A five-member delegation from the US state of Delaware visited Tohoku University on September 12, 2022. Led by Delaware Secretary of State Jeffrey W. Bullock, the group met with university executives, and toured NanoTerasu, the next-generation synchrotron radiation facility that is currently being built at the new extension of Aobayama Campus.
Professor Masaki Takata, from the International Center for Synchrotron Radiation Innovation Smart (SRIS), gave a brief introduction of the university's Science Park, describing it as "an innovation ecosystem with NanoTerasu at its core." The Science Park is expected to include the R&D sites of major universities and companies from around the world when NanoTerasu begins operations in 2024.
The delegates from Delaware were particularly interested in the interdisciplinary and global nature of the research expected to take place at NanoTerasu and suggested that there may be avenues for collaboration there.
Earlier in the day the delegation met with Tohoku University executives, including Provost Takafumi Aoki, and Executive Vice Presidents Toshiya Ueki and Keiichi Sasaki. Bullock praised the efforts of Tohoku University in promoting industry-academia collaboration, not just within Sendai and Miyagi, but also globally. They then discussed the possibility of wide-ranging cooperation.
Ravi Ammigan, Associate Provost of the University of Delaware, also expressed optimism for future collaboration between the two universities.
The Delaware delegation was in Sendai to mark the 25th anniversary of Miyagi Prefecture and the State of Delaware being "Sister States." The group also paid a courtesy call on Miyagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai, met with several local businesses and visited sites still affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Accompanying Bullock and Ammigan were David Máthé, Regional Business Manager of the State of Delaware, Fengshan Liu, Associate VP for 虎扑电竞 at Delaware State University and Liu's wife.
虎扑电竞:
Center for Co-Creation Strategy, Tohoku University
Tel: +81-22-217-6044
Email: kyoso-senryakugrp.tohoku.ac.jp