collaboration between Academia, Industry, and the Public Sector," Session on Sustainability Science, Second International Conference on Sustainability Science in Asia (ICSS Asia), Vietnam National University (VNU) Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam, March 2-4 (2011).

 

April 2, 2011:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Seminar 2 on February 24 at World Bank Tokyo Office Public Information Center in Tokyo. This seminar is intended to encourage discussions among participants coming from academia, industry, and the public sector on the possibility of utilizing university as a platform for social collaboration and experimentation for creating innovations for sustainable cities in Japan and overseas.

Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Seminar 2

Date: February 24, 2011, 17:00-19:00

Venue: World Bank Tokyo Office Public Information Center, Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Introduction: YARIME Masaru

Title: Exploring Sustainable City Design: The Experience of Scenario Building for 25% Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Japan by 2020 for a Sustainable City"

Speaker: FUJINO Junichi, Senior Researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

April 2, 2011:

The Third Kick-off Research Meeting of the Research Project on Sustainability and Humanities was held on Tuesday, February 22 at Yayoi Auditorium of the University of Tokyo. With moderation by Professor MATSUMOTO Miwao of the Graduate School of Humanities and Sociologies, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Knowledge in Sustainability Science: Science, Society, and the Third Wave," Third Kick-off Research Meeting, Research Project on Sustainability and Humanities, Yayoi Auditorium, University of Tokyo, February 22 (2011).

 

February 7, 2011:

I gave a special lecture for the course on Business Creation and Management for Environmental Industries at the Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS) at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology on Saturday, February 5:

Yarime, Masaru, "Business Strategy, Public Policy, and Institutional Design for Sustainability Innovation," Special Lecture for the Course on Business Creation and Management for Environmental Industries, Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS), Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, February 5 (2011).

We discussed that it is becoming increasingly important to establish business models at societal levels through collaboration and experimentation with stakeholders in society, making a shift from business models at individual corporate levels, for designing and implementing sustainability innovations.

 

February 3, 2011:

Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2011 was held on January 23-25 at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. I participated as a Keynote Speaker in Plenary Session on Scanning Research Horizons on Learning Issues in Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, "University as a Platform for Sustainability Innovation through Societal Collaboration and Experimentation between Academia, Industry, and the Public Sector," Keynote Speech, Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2011, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, January 23-25 (2011).

 

The 114th HSP Seminar on Human Security and Business in Africa was held at the Graduate Program on Human Security (HSP) of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of the University of Tokyo. Following the Lecturer's presentation on a case study of Tanzania, I participated as a Discussant in discussing the issue of land ownership as a basis of human security and its implications for development in Africa.

The 114th HSP Seminar on Human Security and Business in Africa

Date: Monday, January 31, 2010, 17:00-19:00

Venue: Collaboration Room 1, 4F of Bldg.18, Komaba Campus, University of Tokyo

Lecturer: Hiromi Amemiya (Associate Professor, Faculty of Economics, Toyama University; Visiting Associate Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo)

Commentator: Yoichi Mine (Professor, Graduate School of Global Studies, Doshisha University) and Makoto Maruyama (Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo)

Discussant: Masaru Yarime (Associate Professor, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo)

Organizers: Graduate Program on Human Security, University of Tokyo (HSP); Research Center for Sustainable Peace, Institute of Advanced Global Studies (IAGS), University of Tokyo; Research Center for Sustainable Development, Institute of Advanced Global Studies (IAGS), University of Tokyo; and Center for African Studies, Institute of Advanced Global Studies (IAGS), University of Tokyo

 

January 11, 2011:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Seminar 1 on Friday, January 14 at the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. Participants coming from academia, industry, and the public sector discussed the possibility of utilizing university as a platform for societal collaboration and experimentation for creating innovations for sustainable cities in Japan and overseas.

Kashiwa Sustainable City Research Seminar 1

Date: January 14, 2011, 17:00-19:00

Venue: Meeting Room 2 (235), Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Introduction: YARIME Masaru, "Sustainability and Innovation"

Title: Theory and Practice of the Development of Energy Saving Algorithms for Commercial Facilities: The Case of Lawson"

Speaker: MAGORI Bumpei, Research Fellow, Yashiro Lab, Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 30, 2010:

The following article will be published soon in the academic journal Nanotechnology Perceptions:

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding Sustainability Innovation as a Social Process of Knowledge Transformation," Nanotechnology Perceptions, forthcoming.

 

December 29, 2010:

The fourth CEIDS Academic Seminar was held on Tuesday, December 28 at the Center of Environmental Innovation Design for Sustainability (CEIDS) of Osaka University. I gave the following lecture:

Yarime, Masaru, "Possibilities and Challenges in Innovation Systems Approaches for Sustainability Science," Fourth CEIDS Academic Seminar, Center of Environmental Innovation Design for Sustainability (CEIDS), Osaka University, Osaka, Japan, December 28 (2010).

 

December 26, 2010:

The book Sustainability Science, Volume 1: Creation of Sustainability Science will be published in early January 2011 by the University of Tokyo Press as part of the five-volume series on Sustainability Science (in Japanese). I have contributed to the book a chapter on innovation and sustainability science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation and Sustainability Science: Utilizing Science and Technology" (in Japanese), in Komiyama, Hiroshi, Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Akimasa Sumi, Keisuke Hanaki, and Nobuo Mimura, eds., Sustainability Science, Volume 1: Creation of Sustainability Science, Five-Volume Series on Sustainability Science, Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press (2011).

 

December 25, 2010:

Final presentation of business plans in the Workshop on Designing Sustainability at i.school of the University of Tokyo was held on Friday, December 17. I participated in the session as a commentator with other participants from the industry. It was very impressive that many of the proposals of social enterprise were addressing the values and consciousness of people in society, rather than directly dealing with energy and materials.

 

December 16, 2010:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 18 on Wednesday, December 22. Mr. Darek Gondor at the Editorial Office of the journal Sustainability Science will discuss the editorial process of the journal and consider implications for how to improve your research papers for publication. If you are interested, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 18

Date: Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Time: 16:00-17:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Publishing a research paper: The editorial process from submission to decision at Sustainability Science

Speaker: Darek Gondor, Editorial Office, Sustainability Science, The University of Tokyo, and Institute for Sustainability and Peace, United Nations University

Abstract:
What happens to your paper after you submit it to a journal?  How do editors choose what to publish?  What small mistakes persuade editors to reject a paper?  There is no substitute for good research results or a clearly expressed argument which is put on paper by researchers, but many good ideas are rejected by editors because they are not logically written, don't connect to previous research in the area, or many other reasons.  This seminar describes the editing process of Sustainability Science journal, and summarizes a checklist of important features of submissions that have an impact on the decision to publish.  Finally an abstract writing activity will be held, where participants will have a chance to prepare an abstract for submission!

Biography:
Darek Gondor is an editorial associate at the Institute for Sustainability and Peace in Tokyo and responsible for administrative and editorial functions of the journal Sustainability Science (in affiliation with University of Tokyo). He has worked in several capacities as an editor, teacher, researcher and freelance writer, including as a contributor to the Daily Yomiuri, a science writer at the University of Guelph, and as a research analyst at Environment Canada. Darek Gondor holds degrees in ecology and public administration focusing on environmental policy. His academic interests centre on application of human behavioural ecology and psychology principles to environmental problems.  In his free time he enjoys reading and playing sports.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 15, 2010:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 17 on Wednesday, December 16 at Environmental Building of the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. The speaker was Professor Truong Quang Hoc of the Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES) of Vietnam National University, who discussed past achievements and future challenges for sustainable development in Vietnam.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 17

Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Time: 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Sustainable Development of Vietnam: Achievements, Challenges and Future Orientation

Speaker: Prof. DSc. Truong Quang Hoc, Chairman, Science and Training Council, Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 14, 2010:

The Sixth Workshop on Alternative University Appraisal (AUA) was held on December 10-11 at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, organized by ProSPER.Net. We are currently developing a university evaluation system for incorporating sustainability in education, research, governance, and societal outreach so that appropriate incentives will be given to universities and individual researchers. We intend to test a prototype model of sustainability evaluation for university in various countries in Asia in the future.

 

I also made a seminar on possibilities and challenges in education, research, and societal collaboration in the field of sustainability science at the Graduate School of Education at Yonsei University.

Yarime, Masaru, "Possibilities and Challenges in Sustainability Science: Education, Research, and Societal Collaboration," International Seminar, Graduate School of Education, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, December 11 (2010).

 

December 13, 2010:

Nissan Workshop in Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS) 2010 was held on December 4-13 in Shonan Village Center in Hayama, Kanagawa. I organized a session on innovation and sustainability with a lecture and an exercise.

Yarime, Masaru, "Module 5: Innovation and Sustainability," Nissan Workshop in Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS): Sustainable Cities and Mobility in 2050, Shonan Village Center, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan, December 9 (2010).

 

December 5, 2010:

The Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) organized a workshop on Discovering Social Wishes through Systemic Observation for Innovation in the Age of Sustainability on Saturday, December 4, 2010. Following the presentation of the agenda by Professor YOSHIKAWA Hiroyuki, Director of CRDS, I made the following presentation as a response to the agenda:

Yarime, Masaru, "Possibilities and Challenges in Systems Approaches to Sustainability Innovation," Workshop on Discovering Social Wishes through Systemic Observation for Innovation in the Age of Sustainability, Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo, December 4 (2010).

Participants coming from academia, industry, and public organizations had group discussions and made some concrete recommendations for implementing the agenda in the future.

 

December 1, 2010:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 16 on Friday, December 3 at 17:00-18:30 at Lecture Room 3 of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Steven Kraines of Science Integration Program of the University of Tokyo will discuss how to communicate various types of knowledge effectively and efficiently through computers, which will have significant implications for conducting education, research, and societal collaboration in the inter-/trans-disciplinary field of sustainability science. Anybody will be welcome to attend this seminar.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 16

Date: Friday, December 3, 2010
Time: 17:00-18:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Communicating Knowledge through Computers: Implications for Sustainability Science - An open call for participation in a society-wide experiment: taking charge of the fates of the knowledge we create through research

Speaker: Steven Kraines, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Science Integration Program, Department of Frontier Sciences and Science Integration, The University of Tokyo

Abstract: Young researchers need more effective ways to communicate their knowledge and capabilities to other researchers and to actors in society. In this regard, scientific articles used to function like "letters" written directly by researchers to their peers. However, now scientific articles are more like "bottles floating in the Internet ocean". Furthermore, where once the knowledge marketplace was a seller's market, with the spread of the Internet and "anyone can publish", it has transformed into a buyer's market - attention not information is the scarce commodity on the Internet. Classically, "pull" based approaches employing natural language processing techniques have been used for handling information overload. These consist of information retrieval for improving precision and recall of document retrieval, information extraction for extracting concepts and relationships from individual documents, and text mining for supporting knowledge discovery and automatic summarization from large numbers of documents. However, recently "push" based approaches to handling information overload have emerged, which are reminiscent of the old days of personal communication. Most of these are bottom-up (anonymous) collective authoring approaches, such as Blogs and Wikis, that are characterized by the Wikipedia phenomenon. However, we propose that a similar approach could be used to enable people to more effectively transfer their own expertise from university research settings to society. Our approach is based on the authoring of computer-understandable descriptions of expert knowledge by the human creators of that knowledge. In the lecture, I will review the existing techniques for handling "information overload", examine the notion of "computer-understandable", and describe our work to develop a system that enables knowledge creators to author their own "computer-understandable" descriptions of their knowledge, which will have significant implications for conducting education, research, and societal collaboration in the inter-/trans-disciplinary field of sustainability science.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

November 28, 2010:

Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) organized the 5th International Barcelona Conference on Higher Education - Higher Education's Commitment for Sustainability: From Understanding to Action on November 23-25 at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC) in Barcelona, Spain. I participated as a panelist in Session on Good Practices 1: University Appraisal for Diversity, Innovation and Change towards Sustainable Development and discussed the possibilities and challenges in establishing appropriate evaluation systems in incorporating sustainability into university's activities on education, research and societal collaboration.

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on University Appraisal for Diversity, Innovation and Change towards Sustainable Development: A Perspective from IR3S and the University of Tokyo," 5th International Barcelona Conference on Higher Education - Higher Education's Commitment for Sustainability: From Understanding to Action, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, November 23-25 (2010).

 

November 19, 2010:

I made a lecture on sustainability science and innovation at the November Meeting of the International Management Association (IMA) based in Tokyo on November 18:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science and Innovation" (in Japanese), November Meeting, International Management Association (IMA), Tokyo, Japan, November 18 (2010).

 

November 14, 2010:

I participated as an External Expert in the Hearing for Priority Decision-Making on Science and Technology Policy for the Fiscal Year 2011 at the Council for Science and Technology Policy (CSTP) of the Cabinet Office of the Japanese Government.

 

November 9, 2010:

I have just become the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Science Policy and Research Management. I would like to encourage submission to this journal of papers on corporate strategy, public policy, and institutional design for science, technology, and innovation.

 

November 7, 2010:

Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) Annual Conference 2010: Sustainable Decision-Making in a Time of Crisis: Private and Public Perspectives was held on November 4-5 at the United Nations University in Tokyo. I played the role of Facilitator for discussions in Session on on Developing Corporate Responsibility Guidelines in Japan:

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Session on Developing Corporate Responsibility Guidelines in Japan," Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) Annual Conference 2010, United Nations University, Tokyo, November 4-5 (2010).

In Session on When Governments Succeed or Fail we made the following presentation:

Hirose, Yuta, and Masaru Yarime, "Strategies of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for Coping with Sustainability Challenges in Tokyo," Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) Annual Conference 2010, United Nations University, Tokyo, November 4-5 (2010).

We also made the following presentation in Session on Back To Basics: Sustainability and CSR:

Suzuki, Ryoko, and Masaru Yarime, "Strategic CSR for Millennium Development Goals: Business models analysis to achieve both MDGs and corporate benefits by creating values for Sustainability," Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) Annual Conference 2010, United Nations University, Tokyo, November 4-5 (2010).

 

November 6, 2010:

The 22nd International CODATA conference on Scientific Data and Sustainable Development was held on October 24-27 in Cape Town, South Africa. In Session B2 on Scientific Data for Sustainable Development I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Dynamics of Knowledge Circulation for Sustainability Innovation," 22nd International CODATA conference on Scientific Data and Sustainable Development, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa, October 24-27 (2010).

 

On October 28 I visited the Sustainability Institute, University of Stellenbosch and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa and had fruitful discussions with researchers there on Transdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Sustainability Studies. We will continue to share and exchange information on our doctoral programs on sustainability science and promote cooperation and collaboration through various opportunities in the future.

 

October 23, 2010:

I participated in the Sixth Workshop on Human-Centered Innovation "Designing Sustainability" at i.school of the University of Tokyo on Friday, October 22. In Part 1 on Understanding Sustainability, I made the following lecture:

Yarime, Masaru, "Concepts and Methodologies on Sustainability," Sixth Workshop on Human-Centered Innovation "Designing Sustainability," i.school, University of Tokyo, October 22 (2010).

 

October 21, 2010:

I have been appointed a Visiting Lecturer for the Education Program for Field-Oriented Leaders in Environmental Sectors in Asia and Africa (FOLENS) at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. I will be involved in the course on Business Creation and Management for Environmental Industries - Practical Framework Learning by Cases and P2M Theory.

 

October 17, 2010:

A new academic journal, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, has been launched by Elsevier. The journal will cover research on technological, organizational, economic, institutional and political innovations as well as economy-wide and sector changes. As I have joined the Editorial Board, I expect to see many studies contributing to analyzing and implementing sustainability innovation in this journal.

 

October 16, 2010:

The University of Tokyo, Sapienza University of Rome, Arizona State University, and the United Nations University organized Sustainability Science Workshop : A Roadmap for Industry-Academia for a Transition towards Sustainability on October 5 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. In Opening Session I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "University as a Platform for Social Experimentation towards Sustainability Innovation," Sustainability Science Workshop : A Roadmap for Industry-Academia for a Transition towards Sustainability, United Nations Headquarters, New York, New York, United States, October 5 (2010).

Participants from UN agencies and the industrial sector in Japan, Europe, and the United States discussed possibilities and challenges in collaboration between university, industry, and the public sector for promoting sustainability innovation at the global level.

 

On October 11-13 2010 Microsoft Research eScience Workshop was held in Berkeley, California. In Session MA7: Data-Intensive Science I presented the following paper:

Yarime, Masaru, "Analyzing the Process of Knowledge Dynamics in Sustainability Innovation: Towards a Data-Intensive Approach to Sustainability Science," Proceedings of 2010 Microsoft Research eScience Workshop, Berkeley, California, United States, October 11-13, 46-53 (2010).

We discussed how to collect, manage, and utilize a vast amount of diverse types of data from the perspectives of theoretical frameworks, tool development, incentives, institutions, policies, and business models.

 

September 30, 2010:

The following article has been published in the academic journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change:

Dijk, Marc, and Masaru Yarime, "The Emergence of Hybrid-Electric Cars: Innovation Path Creation through Co-Evolution of Supply and Demand," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 77 (8), 1371-1390 (2010).

 

September 29, 2010:

The Japan Consortium for Human Security Education and Research Annual Meeting 2010 "Human Diversity and Business" was held on Saturday, September 25 and Sunday, September 26 at the Komaba campus of the University of Tokyo. I participated in Part II Session on Human Security and Business as a discussant to the keynote speech by Professor Scarlett Cornelissen, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South Africa:

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Security and Development: The Case of Southern Africa," Japan Consortium for Human Security Education and Research Annual Meeting 2010: Human Diversity and Business, Komaba Campus, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, September 25-26 (2010).

The following poster presentation was also made in the conference:

Ryoko Suzuki, Dange M. Yadate, Jovelyn Ferrer, Jose Cristhian Veizaga Bellido, and Masaru Yarime, "A Taxonomical Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activities: The Case of TOYOTA," Poster Presentation, Japan Consortium for Human Security Education and Research Annual Meeting 2010: Human Diversity and Business, Komaba Campus, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, September 25-26 (2010).

 

The Sociotechnology Research Network Seventh Symposium "Participation and Collaboration in Implementation of Sociotechnology" was held at the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo on Monday, September 27. I participated in Panel Discussion on Participation, Collaboration, and Innovation: Towards Promoting Implementation of Sociotechnology":

Yarime, Masaru, "Role of University as a Platform for Stakeholder Collaboration for Societal Experimentation" (in Japanese), Sociotechnology Research Network Seventh Symposium: Participation and Collaboration in Implementation of Sociotechnology, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, September 27 (2010).

 

September 22, 2010:

Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the Institute for Management of Innovation and Technology (IMIT) organized the Workshop on Governance of Innovation towards Sustainability: The Global Transport Sector on September 16-17 in Stockholm, Sweden. At Session 4 I presented the following paper on knowledge dynamics in sustainability innovation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Understanding Knowledge Dynamics in Sustainability Innovation: Implications for the Transport Sector," Workshop on Governance of Innovation towards Sustainability: The Global Transport Sector, Stockholm, Sweden, September 16-17 (2010).

We discussed various cased in the transport sector in Japan, Europe, and China with regard to the governance of innovation towards sustainability. The papers presented at the workshop will be published as a book next year.

 

We organized the Seventh Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on Wednesday, September 22 at the Graduate School of Economics of the University of Tokyo. Professor MINAKAWA Noboru of the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Nagasaki University discussed the ecology of malaria mosquitos in Africa and the effects of environmental change.

Seventh Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Wednesday, September 22, 18:30-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Ecology of Malaria Mosquitos in Africa and the Effects of Environmental Change"

Speaker: Professor MINAKAWA Noboru, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

September 21, 2010:

UNU-ISP Symposium on Sustainability and Peace was held on Friday, September 3 at the United Nations University in Tokyo. As Session Coordinator for UNU Junior Fellows Workshop on Sustainability and Peace I made an introductory lecture and led discussions with other participants.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Session on Sustainability," Workshop on Sustainability and Peace, UNU Junior Fellows Symposium 2010, UNU Headquarters Building, Tokyo, Japan, September 3 (2010).

Then I participated as one of the Discussion Members in the Open Forum on Implications of the "Limits to Growth" for the Future of Humanity.

 

Global Citizens’ Conference on the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) was held on Friday, September 10 at Rikkyo University in Tokyo. I organized the Session on Urban Sustainability as Coordinator.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Session on Urban Sustainability: ESD Practices in Asia," Global Citizens’ Conference on the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), Rikkyo University, Tokyo, Japan, September 10 (2010).

In this session we introduced good practices in countries such as Japan, China, and Thailand to understand the diversity in approaches to urban sustainability, reflecting national and regional differences in Asia. And we discussed the potentials and challenges in making steady steps towards urban sustainability in Asia, with implications for concrete action plans for the future.

 

August 29, 2010:

Annual Meeting 2010 of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) was held at the Komaba campus of the University of Tokyo on August 25-28. I organized the Session on Co-Evolution of Technology and Institutions for Sustainability Innovation and made the following presentations:

Palavicino, Carla Alvial, and Masaru Yarime, "Sharing and shaping perceptions: Dialogues with expertise in participatory design of renewable energy technologies," Annual Meeting 2010 of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S), University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus, Tokyo, Japan, August 25-28 (2010).

Mutisya, Emmanuel Musau, and Masaru Yarime, "The Accretion of Microfinance for Innovative Urban Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges of Slums Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," Annual Meeting 2010 of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S), University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus, Tokyo, Japan, August 25-28 (2010).

Xu, Qing, Masaru Yarime, and Motoharu Onuki, "Innovation System on Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) for Wastewater Treatment in China," Annual Meeting 2010 of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S), University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus, Tokyo, Japan, August 25-28 (2010).

Yarime, Masaru, "Transition in Knowledge Circulation Systems in Sustainability Innovation," Annual Meeting 2010 of the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S), University of Tokyo, Komaba Campus, Tokyo, Japan, August 25-28 (2010).

 

August 28, 2010:

Coca-Cola Young Environmental Leaders Summit 2010 was held in Kuriyama-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido on August 19-23. This summit was organized by Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) through Asian Program for Incubation of Environmental Leaders (APIEL), and approximately 30 graduate students coming from Asian countries participated in the summit. I made the following keynote lecture on corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Yarime, Masaru, "Corporate Social Responsibility for Sustainability: Integrating Corporate Strategy, Public Policy, and Institutional Design," Keynote Lecture, Coca-Cola Young Environmental Leaders Summit 2010, Kuriyama-cho, Yubari-gun, Hokkaido, August 19-23 (2010).

 

August 18, 2010:

UNU-ISP Symposium on Sustainability and Peace will be organized by the United Nations University in Tokyo on September 3. There will be a lecture by Professor Dennis MEADOWS, one of the authors of "Limits to Growth", followed by a discussion forum on implications of the book for sustainability and peace. I will also participate in the forum as one of the discussion members. If you are interested, please join us.

 

August 4, 2010:

A five-volume series on Sustainability Science (in Japanese) will be published soon by the University of Tokyo Press. I have written the following article in the first volume of the series, Creation of Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation and Sustainability Science: Utilizing Science and Technology" (in Japanese), in Komiyama, Hiroshi, Kazuhiko Takeuchi, Akimasa Sumi, Keisuke Hanaki, and Nobuo Mimura, eds., Creation of Sustainability Science, First Volume, Five-Volume Series on Sustainability Science, Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press (2010).

 

July 22, 2010:

The Second Research Workshop on Discovery of Social Expectations was organized by the Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in Tokyo on Tuesday, July 20, and I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Structure, Functions, and Evolution of Innovation Systems for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Second Research Workshop on Discovery of Social Expectations, Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo, July 20 (2010).

 

July 17, 2010:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 15 on Friday, July 23 at 16:30-18:00 at Lecture Room 3 of Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Mr. MURAKAMI Norio, Honorable Chairman of Google Japan Inc., will discuss the company’s recent business strategies in the field of energy, including Smart Grid, and their implications for sustainability. Everybody is welcome to join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 15

Date: Friday, July 23, 2010
Time: 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: “Google’s Strategies for Smart Grid and Implications for Sustainability” (tentative)

Speaker: Mr. MURAKAMI Norio, Honorable Chairman, Google Japan Inc.

Norio Murakami joined in 2003 as vice president of Google Inc. and president & general manager of Google Japan and was responsible for all aspects of Google's business in Japan. He became chairman of Google Japan in 2009. Before joining Google, Norio was president of Docent Japan, where he established the Japanese subsidiary in 2001. He built a solid foundation of leadership for Docent in Japan – and in the e-learning industry generally – through many partnerships including those with Accenture, NEC, and Works Applications.

From 1997 to 1999, Norio was president & CEO of Northern Telecom Japan. In this capacity, he successfully merged and integrated the company with Bay Networks Japan, whose parent company had been acquired by Northern Telecom, and was later re-named Nortel Networks Japan. With the transformation of the business from circuit switching to IP, Norio increased the company's revenue and profitability to a historic high in 2000. Through mid-2001, he served as president & CEO of Nortel Networks Japan.

Norio started his career as an engineer for minicomputer systems at Hitachi Electronics K.K. In addition to his service at Northern Telecom, he has held a number of management roles such as the CEO-Japan & VP-Corporate for Informix, and as a member of the board of directors for marketing at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Japan. This affiliation also included a five-year assignment at DEC headquarters in Massachusetts.

Norio graduated from Kyoto University with a B.S. in engineering.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 16, 2010:

The First Meeting of the Research Group on Materials Science Innovation was held on Wednesday, July 14 at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Institutional Design for Materials Science Innovation for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, July 14 (2010).

 

We organized the Sixth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on Thursday, July 15 at the Graduate School of Economics of the University of Tokyo. Dr. TSUKAHARA Takahiro of Tokyo Women's Medical University discussed the use and supply of anti-malaria drugs in rural areas in Papua New Guinea.

Sixth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Thursday, July 15, 18:30-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Use and Supply of Anti-Malaria Drugs in Rural Areas in Papua New Guinea"

Speaker: Dr. TSUKAHARA Takahiro, International Affairs and Tropical Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

We organized the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 14 on Friday, July 17 at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo. Professor Cheh-Shyh Ting, Director of the Center for Water Resources Educations and Studies of the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan discussed groundwater resources evaluation and management for sustainability.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 14

Date: Friday, July 16, 2010
Time: 10:15-11:55 and 13:00-14:40
Venue: Lecture Room 2, Environmental Building

Title: "Groundwater Resources Evaluation and Management for Sustainability"

Speaker: Dr. Cheh-Shyh TING
Professor and Chairman of Department of Civil Engineering
Director of Center for Water Resources Educations and Studies
National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), Taiwan
Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, National Cheng-Kung University, Taiwan

Abstract:
Hydrologic stresses throughout the 20th century and presently (2010) have caused the depletion and degradation of our Earth’s vital ground-water resources in many areas. Management strategies have been and are being implemented to optimize use of our ground-water resources with respect to achieving sustainability while mitigating the consequences of future withdrawals. The case studies have addressed some of the complexities of ground-water management using scientifically-based hydrologic studies and hydrologic monitoring. It is clear that the managed conjunctive use of our combined ground-water and surface-water supplies, and the artificial recharge of our groundwater systems present both challenges and opportunities. How well we manage these options depends upon best science practices, improved understanding of the resources, and the informed consensus of all stakeholders. It is an opportunity to learn, rethink and change Taiwan’s water resources policy what the people faced last year in 2009 as well. Taiwan hit hard by Typhoon Morakot dated on August 8, which was the most damaging typhoon to make landfall, inundation, water resources shortage in mostly part of Southern Taiwan.

A presented theme entitled Groundwater Resources Evaluation and Management for Sustainability for Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo with two topics will be then discussed individually.

In the first topic, the subject entitled on TAIWAN’S WATER POLICY NEEDS RE-THINK will be presented. It is one of important and serious key issues on water resources development and management from storing surface water by reservoir to making better use of our largest subsurface storage in Taiwan. Traditionally, management of water resources has focused on surface water or groundwater as if they were separate entities. As development of land and water resources increases, it is apparent that development of either of these resources affects the quantity and quality of the other. Nearly all surface-water features (streams, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands, and estuaries) interact with ground water. These interactions take many forms. In many situations, surface-water bodies gain water and solutes from ground-water systems and in others the surface-water body is a source of ground-water recharge and causes changes in ground-water quality. As a result, withdrawal of water from streams can deplete ground water or conversely, pumpage of ground water can deplete water in streams, lakes, or wetlands. Pollution of surface water can cause degradation of ground-water quality and conversely pollution of ground water can degrade surface water. Thus, effective land and water management requires a clear understanding of the linkages between ground water and surface water as it applies to any given hydrologic setting.

The indicated Artificial Recharge Project which has been approved by central government which Project is now in design phase. Its will be in operation in 2017. The Project case study presents herein show how the Pingtung Government in cooperation with Nation, local, other water boards and water agencies, as well as the private sector, have addressed some of the complexities of integrated development and management of surface water and groundwater using scientifically-based hydrologic studies, hydrologic monitoring and optimization technique.

The second section entitled From Crisis to turning point: New use for old wisdom-underground river weirs to develop groundwater resources from shallow of riverbed. The construction called as Err-fon Irrigation System for sugarcane fields which designed by Engineer Torii (the grandfather of Prof. Toru TORII) in 1921 and completed in 1923. It is even running well without damage at all for domestic and irrigation water use throughout the Typhoon Morakot dated on August 8, 2009. The rethinking of water resources development derives from the underground of riverbed so called water collector gallery initiated by TORII in Taiwan. The new construction methods and martial techniques have been sequentially developed for current water utilities in the world. The ancient structure and new constructive methods will be discussed on the point view of eco-system at the last section.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 14, 2010:

The 9th Global Conference on Environmental Justice and Global Citizenship was held on July 11-13 at Mansfield College, Oxford in the U.K. The following paper was presented at Session 5: Perspectives on Energy and Water:

Alvial-Palavicino, Carla, and Masaru Yarime, "Sharing and Shaping Perceptions: The Role of Expertise in the Co-Production of Renewable Energy Technologies," 9th Global Conference on Environmental Justice and Global Citizenship, Mansfield College, Oxford, United Kingdom, July 11-13 (2010).

 

July 13, 2010:

The Second International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) was held on June 23-25 at Sapienza University of Rome in Rome, Italy. I organized the Ph.D. Seminar as Chair:

Yarime, Masaru, and Arnim Wiek, "Introduction to Ph.D. Seminar," Ph.D. Seminar, Second International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, June 23-25 (2010).

I also participated in Session VI (a): Synthesis and Cross-Cutting Issues as one of the Speakers and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Cross-Cutting Issues and Future Challenges: From First ICSS in Tokyo," Session VI (a): Synthesis and Cross-Cutting Issues, Second International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, June 23-25 (2010).

 

Meeting of the Board of Trustees for Sustainability at Arizona State University was held on June 30 - July 2 at Henkel AG Corporate Headquarters in Dusseldorf, Germany. I participated in the Board Meeting as one of the international experts, including Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University, members of the Board of Trustees for Sustainability at ASU Julie Ann Wrigley of Wrigley Investments LLC and S. Robson Walton, Chairman of the Board of Walmart, and Karl Falkenberg, Director-General of Environment of the European Commission. I discussed the possibilities and challenges in promoting sustainability innovation through stakeholder platforms based on university-industry collaboration.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Sustainability Innovation: University as a Platform for Social Experimentation," Session III: Sustainability Science in Higher Education, Meeting of the Board of Trustees for Sustainability at Arizona State University, Henkel AG Corporate Headquarters, Dusseldorf, Germany, June 30-July 2 (2010).

 

On July 8-9 I participated in the ProSPER.Net Alternative University Appraisal (AUA) Core Meeting held at Tongji University in Shanghai, China. The Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research Network (ProSPER.Net) is a network of several leading higher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region, including the University of Tokyo, which have committed to work together to integrate Sustainable Development (SD) into postgraduate courses and curricula, with the United Nations University working as the secretariat. Through AUA Project we are discussing the development of methodologies for evaluating various activities conducted at universities in education, research, and social collaboration for sustainability and the design of institutional arrangements for effective implementation. Among the issues we examine is how to establish appropriate incentive schemes for researchers to engage in educational and research activities for sustainability.

 

June 16, 2010:

International Conference on Organizational Learning, Knowledge, and Capabilities (OLKC) 2010 was held on June 3-6 at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The following paper was presented at Session on the Effects of Technological Change:

Pohl, Hans, and Masaru Yarime, “Automakers and Battery Suppliers Role in Knowledge Base Development during a Potential Paradigmatic Shift in Technology,” International Conference on Organizational Learning, Knowledge, and Capabilities (OLKC) 2010, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States, June 3-6 (2010).

 

June 12, 2010:

The following article has been published in the web version of the journal Technological Forecasting and Social Change:

Dijk, Marc, and Masaru Yarime, "The Emergence of Hybrid-Electric Cars: Innovation Path Creation through Co-Evolution of Supply and Demand," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, DOI:10.1016/j.techfore.2010.05.001, in press.

 

June 9, 2010:

Workshop on Promotion of Evidence-Based Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy was organized by the Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS) of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) in Tokyo on Monday, June 7. In Session 2 on Overview on Research Fields for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Analysis and Implementation of Innovation for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Workshop on Promotion of Evidence-Based Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, Center for Research and Development Strategy (CRDS), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Tokyo, June 7 (2010).

 

June 3, 2010:

We organized the Fourth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on April 15 at the University of Tokyo. Mr. NAGAOKA Kansuke, Director of the Specialized Agencies Division of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs discussed the contributions made by Japan for preventing malaria through the Global Fund.

Fourth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Thursday, April 15, 18:00-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Japan's Contributions to Fighting against Malaria"

Speaker: Mr. NAGAOKA Kansuke, Director, Specialized Agencies Division, International Cooperation Bureau, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

We organized the Fifth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on May 26 at the University of Tokyo. Dr. SAWADA Yasuyuki, one of the organizer of the Study Group, discussed some of the preliminary findings of a project on evaluating the impacts of Olyset Net on poverty reduction.

Fifth Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Wednesday, May 26, 18:00-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Preliminary Findings of the Impact Assessment of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) in Madagascar"

Speaker: Dr. SAWADA Yasuyuki, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Economics, University of Tokyo

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

May 20, 2010:

The following article has been just published in International Journal of Innovation Management.

Baba, Yasunori, Masaru Yarime, and Naohiro Shichijo, “Sources of Success in Advanced Materials Innovation: The Role of 'Core Researchers' in University-Industry Collaboration in Japan,” International Journal of Innovation Management, 14 (2), 201-219 (2010).

 

May 13, 2010:

Batumi - Spring - 2010 International Conference was held in Batumi, Georgia on May 7-9, organized by the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Shota Rustaveli State University in Batumi, International Foundation for Sustainable Development, Euro Mediterranean Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Intercultural Euro Mediterranean Center for UNESCO. By invitation I participated in the Plenary Session: Knowledge Management & Education and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Knowledge Systems for Sustainability Innovation," Batumi - Spring - 2010 International Conference, organized by the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Shota Rustaveli State University, International Foundation for Sustainable Development, Euro Mediterranean Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Intercultural Euro Mediterranean Center for UNESCO, Shota Rustaveli State University, Batumi, Georgia, May 7-9 (2010).

 

May 3, 2010:

In the academic year 2009-2010 I supervised the following Master's theses, which have been completed successfully:

Islam, Farzana, "Innovative Strategy on ICT for Sustainable Development: Proposal for a Wireless Infrastructure Model for Bangladesh through Public-Private Partnership," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: YARIME Masaru; Co-adviser: MINO Takashi), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2010).

Dewi, Grace Citra, "Organizational Resource Curse: Sectionalism and Synchronization in Indonesian Resource Policies," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: SATO Jin; Co-adviser: YARIME Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2010).

Qiu, Su, "Sustainable Solar PV Power Scale-up in Residential Sector in China (Based on Consumer's Preference)," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: MATSUHASHI Ryuji; Co-adviser: YARIME Masaru), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March (2010).

Mammadova, Tahira, "Investigation and Analysis of Print Media Attention in Azerbaijan to the Environmental Problems during the Years 1986-2008: Media as a Way to Sustainability," Master's Thesis (Principal Adviser: YARIME Masaru; Co-adviser: ONUKI Motoharu), Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS), Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2009).

 

April 26, 2010:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 13 on Tuesday, April 27. Dr. Renato Orsato of the French Business School INSEAD Social Innovation Centre will talk about Sustainable Value Innovation in Mobility and discuss the challenges and strategies for sustainability in the automotive industry, including innovative business models such as those of Better Place for exchanging batteries for electric vehicles.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 13

Title: “Sustainable Value Innovation in Mobility”

Speaker: Dr. Renato J. Orsato, Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Fellow, INSEAD Social Innovation Centre, Fontainebleau, France

Date: Tuesday, April 27
Time: 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

This seminar will present the roots of the problems currently faced by the auto industry, and the alternatives the sector has to overcome them by developing Sustainable Value Innovation – the creation of differentiated value for customers and contribution to society at both, reduced costs and environmental impacts. The seminar is based on Chapter 7 of Dr Orsato’s recent book (www.sustainability-strategies.eu).

Dr. Renato J. Orsato is an Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Fellow at the INSEAD Social Innovation Centre, Fontainebleau in France. As a researcher, educator and consultant, in the past 15 years taught at MBA and Executive Programmes at INSEAD, Lund University (Sweden), University of Amsterdam (Holland), University of Technology Sydney (Australia), and Warwick Business School (England). He worked with public organizations and private businesses in more than 20 countries.

Dr Orsato is the author of Sustainability Strategies - When does it pay to be green? (Palgrave Macmillan, INSEAD Business Press 2009, www.sustainability-strategies.eu). He has also written several book chapters and teaching cases, and published in academic journals such as California Management Review, Organisation Studies and Journal of Industrial Ecology.

Renato holds a PhD in Management, a Masters (Honours) in Organisation Studies and BA (Honours) in Civil Engineering and Business Administration.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

April 9, 2010:

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2010 "Bridging Science and Society" took place in San Diego, United States on February 17 - February 22. I organized a 180-minute session "Co-Evolution of Science and Society for Sustainability Innovation" and made a presentation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Collaboration between University, Industry, and Society for Sustainability Innovation," Session on Co-Evolution of Science and Society for Sustainability Innovation, AAAS Annual Meeting 2010, San Diego, California, United States, February 18-22 (2010).

 

On March 1-2 the Symposium and Workshop on Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA) was organized by the United Nations University (UNU), Kenyatta University, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Nairobi, Kenya. ESDA Project is aimed at establishing higher educational programs for sustainable development in Africa through collaboration between Kenyatta University and the University of Tokyo. We had fruitful discussions on educational and research issues, including curriculum development.

 

I visited Cambodia on March 7-12. We had a discussion meeting at Siem Reap with the National Authority for Preah Vihear (NAPV) to create a management plan for sustainable development of the region surrounding the Temple of Preah Vihear, a World Heritage site approved by UNESCO in July 2008. In our visit to Preah Vihear we investigated with local experts and policy makers how to manage the process of moving towards sustainability, integrating various aspects including tourism, economy, and environment.

 

I participated in the First Workshop of the Research Project on Sustainability and Humanities "Thinking about Sustainability from the Perspectives of Humanities" held at the University of Tokyo on March 13. The subject of humans in relation to the environment was one of the issues discussed in the workshop from philosophical and religious perspectives. In particular, as temporal dimension is essentially important in sustainability, the concepts of time in the context of Christianity and Buddhism will have some valuable implications in discussing sustainability.

 

We organized the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 12 on
Monday, March 15 at the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) of the University of Tokyo. Professor Lars Coenen of the University of Lund in Sweden discussed his research on transition for sustainability.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 12

Date: Monday, March 15, 2010
Time: 10:00-11:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: “Back to the future? The geographical dilemma of contemporary transition
studies”

Speakers: Lars Coenen (CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden), Paul Benneworth (CHEPS, University of Twente, the Netherlands), and Bernhard Truffer (CIRUS, EAWAG, Switzerland)

Abstract:
In the past decade, the literature on transitions has made a considerable
contribution to help understand the complex and multi-dimensional shift
that is considered necessary to adapt societies and economies to
sustainable modes of production and consumption in areas such as
transport, energy, food, etc. A transition is understood as a shift or
‘system innovation’ from one socio-technical system to another in areas
such as transport, energy, housing, agriculture and food, communication
and health-care. So far, empirical analyses of sustainability transitions
have largely neglected to map and analyze where such transitions take
place or employed a limited understanding of the spatialities of
transitions, either drawing on bounded spatial demarcations (i.e. scalar
envelopes) or assuming that transition paths have an idiosyncratic
location. The objective of this paper is to unpick the implicit
geographies in transition analyses and make these explicit by introducing
and including concepts and theory from (economic) geography. More
specifically, the paper explores how economic geography could offer
resourceful heuristics and conceptual tools to investigate how the wider
network configurations within which territorial transition dynamics are
embedded, and the institutional environments and arrangements particular
to those territories, in parallel give shape to the locational dynamics of
transitions.

Bio:
Lars Coenen is assistant professor in Economic Geography at CIRCLE (Centre
for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy), Lund
University Sweden, with a particular interest in the geographies of
innovation. His PhD thesis (2006) entitled 'Faraway, so Close! The
Changing Geographies of Regional Innovation', contains various comparative
studies across different industries and regions to investigate how local
and global knowledge is combined in a productive nexus of learning
processes at the regional level. At present his research focus is
converging around the notions of regional innovation systems and the
spatial dynamics of socio-technical transitions in relation to sustainable
technologies. In his analyses Lars seeks to compare the emergence and
diffusion of radical innovation in areas such as bio-fuels and passive
housing across different territorial contexts. In 2008-2009 he also worked
for the Dutch Knowledge Centre for Transitions at TNO, the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

Symposium: Perspectives on University Performance Evaluation was held on March 15-16 at the United Nations University Headquarters in Tokyo. I participated in the Panel Discussion: How ESD Helps Universities Enhance Their Practices and Improve Their Reputation. We discussed that it will be of critical importance to create incentives for researchers and educators in universities by changing the standards and process of evaluating educational and research activities.

 

On March 16-19 the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2010 was held at the University of Tokyo. AGS is an inter-university alliance established between the University of Tokyo, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden for promoting research and educational activities for sustainability at the global scale. I organized the Workshop D on Concepts, Methodologies, and Practices in Graduate Programs on Sustainability: Creating and Implementing Knowledge through Collaboration with Stakeholders and gave an introduction to the workshop.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to the Workshop on Concepts, Methodologies, and Practices in Graduate Programs on Sustainability: Creating and Implementing Knowledge through Collaboration with Stakeholders," Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting, University of Tokyo, March 16-19 (2010).

 

On March 18 Workshop C on Innovation for Sustainable Development was organized in cooperation with UTB Japan. I joined the Panel Discussion with Dr. José Gómez-Márquez and Dr. Ken Endo of D-Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Professor Hideyuki Horii of i.school of the University of Tokyo, Dr. Shigeki Inoue of Hakuhodo Universal Design, and Dr. Ning Liu of the Doctoral Program in Architecture and the Sciences of the City of Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) for discussing how to promote innovation for sustainability in terms of education, research and collaboration with stakeholders in society.

 

The final workshop of the Value Creation Initiative supported by Sumitomo Corporation was held on March 23 at the Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering (RACE) of the University of Tokyo. I made a poster presentation on innovation for the sustainability of water through transdisciplinary approaches.

Yarime, Masaru, "Transdisciplinarity for the Sustainability of Water Resources: Creation of Social Values through Innovation," Poster Presentation, Final Workshop of the Value Creation Initiative supported by Sumitomo Corporation, Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering (RACE), University of Tokyo, March 23 (2010).

 

April 8, 2010:

The Seventh Transdisciplinary Seminar of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo was held on Thursday, December 24, 2009. I made a lecture on transdisciplinary aspects of sustainability science.

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science from the Perspective of Transdisciplinarity" (in Japanese), Seventh Transdisciplinary Seminar, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, December 24 (2009).

 

The First Workshop of the Research Group on Innovation Policy was organized by the Innovation Policy Research Center of the University of Tokyo on Friday, February 5, 2010. I played the role of facilitator for the Group Discussion on Coordination, including that with societies inside as well as the country, between the public and the private sectors, and between different organizations.

 

Workshop on Transition Management for Sustainable Society: European Experience and Japanese Context was organized by the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S) and the Project on Governance Reform for Sustainability and Policy Process Management at the Policy Alternatives Research Institute of the University of Tokyo on Saturday, February 13, 2010. I presented my comments as a discussant:

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on Framework and Cases of Transition Management: The Case of Energy," Workshop on Transition Management for Sustainable Society: European Experience and Japanese Context, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, February 13 (2010).

 

December 22, 2009:

The following article has been published in the journal Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, Yoshiyuki Takeda, and Yuya Kajikawa, "Towards Institutional Analysis of Sustainability Science: A Quantitative Examination of the Patterns of Research Collaboration," Sustainability Science, 5 (1), 115-125 (2010).

 

The Fifth Symposium "Technological Innovations in Japan - Collecting Experiences and Establishing Knowledge Foundation -" was held at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo on December 16 and 17. In Session on "Organizations and Institutions for Innovation," I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "The Role of Knowledge in Innovation in Japan" (in Japanese), Proceedings of the Fifth Symposium "Technological Innovations in Japan - Collecting Experiences and Establishing Foundation -," 79-84 (2009).

 

We organized the Third Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on December 21 at the University of Tokyo. The speaker was Associate Professor NAKAZAWA Minato, Department of Public Health, Subdivision of Socio-Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan. He discussed human behavioral factors of malaria transmission and mathematical model analysis, based on case studies in the Solomon Islands.

Third Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Monday, December 21, 2009, 18:00-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Human Behavioral Factors of Malaria Transmission and Mathematical Model Analysis"

Speaker: Dr. NAKAZAWA Minato, Associate Professor, Department of Public Health, Subdivision of Socio-Environmental Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 16, 2009:

Nissan Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS) 2009 was held on December 7-14 at Sajima Marina in Yokosuka, Japan. Approximately 25 graduate students coming from all over the world participated in the program and worked on various issues related to sustainability, with a particular focus on sustainable transport systems in the future. I organized the module 5 on innovation and sustainability with a lecture and exercise.

Yarime, Masaru, "Module 5: Innovation and Sustainability," Nissan Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS) 2009, Yokosuka, Japan, December 12 (2009).

 

The Second Intensive Workshop of the Nissan Leadership Program for Innovative Engineers (LPIE) was held in Tokyo on December 12-13. I attended this workshop as the Tutor to the participants.

 

The Annual Research Workshop of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) was held on December 15 at the University of Tokyo. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "International Comparative Analysis of Innovation Systems for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Presentation at the Annual Research Workshop of the Alliance for Global Sustainability, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, December 15 (2009).

 

December 15, 2009:

We organized Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 11 on Wednesday, December 9 at 10:00-11:00 at Lecture Room 3 in the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. The speaker was Yann Blumer of the Chair of Environmental Sciences – Natural and Social Science Interface (NSSI) at ETH Zurich. He discussed the transdisciplinary case study approach developed at NSSI with a particular focus on bio-energy cases.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 11

Date: Wednesday, December 9, 10:00-11:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: The NSSI framework for transdisciplinary case studies and an outline of a current NSSI project: "Critical success factors for bioenergy case studies"

Speaker:
Yann Blumer, The Chair of Environmental Sciences – Natural and Social Science Interface (NSSI), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich www.nssi.ethz.ch

Abstract:  The ETH chair of Environmental Sciences - Natural and Social Science Interface (NSSI) has a long experience of over 15 years in transdisciplinary research, integrating different scientific disciplines (e.g. engineers and ecologists) as well as practitioners (e.g. farmers, administration, policy makers) into research projects. It has developed a framework for conducting transdisciplinary case studies of complex, real word problems (Scholz & Tietje 2002), which has been applied successfully in more than 25 cases covering a wide range of topics. This framework is presented. It consists of six steps (case definition/goal formation, case faceting, system analysis, scenario construction, scenario assessment and development of orientations), which are explained and illustrated by research conducted at our chair. We argue that much of what we have learned in these case studies can actually be transferred to bioenergy projects and sustainable rural development. Thus, an outline of a current research project to identify critical success factors for bioenergy case studies is presented.

Reference:
Scholz, R. W., & Tietje, O. (2002). Embedded case study methods: Integrating quantitative and qualitative knowledge. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 7, 2009:

The following article has been published in the web version of the journal Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, Yoshiyuki Takeda, and Yuya Kajikawa, "Towards Institutional Analysis of Sustainability Science: A Quantitative Examination of the Patterns of Research Collaboration," Sustainability Science, DOI 10.1007/s11625-009-0090-4, in press.

 

Green Business Organization (GBO) and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) organized an event Cross-border Deal in Cleantech on December 4 at Thomson Reuters in Tokyo. I made the following keynote speech in the meeting:

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Sustainability Innovation for 25% CO2 Emission Reduction" (in Japanese), Cross-border Deal in Cleantech, organized by Green Business Organization (GBO) and The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Thomson Reuters, Tokyo, December 4 (2009).

 

December 6, 2009:

Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) 2009 Annual Meeting was held on October 28-31 in Washington, D.C. I participated in the Session on Sustainability VI: Emerging Networks and Institutions of Science and Technology for Sustainability and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Sustainability Science as an Academic Field: Concepts, Methodologies, and Institutions," Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) 2009 Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., U.S.A., October 28-31 (2009).

 

Then I visited Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia on November 3 and gave a seminar at the Graduate School of the Environment.

Yarime, Masaru, "Exploring Sustainability Science: Education, Research, and Innovation," GSE Seminar, Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia, November 3 (2009).

 

I moved to Griffith Business School in Brisbane to attend the Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) 2009 Annual Conference held on November 5-6. I participated in Plenary Session Four: Innovation and the Emerging Sustainable Enterprise Economy in the Asia-Pacific Region as one of the panelists and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "From Corporate to Social Business Models for Sustainability Innovation: Concepts, Institutions, and Emerging Practices of Japanese Enterprises," Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) 2009 Annual Conference, Griffith Business School, Brisbane, Australia, November 5-6 (2009).

 

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris organized the Workshop on Transforming Innovation to Address Social Challenges on November 9-10. I participated as a discussant in Session 2: Pushing Boundaries of the Innovation Policies beyond Technology: Best Practices and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards the Sustainability of Innovation to Address Social Challenges: Comments for Session 2," Workshop on Transforming Innovation to Address Social Challenges, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris, France, November 9-10 (2009).

 

I then moved the United States. I gave a special lecture on November 12 in Detroit, Michigan, organized by the Consulate-General of Japan in Detroit, Japan Business Society of Detroit (JBSD), Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA), Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA), Japan America Society of Greater Detroit and Windsor, Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, and Automation Alley.

Yarime, Masaru, "Corporate Strategies for the Next Generation Vehicles: The Development of Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Innovation Systems," Special Lecture organized by the Japan Business Society of Detroit (JBSD), Consulate General of Japan, Japan Auto Parts Industries Association (JAPIA), Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA), Japan America Society of Greater Detroit and Windsor, Detroit Regional Economic Partnership, and Automation Alley, Sheraton Detroit Novi Hotel, Novi, Michigan, U.S.A., November 12 (2009).

 

Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville, University of Memphis organized the Conference on Meeting Renewable Energy's Technology Challenge: Innovative Solutions from Japan on November 13 at the University of Memphis in Tennessee. I made the following presentations:

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing Forth Sustainability Innovation," Conference on Meeting Renewable Energy's Technology Challenge: Innovative Solutions from Japan, organized by the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, Consulate-General of Japan in Nashville, and the University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A., November 13 (2009).

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science: Its Possibilities and Challenges for the Future," Special Lecture, University of Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.A., November 13 (2009).

 

I gave another lecture on November 16 at the Georgia Institute of Technology, co-sponsored by the Consulate-General of Japan in Atlanta and the School of Public Policy of the Georgia Institute of Technology with cooperation from the Japan-America Society of Georgia and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Implementing Sustainability Innovation: Corporate Strategy, Public Policy, and Institutional Design," Lecture co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta and the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy with cooperation from the Japan-America Society of Georgia and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., November 16 (2009).

 

In Houston, Texas I gave a lecture on November 19, organized by the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston, Rice University Shell Center for Sustainability and the James A. Baker III Institute Student Forum.

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainable Development Innovations: Japan's Effort to Unite against Climate Change," Lecture organized by Shell Center for Sustainability and the James A. Baker III Institute Student Forum, Rice University, Houston, Texas, U.S.A., November 19 (2009).

 

Then I moved to Bangkok, Thailand, where the International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) in Asia 2009 was held on November 23-25 at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). I organized Session 7 on Communication: Towards Creating Strategic Knowledge Platforms for Sustainability Innovation in Asia.

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to Session 7 on Communication: Towards Creating Strategic Knowledge Platforms for Sustainability Innovation in Asia," International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) in Asia 2009, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, November 23-24 (2009).

 

October 23, 2009:

The 24th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management (JSSPRM) will be held on October 24 - 25 at Seijo University in Tokyo. I will participate as one of the panelists for the Symposium "Innovation for a Greener Society" to be held on Saturday, October 24. If you are interested, please join us.

JSSPRM Symposium "Innovation for a Greener Society"

Date: Saturday, October 24, 16:00-17:30

Venue: Room A (Lecture Room 003, B1F), Building 3, Seijo University, Tokyo

Panelists:

ANEGAWA Naofumi (Tokyo Electric Power Company)

SADAMITSU Yuki (Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry)

SHIROYAMA Hideaki (Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, University of Tokyo)

YARIME Masaru (Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo)

Chair: IJICHI Tomohiro (Faculty of Social Innovation, Seijo University)

 

I will also give a talk at Green Mondays in Minami Aoyama, Tokyo on Monday, October 26. If you are interested, please join us.

Green Mondays #15

Time: October 26, 2009 from 7pm to 10pm
Location: KaMu Restaurant, Minami Aoyama
Street: Minami Aoyama 511 Bldg., B1F
City/Town: Minami Aoyama, Tokyo
Website or Map: http://kamu-tokyo.com/map.html
Phone: 03 6411 0075
Event Type: networking, education, learning, sustainability

Organized By: Green Mondays Committee (GMC)

#15.1 Tetsunari IIDA, Renewable Energy Policies and Initiatives in Japan (tbc) President & Representative Director, Energy Green Co., Ltd.
Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP) Chairman, World Council for Renewable Energy (WCRE), Japan

Previous positions include:
- Major steel manufacturer
- R&D in nuclear power

o Introduced Japan's first green power scheme, and developed Japan's first "green power certificate."
o Developed financing scheme for Japan's first community wind ownership project, now being developed into a nation-wide project.
o Organized the Supra-coalition of Member of Parliaments (MPs) for Renewable Energy Promotion, consisting of 1/3 of all MPs, instrumental in new legislation of "Renewable Energy Promotion Law."

#15.2 Professor Masaru Yarime, Sustainability Innovation
- Associate Professor, Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo
- Visiting Research Fellow, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP), Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
- Tutor, Nissan Leadership Program for Innovative Engineers (LPIE)

Professor Yarime holds a Ph.D. in Economics of Technological Change (2003), MERIT-UNU/INTECH Programme on Economics and Policy Studies of Technological Change, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

 

October 22, 2009:

The Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS), Competence Centre for Environment and Sustainability (CCES), and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) organized AGS-CCES-ETH Sustainability Workshop "From Outreach to Partnership: Defining the Role of Universities in Achieving Sustainability" on October 15 - 16 at ETH in Zurich, Switzerland. I made the following presentation at the workshop:

Yarime, Masaru, "Institutionalizing Sustainability Innovation: Universities as a Platform for Stakeholder Collaboration," Presentation at the AGS-CCES-AGS Sustainability Workshop "From Outreach to Partnership: Defining the Role of Universities in Achieving Sustainability," Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland, October 15-16 (2009).

 

October 11, 2009:

An interview with me by Mr. FUKUI Edward has been published in the latest issue of the magazine Sotokoto:

"FUKUI Edward's Introduction to Cleantech Investment: Thinking about the Relationship between Innovation and the Environment" (in Japanese), Sotokoto, 11, 143 (2009).

 

October 9, 2009:

We organized the Second Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on October 8 at the University of Tokyo. The speaker was Professor KATSUMA Yasushi, former Program Coordinator at the Tokyo Office of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). He talked about the partnership between Japanese companies, governments, and the United Nations for preventing malaria.

Second Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Thursday, October 8, 2009, 18:00-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Partnership between Japanese Firms, Government Agencies, and International Organizations for Preventing Malaria"

Speaker: Dr. KATSUMA Yasushi, Professor, Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 6, 2009:

Fourth National Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering (NatFOE4) was held in Chennai, India on September 16-17, organized by the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE). As the only participant in this conference from a foreign country, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Science as an Emerging Academic Frontier: Implications for Energy Research," Presentation at the Fourth National Symposium on Frontiers of Engineering organized by the Indian National Academy of Engineering, SRI Convention Centre, Anupuram, India, September 16-17 (2009).

 

Then I visited Rome, Italy to participate in the Working Meeting on International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2010 held at the Sapienza University of Rome on September 20-21. Following ICSS 2009, which was held at the University of Tokyo on February 5-7, 2009, ICSS 2010 will be hosted by the Italian Interuniversity Research Centre on Sustainability Development (CIRPS) on June 23-25. I will chair the Ph.D. Seminar on Sustainability Science in this conference. In the evening on September 21 Sustainability Science Seminar - Economic Trends and New Scenarios/Perspectives for the Markets of the New Decade was organized by H2Roma, and I participated in this seminar as one of the speakers.

Yarime, Masaru, "Economic and Market Implications of Sustainability Science: A Japanese Perspective," H2Roma Sustainability Science Seminar: Economic Trends and New Perspectives for the Markets of the New Decade, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, September 21 (2009).

 

On September 24-25 the Book Workshop "Passenger Road Transport in Transition?" was held at the United Nations University Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology (UNU-MERIT) in Maastricht, the Netherlands. The outcome of this project will be published as a book in the Routledge Studies in Sustainability Transition. I plan to write a chapter on a transition to the introduction of electric vehicles in the future.

 

I also visited the United States to participate in the Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2009 held on October 2-3 at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. In this conference I chaired Session 6C: Knowledge Use and Exchange for Policy and Society in Japan and presented the following paper:

Yarime, Masaru, "Network of Research and Policy Communities for Innovation: An Analysis of Co-Evolution of Technology and Institution," Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2009, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, October 2-3 (2009).

 

September 11, 2009:

The following article will be published soon in the journal Sustainability Science:

Yarime, Masaru, Yoshiyuki Takeda, and Yuya Kajikawa, "Towards Institutional Analysis of Sustainability Science: A Quantitative Examination of the Patterns of Research Collaboration," Sustainability Science, forthcoming.

 

September 4, 2009:

The Asia Pacific Academy of Business in Society (APABIS) 2009 Conference will be held on November 5-6, 2009 at the Griffith Business School in Brisbane, Australia. I will participate as a speaker in the Plenary Session Four on Innovation and the Emerging Sustainable Enterprise Economy in the Asia-Pacific Region.

 

August 22, 2009:

I have joined the Nissan Leadership Program for Innovative Engineers (LPIE) as Tutor for the participants. This program has been supported by the Nissan Science Foundation.

 

I initiated to form a research group on anti-malaria nets with Dr. SAWADA Yasuyuki, Associate Professor of the Graduate School of Economics of the University of Tokyo, and Dr. ASAO Shuichiro of the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S). We intend to examine various aspects of developing, diffusing, and utilizing anti-malaria nets from inter-/trans-disciplinary perspectives. There are many relevant issues, including basic medical and epidemiological research, technological development, social institutions, aid systems, diplomacy and international relations. We investigate complementarities between different approaches and explore possibilities for coordination and integration among academic disciplines.

 

We organized the First Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets on July 29, 2009 at the University of Tokyo. Dr. SHONO Yoshinori of Sumitomo Chemical discussed the development of the Olyset Net.

First Research Seminar on Anti-Malaria Nets

Date: Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 18:00-20:30

Venue: Graduate School of Economics, Hongo Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: "Development of the Olyset Net by Sumitomo Chemical"

Speaker: Dr. SHONO Yoshinori, Team Leader, Technical & Product Development Department, Vector Control Division, Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 24, 2009:

The 9th Research Seminar on Peacebuilding and Business "Recycling All Goods at UNIQLO" will be held on July 28 at 15:00-17:00 at the Division of University-Corporate Relations of the University of Tokyo, co-organized with the Division of University-Corporate Relations, Human Security Program (HSP), Peacebuilding Study Group, and Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. Mr. NITTA Yukihiro of UNIQLO will talk about the company's activities of recycling used clothes to be sent to refugees around the world in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representation in Japan.

 

July 16, 2009:

I have joined the European Sustainability Science Group (ESSG), a group of researchers who are actively involved in research as well as practices on sustainability science in Europe and other regions.

 

July 8, 2009:

The following book has been published by VDM Verlag (Germany):

Yarime, Masaru, From End-of-Pipe Technology to Clean Technology: Environmental Policy and Technological Change in the Chlor-Alkali Industry in Japan and Europe, Saarbrücken, Germany: VDM Verlag, 472 pages (2009).

The intensive industrial development, while producing numerous useful products, has been increasingly interfering with the limited capacities of ecosystems. Various environmental policies have been introduced to reduce emissions. While there is a serious concern about negative impacts of tightened regulations on industry, they could actually enhance industrial competitiveness by encouraging innovation in the long run. This book sheds a fresh light on this debate by closely examining the interaction between environmental policy and technological change in the chlor-alkali industry in Japan and Europe. Weak regulations promote end-of-pipe technological solutions, which would function to prolong the life of existing, often obsolescent, production processes. Excessively stringent regulations, in contrast, while forcing clean technological options, could induce premature decisions on inferior technologies. Institutional designs for public-private collaboration will be important in fostering innovation for the best clean technologies. The analysis should be useful to corporate managers and policy makers for strategic decision makings in a transition towards a sustainable society.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT................................................................................................... 5
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 6
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... 10

1. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 17
1.1 PROBLEM AND RESEARCH METHODS ................................................................ 17
1.2 OUTLINE OF THE THESIS ...................................................................................... 25

2. ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
REGULATION ON TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE ........................................................... 31
2.1 PREVIOUS STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION ON
TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE ......................................................................................... 31
2.1.1 Theoretical Models ............................................................................................... 31
2.1.2 Empirical Studies ........................................................ ......................................... 48
2.2 TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEALING WITH EMISSIONS FROM CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES ....................................................................................................................... 54
2.2.1 End-of-Pipe Technology ....................................................................................... 56
2.2.2 Clean Technology ................................................................................................ 60
2.3 DIVERGING EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS ON TECHNOLOGICAL
CHANGE ....................................................................................................................... 66
2.3.1 Environmental Policy Making under Uncertainty .................................................. 66
2.3.2 Choice between the End-of-Pipe Technology and the Clean Technology ........... 70
2.3.3 Technological Progress through R&D and Learning ............................................ 77
2.4 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 91
APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................... 94

3. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CHLOR-ALKALI INDUSTRY ................ 99
3.1 PRODUCTION OF CHLOR-ALKALI PRODUCTS .................................................... 99
3.1.1 Chlorine and Caustic Soda ................................................................................... 99
3.1.2 Production .......................................................................................................... 104
3.2 THREE DOMINANT TECHNOLOGIES FOR CHLOR-ALKALI PRODUCTION: MERCURY PROCESS, DIAPHRAGM PROCESS, AND ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS ................................................................................................................... 107
3.3 TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE PRIOR TO THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
REGULATIONS ........................................................................................................... 111
3.3.1 Development of the Mercury Process ................................................................ 112
3.3.2 Development of the Diaphragm Process ............................................................ 122
3.3.3 Diffusion of the Mercury Process in Western Europe and Japan ....................... 131
3.4 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 147
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................... 149

4. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN
THE JAPANESE CHLOR-ALKALI INDUSTRY .............................................................. 150
4.1 REGULATORY DECISION ON THE PHASE OUT OF THE MERCURY PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 150
4.2 CONVERSION OF THE MERCURY PROCESS TO THE DIAPHRAGM PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 155
4.3 INTERRUPTION OF THE PROCESS CONVERSION SCHEDULE AND EVALUATION OF THE ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS ..................................................... 165
4.4 TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS ................................................................................................................... 169
4.4.1 Characteristics of the Ion Exchange Membrane Process ................................... 169
4.4.2 Patents on Technologies for Chlor-Alkali Production ......................................... 178
4.4.3 Technological Developments of the Ion Exchange Membrane Process by
Innovative Companies in Japan .................................................................................. 183
4.5 MODIFICATION OF REGULATORY SCHEDULE AND ADOPTION OF THE ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS .......................................................................... 224
4.6 COSTLY TRANSITION FROM THE MERCURY PROCESS TO THE DIAPHRAGM PROCESS AND THEN TO THE ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS ................. 229
4.7 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 235
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................... 240

5. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE IN
THE WESTERN EUROPEAN CHLOR-ALKALI INDUSTRY .......................................... 258
5.1 IMPOSITION OF EMISSION STANDARDS ON MERCURY ................................... 258
5.1.1 Paris Commission ............................................................................................... 259
5.1.2 European Community ......................................................................................... 271
5.2 REDUCTION OF MERCURY EMISSIONS WITH END-OF-PIPE TECHNOLOGIES ........................................................................................................................ 280
5.2.1 Patents on Chlor-Alkali Production Technologies ............................................... 280
5.2.2 Development of End-of-Pipe Technologies for the Reduction of Mercury Emissions ........................................................................................................................ 289
5.2.3 Continued Use of the Mercury Process with End-of-Pipe Technologies ............ 301
5.3 DELAYED DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS .............................................................................................. 305
5.4 SLOW DIFFUSION OF THE ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE PROCESS ................ 324
5.4.1 Availability of Information on the Ion Exchange Membrane Process ................... 324
5.4.2 Profitability of the Adoption of the Ion Exchange Membrane Process ................. 328
5.4.3 Long Lifetime of Chlor-Alkali Plants Based on the Mercury Process .................. 339
5.5 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................... 350
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................... 356

6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION .............................................................................. 382

APPENDIX. EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION ON TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE OF THE CHEMICAL PROCESSES FOR CHLORALKALI PRODUCTION ..... 401
A.1 LEBLANC PROCESS ............................................................................................ 401
A.1.1 Hydrogen Chloride Emissions ............................................................................ 404
A.1.2 Tank Waste ........................................................................................................ 408
A.1.3 Nitrogen Oxides Emissions ................................................................................. 410
A.1.4 Improvement of the Leblanc Process through End-of-Pipe Technologies .......... 412
A.2 AMMONIA SODA PROCESS ................................................................................. 413
A.3 CONCLUDING REMARK ....................................................................................... 421

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 423

 

July 7, 2009:

We will have the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 10 on Monday, July 13 at 14:45-16:10 at Lecture Room 3 of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa Campus of the University of Tokyo. Professor Vanessa Oltra of the University of Bordeaux, France will discuss evolutionary approaches to industrial dynamics and eco-innovations and their implications for conducting research in sustainability science. If you are interested in this issue, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 10

Title: "Eco-Innovation and Industrial Dynamics in an Evolutionary Perspective"

Date: Monday, July 13 at 14:45-16:25
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker: Vanessa Oltra, Associate Professor, Research Group on Applied and Theoretical Economics (GREThA), University of Bordeaux, France

Abstract:
This seminar will present an overview of the research works on eco-innovation and industrial dynamics. The first part will be dedicated to a discussion of the evolutionary framework and its contributions to the analysis of eco-innovations. In a second part, we will discuss the empirical literature on the determinants of eco-innovations trying to emphasize the specificities of eco-innovation in comparison with innovation in general. The third part will focus on sectoral systems of eco-innovation. The purpose is to stress the differences in eco-innovation patterns across industrial sectors and to take into account self-reinforcement and lock-in effects characterizing industrial dynamics. In the last part, we will discuss how eco-innovative strategies of firms can be studied in evolutionary agent-based simulation models and what kind of results can be obtained with this type of methodology.

Biography:
Vanessa OLTRA is Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Bordeaux (France) and researcher at GREThA (Research Group on Applied and Theoretical Economics). She is the coordinator of a European research network on "Eco-innovations" within the DIME ('Dynamics of Institutions and Markets in Europe') European Network of Excellence (http://www.dime-eu.org/wp25). Her background is on innovation studies with a specialisation on evolutionary theory of innovation and industrial dynamics simulation models. She is working for several years on eco-innovations conducting empirical and theoretical research projects on the determinants of eco-innovation and the role of policy instruments, the role of eco-innovation in industrial dynamics and firms' innovative strategies.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

July 1, 2009:

Professor Vanessa Oltra, Groupe de Recherche en Économie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA), University of Bordeaux IV, France has been invited to stay at GPSS for one month and will give the Special Lecture on Sustainability Science II: Evolutionary Analysis of Innovation Systems, Industrial Dynamics, and Sustainability at Lecture Room 4 on the fourth floor of the Environmental Building.

The schedule of the lectures is as follows:

Friday, July 3 at 14:45-16:25 and 16:30-18:10
Friday, July 10 at 14:45-16:25 and 16:30-18:10
Friday, July 17 at 14:45-16:25 and 16:30-18:10.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

June 26, 2009:

The 17th GERPISA International Colloquium was held on June 17-19 in Paris. The following paper was presented in Session 2 on New Technologies - Electric Vehicles:

Dijk, Marc, and Masaru Yarime, "Emergence of Electric Engines and Co-evolution of the Car Engine Market: Post-1990 Path Creation in a Path Dependent Sector," Paper presented at the 17th GERPISA International Colloquium on Sustainable Development in the Automobile Industry: Changing Landscapes and Actors Research Programme on Sustainable Development in the Automobile Industry, Paris, France, 17-19 June (2009).

 

June 24, 2009:

The following article has been published in the Journal of Cleaner Production:

Yarime, Masaru, "Public Coordination for Escaping from Technological Lock-in: Its Possibilities and Limits in Replacing Diesel Vehicles with Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles in Tokyo," Journal of Cleaner Production, 17 (14), 1281-1288 (2009).

 

June 23, 2009:

We will organize the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 9 on Friday, June 26 at 16:30-18:30 at Lecture Room 3. Please join us in discussing the important issue of research and education in sustainability science.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 9

Title: Theory, Empirical Research, and Teaching in Sustainability Science – Challenges, Gaps, and Future Trajectories

Speakers: Dr. Arnim Wiek and David Iwaniec, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, United States

Abstract:
The emerging field of sustainability science proposes new ways of organizing and conducting science from a problem-driven and solution oriented perspective in close collaboration with non-academic stakeholder groups. Thereby, sustainability science is challenging dominant research and teaching institutions in place (rules-in-use). These challenges have led to some significant gaps with respect to the congruence between the theoretical framework and the actual research  and teaching practices in sustainability science. Yet, promising future trajectories and strategies have been developed to establish genuine sustainability programs in research and education. In this seminar, we will be exploring some of the challenges and strategies with the example of a graduate course in sustainability science at the University of Tokyo.

Biographical Statements:
Arnim Wiek is an Assistant Professor in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. He has conducted sustainability research on urban development, land use conflicts, and resource management in different European countries, Canada, USA, and Sri Lanka, as well as on sustainable governance of nanotechnology and nuclear power. His methodological research has focused on the collaboration between scientists and non-academic partners from government, business, and the civil society to support sustainability transitions. His current interest addresses the question of how sustainability science can be developed as a genuine problem- and solution-oriented research field to make a substantial contribution to sustainability challenges. Prior to Arizona State University, he was Visiting Scientist at the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, with funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (2007-2008). He holds a PhD in environmental sciences from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, a Master’s degree in environmental sciences from the University of Jena, and a Master’s degree in philosophy from the Free University Berlin.

David Iwaniec is a PhD student in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University, with funding from the National Science Foundation. He holds a Master’s degree in Biological Sciences with concentrations in both Mathematics and Statistics from Florida International University. His Master’s research was in the field of ecosystems ecology. His background includes research on system stability, valuation of ecosystem services, ecosystem-based management, and systems modeling. His research interests have evolved toward use-inspired sustainability research on urban stability and state change. He is passionate about furthering the development of sustainability science and contributing to the innovations associated with this developing field. Another area of interest is teaching and learning, especially product-driven working group models which allow for peer-teaching and facilitated collaboration.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

June 22, 2009:

DRUID Society Summer Conference 2009 on Innovation, Strategy and Knowledge was held on June 17-19 in Copenhagen. I presented the following paper in the Parallel Session 48 on Eco-Innovation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Eco-Innovation through University-Industry Collaboration: Co-Evolution of Technology and Institution for the Development of Lead-Free Solders," Paper presented at the DRUID Society Summer Conference 2009, Copenhagen Business School, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 17-19 (2009).

 

June 8, 2009:

The following article will be published soon in the International Journal of Innovation Management:

Baba, Yasunori, Masaru Yarime, and Naohiro Shichijo, "Sources of Success in Advanced Materials Innovation: The Role of 'Core Researchers' in University-Industry Collaboration in Japan," International Journal of Innovation Management, forthcoming.

 

June 1, 2009:

Dr. Arnim Wiek, Associate Professor, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, United States has been invited to stay at GPSS for one month and will give special lectures in the Practical Course on Systems Thinking and Consensus Building.

 

May 31, 2009:

The 2009 IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST) was held on May 18-20 in Phoenix, Arizona in the Untied States. I presented the following paper at ISSST Track 1: Products, Systems, and Services - Green Design and Manufacturing.

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing Forth Sustainability Innovation in the Electronic Industry: The Case of Lead-Free Solders," Paper presented at the 2009 IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology, Tempe, Arizona, United States, May 18-20 (2009).

I also participated in the IEEE Sustainability Ad Hoc Committee held at the same time.

 

After ISSST I left Phoenix for Paris to participate in the CSTP Expert Workshop on Fostering Innovation to Address Social Challenges held on May 25-26 at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). As the Discussant of Session 2, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on Barriers to Research and Innovation for Solving Social Challenges," Presentation at the CSTP Workshop on Fostering Innovation to Address Social Challenges, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France, May 25-26 (2009).

 

May 5, 2009:

The following article will be published soon in the Journal of Cleaner Production:

Yarime, Masaru, "Public Coordination for Escaping from Technological Lock-in: Its Possibilities and Limits in Replacing Diesel Vehicles with Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles in Tokyo," Journal of Cleaner Production, forthcoming.

 

May 4, 2009:

Todai Forum 2009 on Human Security and Business was held at the Cass Business School, City University London on April 27 and 28. At Session 3 on Governance, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Sustainable Business Models for Human Security: From Corporate Governance to Social Innovation," Session 3 on Governance, Todai Forum 2009 on Human Security and Business, Cass Business School, City University London, London, United Kingdom, April 27-28 (2009).

 

April 17, 2009:

We will organize a Briefing Session for Prospective Students to the Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at 13:00 at the FS Hall of the the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. If you are interested in applying for admission to GPSS, please join us.

 

April 1, 2009:

Since April I have become a member of the editorial board of the international journal Sustainability Science (Springer).

 

March 28, 2009:

On March 24 I made a presentation at the Council for Chemical Innovation Strategies of the Japan Chemical Innovation Institute (JCII):

Yarime, Masaru, "Chemical Innovation for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Council for Chemical Innovation Strategies, Japan Chemical Innovation Institute (JCII), Tokyo, March 24 (2009).

 

Since March 2009 I have become a member of the Sustainability Ad Hoc Committee of IEEE.

 

March 22, 2009:

The following paper has been published in Energy and Resources, Vol. 30, No. 2 (2009):

Mino, Takashi, Motoharu Onuki, and Masaru Yarime, "Human Resource Development for the Establishment of a Sustainable Society and the Role of University" (in Japanese), Energy and Resources, 30 (2), 48-52 (2009).

 

March 21, 2009:

The Collaborative Workshop on National Strategies for Science, Technology, and Innovation and the Role of Academic Societies and Associations was organized by the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management (JSSPRM) and the Japanese Society for Science and Technology Studies (JSSTS) on March 17 at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo. I made the following presentation in Session 3 "Challenges in Japanese Strategies for Science, Technology, and Innovation: Policy Process and Knowledge Use."

Yarime, Masaru, "The Role of Research and Policy Communities for Innovation: Transdisciplinary Approaches for Tackling Social Issues" (in Japanese), Collaborative Workshop on National Strategies for Science, Technology, and Innovation and the Role of Academic Societies and Associations, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, March 17 (2009).

 

We will organize the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 8 on Wednesday, March 25 at 10:00-11:30 at Lecture Room 3 of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Dr. Barry Ness of Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) in Sweden will discuss the development of assessment tools in sustainability science with a case study of the Swedish sugar sector. If you are interested in this issue, please feel free to join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 8

"Sustainability of the Swedish Sugar Sector: Assessment Tool Development and Case Study Appraisal"

Date: Wednesday, March 25, 10:00-11:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker: Dr. Barry Ness, Centre for Sustainability Studies, Lund University (LUCSUS), Sweden

Abstract:
This thesis contributes to the development of tools and methods for assessing sustainability and applies them to an assessment of the Swedish sugar production system. The thesisf aims are to compile an overview of the existing approaches for assessing sustainability, to suggest a method(s) for structuring and analyzing complex sustainability issues, and to appraise sustainability impacts from Swedish sugar production. The sugar sector analyses uncovered a number of regional to global sustainability challenges stemming from the production system.? An analysis using an integrated assessment model calculated the impacts for a number of social and ecological indicators accompanying the ongoing decrease in the sugar production quota and beet and sugar prices for Sweden. A GIS-based proximity analysis tool was used to calculate beet transport distances. Distance results are then used to estimate diesel fuel consumption and air emissions for five pollutants during the movement of beets from field to processing facility.

The assessment tool survey and categorization showed that many available approaches for assessing sustainability are incomplete when more holistic interpretations of sustainability are considered, but that development to address the deficiencies is ongoing with many of the approaches. A new approach to structure complex issues of unsustainability that fuses the DPSIR framework within Torsten Hagerstrandfs system of nested domains is also presented. The research presented in the thesis is a first step in a long pathway to a comprehensive understanding and development of sustainability science and the actualization of sustainable development.

Biography:
Barry Ness of Lund University is the first to receive a doctoral degree in sustainability science in Sweden. He also holds a Masterfs degree from Lund in environmental studies and sustainability science (LUMES) and a Bachelorfs degree in economics from the University of Minnesota. His research interests are diverse but focus significantly on understanding the variety of tools that exist for sustainability assessment, conceptualizing complex problems of sustainability based on scale and cross-scale interactions, and quantitative environmental and sustainability assessment. The majority of Barryfs recent research has focused on the assessment of industrial agricultural systems for food bioenergy along with other past research focusing on municipal solid waste treatment and waste water purification systems. Barry was born and raised in the United States, but has lived in Southern Sweden for the past decade.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

March 14, 2009:

The International Workshop on Knowledge Use and Exchange in Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy Formation under Major Government Initiatives: From an International Perspective was held in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 11. In this workshop we discussed the findings of the International Collaborative Project on Innovation Policy and the Methodologies of Policy Analysis, organized by the Economic and Social Research Institute of the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. I made the following presentation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Research and Policy Communities in Japan: Towards an Analysis of University-Industry-Government Networks," Presentation at the International Workshop on Knowledge Use and Exchange in the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy Formation under Major Government Initiatives: From an International Perspective, Tokyo, March 11 (2009).

 

We will organize the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 7 on Wednesday, March 18. The speaker is Dr. Eniola Fabusoro, an agro-sociologist at the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development of the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in Nigeria. He will discuss essential values for sustainability in developing countries from the perspective of culture and modernization.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 7

"Culture and Modernisation: Essential Values for Sustainability in Developing Societies"

Date: Wednesday, March 18, 10:00-11:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker:
Eniola Fabusoro, PhD
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
(Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Advanced Social and International Relations, University of Tokyo)

Abstract:
When I first came to Japan in 2005, I received a great shock of my life that a country so well developed still retains main parts of his culture despite its high level of modernisation. Now eam back in 2009, the situation is still the same, at least to an outsider like me. Then I looked back to my country and continent Africa that has been struggling to develop, yet gravitating rapidly towards modernisation. As a foreigner that could not speak any Japanese language other than earigatof, I begin to appreciate the high level of modernisation in the midst of rich cultural heritage. Being an academic with some knowledge in sociology, I took interest in analysing the society sociologically and compare with some developed and developing societies around me. I found out that there have been many debates on the interplay between culture or tradition, as often termed by many scholars, and modernisation. Although many of these differ in their hypotheses and submissions, a common landing point, particularly among sociologists and cultural anthropologists, has been the beauty of ecultural modernisationf which has been seen to be a factor in the sustainable development of some societies. While accepting modernisation as a way of life necessary for every society to keep in tune with the globalised world, the integration of culture into this process, I have seen, will ensure sustainability of the developing societies over time. It will require a conscious import of modernised ideals adapted into the socio-cultural system of those societies. I take culture to be the root of every society and fundamental to the sustainability of what ever forms of development a society may achieve. Also if culture is taken as a eway of lifef, it may be a time to do a cultural stock taking of some societies to see what eways of lifef are congenital to sustainable development and which ones are not. In the face of global financial and food crisis and the imminent climate change, the developing societies in Africa need to adopt or redefine certain values that will ensure the sustainability of their development efforts and restore hope for the future generation. Some African societies were far better than Japan after the end of World War II in 1945. Ghana and South Korea had similar economies in the 1960s; Nigeria had greater potential to develop that Malaysia in the end of 1960s. Today the reason why the Asian have developed and African undeveloped are rooted in the cultural values adopted by the two societies. Since our focus is on sustainability, this paper will generate discussion issues to understand the intricacies of culture in sustainable development.

A Brief of Profile:
Eniola Fabusoro is an agro-sociologist and presently a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo. With an agricultural background, he is more interested in research on rural sociology and development issues and has good experience of rural situation and pastoral livelihoods in other parts of Africa, particularly countries of west, central and east Africa. He is a two times grantee of the International Foundation for Science (IFS) and a Fellow of Agriculture for Peace in Africa of the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies, Japan. He has special interest in issues relating to property rights, social dynamics and collective action, conflict management and transformation, development communication, spatial factors in livelihoods analysis, natural resource use, among others. He works permanently for the department of agricultural extension and rural development, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

March 13, 2009:

Mr. Hans Pohl of the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden has been staying in my group since the beginning of January 2009.

Mr. Hans Pohl, Department of Technology Management and Economics, Chalmers University of Technology, Goteborg, Sweden.

The topic of our joint research is comparative analysis of the development of electric vehicles in Japan, Europe, and the United States. He will stay here until the end of August.

 

Dr. Barry Ness of Lund University, Sweden has been staying in my group from the beginning to the end of March.

Dr. Barry Ness, Center for Sustainability Studies, Lund University (LUCSUS), Lund, Sweden.

He gives special lectures on Sustainability Assessment and Systems Analysis, and we are discussing future collaboration for education and research activities on sustainability science.

 

We organized the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 6 on February 10. The speaker was Dr. S. M. Atiqul Islam, Associate Professor of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET). He presented the current state of water pollution, including arsenic pollution, and discussed possibilities and challenges for taking effective countermeasures.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 6

Date: Thursday, February 10, 10:00-11:30
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

"The Perspectives of Water Environment in Bangladesh"

Dr. S.M. Atiqul Islam, Associate Professor, Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh

Broad Abstract:

Safe water and sanitation are essential for the development of public health. The Government of Bangladesh has a goal to ensure that all people have access to safe water and sanitation services at an affordable cost. To achieve this goal and to ensure that development in the water supply and sanitation sector is equitable and sustainable, formulation of National Policy for Safe Water Supply and Sanitation is essential. GOB started initiative with the help of UNICEF in early 70s of past century and got success in water supply. GOB could able to cover more than 98% people with safe drinking water by supplying groundwater using simple technology hand tube-well within 20 years. This success became ruined when toxic arsenic was observed in ground water of Bangladesh almost all over the country.

Groundwater contamination by arsenic is a severe problem now in Bangladesh. Presently, 59 districts and 60% land are affected by arsenic contamination. It is estimated that more than 35 million people are consuming arsenic-polluted ground water alone in Bangladesh where underground water is used mainly for drinking and cooking (Das et al., 2004). The worst affected districts are Chandpur, Bagerhat, Comilla, Meherpur, Jessore, Chapai Nawabganj, Rajshahi and Rangpur (BGS, 2000). The World Health Organization (WHO) considers drinking water to be safe at arsenic concentrations below 0.01 mg/l.? According to Bangladesh national standards, the maximum permissible limit for Arsenic is 0.05 mg/l.? In 2002, the total number of arsenic- related patients in Bangladesh was estimated at approximately 13,000 people.

In Bangladesh, most attention has been given to the arsenic contamination of drinking water. Besides domestic use (drinking, cooking, washing, etc.), significant quantities of water from shallow aquifers are being used in the dry season especially for irrigating paddy and vegetables. In Bangladesh, both shallow tube-wells (STW) and deep tube-wells (DTW) are used in large numbers (approximately 2.6 million) to irrigate about 2.5 million ha of land, which contributes significantly to the countryfs food grain production. Long-term use of arsenic contaminated water for irrigation purposes may result in elevated arsenic concentration in soils (Ullah, 1998; Alam and Satter, 2000; Huq et al., 2003; Ali et al., 2003; Islam et al., 2004; Islam et al., 2006; 2007). Use of arsenic contaminated irrigation water for growing crops in arsenic rich soil may lead to crop yield losses and elevated arsenic concentrations in cereals, vegetables and other agricultural products (Abedin et al., 2002; Meharg and Rahman, 2003; Hironaka? and Ahmed, 2003; Williams et al., 2003; Das et al., 2004; Islam et al., 2006). Rice is the staple food crop and production of rice is largely dependent on arsenic contaminated irrigation water, which explains the importance of arsenic issue in rice. Objective of this presentation is to provide a knowledge base on water environment of Bangladesh and associated activities that pose risk to sustainability human and eco-system as well.

Dr. S.M. Atiqul Islam, Associate Professor, DUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Sep 2005 - Mar 2006: Project Research Associate, Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S), University of Tokyo
Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering, Department of Urban Engineering, University of Tokyo (2005)

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

February 27, 2009:

The following articles have been published in the Journal of Science Policy and Research Management, Vol. 23, No. 3 (2008).

Juma, Calestous, and Masaru Yarime, "The Role of Institutions of Higher Learning in Creating Innovation for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Journal of Science Policy and Research Management, 23 (3), 186-193 (2008).

Yarime, Masaru, "Sustainability Innovation as a Knowledge Circulation System" (in Japanese), Journal of Science Policy and Research Management, 23 (3), 227-235 (2008).

 

February 26, 2009:

I have been appointed as a Special Coordinating Member of the Subcommittee on International Scientific Data of the Committee on Information Science of the Science Council of Japan.

 

February 25, 2009:

At the Forum on Sustainability Science Programs in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2009 held in Chicago, United States on February 12-16, I got interviewed by Medill Reports Chicago, which summarizes the discussions as follows:

"Sustainability science pulls from all fields to take on climate change challenges," Medill Reports Chicago, February 24 (2009).

 

February 24, 2009:

On Friday, January 23, I made a presentation at the Cirus Seminar organized at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG) in Zurich, Switzerland.

Yarime, Masaru, "Global Innovation Systems on Membrane Technologies," Cirus Seminar, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), Dubendorf, Switzerland, January 23 (2009).

 

I participated in the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2009 held at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich on January 26-29. At the Poster Session the following poster presentation was made:

Kajikawa, Yuya, Masaru Yarime, Yoshiyuki Takeda, Katsumori Matsushima, and Hiroshi Komiyama "Academic Landscape of Sustainability Science," Poster Presentation, Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2009, Zurich, Switzerland, January, 26-29 (2009).

 

Science-Society Symposium "History and Social Studies of Science as General Education at Graduate Schools: Towards Training of Society-Oriented Researchers" was organized by the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai) on January 30-31 at Shonan Village Center in Hayama, Kanagawa. In the symposium I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Institutionalization of Interactions between Science and Society" (in Japanese), Presentation at the Science-Society Symposium "History and Social Studies of Science as General Education at Graduate Schools: Towards Training of Society-Oriented Researchers," organized by the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan Village Center, Hayama, Kanagawa, January 30-31 (2009).

 

At the International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2009 held at the University of Tokyo on February 5-7, I organized Session 7 on the Development of Doctoral Programs on Sustainability Science as Session Chair. In the session I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Future Challenges in Sustainability Science," Presentation at Session 7 on the Development of Doctoral Programs on Sustainability Science, International Conference on Sustainability Science (ICSS) 2009, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, February 5-7 (2009).

 

On February 10 the 8th seminar of the Research Group on Peacebuilding and Business "Insect-Borne Diseases and the Development of Olyset Net" was held at the University of Tokyo, co-organized with the the Division of University-Corporate Relations, Human Security Program (HSP), Peacebuilding Study Group, Graduate Program in Sustainability Science (GPSS) of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, and the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS). Dr. ITO Takaaki of Sumitomo Chemical was invited to talk about the development of the insecticidal Olyset net for preventing the transmission of malaria and future challenges for its adoption and diffusion in Africa. In the seminar I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Social Business Models for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Presentation at the 8th Seminar of the Research Group on Peacebuilding and Business, University of Tokyo, February 10 (2009).

 

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2009 was held in Chicago, United States on February 12-16. I organized the Symposium on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainability of Our Planet on February 13 and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "University-Industry Collaboration for Sustainability Innovation," Presentation at the Symposium on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainability of Our Planet, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2009, Chicago, United States, February 13 (2009)

I also participated in the Session on Sustainability Science Programs, organized by Forum on Science and Innovation for Sustainable Development. Many experts involved in programs on sustainability science at universities and research institutes mainly in the United States discussed possibilities and challenges facing sustainability science, many of which have also been raised at the International Conference on Sustainability Science 2009 held in Tokyo on February 5-7. Among the issues discussed intensely by the participants include how to integrate different disciplines and approaches to establish sustainability science as an academic field, how to institutionalize sustainability science by developing career paths tenure systems, and how to collaborate various stakeholders in society including industry.

Medill News Service in Chicago covers the discussions on sustainability science at the AAAS Annual Meeting (although the report is not necessarily correct in details.)

"'Sustainability science' seeks to preserve food, water and energy on a beleaguered planet," Medill Reports Chicago, February 13 (2009).

 

January 19, 2009:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 5 on Monday, January 19 at 10:00-11:00 in Lecture Room 2 on the second floor of the Environmental Building. Dr. Espen Moe will discuss political economy of the energy industry, focusing on the role of vested interests and its implications for sustainability. If you are interested in this topic, please join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 5

"Energy, Industry and Politics: Some Schumpeterian Perspectives on Vested Interests and Structural Economic Change for Long-Term Growth and Development"

Date: Monday, January 19, 10:00-11:00
Venue: Lecture Room 2, Second Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker: Dr. Espen Moe
JSPS Post Doctoral Fellow, Kwansei Gakuin University, School of Policy Studies
Post Doctoral Fellow, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim (NTNU), Industrial Ecology Program
Ph.D., UCLA, Department of Political Science, 2004.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

December 20, 2008:

The Fourth International Symposium on Technological Innovations in Japan - Research on the History of Technology by Engineers - was held at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo on December 10-11. I made a presentation of the following paper on sustainability innovation:

Yarime, Masaru, "International Comparative Analysis of Innovation Systems for Sustainability" (in Japanese), Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Technological Innovations in Japan - Research on the History of Technology by Engineers -, 75-78 (2008).

 

Nissan Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS) 2008 was held on December 8-15 at Sajima Marina in Yokosuka, Japan. Approximately 40 graduate students coming from all over the world participated in the program and worked on various issues related to sustainability, with a particular focus on sustainable transportation systems in the future. I organized the module 5 on innovation and sustainability, responsible for a lecture and exercise.

Yarime, Masaru, "Module 5: Innovation and Sustainability," Nissan Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS) 2008, Yokosuka, Japan, December 13 (2008).

 

The Annual Research Workshop of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) was held on December 18 at the University of Tokyo. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Designing Data-Driven Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Presentation at the Annual Research Workshop of the Alliance for Global Sustainability, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, December 18 (2008).

 

October 31, 2008:

The following article has been published in the Journal of Japan Society of Information and Knowledge, Vol. 18, No. 3 (2008):

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishment of Global Information Commons for Innovation: Current Issues and Future Potentials" (in Japanese), Journal of Japan Society of Information and Knowledge, 18 (3), 249-259 (2008).

 

October 28, 2008:

We will organize Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 4 on Friday, November 7 at 16:30-18:00 at Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building in the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. Based on a recent report for the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the UK, Dr. Ismael Rafols of the University of Sussex will describe trends and characteristics of nanomaterials innovation systems and discuss how to establish and implement a effective governance system for nanomaterials innovation, utilizing policy and institutional mechanisms such as precautionary regulatory appraisal and transition management. If you are interested in this topic, please feel free to join us.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 4

"The Direction of Innovation in Nanomaterials"

Ismael Rafols, Patrick van Zwanenberg, Molly Morgan and Paul Nightingale

SPRU - Science & Technology Policy Research
University of Sussex
Brighton, BN1 9QE, England
I.Rafols@sussex.ac.uk
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/irafols

Date: Friday, November 7
Time: 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

This seminar is jointly organized with the Innovation and Institutionalization of Technology Assessment in Japan (I2TA).

Abstract:

A feature of both scholarly and policy debate on the governance of nanotechnologies is increasing attention to the role of human agency in the unfolding directions of technological futures. This is reflected, for example, in academic interest in how public engagement activities can be moved eupstreamf in the innovation process, and with official interest in whether, and how, socially legitimate and environmentally beneficial nanotechnology applications might be actively encouraged - alongside the more traditional regulatory concerns with minimising the adverse physical impacts of nanotechnology innovation.

In this paper we report one pilot research into the nature of innovation systems for one type of nanotechnology, namely nanomaterials, and the scope for its purposeful direction. Based on evolutionary assumptions about technology innovation and use, we first describe and examine the links between research, policy and economic actors in the innovation system. On the basis of this mapping we sketch some of the driving forces underlying the direction of current nanomaterials innovation and we identify potential points of policy intervention within those systems.

This empirical analysis is then linked to an assessment of potential regulatory mechanisms and governance strategies available to policy-makers. We describe how recent scholarship on precautionary regulatory appraisal and transition management highlights a suite of potentially useful policy mechanisms by which innovation could be purposefully directed and we describe where such mechanisms might be applied within the current nonmaterial innovation system.

Note: This presentation is based on a report we prepared for the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution available at:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/documents/spru-rcep-nanomaterials.pdf

Biography:

Ismael Rafols is a research fellow at SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research), University of Sussex (UK). He studies the emergence of new technologies, such as bionanotechnologies or synthetic biology, focusing on the (interdisciplinary) processes of translation/integration of knowledge among different epistemic cultures. He also contributes to broader studies on the mapping and the governance of nanotechnologies. Before his arrival to SPRU in 2004, Ismael had worked as a biophysicist in Tohoku Univ. (Japan) and Cornell Univ., as well as on international cooperation in Oxfam and the City Council of Barcelona.

Contact: YARIME Masaru

 

October 17, 2008:

The following book on the potentials and challenges in utilizing hydrogen in the transport sector with a particular focus on developing countries has been just published, including my chapter on the strategy of the Japanese automobile industry on hybrid and fuel cell vehicles. Its contents are now accessible through the web page of Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC):

Yarime, Masaru, Hideaki Shiroyama, and Yusuke Kuroki, "The Strategies of the Japanese Auto Industry in Developing Hybrid and Fuel Cell Vehicles," in Lynn K. Mytelka and Grand Boyle, eds., Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries, Tokyo: United Nations University Press; and Ottawa: IDRC Press, 187-212 (2008).

 

October 16, 2008:

At the Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo, I supervised the following master's thesis, which was completed in September 2008:

Du, Yuming, "Quantitative Analysis of Regional Data on Environmental Investment and Industry in China," Master's Thesis (Supervisor: YARIME Masaru), Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, September (2008).

 

October 15, 2008:

I participated in the DIME International Conference on Innovation, Sustainability and Policy held on September 11-13 at GREThA, University Montesquieu Bordeaux IV, Bordeaux, France. This conference was organized by the EU-funded research project, Dynamics of Institutions and Markets in Europe (DIME). I made a presentation on a case study of sustainable innovation in Japan.

Yarime, Masaru, "Effects of University-Industry Collaboration Networks on the Co-evolution of Technology and Institution: Innovation on Lead-Free Solders in Japan, Europe, and the United States," Paper presented at the DIME International Conference on Innovation, Sustainability and Policy, GREThA, University Montesquieu Bordeaux IV, Bordeaux, France, September 11-13, pp. 1-41 (2008).

The issue of innovation and sustainability has been increasingly emphasized in many parts of the world, especially in Europe.

 

After the DIME conference, I visited New Delhi, India to participate in the 14th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference. At Track 1: Sustainability Science, I presented a bibliometric examination of research collaboration towards institutional analysis of sustainability science.

Yarime, Masaru, Yoshiyuki Takeda, and Yuya Kajikawa, "Towards Institutional Analysis of Sustainability Science: An Examination of the Patterns of Research Collaboration," Paper presented at the 14th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference, New Delhi, India, September 21-23, pp. 1-26 (2008).

 

Following the conference in New Delhi, I returned to Europe as I was also invited as a speaker to the 5th BMBF Forum for Sustainability: Research for Sustainability - Driver for Innovation, Berlin, Germany, September 23-25, organized by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). At Session E1: Global Perspectives for Sustainability Science - Which Way for Europe?, I presented our research and educational activities conducted on sustainability science in Japan.

Yarime, Masaru, "Exploring Sustainability Science: Opportunities and Challenges for Innovation," Invited Speech, Session E1: Global Perspectives for Sustainability Science - Which Way for Europe?, 5th BMBF Forum for Sustainability: Research for Sustainability - Driver for Innovation, Berlin, Germany, September 23-25 (2008).

Recently it has become an important issue to policy makers in many countries in Europe, notably Germany, how to make an effective linkage from research on sustainability to innovation in society, and discussions have been started at different levels for establishing and implementing collaboration between policy, science, and industrial communities. At the BMBF conference, I also took part in the Film Project "Research for Sustainability".

 

During my stay in Berlin, I could participate in a meeting of European Sustainability Science Group (ESSG). We had very fruitful discussions with regard to the establishment of sustainability science as an academic field (concepts, methodologies, and tools), institutionalization (organizations, journals, educational systems, career paths), and networking with and outreach to stakeholders in society. Taking this opportunity, I have joined ESSG as an affiliate member.

 

On October 5-8 I participated in the 21th International CODATA Conference "Scientific Information for Society - From Today to the Future" held at the National Technical University of Ukraine, "Kyiv Polytechnic Institute," Kyiv, Ukraine. At this conference I organized Session G1: Structuring Data, Information, and Knowledge for Sustainability Science and Innovation and made a presentation on the role and implications of the Global Information Commons for Science Initiative (GICSI) for sustainability science and innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Global Information Commons for Science Initiative and Its Implications for Sustainability Science and Innovation," Session G1: Structuring Data, Information, and Knowledge for Sustainability Science and Innovation, 21th International CODATA Conference "Scientific Information for Society - From Today to the Future," Kyiv, Ukraine, October 5-8 (2008).

 

August 6, 2008:

At the STS Network Japan Summer School 2008, which was held on August 1-3 in Matsushima, Miyagi, Japan, I participated as a panelist on the Panel Session on Innovation and Science and Technology Policy and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Diversity in Innovation Studies: Towards Dialogue between the Science and Technology Policy (STP) and STS Communities" (in Japanese), Panel Session on Innovation and Science and Technology Policy, STS Network Japan Summer School 2008, Matsushima, Miyagi, Japan, August 3 (2008).

 

July 20, 2008:

The following article on sustainability science has been published in the Japanese journal of the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S) Sasutena:

Yarime, Masaru, "Possibilities and Challenges in Sustainability Science: IR3S, AAAS, and GPSS" (in Japanese), Sasutena, 8, 92-98 (2008).

 

July 15, 2008:

I have just joined as a member the International Collaboration Project on Innovation Policy and Policy Analysis Methodology, Economic and Social Research Institute, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. We plan to examine process models for science, technology, and innovation policy-making and to discuss how to improve the current policy-making process, analyzing the conditions for effectively channeling the findings of the academic community of policy studies to the policy makers.

 

July 14, 2008:

A book which discusses the possibilities and challenges for the utilization of hydrogen in the transport sector will be published soon:

Lynn K. Mytelka and Grand Boyle, eds., Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries, Tokyo: United Nations University Press; and Ottawa: IDRC Press (2008).

I have written a chapter which examines the strategies of Japanese automobile manufacturers on developing hybrid and fuel cell vehicles:

Yarime, Masaru, Hideaki Shiroyama, and Yusuke Kuroki, "The Strategies of the Japanese Auto Industry in Developing Hybrid and Fuel Cell Vehicles," in Lynn K. Mytelka and Grand Boyle, eds., Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries, Tokyo: United Nations University Press; and Ottawa: IDRC Press, 187-212 (2008).

 

July 8, 2008:

There will be a seminar on sustainability from the perspective of regional innovation systems on Friday, July 11 at 16:30-18:00 at the Lecture Room 3. The speaker is Dr. Fumi Kitagawa, Assistant Professor of Lund University in Sweden. She will discuss the implications of recent studies on regional innovation systems for the issue of sustainability, using some case studies in Europe. If you are interested, you are most welcome to participate in this seminar.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 3

"Sustainability from the Perspective of Regional Innovation Systems"

Date: Friday, July 11, 2008
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Third Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker: Fumi Kitagawa, PhD (Urban and Regional Studies)
Assistant Professor
Centre for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy (CIRCLE)
Lund University, Sweden

Abstract:
The aim of the presentation is twofold. Firstly, I would like to introduce Centre for Innovation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy (CIRCLE) at Lund University in Sweden, where I am based. CIRCLE was set up as an interdisciplinary research centre in 2004, as a research centre of excellence in innovation studies. I would like to tell you some of the works I am currently working on at CIRCLE (e.g. ESF funded project, Constructing Regional Advantage). Secondly, although I donft have any expertise in the areas of sustainability studies myself, I would like to give a short presentation on esustainability issues from regional innovation systems perspectivef. This is based on some of the recent works conducted by Professor Phil Cooke at Cardiff University in the UK on Cleantech and platform policies (Cooke, 2008). The complex content of the clean tech platform will be identified - encompassing energy related agriculture, air and environment, materials, and healthcare biosciences. Some of the cases in Denmark, Sweden etc will be discussed. I will try to link this to recent theoretical discussion in the area of economic geography.

Short Bio:
Fumi Kitagawa joined CIRCLE as Assistant professor in January 2008. Previously, she worked as Research Fellow at Department of Higher Education, National Institute for Educational Policy Research (NIER) in Japan, conducting a wide range of research on higher education policy issues. Between 2006 and 2007, Fumi was involved in two international peer review teams for the OECD project "Supporting the Contribution of HEIs to Regional Development" (Metropolitan City of Pusan in South Korea, and the Atlantic Canada region in Canada). In 2005, she held Jean Monnet Fellowship at European University Institute as part of the European Forum gThe role of universities in innovation systemsh whilst she was a lecturer at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo. She received her doctorate degree from the University of Birmingham in 2004, and her PhD thesis was entitled Universities and Regional Advantage in the Knowledge Economy: Markets, Governance and Networks as Developing in English Regions.

Organizer: YARIME Masaru

 

June 23, 2008:

I participated in the 25th DRUID Celebration Conference 2008 on Entrepreneurship and Innovation held in Copenhagen on June 17-20. The following paper was presented at the conference:

Yarime, Masaru, Yoshiyuki Takeda, and Yuya Kajikawa, "Patterns of Collaboration in Emerging Fields of Trans-Disciplinary Science: The Case of Sustainability Science," Paper presented at the 25th DRUID Celebration Conference 2008 on Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Organizations, Institutions, Systems and Regions, Copenhagen, Denmark, June 17-20 (2008).

 

May 31, 2008:

We will organize a seminar on the photovoltaics innovation system in Japan on Wednesday, June 4 at 16:30-18:00 at the Lecture Room 3 on the Third Floor of the Environmental Building. The speaker is working on a comparative study between the Japanese and Dutch innovation systems on photovoltaics in Management of Technology at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and is currently a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Embassy. Everybody is welcome to participate in this seminar.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 2

"Learning from the Japanese PV Technology Specific Innovation Systems: What are the driving forces behind the development of PV technologies in Japan?"

Date: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building 3F, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker:
Ms. Marjan Prent, Researcher, The Netherlands Office for Science and Technology
Royal Netherlands Embassy (Webpage: http://www.twanetwerk.nl)

Seminar:
Between February and June 2008, Marjan Prent has investigated how the Innovation Systems of several PV (photo-voltaic) technologies in Japan are organized, and how they are performing. This seminar will discuss the initial conclusions from this research and will give insight into which factors promote and inhibit the development of PV in Japan. Though part of the research involves a comparison with the Netherlands, the focus of this seminar will lie on the Japanese analysis.

Introduction:
Japan is a frontrunner in the development and implementation of renewable energy technologies. One of the areas where Japan is highly proficient is in the field of PV technologies. Many countries, such as the Netherlands, are very keen to learn more about the innovations that are developed in Japan. However, they usually overlook the main problem with adopting new technologies, i.e. that the technology needs to be integrated into an existing social and technological system. Each technology has its own unique network of institutions that enables a technological breakthrough to diffuse successfully in the market. Such systems are often referred to as eTechnology Specific Innovation Systemsf (TSIS) and include actors such as: universities, R&D institutes, manufacturers, users, branch organizations, government, interest groups and financial institutions. On the basis of Japanfs success rate in developing and implementing PV innovations, it is safe to assume that the Japanese PV TSIS are well organized. Countries such as the Netherlands might benefit from learning how Japanese TSIS function. Therefore, an in-depth study of these Japanese Systems of Innovation will be of value.

Research:
The research is part of a 6-month master thesis research to be completed in July 2008. The research will also fill in the Japanese part of the gStatus rapport eSolar PV (Photovoltaic conversion of solar energy)h of SenterNovem, the funding agency of the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs. The objective of the research is to investigate the organization and performance of several Japanese Energy Innovation Systems in Japan. After this analysis a comparison will be made between the Dutch and Japanese systems, which may lead to recommendations to the Netherlands energy sector how they can speed up the creation and diffusion of PV technologies. In total 7 PV technologies have been chosen: Solar grade silicon, crystalline silicon solar cells, thin-film silicon solar cells, stacked silicon solar cells, CIS solar cells, dye-sensitized solar cells and polymer solar cells. The TSIS were investigated through interviews with key actors within the Japanese PV branch, including: manufacturers, suppliers, government organizations and research institutes. With the completion of the investigation of the Japanese PV Innovation systems, Marjan Prent will return to the Netherlands in the beginning of June to complete the comparison between the Dutch and Japanese systems. To work on

Profile of Researcher:
Marjan Prent (BSc. Electrical Engineering) is currently finishing her Masterfs Degree in Management of Technology at Delft University of Technology and is pursuing a Bachelorfs Degree in Languages and Cultures of Japan at Leiden University. The research in Japan was commissioned by the Netherlands Office of Science and Technology of the Royal Netherlands Embassy and is conducted in collaboration with SenterNovem, the Innovation Systems department of Delft University of Technology and the department of Innovation and Environmental Sciences of Utrecht University.

Organizer: YARIME Masaru

 

May 27, 2008:

International Workshop on Open Data and Knowledge Environments for Innovative Research and Development was held in Shanghai, China on May 24-26, 2008. This workshop was organized by the Global Alliance for Enhancing Access to and Application of Scientific Data in Developing Countries (e-SDDC), one of the Communities of Expertise (CoE) covered by the Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development (UN GAID). I acted as one of the Co-Chairs of Session 2: International and National Level Programs in Open Data and Knowledge Environments (ODKE). In Session 6: Training, Technology Assistance and Joint Database Development, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Institutions for Knowledge and Information Sharing and Collaboration," Presentation at the International Workshop on Open Data and Knowledge Environments for Innovative Research and Development, Shanghai, China, May 24-26 (2008).

 

The Fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) gTowards a Vibrant Africa: Continent of Hope and Opportunityh will be held in Yokohama, Japan on May 28-30, 2008. Within the framework of the TICAD process, Seminar on Capacity Development and Policy Needs for Environmental Management Technology Development in Africa will be organized at the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) in Pacifico-Yokohama, Yokohama on May 29. If you are interested, please participate in this seminar.

United Nations University TICAD IV Side Event
gCapacity Development and Policy Needs for Environment Management Technology Development in Africah

14:00-15:30, 29 May 2008
UNU-Institute of Advanced Studies, Pacifico-Yokohama 6F, Yokohama

Technology for environmental monitoring and management are pre-requisites for appropriate environmental governance for sustainable development. Improving local capacities to respond and meet these needs in a sustainable manner through higher educational opportunities and policies fostering development and application of such technologies are urgently needed. Rapidly changing environmental conditions under population and development pressures adds to the urgency of these needs.

African educational quality in the area of environmental technology and management policy has been improved to some extent in some countries through strong supportive educational policies assisted by international exposure opportunities. This seminar will identify and examine challenges and opportunities to harness and improve this potential toward developing environmental technologies and management policy capacities in a sustained manner in Africa. Innovative research and training opportunities, Public-Private Partnership activities, supported by global knowledge, expertise and goodwill should all come together to make best use of current opportunities and synergies in making development sustainable in a vibrant Africa.

14:00-14:40
Keynote 1: Environmental technology in Africa: Status and Needs
Prof. Stephen Simukanga, Vice-Chancellor, University of Zambia

14:40-15:00
Keynote 2: Knowledge, Institution, and Innovation: Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainability Science
Prof. Masaru Yarime, University of Tokyo

15:00-15:30
Panel Discussion: Opportunities and Challenges - Environmental technologies for making development sustainable in Africa
Prof. Stephen Simukanga
Prof. Masaru Yarime
Prof. Sanga-Ngoie Kazadi, Ritsumeikan Asia-Pacific University
Dr. Srikantha Herath, United Nations University

 

May 8, 2008:

We will have the first seminar in the Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series on Friday, May 16 at 16:30-18:00 in the Lecture Room 3 on the third floor of the Environmental Building, the same room as used in the previous seminar. The speaker is Professor Jeffrey Broadbent of the University of Minnesota in the United States. Utilizing policy network analysis, it is a very interesting research on the formation of advocacy coalition networks in the field of global climate change and its influence on national policy responses. If you are interested in it, please participate in the seminar for further discussions.

Kashiwa Sustainability Science Seminar Series 1

"Social Learning and National Response to Global Climate Change: Hypotheses for a New Comparative Project using Policy Network Analysis"

Date: Friday, May 16 at 16:30-18:00
Venue: Lecture Room 3, Environmental Building 3F, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Speaker:
Jeffrey Broadbent
Associate Professor
Department of Sociology and Institute for Global Studies
University of Minnesota
Webpage: http://www.soc.umn.edu/faculty/broadbent.html

Abstract:
This paper reviews the construction and logic of an international comparative research project on the social factors bringing about differences in national responses to global climate change. The project, Comparing Climate Change Policy Networks (abbreviated COMPON) will use the policy network method to collect data on the national response processes in a large number of different countries and regions (at present count, 17 plus the international arena). The project will seek the causes of variation in national response by closely examining the processes of social learning about the problem, as it takes place through the diffusion of the dominant scientific consensus on global climate change (as represented by the IPCC), global norms about positive action on the problem by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (as represented by UNFCCC agreements), and the mobilization and success of advocacy coalitions for and against those claims and norms within the different national political systems. The main hypothesis is that the mobilization of an effective advocacy coalition bearing the scientific claims and global norms is the crucial intervening variable bringing about positive national response to the problem. The paper explains the benefits of the policy network method for this comparative analytical task, and presents network graphics from a previous policy network study on the same issue in Japan. The paper concludes with the presentation of 10 hypotheses on the social contexts that could affect the relative political success of different national advocacy coalitions concerning how to respond to the problem of global climate change.? The paper represents an introduction not only to the COMPON project but also to the wider field of comparative social science and its general utility in the study of variation in national behavior.

Organizer: YARIME Masaru

 

April 22, 2008:

We organize a seminar on energy on Wednesday, April 23 at 16:30-18:00 in the Lecture Room 3 on the Third Floor of the Environmental Building. There will be presentations on research and educational activities on energy-related issues at MIT and other universities in the United States by some of the members of the student organization, G-Enesis Energy Club. We will also have a presentation on a comparative study of the Japanese and German innovation systems of photovoltaics by the two visiting students of the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden who are currently staying in my research group. Anybody is welcome to participate in this seminar.

G-Enesis, Tokyo University Energy Club

Energy Seminar
Presentations and Discussions at Kashiwa Campus

Wednesday 23rd April, 2008, 16:30-18:00
Environmental Studies Building, Level 3, Lecture Theatre 3, Kashiwa Campus

G-Enesis Energy Club at The University of Tokyo will hold a presentation and discussion session at Kashiwa Campus. Recently, G-Enesis represented The University of Tokyo energy community at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Energy Conference and the inaugural meeting of the Collegiate Energy Association in Boston. Representatives also had a chance to see the nature of energy research and education at MIT, Harvard and Boston Universities. The research findings of a comparative study of the Japanese and German innovation systems of photovoltaics will be presented by two visiting students of the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.

Program

MIT Energy Initiative and Energy Education: 16:30-16:50

Christopher Lee, Department of International Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo

The MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI) was established in September 2006 in response to MIT President Susan Hockfieldfs challenge for MIT to meet its ginstitutional responsibilityh in tackling the global energy challenge. New initiatives in energy education strongly emphasize inter-disciplinary collaboration and hands-on learning experience, aiming to produce graduates who are literate in a wide range of technical, business and policy issues. Some of the successful activities of the MITEI will be discussed.

Boston Energy Community: 16:50-17:10

Takanori Tomozawa, Department of Technology Management for Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo

The main themes of the MIT Energy Conference, held on the 11th and 12th of April, will be outlined. Also, the role of student energy clubs in improving education and awareness in energy related issues in the United States will be discussed.

Changing an Energy System: A Comparison between the Japanese and German Innovation Systems of Photovoltaics: 17:10-18:00

Kristian Jelse and Hannes Johnson, Masters Course in Engineering Physics with International Programme in Industrial Ecology, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

In the current political debate, it is increasingly accepted that renewable energy sources will play an important role in the future energy system. One of the technologies that have the potential of supplying such energy is?photovoltaics (PV), but despite 30 years of research, it has not yet penetrated the global market on a large scale.

To create efficient policies to promote the diffusion of new energy technologies in the existing energy system, one cannot focus solely on the technological R&D since there are other blocking mechanisms than the price. There is an entire socio-technical system surrounding the technology that also affects its diffusion. To describe these mechanisms, one can investigate the innovation system of the technology, i.e. what actors, networks and institutions surround the technology, and what connections exist between them.

This study is carried out as a masters thesis for a M.Sc. in Engineering Physics and Industrial Ecology at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden.?It uses this innovation system framework to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of Japanese PV by doing a comparison with the German case, which has previously been studied at our department. Data is gathered through literature studies and a three month stay at the?Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo in order to perform interviews with key actors. At this time, we are more than halfway through our study, and would like to show what we have learned so far before going back to Sweden.

In this presentation, we will provide an outlook of Japanese PV history, how it has developed alongside governmental policies, and also highlight key differences between the Japan and Germany. The aim is to show what obstacles face new energy technologies and how to get around them.

Contact: YARIME Masaru


March 12, 2008:

The 10th International Workshop on Next Generation Climate Models for Advanced High Performance Computing Facilities, jointly organized with the 1st International Workshop on KAKUSHIN Program was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A. on February 28 - March 1. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Technology and Institution for Sustainability Science," Presentation at the 10th International Workshop on Next Generation Climate Models for Advanced High Performance Computing Facilities, jointly organized with the 1st International Workshop on KAKUSHIN Program, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A., February 28 (2008).

 

The Lecture Series in Sustainability Science was organized by the Master's Program in Sustainability Science at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo at the end of February to the beginning of March. I gave the following lecture:

Yarime, Masaru, "Exploring Sustainability Science: Knowledge, Institution, and Innovation," Lecture Series in Sustainability Science, Master's Program in Sustainability Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, March 6 (2008).

 

I will organize a research seminar on the Japanese innovation system on photovoltaics (PV) on Friday, March 14. If you are interested in this topic, please feel free to join us.

Research Seminar

Date: Friday, March 14, 2008, 16:00-17:00
Venue: Room 235, 2nd Floor, Environmental Building, Kashiwa Campus, University of Tokyo

Title: Functional Analysis of the Japanese Photovoltaics (PV) Innovation System - Half-Way Presentation

Speakers: Kristian Jelse and Hannes Johnson (Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden)

Abstract:
In the current political debate, it is increasingly accepted that renewable energy sources will play an important role in the future energy system. One of the technologies that have the potential of supplying such energy is grid-connected photovoltaics (PV) ? electricity from the sun ??but despite 30 years of research, it has not yet penetrated the global market on a large scale.

To create efficient policies to promote the diffusion of PV in the existing energy system, one cannot focus solely on the technological R&D since there are other blocking mechanisms than the price. There is an entire socio-technical system surrounding the technology that also affects its diffusion. To describe these mechanisms, one can investigate the "innovation system" of the technology, i.e. what actors, networks and institutions surround the technology, and what connections exist between them.

This study uses the functional analysis framework to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese PV innovation system by doing a comparison with the German case. It is carried out as a master thesis for two Swedish students of technology during spring 2008. As a part of the study, three months are spent at the University of Tokyo to gather data and perform interviews with key actors of PV in Japan.

This presentation will be about who we are, the university we come from, our preliminary findings and our plans for the remaining time in Japan.

Organizer: YARIME Masaru

 

Special lecture will be given by Professor Calestous Juma of Harvard University on "Innovation and the Sustainability Challenge: Rethinking the Role of Higher Education Institutions" on Tuesday, March 18 at 13:00-15:00 at the Yasuda Auditorium in the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo.

INNOVATION AND THE SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGE - Rethinking the Role of Higher Education Institutions -

Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

I invited him as a speaker to the session which I organized at the American Association for the Advancement for Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting held in Boston in February. Being a distinguished expert in the field of innovation and sustainability, he will discuss the role of innovation in making progress towards sustainability at the global scale and its implications for higher education institutions in the future.

 

February 22, 2008:

The Value Creation Initiative of the Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering (RACE) of the University of Tokyo organized the 7th Research Workshop on January 23. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Design of Global Information Commons for Bringing forth Sustainability Innovation" (in Japanese), Presentation at the 7th Research Workshop, Value Creation Initiative, Research into Artifacts, Center for Engineering (RACE), University of Tokyo, January 23 (2008).

 

Educational Pre-meeting "Early Achievements and Persistent Challenges: Comparing Notes on International Experiences in Institutionalizing Education for Sustainability" was held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, MA, U.S.A. on January 28, 2008, as a side event of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2008. Leading experts on education for sustainability at the member universities of IR3S, along with other leading universities, including MIT, Harvard University, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Chalmers University of Technology shared their experiences and had fruitful discussions on possibilities and challenges in the future.

 

From February 1 to April 30 two students of the MS Course in Engineering Physics with Industrial Ecology of the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden will stay in my laboratory. With their research topic of "Mapping of the Japanese Innovation System of Solar Cells," they will examine the Japanese innovation system for the development and diffusion of solar cells, comparing the innovation systems in Europe, notably, Germany.

 

On February 7 and 8, the Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo held the Final Meeting for Presenting Master's Theses. I worked as Academic Advisor for the following thesis:

Noda, Naoyuki, "Research on Quality Control of Data on Inter-atomic Potentials" (in Japanese), Master's Thesis (Advisor: YARIME Masaru), Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, February 19 (2008).

 

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2008 was held in Boston, U.S. on February 14-19, 2008. At the session on the Forum for Sustainability Science Programs organized by the AAAS International Office on Saturday, February 16, I made the following presentation on International Cooperation for Sustainability Science Programs:

Yarime, Masaru, "International Cooperation for Sustainability Science Programs," Presentation at the Session on Forum for Sustainability Science Programs, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2008, Boston, U.S.A., February 16 (2008).

 

I also organized the session on Global Knowledge and Information Commons for Sustainability Science and Innovation on Sunday, February 17 and invited Professor Lawrence E. Susskind of MIT, Professor Calestous Juma of Harvard University, and Dr. Irene Lorenzoni of the University of East Anglia in the U. K. as speakers. We had very stimulating discussions on the role of knowledge and information in sustainability science and their potentials for innovation.

Yarime, Masaru, "Session Organizer's Remark," Presentation at the Session on Global Knowledge and Information Commons for Sustainability Science and Innovation, Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting 2008, Boston, U.S.A., February 17 (2008).

 

December 28, 2007:

The 3rd International Symposium "Technological Innovations in Japan: Collecting Experiences and Establishing Knowledge Foundation" was held at the National Museum of Nature and Science on December 14-15, and I made the the following paper:

Yarime, Masaru, "Structural Analysis of Knowledge Creation, Transmission, and Utilization in the Japanese Innovation System" (in Japanese), Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium "Technological Innovations in Japan: Collecting Experiences and Establishing Knowledge Foundation", 21-24 (2007).

 

The Nissan Workshop in IPoS 2007 was organized by the University of Tokyo, with support from IR3S, AGS, and the Nissan Science Foundation, at the Sajima Marina, Yokosuka on December 10-17. As one of the five modules of the workshop, I gave the following lecture and exercise:

Yarime, Masaru, gInnovation and Sustainability,h Nissan Workshop in Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS) 2007: Cars and Transportation in 2050, Sajima Marina, Yokosuka, December 15 (2007).

 

At the 2007 Annual Meeting of the AGS Research Projects held at the University of Tokyo on December 20-21, I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Establishing Information Commons for Global Sustainability" (in Japanese), Presentation at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the AGS Research Projects, University of Tokyo, December 21 (2007).

 

December 3, 2007:

The following research article has been just published in the Journal of Industrial Ecology, Volume 11, No. 4:

Yarime, Masaru, gPromoting Green Innovation or Prolonging the Existing Technology: Regulation on Technological Change in the Chlor-Alkali Industry in Japan and Europe,h Journal of Industrial Ecology, 11 (4), 117-139 (2007).

 

November 29, 2007:

I gave a lecture on innovation for global sustainability at the 8th Strategic Seminar of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) held at the General Library of the University of Tokyo on November 22:

Yarime, Masaru, "Creation of Innovation for Global Sustainability" (in Japanese), Lecture at the 8th Strategic Seminar of the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS), General Library, University of Tokyo, November 22 (2007).

 

November 13, 2007:

The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management was held at the Asian University in Tokyo on October 27-28. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, gEstablishment and Utilization of Global Information Commons on Science and Technologyh (in Japanese), Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management, 490-493 (2007).

I also chaired the Hot Issue Session on Intellectual Property Management 3.

 

On November 8-10 I organized the International Workshop on Designing Global Information Commons for Innovation in Frontier Sciences with the Science Council of Japan and the U.S. National Academies at the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo, supported by the Japan-U.S. Cooperative Science Program of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). I made the following presentation in the opening session:

Yarime, Masaru, gIntroduction to the Workshop,h Presentation at the International Workshop on Designing Global Information Commons for Innovation in Frontier Sciences, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan, November 8-10 (2007).

Leading experts, researchers, and practitioners working in the public as well as private sectors in Japan and the United States participated in the workshop to discuss how to establish, maintain, and utilize global information commons to create innovation in frontier sciences, including biology, materials science, and sustainability science. Diverse viewpoints were presented with regard to technical, economic, legal, and institutional aspects of global information commons. I will continue to work with the U.S. side to elaborate the issued raised in the workshop and make concrete proposals for research agenda and actions for the future.

 

On November 12 I participated in the Research Meeting on Social Sciences of the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S) held at the University of Tokyo. My presentation was as follows:

Yarime, Masaru, gOn Knowledge in Sustainability Scienceh (in Japanese), Presentation at the IR3S Research Meeting on Social Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, November 12 (2007).

 

October 26, 2007:

I participated in the Atlanta Conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 2007: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation in the Changing Global Economy held at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta on October 19-20. I presented the following paper at the conference:

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards Sectoral Systems of Information Commons for Science and Innovation," Paper presented at the Atlanta Conference on Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 2007: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation in the Changing Global Economy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., October 19-20 (2007).

Many researchers are now actively working on science, technology, and innovation policy around Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and some of them have been involved in the report "Innovate America," which was published on December 2004. There were many participants coming from not only the United States but also from other countries in the world, and diverse fields including science and technology policy, innovation studies, and science, technology, and society, were represented in the conference. It was very impressive that much attention has been paid to the U.S., Europe, Latin America, China, and India, while Japan was rarely mentioned during the conference.

 

October 10, 2007:

The Workshop Report of the Global Innovation Ecosystem (GIES) 2007 Conference has been published on the web page of GIES.

 

The Annual Meeting of the Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies 2007 was held at Shiga University in Hikone on October 7-8. I made the following presentation at the meeting:

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing forth Sustainable Innovation through Global Information Commons: Its Possibilities and Challenges" (in Japanese), Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies 2007, 318-319 (2007).

At the meeting I also acted as the discussant to the following two presentations: Thomas Gonnermann (University of Koblenz-Landau) and IIDA Tetsuya (Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies), "The Political Framework for Renewable Energies in Japan and Germany - A Comparative Analysis," and YAGI Tadayuki (Yokohama National University) and MANAKI Shunsuke (Yokohama National University), "Empirical Analysis of Environmental Innovation and Regulation in Japan" (in Japanese).

 

The Master's Program in Sustainability Science has just started at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of the University of Tokyo. As one of the core courses of the program, I started to teach "Innovation and Sustainability."

 

October 2, 2007:

I participated in the 2007 Summer Workshop of the Japan Society of Energy and Resources held at the National Institute for Environmental Studies on September 3 and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Bringing forth Innovation for Global Sustainability" (in Japanese), Presentation at the 2007 Summer Workshop on Innovation of the Japan Society of Energy and Resources, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, September 3 (2007).

 

The Research Institute for Sustainability Science (RISS) of Osaka University organized the Workshop on the Structurization of Knowledge on September 7. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "On the Structurization of Knowledge: A Perspective from Innovation Studies" (in Japanese), Presentation at the Workshop on the Structurization of Knowledge, Research Institute for Sustainability Science (RISS), Osaka University, Osaka, September 7 (2007).

 

I participated in the International Conference on the Science of Design: Exploring the Essence of Creation and Understanding held in Kyoto on September 26-28 and made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Towards Sectoral Systems of Information Commons for Science and Innovation," Presentation at the International Conference on the Science of Design: Exploring the Essence of Creation and Understanding, Kyoto, September 26-28 (2007).

 

I will organize the International Workshop on Designing Global Information Commons for Innovation in Frontier Sciences with the U.S. National Academies to be held at the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo on November 8-10, supported by the Japan-U.S. Cooperative Science Program of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). Leading experts, researchers, and practitioners working in the public as well as private sectors in Japan and the United States will be invited to discuss how to share knowledge and information to create innovation in frontier sciences, including biology, materials science, and sustainability science, from technical, economic, and institutional perspectives.

 

August 3, 2007:

In relation to the Global Innovation Ecosystem 2007 Conference held in June, the following paper has been published in the journal Optronics:

Jibu, Mari, Masaru Yarime, Yuko Harayama, and GIES Secretariat (Kayano Fukuda, Takanori Miyake, and Takashi Nakagawa), "Establishing the Global Innovation Ecosystem" (in Japanese), Optronics, 26 (308), 134-138 (2007).

 

From July 29 to August 2, the Summer School of Data Science and Design Science on Materials was held at the Kashiwa campus of the University of Tokyo. It was organized by the University of Tokyo and NSF International Materials Institute of the United States, with support from the Combinatorial Sciences and Materials Informatics Collaboratory (CoSMIC), CODATA, The Stanley Foundation, and Microsoft. More than 40 people, including lecturers, graduate students, and post docs, from Japan, the United States, China, South Korea, Switzerland, India, Ukraine, France, and Jamaica participated in the summer school and had intensive discussions on data science in materials design.

In the Open Public Forum on Data Science and Design Science held on August 2, I chaired Session 1: Open Lectures on Materials Frontiers.

 

July 23, 2007:

I participated in the 4th International Conference of the International Society for Industrial Ecology held at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada on June 17-20. I made the following poster presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Possibilities and Challenges in Establishing Sustainability Informatics: Creation of Data and Information Commons," Poster presented at the 4th International Conference of the International Society for Industrial Ecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, June 17-20 (2007).

Many presentations in this conference were related to life cycle assessment (LCA) and material flow analysis (MFA). There was also a research which approached to the issue of industrial symbiosis from the perspective of transaction cost economics, which I find very interesting.

 

On July 9, I participated in the 22nd Symposium on "Social Innovation and Business Chance: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable Society" at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), organized by the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management. I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Introduction to the Panel Discussion: Innovation for a Sustainable Society and New Business Model" (in Japanese), Presentation at the 22nd Symposium on "Social Innovation and Business Chance: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable Society," organized by the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, July 9 (2007).

In my presentation I emphasized that it will be of critical importance to maintain a certain degree of compatibility between promoting social innovation from a macroscopic standpoint of the system theory and establishing and implementing business models, which concern the behavior of organizations and individuals at micro levels.

 

I took part in the Second Japan-China Round-Table Meeting on Science and Technology for Sustainability held in Toyako, Hokkaido on July 11. The meeting was initiated by Professor LU Yongxiang (President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences), Professor ARIMA Akito (Chairman of the Japan Science Foundation), and Professor YOSHIKAWA Hiroyuki (President of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology). In the meeting I made the following presentation:

Yarime, Masaru, "Comments on Session 4: Industrial Economy (Environmental Economics, Sustainable Production, and Innovation)," Presentation at the Second Japan-China Round-Table Meeting on Science and Technology for Sustainability, Toyako, Hokkaido, July 11 (2007).

It was very impressive that the Chinese participants emphasized that China is now trying seriously to cope with the rapidly growing energy demands by developing new energy sources as well as introducing and utilizing energy saving technologies.

 

The 2007 First National IR3S Workshop was held at the University of Tokyo on July 18, with the representatives of the universities and research institutes participating in the Integrated Research System on Sustainability Science (IR3S). I made the following presentation with regard to the purpose, methodologies, and expected results of the structurization of sustainability science:

Yarime, Masaru, "Structurization of Sustainability Science" (in Japanese), Presentation at the 2007 First National IR3S Workshop, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, July 18 (2007).

In structurizing the knowledge of sustainability science we need to deal with three aspects: structurization of knowledge contents, structurization of knowledge production, and structurization of knowledge utilization. It will be important to conceptualize and model the three aspects of knowledge structurization and to implement them for social learning and management.

 

July 5, 2007:

Global Innovation Ecosystem (GIES) 2007 Conference was held in Tokyo on June 29 and 30. In the workshop on the second day at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) I organized Session 1: How Can We Establish and Utilize Information and Knowledge Infrastructure for Collaboration and Innovation? as Chair and invited Dr. W. Edward Steinmueller (Professor of Information and Communication Policy, SPRU, University of Sussex, U. K.), Dr. Rishab Aiyer Ghosh (Senior Researcher, UNU-MERIT, The Netherlands), Mr. Ellis Rubinstein (President, The New York Academy of Sciences, U.S.), and Dr. TAKEDA Hideaki (Professor, National Institute of Informatics and the University of Tokyo, Japan) as discussion leaders.

Yarime, Masaru, "Summary of Session 1: How Can We Establish and Utilize Information and Knowledge Infrastructure for Collaboration and Innovation?" Presentation at the Global Innovation Ecosystem 2007 Workshop, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo, June 30 (2007).

While the intensity and variety of scientific data, information and knowledge required for innovation is increasing rapidly, we observe intensification of intellectual property rights regimes and privatization of scientific data, information and knowledge. We have discussed that it is very important to keep an appropriate balance between open and private spheres of information and knowledge. "Information commons" is emerging in diverse fields, ranging from genetic codes in molecular biology to open source software in ICT and to public health in "Scientists without Borders." It is necessary to identify and examine critically the characteristics of information commons in different areas and sectors, with a view to establishing sectoral systems of information commons.

 

The following article has been published in Seisansei Shinbun, a newspaper by the Japan Productivity Center for Socio-Economic Development:

Yarime, Masaru, "Challenges in Creating Innovation for Global Sustainability" (in Japanese), Seisansei Shinbun, 2203 (July 5), 6 (2007).

 

June 7, 2007:

I have joined the Executive Editors of the Forum: Science and Innovation for Sustainable Development. The web site was originally developed by researchers at the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University and is currently maintained by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). It has a growing database on various activities related to Sustainability Science, including researchers, documents, and events and conferences, which could be effectively utilized for education, research, and policy making.

 

June 5, 2007:

I made a presentation on Global Information Commons for Science Initiative (GICSI) at the First DS Research Meeting held at the National Science Museum on May 21, jointly organized by the International Science Data Division of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ) and the CODATA Division of the Japan Society of Information and Knowledge (JSIK).

 

Global Innovation Ecosystem (GIES) 2007 Conference will be held in Tokyo on June 29-30, as a sequel to GIES 2006 Conference held in Kyoto in September 2006. I will take the chair in Session 1: Information and Knowledge Infrastructure for Collaboration and Innovation to be held at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) on June 30.

 

May 25 , 2007:

On April 27 I made the following keynote speech at the Spring Research Meeting of the International Association of Project and Program Management (IAP2M):

Yarime, Masaru, "Creation of Sustainability Innovation: Design of Global Information Commons" (in Japanese), Keynote Speech, Spring Research Meeting of the International Association of Project and Program Management (IAP2M), Tokyo, April 27 (2007).

 

On May 4 I participated in the Meeting on "Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Alternatives in the Transport and Energy Sectors: Issues for Developing Countries," organized by UNU-MERIT as a side event of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD-15) at the Headquarters of the United Nations in New York. This meeting is based on the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Project of UNU-MERIT for examining the possibilities and challenges in introducing fuel cells to the transportation and energy sectors in developing countries. In this project I contributed a paper on the strategies of the Japanese Auto Industry in developing hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.

 

On May 7-10 I participated in the Meeting on Strategies for Open and Permanent Access to Scientific Information in Latin America: Focus on Health and Environmental Information for Sustainable Development," organized by CODATA in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In this meeting we discussed how to secure open and permanent access to scientific data and information related to health and environmental protection for sustainable development, while the data intensity of scientific research shows a rapid increase. I took the chair of the Session 4: e-SDDC Action Lines of the Launch Meeting of the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN GAID) Community of Expertise: Education Global Alliance for Enhancing Access to and Application of Scientific Data in Developing Countries (e-SDDC).

 

On May 17-19 I participated in the 5th European Meeting on Applied Evolutionary Economics (EMAEE), held in Manchester, Untied Kingdom. In Session 2.1: Science Dynamics I presented the following paper:

Yarime, Masaru, "Toward Disciplinary Systems of Information Commons for Science," Paper presented at the 5th European Meeting on Applied Evolutionary Economics (EMAEE), Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom, May 17-19 (2007).

As Professor Richard Nelson, a prominent researcher in the field of innovation studies, participated in this session, I could receive many useful comments on my paper and encouragement from him.

 

The following book was published in May:

Baba, Yasunori, and Akira Goto, eds., Empirical Research on University-Industry Collaboration, Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press (2007) (in Japanese).

In this book I wrote the following two chapters:

Yarime, Masaru, and Yasunori Baba, "A New Form of University-Industry Collaboration for Coping with Global Environmental Issues: A Comparative Analysis of Technological Change and Institutional Formation in Japan, Europe, and the United States" (in Japanese), 129-162.

Baba, Yasunori, and Masaru Yarime, "A Contribution to Innovation through Close University-Industry Collaboration: An Analysis of Human Resource Development in Firms" (in Japanese), 65-95.

 

March 30, 2007:

The URL of my homepage has changed.

 

Since July 2006, I have participated in the Nissan Leadership Program for Innovative Engineers (LPIE), supported by the Nissan Science Foundation. Team AI (Academia & Industry), which include me as a member, has picked up the issue of sustainability in Asia and worked on a proposal for sustainable shrimp farming in Vietnam as an exemplar of a system for achieving both food safety and environmental protection. The proposals of three teams were presented to the evaluation committee which consists of seven experts on March 17, and our team could receive the Nissan Sustainability Award. We are currently in the process of discussing with various stakeholders in Japan and Vietnam for future activities.

 

I participated in the Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting 2007, held in Barcelona, Spain on March 19-21, and presented "Securing Food Safety and Environmental Protection: A Proposal for Sustainable Shrimp Farming in Vietnam." Many comments were made on my presentation, indicating a significant interest in this issue. Among the questions I received are those about technical details of sustainable shrimp farming, the extent to which our proposal could contribute to sustainability, the contents and functions of "information commons," and the appropriateness of the concept of "extended consumer responsibility."

 

The following book has been published:

Saeed Parto and Brent Herbert-Copley eds., Industrial Innovation and Environmental Regulation: Developing Workable Solutions, Ottawa: International Development Research Centre; and Tokyo: United Nations University Press (2007).

I have contributed the following paper to Chapter 7 of this book:

Yarime, Masaru, "Innovation on Clean Technology through Environmental Policy: Emergence of the Ion Exchange Membrane Process in the Japanese Chlor-Alkali Industry," 174-199.

 

March 8, 2007:

I participated in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting held in San Francisco on February 15-19. As the overall theme of this year's annual meeting was "Science and Technology for Sustainable Well-Being," many sessions were organized on issues related to sustainability. At the Forum for Sustainability Science Programs Roundtable there were approximately 40 to 50 participants, mainly coming from the universities which answered to the survey conducted by AAAS at the web page of the Forum: Science and Innovation for Sustainable Development with regard to academic and/or educational programs on sustainability science at universities. Among the issues discussed at the Roundtable were the difficulties of integrating natural sciences and social sciences, how to organize educational curricula, whether it is possible to maintain academic rigor, how to implement public-private partnership, which would be common to most of the academic programs. I introduced to the participants the activities of IR3S, an inter-organizational program involving universities and research institutes in Japan. I explained that a new journal, Sustainability Science, was launched and that educational programs were initiated in the participating universities.

 

February 11, 2007:

On January 29-30 I participated in the Conference on Designing Cyberinfrastructure for Collaboration and Innovation, organized by the U.S. National Science Foundation, at the U.S. National Academies in Washington, D.C. With the rapid increase in the data intensity of scientific and technological research and the wide development of open-source software, the creation, maintenance, and utilization of cyberinfrastructure has become of critical importance in promoting innovation. At the conference, a particular emphasis was placed on the patent system and standardization. I could discuss and exchange ideas with many participants for our international conference "Designing Information Commons for Sustainability Science and Innovation," to be held at the Kashiwa campus on November 8-10, 2007.

 

December 29, 2006:

I participated in the Nissan Workshop in Intensive Program on Sustainability (IPoS): Cars and Transportation in 2050, organized by the University of Tokyo and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), with support from Nissan Science Foundation, Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS), and Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S). In this seminar I gave a lecture on "Innovation and Sustainability."

 

December 29, 2006:

On December 18 I participated in a meeting with Minister for Science and Technology on science and technology policy at the Cabinet Office, together with other young researchers at universities, public research institutes, and private companies. The issues discussed in the meeting include education of researchers, budget allocation, and support staff. I made a brief presentation about the role of global data and information commons for bringing forth innovation.

 

November 29, 2006:

On November 24 I participated as the chairman of the second part in the International Symposium on Sustainability in an Unequal World, organized by the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S) and the Japan Society for International Development (JASID), at the University of Tokyo. The research conducted by the group including Professor Dasgupta has taken a very important step for proposing a quantitative indicator of the degree of sustainability.

 

October 29, 2006:

I made the following oral presentation at the 20th International CODATA Conference: Scientific Data and Knowledge within the Information Society held in Beijing on October 23-25, 2006:

Yarime, Masaru, "Information Commons for Global Sustainability: A Note on Empirical Research," Presentation at the 20th International CODATA Conference: Scientific Data and Knowledge within the Information Society, Beijing, China, October 23-25 (2006).

 

September 14, 2006:

I have made a link to my Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Maastricht, The Netherlands.

 

On September 8-9 I participated in the International Conference on Science and Technology for Sustainability 2006: Global Innovation Ecosystem held at Kyoto International Conference Hall. as the Rapporteur for Session 1 on Identifying National Innovation Systems: Diversity or Common Challenge.

 

September 13, 2006:

I have set up my new homepage!