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The 10th Kyoto University International Symposium
The 10th Kyoto University International Symposium was held in Bandung, Indonesia from July 26-28, 2007. The theme of the seminar was "Active Geosphere Science." Faculty members and graduate students from six Kyoto University departments including the Graduate School of Science and the Disaster Prevention Research Institute attended the symposium. Keeping in mind the university's fundamental principle of pursuing "harmonious coexistence within human and ecological community on this planet," participants engaged in a multi-faceted dialogue with the objective of gaining a more integrated understanding of the Earth's active geosphere, the interrelation of its individual components, and how best to disseminate that knowledge throughout both the local and global communities. The seminar featured reports of cutting-edge research based on fieldwork in tropical regions and discussions on the appropriate method of representing academic and scientific views and forecasts in fields related to geosphere science.
Approximately 200 researchers and graduate students attended the symposium. Attendees hailed from 16 different countries and areas including participants from East, Southeast, and South Asia, Nigeria, Great Britain and the United States. Twenty-eight researchers from Kyoto University attended the event.
The symposium featured presentations by speakers from several institutions with which Kyoto University has partnership agreements: the Institut Technologi Bandung, the Indonesian Institute of Science and the University of Michigan. Lectures were also given by speakers from Princeton University, the California Institute of Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts among others.
On the first day of the symposium, an opening ceremony was held in the auditorium of Institut Technologi Bandung. A greeting by Dr. Kazuo Oike, President of Kyoto University followed an explanation of the history and character of the Kyoto University International Symposia by Professor Toshio Yokoyama, Director-General of the Organization for the Promotion of International Relations (OPIR). These opening greetings were followed by further addresses by Professor Dr. Djoko Santoso, Rector of the Institut Teknologi Bandung, Professor Dr. Masaru Kono of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Member of the Science Council of Japan and Deputy Minister Dr. Bambang Sapto Pratomosunu of the State Ministry of Research and Technology (RISTEK).
The opening session began with a presentation about Kyoto University's Active Geosphere Investigations for the 21st Century Centers of Excellence Program (KAGI21) by Professor Shigeo Yoden of the Graduate School of Science. Following that, the venue moved to the Sheraton Hotel where, on the following day (27th), a fluid geosphere-centered session was held which highlighted the importance of Indonesia in the field of active geosphere science. The afternoon's proceedings consisted of a field trip to the Tangkuban Parahu volcano and the Lembang fault.
The final day revolved around solid-earth science. Following and integrated session on research into geosphere history and measurement technology, a panel discussion was held entitled "Active Geosphere Sciences for Human Activities in the Tropics." The discussion centered on international cooperative research and education undertakings. The discussion drew many comments from the assembled audience and ultimately ran over-time, a testimony to the profound interest generated by the relatively young field of active geosphere science.
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