Qdai-mail Tsushin #085
The e-mail magazine "Qdai-mail Tsushin" delivers campus news every month.
****************************************************************
Friday, February 28, 2025
Kyushu U's CONNECT Issue 6: Our annual English university magazine is available from the link below!
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/publicity/publications/connect
Kyushu U Connect: Keep up to date on how Kyushu U is engaging with society.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/connect/
==================================
**Topics
------------------------------------------------------------
* Distinguished Professor Takahiro Masuda receives Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development President's Award
~~~~~~~~~~
On January 17, 2025, the seventh award ceremony for the Japan Medical Research and Development Awards was held at the Prime Minister's Office of Japan. Distinguished Professor Takahiro Masuda of the Division of Molecular Neuroimmunology at the Medical Institute of Bioregulation received the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) President's Award.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/626
------------------------------------------------------------
* Associate Professor Alexander Ryota Keeley of the Faculty of Engineering Receives "Innovators Under 35 in Japan 2024" Award from MIT Technology Review
~~~~~~~~~~
Associate Professor Alexander Ryota Keeley of the Faculty of Engineering at Kyushu University has been selected as a recipient of the "MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Japan 2024" award. This prestigious international award is organized by the media division of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and recognizes outstanding innovators under the age of 35 who are tackling global challenges. Previous recipients include Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook), further establishing its reputation as a globally authoritative award.
https://www.eng.kyushu-u.ac.jp/e/topics4136.html
------------------------------------------------------------
* One step forward to inclusive debate tournament, assisted by computer technology
~~~~~~~~~~
The 22nd JDA Kyushu Debate Tournament, the Japanese language, was held at the Ito Campus of Kyushu University on December 15, 2024.
The resolution of this year's tournament was "Japan should ban the use of SNSs (social networking services) for junior high school students or younger." This is a timely topic as a similar bill was passed in Australia just a few days before the tournament, and the controversial TikTok ban was reported in the United States.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/topics/view/627
==================================
**Research
------------------------------------------------------------
* An overlooked nuclear force helps keep matter stable
~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers from Kyushu University, Japan have revealed how a special type of force within an atom's nucleus, known as the three-nucleon force, impacts nuclear stability. The study, published in Physics Letters B, provides insight into why certain nuclei are more stable than others and may help explain astrophysical processes, such as the formation of heavy elements within stars.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/322
------------------------------------------------------------
* The environmental and economic impact of COVID-19 on Japan's tourism industry
~~~~~~~~~~
Kyushu University economists have published new data on the economic, social, and environmental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Japan's inbound tourism industry for the year 2020. The results showed a pandemic-induced loss of 33 million tourists, resulting in 3.44 trillion yen of value-added loses, and a decline in employment for 868,976 people. The data also revealed environmental benefits, with an emission reduction of 11.6 megatons of CO2.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/323
------------------------------------------------------------
* Life's building blocks in Bennu samples
~~~~~~~~~~
Joint Press Release by Hokkaido University, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Kyushu University, Tohoku University, and Keio University.
Japanese collaborators detected all five nucleobases — building blocks of DNA and RNA — in samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/324
------------------------------------------------------------
* Friend-enemy divided thinking ignites flames of conflict
~~~~~~~~~~
An interdisciplinary study led by Kyushu University combining political science and psychology shows that individuals who view the world through a "friend or foe" mindset are more likely to perceive outsiders as a threat. They tend to believe more in conspiracy theories, and hold more negative attitudes toward international relations. Researchers hope to contribute insights that lead to more effective conflict management and lasting peace.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/326
------------------------------------------------------------
* In ancient stellar nurseries, some stars are born of fluffy clouds
~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers at Kyushu University have found that stars in the early universe may have formed from "fluffy" molecular clouds. Using the ALMA telescope to observe the Small Magellanic Cloud—whose environment is similar to the early universe—they observed that about 60% of the observed clouds had the common filamentary structure, while the remaining 40% had a "fluffy" shape. These results could provide new insights into the formation of stars in the universe.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/325
------------------------------------------------------------
* More than meets the eye: an adrenal gland tumor is more complex than previously thought
~~~~~~~~~~
Researchers have uncovered a surprising layer of complexity in aldosterone-producing adenomas—adrenal gland tumors that drive high blood pressure. Using cutting-edge analysis techniques, they discovered that these tumors harbor at least four distinct cell types, including ones that produce cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Published in PNAS, their findings not only explain why some patients with these tumors develop unexpected health issues, like weakened bones, but also pave the way toward new treatment strategies.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/researches/view/327
==================================
**Event
------------------------------------------------------------
* INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM "Control in a World of Algorithmic Management & the Future of Labour and Employment Law"
~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 2025.3.14 [Fri] 9:45 – 16:35
The rapid integration of AI and algorithmic management into workplaces is fundamentally transforming traditional labour law systems and industrial relations. This symposium examines these crucial changes through a comparative analysis of the UK, EU, and Japan, with a specific focus on the evolution of workplace control and its implications for workers' rights and trade union functions.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events/view/540
------------------------------------------------------------
* 2025 System Life Sciences Graduate School / Entrance Examination Information Session (Online)
~~~~~~~~~~
Date: 2025.4.5 [Sat] 13:30 – 16:40
The Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, is a five-year doctoral program established in April 2003 to foster interdisciplinary human resources with multiple backgrounds in biology and information science, including medicine, or biology and engineering.
An information session on the Graduate School and the various admission procedures will be held online.
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events/view/542
------------------------------------------------------------
* Q-AOS Brown Bag Seminar Series
~~~~~~~~~~
Date: Every Wednesday 12:10 – 12:50
Every Wednesday during lunch, learn about research related to SDGs in Asian and Oceanian regions and expand your research network at the Q-AOS Brown Bag Seminar Series. The webinar is free, available in English and Japanese, and open to everyone!
https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/events?tag_id=2
****************************************************************
** Stay Connected
------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.facebook.com/KyushuUniv.en/
https://x.com/KyushuUniv_en
https://www.instagram.com/kyushuuniversity/
https://www.youtube.com/user/KyushuUniv
****************************************************************
Qdai-mail Tsushin is published by Lifetime Email Account Service
Kyushu University.
* Update subscription preferences (For users of the Lifetime Email Address (@kyudai.jp) ONLY)
After logging in, you can make various changes from My Page.
https://kyudai.jp/en/