Feature

Priority and strategic research fields at Tokyo Tech

INDEX

  1. Priority research fields
    1. Next-generation element strategy
    2. Integrated energy science
    3. Digital society devices and systems
  2. Strategic research fields
    1. Holistic Life Science
    2. Sustainable Social Infrastructure
    3. Cyber Physical and Social Systems (CPS2)

Priority research fields

Tokyo Institute of Technology was selected as a Designated National University Corporation in 2017. At that time, Tokyo Tech objectively analyzed its research strengths and defined the following three research fields, which can also be seen as the Institute's underlying strengths, as priority research fields. Tokyo Tech's medium- to long-term strategy is to lead in these priority research fields.

Next-generation element strategy

"Element strategy" refers to research of substances and materials with the aiming of using knowledge to express useful functions from common elements. This is a national strategy unique to Japan, which is a nation with few natural resources yet has established itself by producing quality products. The concept of element strategy was born in Japan about 15 years ago. The Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, which has now evolved into the Materials DX Research Center for Element Strategy, was established as a nationwide base for promoting this element strategy. The Center has discovered many remarkable new materials. These materials were created by devising structures for ordinary elements.

Recently, new methodologies that combine information science and AI are being rapidly adopted in materials research. As a result, there is promise that research of complex materials (grain boundaries, amorphous materials, etc.) for which calculation had not been possible will be enabled for the first time. The "Next-generation element strategy" aims to create world-class materials by organically combining these new research methods with accumulated element strategies that have produced innovative materials through structural control.

Initiatives related to next-generation element strategy

Tokyo Tech Academy for Convergence of Materials and Informatics (TAC-MI)
Through a graduate education program that integrates a master's program and doctoral program, the Academy will develop "multi-talented individuals" who advance research on creative materials and information by linking materials and information so that they can fully utilize information science to consider matters from a multifaceted and bird's-eye view. Together with program managers affiliated with corporations and partner institutions such as the National Institute for Materials Science, the Academy will promote the development of human resources responsible for the creation of new industries which will contribute to the building of a sustainable society.

Organizations related to next-generation element strategy

MDX Research Center for Element Strategy

Society expects materials to be functional. Functions and elements are connected through the structure of matter. Even if the constituent elements are the same, it is possible to obtain significantly different functions depending on ingenuity applied to the structure. Therefore, even if the types of elements that can actually be used are limited to a few dozen, it is still possible to achieve a wide variety of functions demanded by society. Deciding what to set as structural elements is an opportunity for researchers to show their abilities. Examples of structural elements include nanostructures, surfaces, interfaces, defects, and anomalous valence states. Over the last 20 years, vigorous research in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been carried out around the world. Researchers have accumulated many important developments up to the current point in time. The predecessor to our Center, the Materials Research Center for Element Strategy, since its founding in 2012, has developed numerous new materials such as thin-film transistors for IGZO semiconductors, which enabled the world's first practical use of organic EL televisions, and catalysts that enable the synthesis of ammonia under mild conditions.

The most interesting thing about nanotechnology is that it is highly potential to make possible what everyone had thought was impossible. Therefore, the Element Strategy Initiative (ESI) is positioned as a practical endeavor in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The important point is to find unknown relationships between functions and elements. Renewing the traditional image of each element is the ultimate goal of the ESI. This Center is also conducting research aimed at achieving this goal.

Integrated energy science

Tokyo Tech will strive for a carbon and material recycling society with stable energy supply and economic efficiency by working to refine renewable energy systems that utilize the accumulated technology of all-solid-state batteries and hydrogen energy, as well as innovative elemental technologies and system technologies. By consolidating these technologies into integrated energy science, Tokyo Tech will contribute to achieving carbon neutrality and strengthen the driving force for a sustainable energy society.

Initiatives related to integrated energy science strategy

Tokyo Tech Academy of Energy and Informatics
The Tokyo Tech Academy of Energy and Informatics aims to innovate into a human-centered sustainable energy society that uses energy wisely through AI analysis of big data and is freed from constraints on energy use such as energy costs and CO2 emissions. To achieve these aims, the Academy will smoothly implement the "Tokyo Tech Academy of Energy and Informatics program" to cultivate "Multi-Scope Energy WISE Professionals" who will innovate and design a new energy society by mastering the multidisciplinary energy science and using big data science and their social design skills. Students involved in energy and informatics are selected from across the schools. In addition to completing a unique educational program that integrates the master's program and doctoral program, the students participate in industry-academia collaborative research and receive substantial financial support.

Organizations related to integrated energy science strategy

Laboratory for Zero-Carbon Energy
The Laboratory's goal is to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by building a carbon and material circulation system based on zero-carbon energy. The Laboratory will conduct research and development on technologies necessary to achieve this goal.
　　

InfoSyEnergy Consortium
The purpose of the Consortium is to lead the transition to a low-carbon and carbon-free energy society through digitalization by diversely utilizing big data science that fuses AI analysis and data science. The Consortium aims to create an "Ambient Energy Society" in which new values and services are created through the use of big data science. In this society, people will be able to balance the environment and the economy without being conscious of their energy choices and environmental behavior. By incorporating big data science into nine research priority areas, the Consortium will promote research and education through industry-academia collaboration. In addition to domestic corporations and public institutions, the world's top universities also participate in the Consortium.

Digital society devices and systems

This field focuses on developing the foundational devices necessary for the emergence of a super smart society (Society 5.0) and future societies, emphasizing the integration of hardware and software, including IoT technologies. It covers a broad spectrum of innovations, including semiconductor integrated circuits, sensor devices, and communication devices crucial for millimeter wave, optical communication, and next-generation mobile communications. Also integral are various IoT devices, such as power devices that serve as vital components in electricity and power supply systems, along with the necessary network systems and system control technologies. By merging these accumulated technologies, we aim to maintain our leadership as a worldwide hub for the devices and systems that will propel the digital society.

Initiatives related to digital society devices and systems strategy

Tokyo Tech Academy for Super Smart Society
We aim to cultivate "knowledge professionals" who can integrate physical space technologies with cyber space technologies as well as advanced sciences and technologies, such as quantum science and artificial intelligence.
　　

Consortium for Integrated Green-niX
With the aim of creating and transforming the green-related market, the consortium has defined an index called "green contribution degree." This index is used to evaluate new products or services that reduce power consumption and environmental impact. Based on this index, the Consortium will conduct research on semiconductor materials, devices, circuits, and systems and also establish an integrated research and development and human resource cultivation scheme that enables value creation through accumulated technology. In this way, the Consortium aims to achieve both the revival of Japanese industry and conservation of the global environment.

Organizations related to digital society devices and systems strategy

Super Smart Society Promotion Consortium
In order to become the world pioneer in the transformation to Super Smart Society, Tokyo Tech will collaborate with participating companies to build a next generation research and education platform through industry-government-academia collaborations.

Strategic research fields

In addition to the priority research fields, Tokyo Tech has identified fields that will be needed by future society and in which Tokyo Tech possesses sufficient research ability. The Institute has decided to promote research in these fields in a university-wide and strategic manner.

Holistic Life Science

This field promotes the growth of science and technology related to life science and biotechnology. By doing so, it achieves a bio-driven society that is friendly to humans and the earth; in other words, a bio-first society. Based on its strengths, which are mathematics and materials, Tokyo Tech will work to obtain an essential understanding of living organisms, life information, and life on earth. Tokyo Tech's ultimate aim is to construct a sustainable ecosystem and grow into a new green revolution.

Holistic Life Science

Sustainable Social Infrastructure

This research field seeks to construct a next-generation social infrastructure that supports the happiness of every person with safety and peace of mind in an era of 100-year lifespans. In an effort to achieve next-generation social infrastructure, Tokyo Tech is working to solve four global social issues: building a resilient society, designing voices of the Earth, creating smart cities, and innovation. By fusing its research capabilities in the humanities and sciences with the knowledge and energy of corporations and industries, Tokyo Tech will contribute to the sustainable development of human society through the social implementation of research results.

Sustainable Social Infrastructure

Cyber Physical and Social Systems (CPS2)

This research field aims to create systems with new social value by highly integrating and merging the physical world with the cyber space across various units of society. It encompasses the development of recent physical sciences and engineering, predicated on the immense data processing capabilities exemplified by digital twins, alongside insights from social sciences. This involves developing new ideas and ways to analyze and handle data that reflect real-world conditions. It also focuses on creating technologies that can detect changes in the physical world and convert them into digital information (Physical to Cyber), as well as technologies that can take digital actions and apply them to the physical world (Cyber to Physical). By making these advancements, our goal is to better understand, predict, improve, and control the real world, helping to solve challenges that society faces.

Organizations related to Cyber Physical Social Systems (CPS2)

Super Smart Society Promotion Consortium

Data Science & Artificial Intelligence Research Group for Social Good (DSAI)