Educational Activities

• Critical Thinking Basics - Select concepts, tools, and techniques I and II
• Critical Thinking Skills - Applications & Beyond the Basics I and II
• Special Lecture X and XI- Socio-Scientific Presentations and Writing Projects
• Critical Thinking Micro and Macro Topics, Gakushuin University, Adjunct Professor
• Science Communications Improvement Lab (SCIL):
  • ・Oversea development and delivery of writing and presentation workshops
  • ・Oversea training and development of peer coaches.

Research Activities

I started SCIL to directly apply advances in training methods for the benefit of internationally-minded researchers motivated to develop high-level communication skills necessary to lead transdisciplinary activities. Research activities have two objectives.

1. Individual Learning: Skill-based approach to influence campus communications culture:
   
   Redesign literature review experience (research workflow) for independent-minded researchers eager to produce more impactful graduate thesis and journal articles.
   Developing a platform for contributing research skills to transdisciplinary pursuits.
   
   Qualitatively tracking a researcher’s individual skill development progress.
   Developing a platform for finding potential co-authors or research collaborators.
   
   Design inclusive and effective facilitation techniques that can be employed by group leaders, project managers, advocates and change agents to address complex socioscientific issues and incorporate diverse perspectives especially those of under-represented stakeholders.

   
   

2. Organizational Learning: Participatory research and systems thinking to influence campus communications culture:
   
   Strategic roll-out of multiple Initiatives to improve collaboration, leverage cutting-edge technologies and support interdepartmental and interdisciplinary communication.
   
   Research and design of strategic initiatives that take a systems approach (targeting agents, systems mapping, stocks and flows etc.) to influencing campus communications culture.

Literature

As a “teaching” professor with a long business career, I am a late-comer to the research community. Although I have been independently researching best practices in training and development for the purpose of improving my own skill-based teaching, training and coaching I am just beginning formal research activities and plan to publish in the near future..

Other Activities

• Member of Global Faculty Development Steering Committee (Komaba Campus, The University of Tokyo), Japan
• Advisor facilitators of English Discussion Club
• Hult Prize Judge for International University of Japan’s Entrpreneur’s Club
• Chief Judge, Customs Bureau Training Speech Competition

Future Plan

Develop SCIL into a valued partner for school-wide initiatives including “internationalizing” the university, launching 300 venture companies each year and tackling other aspirational organizational goals such as creating a more inclusive culture.

 

Establish Science Communication Skill KPIs (Key Performance Indicators):

 

Provide a selection of workshops which introduce core concepts, tools, techniques that once mastered through peer coaching will significantly improve a researcher’s ability to communicate positions on complex issues to diverse audiences.

 

Research Workflow Transformation:

 

Track trends in higher education research workflows and create a dialogue among researchers that could lead to identifying more effective transdisciplinary workflows. Transform graduate-level research workflows and related research skill development for transdisciplinary pursuits.

 

Redesign literature review experience:

 

Explore and evaluate collaborative tools and pioneer technological integration with advanced AI solutions to better enable co-researchers or research groups to produce more impactful transdisciplinary research.

 

Action Research and Participatory Research:

 

Undertake Action Research and Participatory Research and share insights with the transdiscipline research community.

 

Co-design and execute “Student-Led Strategic Initiatives” that aligns with the vision of the University such as the President’s initiative to create dialogue.

 

Publishing/Outreach:

 

Create a platform for researchers to engage the general public by making research more accessible and adding their voice to issues requiring the development of more informed positions. SCIL will use this platform to share its own progress and insights with the transdiscipline research community.

Messages to Students

Consider investing in your science communications skills and take courses in critical thinking to develop greater confidence:

As members of the academic community at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, we have delved deep into our respective fields, acquiring advanced knowledge and refining our critical thinking skills under the guidance of leading experts.

While our primary focus may lie in mastering the intricacies of our fields, our journey through higher education equips us with invaluable skills that transcend disciplinary boundaries. Skills honed within disciplinary boundaries such as crafting incisive research questions, formulating compelling hypotheses, developing innovative methodologies, interpreting results and marshaling evidence to substantiate arguments are in high demand by communities or groups working on the pressing issues of our time.

Indeed, our research experiences position us to challenge existing paradigms and devise innovative solutions to multifaceted problems. By applying our expertise to underrepresented communities and larger societal issues, we can leverage our unique perspectives to advocate for more inclusive and compassionate approaches.

Effective communication plays a pivotal role in this endeavor. As skilled researchers, our ability to articulate well-reasoned arguments and amplify marginalized voices is paramount in driving meaningful change. By fostering collaboration and engaging in constructive dialogue, we amplify our impact and enhance our collective ability to tackle complex societal issues.