Cambridge-Tokyo "Future Technology for Sustainability (FTS)"

Overview of FTS

Aim & Scope

There is a pressing need to provide solutions for sustainability problems facing society. Through bringing together complementary expertise between Cambridge and Tokyo, we are keen to explore topics that underpin transformative changes relating to sustainability.

Based on Strategic Partnership Agreement between Cambridge and Tokyo, Future Technology for Sustainability (FTS) provides a platform to seek opportunities for further collaboration between Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge and School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo. The scope covers a wide range of research topics related to FTS. We foster collaboration at both PI-PI level and department level.

For those who are interested in collaboration, including PhD/Master's student exchange, staff mobility, and research collaboration, please do not hesitate to e-mail the contact persons described below.

Keywords

Digitalization; development of skills; dynamic complex system challenges; wicked problems; emerging, disruptive, and converging technologies; multidisciplinary collaboration

Seminar: Engineering the Future by Technology Innovation (UTokyo-Cambridge Voices) on 25 September 2023

As part of the UTokyo-Cambridge Voices, we organized a seminar "Engineering the Future by Technology Innovation" at IfM on 25 September 2023 (Flyer in PDF format). Prof Yusuke Kajihara (Tokyo) and Dr Letizia Mortara (Cambridge) delivered their talks, and students from both institutes shared their research in short presentations. Also, a tour to Automation Lab was arranged.

IfM MPhil student visit to School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo on 24 April 2023

As a part of the ISMM Study Tour, the total of 17 MPhil students of Institute of Manufacturing (IfM) visited Umeda-Kishita Laboratory, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. Prof Yasushi Umeda, Dr Yusuke Kishita, Dr Koji Kimita, Mr Takumi Kodama, Mr Rong Sun, Mr Taiki Yokota, and Mr Hiroto Narumiya showcased their research activities.

Webinar: Engineering the Future by Management (UTokyo-Cambridge Voices) on 21 March 2023

As part of the UTokyo-Cambridge Voices, we will organize a webinar "Engineering the Future by Management" on 21 March 2023 (Flyer in PDF format). Registration via this link. Anyone interested is welcome to join for free.

Carbon trading for the built environment related sectors (Prof Tomonari Yashiro, The University of Tokyo)
Digital twins for asset management (Prof. Ajith Parlikad, University of Cambridge)

Webinar: Engineering the Future by Transformative Change (UTokyo-Cambridge Voices) on 13 December 2022

As part of the UTokyo-Cambridge Voices, we will organize a webinar "Engineering the Future by Transformative Change" on 13 December 2022 (Flyer in PDF format). Registration via this link. Anyone interested is welcome to join for free.

Roadmapping grand challenges: Innovation pathways to transformative change (Dr Eoin O'Sullivan, University of Cambridge)
Service engineering for value co-creation and service excellence for customer delight (Prof. Tatsunori Hara, The University of Tokyo)

Webinar: Pioneering the Future by Design Engineering (UTokyo-Cambridge Voices) on 16 March 2022

As part of the UTokyo-Cambridge Voices, we will organize a webinar "Pioneering the Future by Design Engineering" on 16 March 2022 (Flyer in PDF format). Registration via this link. Anyone interested is welcome to join for free.

Treasure Hunting@UTokyo - Developing methods for science x design collaboration (Prof. Miles Pennington, The University of Tokyo)
Darwin’s hawk moth and the Malagasy star orchid: a story of co-evolution, and a way of thinking about the interaction between problems and solutions in design (Prof. Nathan Crilly, University of Cambridge)

Webinar: Engineering the Future by Leveraging Digital Technologies (UTokyo-Cambridge Voices) on 16 December 2021

As part of the UTokyo-Cambridge Voices, we organized a webinar "Engineering the Future by Digital Technologies" on 16 December 2021.

Digital triplet of learning factory - Enhancing engineers' abilities in smart manufacturing (Prof. Yasushi Umeda, The University of Tokyo)
Integrating AI and VR in strategic planning (Dr. Letizia Mortara, University of Cambridge)

If you are interested in this webinar, please contact Dr. Yusuke Kishita (kishita@pe.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp).

Webinar: Engineering the Future by Design (UTokyo-Cambridge Voices) on 10 December 2020

As part of the UTokyo-Cambridge Voices, we organized a webinar "Engineering the Future by Design" on 10 December 2020.

Design Led X ‐ Integrating design thinking into engineering and science research environments (Prof. Miles Pennington, The University of Tokyo)
Roadmapping for strategic alignment, integration and synchronization (Dr. Robert Phaal, University of Cambridge)
Scenario design for knowledge structuring, sharing, and visualization towards sustainability (Dr. Yusuke Kishita, The University of Tokyo)

If you are interested in this webinar, please contact Dr. Yusuke Kishita (kishita@pe.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp). We can provide the presentation slides used there.

3rd Cambridge-Tokyo FTS Workshop in March 2020

This workshop was scheduled in Cambridge, but cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2nd Cambridge-Tokyo FTS Workshop on 19 March 2019

The second FTS workshop was held on Hongo Campus, the University of Tokyo on 19 March 2019. The agenda is found here. We discussed a student exchange scheme for FTS to promote future collaboration. The workshop summary was reported at the 4th Cambridge-UTokyo symposium on 27 March 2019 by Prof. Tomonari Yashiro, Institute of Industrial Science (IIS), the University of Tokyo. Please also check the reporting article on the IfM website.

Second workshop "Future Technology for Sustainability"
at the University of Tokyo Hongo Campus (19 March 2019)

4th Cambridge-UTokyo symposium
at the University of Tokyo Hongo Campus
(Photo courtesy by Dr. Yuta Hirose, University of Cambridge)

1st Cambridge-Tokyo FTS Workshop on 19 April 2018

The first workshop on "Future Technology for Sustainability (FTS)" was co-organized by Department of Engineering (Institute for Manufacturing (IfM)), University of Cambridge and School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, at the IfM on 19 April 2018. The agenda is found here. In this workshop, we agreed to pursue future collaboration around FTS and to appoint a contact person for each university.

First workshop "Future Technology for Sustainability"
at the IfM (19 April 2018)

Student Exchange

We have been exchanging a few students (master's and PhD) mutually from one institute to another, with financial support from JASSO. The number of students who visited (or will visit) Cambridge or UTokyo is listed below:

	From UTokyo School of Engineering to Cambridge (IfM)	From Cambridge (IfM) to UTokyo School of Engineering
2024	0-2	0-2
2023	2	1
2022	3*	1
2019	2	2
2018	1	0

*One student will visit the IfM from January-July 2023.

Member List (as of April 2023)

	Cambridge Team	Tokyo Team
Leader	Prof Tim Minshall	Prof Yasushi Umeda
Members	Dr Robert Phaal Prof Fumiya Iida Prof Steve Evans Prof Frank Tietze Prof Michael De Volder Dr Letizia Mortara Prof Mohamed Zaki Dr Yuta Hirose Dr Wen Liu	Prof Tomonari Yashiro* Prof Toshiki Niino Prof Yusuke Kajihara Dr Yusuke Kishita *Retired in March 2023.