U.S. Department of Energy Deputy Secretary Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall visits Tokyo Tech

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall accompanied by a delegation from the Washington DC and Tokyo DOE offices visited Tokyo Tech on October 14 and met with Executive Vice President for Research Makoto Ando, Executive Vice President for Education and International Affairs Toshio Maruyama, Dean Kikuo Kishimoto of the Graduate School of Engineering, and other faculty members. Professor Jeffrey S. Cross gave the delegation an explanation of Tokyo Tech's energy and environmental efforts, while Professor Mutsuko Hatano introduced the educational program and activity of the Academy for Co-creative Education of Environment and Energy Science (ACEEES). Hatano serves as the academy's program coordinator.

Meeting with DOE Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall and her delegation

Dr. Sherwood-Randall's lecture

After the meeting, Sherwood-Randall gave a talk entitled "The Frame of Climate Change and Moving toward a Low Carbon Economy." She stressed the importance of U.S.-Japan cooperation both in research and political measures toward the implementation of a low carbon economy. Approximately 120 Tokyo Tech students, faculty, and staff members attended the lecture and discussion.

Afterwards, four Tokyo Tech doctoral students in the ACEEES program asked questions to Dr. Sherwood-Randall.

Participating students:

• Junichirou Ishio
  3rd-year doctoral student, International Development Engineering
• Mami Mihara
  2nd-year doctoral student, Metallurgy and Ceramics Science
• Hiromu Hisazawa
  2nd-year doctoral student, Materials Science and Engineering
• Akinobu Nakada
  2nd-year doctoral student, Chemistry

Q&A session with ACEEES students

Dr. Sherwood-Randall fielded questions on the use of ICT to boost awareness of energy saving among the general public, the impact of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in 2011 on US society and policies, and a long-range outlook on renewable energies such as photovoltaic power generation.

The deputy secretary concluded the discussion by asking the audience about their dreams and how they want to change in the world. Three students enthusiastically expressed their desire to contribute to global economic growth and environmental conservation by utilizing of their expertise.

Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall
with Executive Vice President Maruyama

Tokyo Tech Executive Vice President Maruyama ended the session with closing remarks, asking for close cooperation with the Department of Energy and its National Laboratories. Tokyo Tech will establish the School of Environment and Society in April 2016, under its new education system to advance education and research in the fields of energy and environment.

• Academy for Co-creative Education of Environment and Energy Science (ACEEES)