Message

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• Since its establishment in 1992, the Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS) has been a leader in Japanese doctoral education. Operating as a specialized PhD program that focuses exclusively on doctoral research, AIS has always aimed to develop individuals who possess both deep "specialized expertise" and a "generalized perspective"—the ability to integrate diverse fields of knowledge and grasp the essence of complex phenomena. From the very beginning, AIS has actively welcomed "professional doctoral students" (working professionals), bridging the gap between academia and diverse real-world experiences. To date, we have produced nearly 600 doctoral graduates who form a robust network across all sectors of society.
   
  Reflecting the distinctive character of the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology (RCAST), our department is characterized by an exceptionally high level of mobility among both faculty and students. This constant influx of new talent, while maintaining a steady institutional identity, embodies a system of "dynamic equilibrium." This high metabolic rate, combined with the creative energy generated by researchers and students from diverse backgrounds interacting on a single campus, serves as the engine that keeps our "advanced" nature sharp. It allows us to continuously generate fresh insights capable of piercing through the complexities of our time.
   
  In recent years, the rapid evolution of AI has significantly enhanced predictive technologies across many fields. Paradoxically, however, the real world is becoming increasingly uncertain and unstable. To overcome this, high-level information processing and adaptability are not enough. While our name includes "Advanced," we believe that true breakthroughs require "continuous interdisciplinarity"—a commitment to understanding and inheriting the traditions, histories, and academic contexts that underpin our fields. Balancing the profound depth of universal theory with dynamic transformation is the very core of our research and educational philosophy.
   
  "Advanced" and "Interdisciplinary"—these two concepts are bridged by a free spirit that understands existing frameworks yet refuses to be confined by them, and the courage to step into the unknown. In today’s complex and turbulent society, we wholeheartedly welcome those who possess the will to pose their own questions and forge new frontiers of knowledge. 

Takehisa YAIRI
Head of Department
Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

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• In recent years, science and technology have made remarkable progress. Advances in medicine, biology, and pharmaceutical sciences have significantly extended healthy life expectancy, and we are now living in an era in which each of us has access to information devices, AI supports our thinking, and robots work on our behalf. The importance of the information and communication technologies and materials technologies that underpin these developments has also grown to an unprecedented level. Such advances in science and technology will continue to transform not only our daily lives and ways of working, but also the very nature of learning and research activities. At the same time, however, there remain many challenges that must be addressed, including rapid changes in the global environment, energy constraints, and growing instability in world affairs.
  
  In order to shape the society of the future under such circumstances, it is essential that people working at the forefront of a wide range of specialized fields join forces with a broad perspective and work together to address new challenges. The Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Engineering brings together faculty members working across a diverse spectrum of fields, ranging from the natural sciences, biomedical and life sciences, and information science to the social sciences and the arts. While advancing research in their respective areas of expertise, our faculty members also engage in ongoing exchange across disciplinary boundaries and pursue interdisciplinary research. In addition, the curriculum of the department is designed to help each doctoral student cultivate an interdisciplinary perspective while developing deep expertise through research.
  
  One of the most important things in learning across different fields is to ask questions proactively. Asking questions is also a way of clarifying how much one understands and what one has not yet understood. At times, asking a question may mean exposing one’s own lack of knowledge. Yet, as the saying goes, “To ask is a temporary embarrassment; not to ask is a lifelong embarrassment.” A single question can sometimes lead to a much deeper understanding. Taking an interest in a wide range of fields, asking questions without hesitation even about basic matters, and engaging in repeated discussion are, I believe, essential for people from different disciplines to deepen their mutual understanding and to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. I hope that all of you in Advanced Interdisciplinary Engineering will naturally develop such an attitude and, as individuals equipped with it, help build the society of the future.

Yasuyuki OZEKI
Director of Managing Committee
Department of Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies,
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo