Falling Walls Lab Tokyo 2018
12 May 14:00 - 18:00
University of Tokyo, Hongo Campus, Koshiba Hall
Winners of the 2018 edition:
1st prize - Arno Germond, Postdoc at RIKEN
2nd prize - Irwansyah, PhD student at Kumamoto University
Audience prize - Mohamed Batran, Master student at the University of Tokyo
Learn, share and communicate about research
The Falling Walls Lab Tokyo will take place on 12 May 2018 at the University of Tokyo!
Based on the idea of "breaking down various walls" around the world, this event provides students, young researchers and professionals of all disciplines and nationalities an opportunity to present their research projects or ideas in 3 minutes and in English, in front of a non-specialised audience. To be invited to Tokyo, candidates must pass a pre-selection via our call for applications.
The winners from the Falling Walls Labs from around the world - including the Falling Walls Lab Tokyo - will gather for the Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin in November. The Falling Walls initiative was founded to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall.
How was your experience at the Finale in Berlin in November 2017?'The finale in Berlin is an amazing opportunity, at so many levels. It’s obviously great to win, but even if you don’t, it doesn’t matter, because being there already feels like you’ve won the prize. Apart from the finale, where the 100 finalists competed, we were able to listen to the actual Falling Walls Conference talks, which were so inspiring, and network with the speakers and attendees during the breaks. I also went on a bunch of brain dates. In short: lots of interesting discussions, amazing people and I’ve really expanded my network!'Ana Verissimo, winner of FWLT2017 and participant in the FWL Finale in Berlin in November 2017 |  |
研究 × コミュニケーション
国際科学コミュニケーションイベントFalling Walls Labが東京で2018年5月12日（土）に開催されます！
本イベントでは、世界にある「様々な壁」を打破することをコンセプトに、様々な国籍や専門分野の若手研究者が3分間で自身の研究活動を英語で紹介します。東京をはじめ、世界各地で予選を勝ち抜いた入賞者が11月にベルリンで行われる決勝大会に集結します。
Organisers:
Support Organisation:
Partner event:
Falling Walls Lab Sendai 2018, 31 August
Application deadline 15 June
More info: tfc.tohoku.ac.jp/fwls
Our call has closed on 9 April. You can still apply for the Falling Walls Lab Sendai 2018, on 31 August in Sendai; application deadline 15 June. Details here!
Entry Conditions
Bachelor and Master students (provided they are working on a research project on their own), PhD candidates, postdocs, young professionals and entrepreneurs from all nationalities and scientific disciplines are invited to apply.
- Applicants with only a Bachelor’s degree: the degree should not date back more than 10 years.
- Applicants with a Master’s degree: the degree should not date back more than 7 years.
- Applicants with a PhD: the degree should not date back more than 5 years.
- Postdocs and students which are currently enrolled in university are also eligible to apply.
Pre selection Procedure
All the applications will be handled through the Falling Walls website.
The application deadline is 9 April 2018, 16:00 Tokyo time.
The organisers will select 10 to 20 participants from these applicationsand invite them to the Falling Walls Lab Tokyo 2018 on 12 May in Tokyo.
What's in it for the applicants?
Working on presenting your research project is never a loss of time! Apply to the FWLT and you will definitely be able to better conceptualise your research to your colleagues, and to the general public.
For the selected participants, in addition to being invited to the Tokyo event, they will be granted access to specific training materials on science communication.
Among participants, prizes will be given to a top three as selected by the Jury Committee on the day of the event:
+ First prize and second prizes: trips to berlin for the Falling Walls Lab Finale and Conference on 8-9 November (where the winners of the Tokyo event will present in front of hundreds of executives, investors or policy-makers)
+ Third prize: quality microphone for (science) podcasts! (audience prize)
What's in it for the participants in Falling Walls Lab Tokyo?'Just the experience you gain from preparing, practicing and performing is very valuable. Also, it’s a great way of learning about new subjects, observe how your peers present their work and even get some ideas for your own future presentations. The event is relatively small and the audience and juries are very friendly, so it’s a great atmosphere to prepare you for bigger events. Needless to say, if you win, you get to go to Berlin and compete at the final representing Japan!'Ana Verissimo, winner of FWLT2017, at the event in Tokyo on 27 May 2017 |  |
What should I prepare for my application?
(All fields are mandatory except specifically marked)
- Personal information, affilation and position, contact information;
- Past publications, awards and scholarships (optional);
- A tagline of your project: "Breaking the Wall of ... +40 characters maximum including spaces";
- A teaser of your project, in 50 characters maximum,including spaces;
- An outline of your idea/project: 200 characters maximum spaces included for the problem you address, and 200 characters maximum spaces included to present your solution;
- A short statement about your motivation in applying to the Falling Walls Lab (400 characters maximum including spaces);
- A CV in PDF format.
Hints & tips: how to draft a good FWLT abstract (UTokyo training session 5-6 March)
How to prepare a good abstract to apply to FWLT?'Practice and perfect! For example, you can think about these questions: what is my research about and what is its main goal? Or, what will it do for others or the planet? If you already have a great result, what is it and why is it important? If you have a great idea, what’s the potential and impact? Then, choose keywords that describe that in a simple, concise, catchy way.'Ana Verissimo, winner of FWLT2017, at the Finale in Berlin in November 2017 (Photo credit: Falling Walls) |  |
How to prepare a good talk?
If you pass the pre-selections, we'll try and provide you with tips and know-how for better preparing yourselves. Meanwhile, please have a look at the following resource-filled article.
You can also watch last edition's talks in video:
How to prepare a good talk for the FWLT?'Thinking about the questions above can also help preparing for your talk. Also, you can get inspiration from watching videos from previous editions of Falling Walls Lab or other great science communicators on Youtube. Think about how you can be different/original, but in a style that you feel at ease with. Don’t try to memorize everything and use long and complicated words, prepare your slides in a way that they are simple and effective and serve as prompters to guide you through what you have to say. Do a little research on the impact of your first sentence and how you wrap up the talk with an equally memorable sentence. It’s not about how many words or sentences you can fit in 3 minutes, but the impact and the emphasis you put on each one. Don’t forget to have fun!'Ana Verissimo, winner of FWLT2017, at the Finale in Berlin in November 2017 (Photo credit: Falling Walls) |  |
How does judging work?
Our distinguished Jury will deliberate to select the best talks. Two participants will be designated as winners and will travel to the global Falling Walls Lab Finale, which takes place on 8 November 2018 in Berlin.
For this purpose they will use three criteria of equal importance: the "Breakthrough factor", the "Relevance and Impact", and the "Structure and Performance" of the talk. English literacy is not a valid criterion, as long as the speaker makes herself or himself clearly understand.
This year, the audience gets to decide of a third prize!
Who is in the Jury?
1. CNRS researcher for 30 years – Director of Research for 15 years
My field : Structural Physics – Materials Sciences
2. Director of a Research Unit (LMGP
: 130 members)
3. Experience as Research Manager
** Large Scale International Research Consortiums
** Staff career development
** International environment – MINATEC
** Joint Research Unit: in France a great majority of laboratories are joint units – Several types of scientists in the same lab.
4. First contact with Japan: 1990 – 2 year Postdoc at NRIM, an ancestor of NIMS – Tsukuba –
5. Okayama University from April 2014 (URA : University Research Administrator)
My mission : Develop Research at the International and improve the International ranking of Okayama University
A – Create large scale research consortiums where Okayama University is a prominent partner
B – Connect the University to best Universities in the world – mainly Europe
B – 1 – Many trips abroad to promote Okayama University Research
B – 2 – Start specific program at O-U to help young talented researchers to visit prestigious foreign Universities to promote their research and O-U as well (SAKU – 咲く)
C – As an International profile implies a strong involvment in Student Mobility:
C – 1 – Invite International students to come to Okayama University for a few months of Research Internship – 16 in 2016, 30 in 2017
C – 2 – Give lectures about Globalisation of Education, Research
C – 3 – Help Okayama University students to join International Universities
Yuko FUJIGAKI (Ph.D.)
Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, JAPAN
Year of Birth: 1962
Educational Background:
1987 M.D. University of Tokyo
1990 Ph.D. University of Tokyo
Major Professional Experiences:
Assistant Professor, University of Tokyo,1990-1996
Vice Director in Research, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy,1996-2000
Associate Professor, University of Tokyo, 2000-2009
Professor, University of Tokyo, 2010-
Chairperson of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2014
Vice Dean, College &Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 2015-2016
Major Publications:
- Fujigaki, Y. Filling the Gap between the Discussion on Science and Scientist's Everyday’s Activities: Applying the Autopoiesis System Theory to Scientific Knowledge, Social Science Information, 37(1), 5-22, 1998
- Fujigaki, Y., Leydesdorff, L. Quality Control and Validation Boundaries in a Triple Helix of University, Industry, Government: “Mode 2” and the Future of University Research. Social Science Information, 39(4), 635-655, 2000.
- Fujigaki, Y., Analysis on Dynamics of Development in Research Themes in Interdisciplinary Fields: Analysis Using Personal Distribution versus Papers, Scientometrics, 54(1)、63-74, 2002.
- Fujigaki,Y.,Changes in the research stream by standardization: A content analysis of the Archives of General Psychiatry during the establishment of operational diagnostic criteria, Scientometrics, 68(2), 203-212, 2006.
- Fujigaki, Y. STS in Japan and East Asia: Governance of Science and Technology and Public Engagement, East Asian Science, Technology and Society: an International Journal, 2009: 3:511-518.
- Fujigaki Y. and Tsukahara, T. STS Implications of Japan’s 3/11 Crisis, East Asian Science, Technology and Society: an International Journal, 5(3), 381-394, 2011.
- Fujigaki, Y. (editor) Lessons from Fukushima: Japanese Case Studies in Science, Technology and Society, Springer, 2015
Activities in Academic Societies
Council, Japanese Society for Science and Technology Studies (2001-)
Council, International Society for Social Studies of Science (2002-2005)
Program Chair, Annual Meeting of International Society for Social Studies of Science 2010 in Tokyo
President, Japanese Society for Science and Technology Studies (2013- 2016)
Governmental Activities
Council Member for Science Technology, and Research Policy, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, Culture and Sports (2013-2014)
Policy Evaluation Committee, Ministry of Education, Science, Technology, Culture and Sports(2001-2003)
Evaluation Committee for Research Institutes, METI(2002-2005)
Advisory Committee of Examination for First-class Civil, National Personal Authority(2002-2005)
Current affiliation: Mori Building Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan)
October 2007 – January 2018; Senior Manager, Relationship Development, Marketing Department, Sales Division.
- Relationship Development activities for Mori Building Co., Ltd. for all divisions of Offices, Residences, Commercials, Property Management business, Mori Art Museum/Mori Art Center, Conference Forums to find new businesses and keep constant relation with existing customers in the foreign companies’ communities in Japan for the purpose of their further business developments.
- Supported building global Venture Entrepreneur Eco System and provided support for venture events in Mori’s premises for “Agritech Summit” by Nikkei Newspaper, “The Netherlands Innovation Day”, and the “Italian Innovation Tokyo
- Joined Venture Eco system events in Japan to bring growth to incubating activities at such as Japan Venture Awards, Innovative City Forum, Orange Fab Asia, French Tech, German Innovation Tokyo, Slush Asia, Tech in Asia, MIT-Venture Forum Japan, Docomo Ventures, Gree Ventures, Euraxess, Innovation Weekend, Startup Weekend, Endeavor, Digital Garage, Recruit Ventures, Scrum Ventures, Draper Nexus, Fenox Ventures, Global Techno Innovation Café, NEDO and many of such global venture events for Entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists operated in English.
MAIN SKILLS AREAS (selection)
Strategic Planning
- Build Global Venture Eco systems in Japan
- Conversation with Top Executives of Foreign companies in Japan
- Build promotional incentive scheme to increase Mutual fund sale, and change corporate culture
Yoshiaki Maeda is a Professor at Tohoku University and vice director of the Tohoku Forum for Creativity. He is also an Emeritus Professor of Keio University.
He is coordinating the Falling Walls Lab Sendai project at Tohoku University since 2014.
Career:
1986-1994 Associate Professor, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
1994-2014 Professor, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University
2008-present Honorary Professor, University of Warwick
2014-present Professor, Tohoku University,
2014-present, Vice Director, Tohoku Forum for Creativity, Tohoku University
Dr. Yukou Mochida received B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in EE from University of Tokyo in 1964 and 1988, respectively. He stayed in Technische Universität München from 1965 to 1966 as a DAAD young researcher. He worked for Fujitsu Laboratories for 40 years and was Senior Vice President and Member of the Board until 2004. He developed and managed various digital communication systems such as transmission systems over coaxial cable and optical fiber cable and also various digital signal processing and synchronous digital network systems. He worked as CTO, Vice President and Advisor of France Telecom Japan until January 2013. He is now Senior Advisor of State of Bavaria-Japan Office in Tokyo.
He is a Fellow member of IEEE and IEICE and a Member of Engineering Academy of Japan.
Yoshifumi Nishida is a Team Leader of Living Intelligence Research Team at the Artificial Intelligence Research Center (AIRC) of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan. He received a PhD from the Graduate School of Mechanical Engineering, the University of Tokyo in 1998. In 1998, he joined Intelligent System Division of Electrotechnical Laboratory at AIST of the ministry of international trade and industry (MITI), Japan. In 2001, he joined Digital Human Laboratory. In 2003, he joined the Digital Human Research Center (DHRC) of AIST. He is also a Prime Senior Research Scientist at AIST from 2013. His research interests include human behavior sensing, human behavior modeling, injury prevention engineering, and social participation support. He is a member of the Robotics Society of Japan, and the Japanese Society of Artificial Intelligence. He received the best paper awards from the Robotics Society of Japan, the Japan Ergonomics Society, and the Information Processing Society of Japan.
Krisztina Rosner teaches comparative cultural studies and performing arts at the School of Global Japanese Studies, Meiji University. She is also an associate professor of theatre studies at the University of Pecs, Hungary. Her research field is contemporary performing arts. In her activity, theory and practice are intertwined: she is a theatre director and actor, and has given workshops in Japan, Austria, Malta, Hungary. As a recipient of UNESCO-Aschberg Bursary for Performing Artists, she worked with Robert Wilson at the Watermill Center (2006-2008), participated in the SITI Company Suzuki/Viewpoints workshop (2008), and took part in the Lincoln Center Directors Lab (2010) in New York. In 2014, she was a Japan Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Hosei University (Tokyo). Between 2015 and 2017, she was a Visiting Scholar at Waseda University Graduate School of Letters, Arts and Sciences (Tokyo), as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellow.
Who is the science communication workshop speaker?
Caitlin Devor, University of TokyoCaitlin E. Devor is a science communicator originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and a former member of Australia’s Science Circus where she regularly held fire in her hands, safely with science. She studied biology at Allegheny College and earned a M.S. in Science Communication from Australian National University. She is currently based at the University of Tokyo and writes to excite non-expert audiences about the daily-life relevance of new scientific accomplishments. |  |
Who are the participants?
Josko Troselj, Croatia |  |
Luke Carter, UK |  |
Takuto Shiozawa, Japan |  |
Han Yan, China |  |
Chinatsu Yasuda, Japan |  |
Arno Germond, France |  |
Thai Hang Le, Vietnam |  |
Bill Soderstrom, Sweden |  |
Myeongok Kim, Korea |  |
Vincenzo Vitagliano, Italy |  |
Irwansyah, Indonesia |  |
Takashi Goto, Japan |  |
Enza Migliore, Italy |  |
Mohamed Batran, Egypt |  |
Ayako Aoki, Japan |  |
Event Schedule
14:00 | Opening Remarks / About the Organisers | Dorothea Mahnke, Director, German Research and Innovation Forum Tokyo (DWIH Tokyo) |
14:15
| About Falling Walls and FWLT | " |
14:25 | First batch of FWLT 2018 contestants | 7 first talks (see order within 'participants' tab) |
15:00 | Coffee break |
|
15:15 | Second batch of FWLT 2018 contestants | 8 following talks (see order within 'participants' tab) |
16:00 | Science communication workshop: Programme TBA (Jury deliberation in separate room) | Caitlin Devor, Project Senior Specialist, University of Tokyo |
17:00 | Results announcement and prize ceremony |
|
Networking Reception