(Oceania Field Program) Two joint meeting series simultaneously held as part of the Kyoto University / University of Melbourne Joint Program (1st Front Runner Series meeting and 2nd Joint Meeting Series meeting). (3 November 2021)
On 3 November 2021, L-INSIGHT and the University of Melbourne simultaneously held two joint meetings.
One was the first meeting of the Front Runner Series. Titled “Kyoto University and The University of Melbourne Water-Related Research Exchange” and moderated by Assistant Professor Tanaka Tomohiro (hydrology), six researchers from Kyoto University and University of Melbourne research groups introduced and discussed the latest research results and research trends related to floods and flood risk characterization. The other was this academic year’s second meeting of the Joint Meeting Series. Assistant Professor Shiraishi Kosuke (applied microbiology) and Program-Specific Researcher Hongo Shun (conservation science) held a closed workshop with researchers from the University of Melbourne who they had invited to participate.
The University of Melbourne’s International Research Strategy Advisor,Program Officer Dr Mark Gregory, served as the facilitator.
Professor Julie McLeod, the University of Melbourne’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Capability), opened the event by expressing her respect for knowledge systems and indigenous cultures around the world, as well as her high hopes for the early career researcher support that comes from collaborating with L-INSIGHT. Professor Kono Yasuyuki, Kyoto University’s Vice-President for International Strategy and International Strategy Office Director, then touched on sustainability, which is also a social issue, and stated that early career researchers can carry out pioneering research by placing themselves in various environments that go beyond their own research fields, living environments, and cultural backgrounds.
Assistant Professor Tanaka then assumed the role of moderator. He introduced the discussions held with the University of Melbourne’s hydrology research group at the L-INSIGHT Joint Meeting Series’ first meeting in the previous academic year, and then moved on to research presentations and discussions. From the University of Melbourne, Professor Rory Nathan, Professor Andrew Western, and Dr. Conrad Wasko presented on recent research. They introduced the latest research trends in engineering flood risk characterization, including probable maximum flood estimation and research on soil moisture’s effects on runoff. From Kyoto University, Professor Tachikawa Yasuto, Associate Professor Sayama Takahiro, and Assistant Professor Tanaka presented the results of research carried out with flood control planning and climate change adaptation in mind, as well as the prospects for future related work. This included a flood forecasting model that takes into account domestic soil distribution and flood impact assessment research. Both this model and research cover the entirety of Japan. Members of both research groups then engaged in lively exchanges, talking about the status and background of the data collection required for research, amongst other topics.
In the simultaneously-held Joint Meeting Series meeting, participants were able to start a new co-creation process, talking about, for example, how they can work together with future joint research in mind.
We would like to thank Mark Gregory, Maria Roitman, Emma Randles, Mika Shimoda, and everyone else from the University of Melbourne for their long-term creative collaboration in organizing this program.
