Tokyo Tech-MIT International University-Industry Collaboration Workshop

On January 7, 2015, Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) held a joint workshop at Tokyo Tech Front, Royal Blue Hall. In attendance were approximately 60 people from industry and academia.

Tokyo Tech and MIT have been actively promoting cooperation in the mechanical engineering field, working to form international joint research projects between the universities and industry. The first joint workshop was held on September 22, 2014 at MIT, followed by a meeting for industry members on November 13 at Tokyo Tech. MIT and Tokyo Tech members also spoke at a meeting organized by KPMG Azusa LLC on December 16. Using the results and feedback from these previous meetings, we organized this second joint workshop which included five speakers from MIT.

Following opening remarks by Tokyo Tech President Yoshinao Mishima, Professor Yukio Takeda began the session with an outline of the program. The purpose of the program is to promote international academic-industry joint research, matching the "seeds of academia and the needs of industry." The program also aims to provide career development for young academic researchers and industry engineers participating in the program.

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  Opening remarks by President Mishima
• 
  Professor Takeda briefing program outline

The workshop was divided into four scientific areas, Energy and Environment, Robotics, Microfluidics, and Nano-Manufacturing and Optics. Speakers from Tokyo Tech and MIT presented their research and prospects for international cooperation with industry. Active discussions followed. In parallel with the plenary session, individual meetings were organized with companies who had specific needs or interests in a particular area. The event closed with remarks by Vice President for Research Takashi Tatsumi.

• 
  MIT's Head of the Department
  of Mechanical Engineering, Gang Chen
• 
  The workshop drew about 60 people

After the workshop, a reception was held where participants from academia and industry could exchange ideas and discuss plans in a friendly atmosphere.

We look forward to the exciting cooperative projects that will develop from this joint workshop, and we appreciate the continued support from industry members. For questions or comments, feel free to contact us at the email address below.