Okayama University Hosts "2nd Aquatic Environmental Science Seminar" to Share the Forefront of Aquatic Environmental Science

March 27, 2026 National University Corporation Okayama University https://www.okayama-u.ac.jp/

◆ Overview Okayama University (Headquarters: Kita-ku, Okayama City; President: Yasutomo Nasu) held the "2nd Aquatic Environmental Science Seminar" on March 9, 2026, at the Co-creation Innovation Lab (KIBINOVE) on its Tsushima Campus. This seminar was held as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Regional Core and Distinctive Research Universities (J-PEAKS)," following the first seminar held in June last year.

This seminar was co-hosted by the Institute for Advanced Study of Okayama University and the Shinshu University/University of Tokyo Collaborative Office of the Research Center for Water Environment Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. Approximately 40 faculty members, staff, and students from the university participated, engaging in lively discussions across disciplines, creating a venue that led to the generation of new ideas and innovations.

At the beginning of the seminar, as a special extra session, Ms. Geraldine Echue, Deputy Editor of Advanced Materials (Wiley, IF 26.8), a leading academic journal in the field of materials science, was invited. She introduced tips for writing papers, the publication process from submission to peer review and publication, and key points for evaluating papers from an editor's perspective. Additionally, AI tools, which are increasingly being utilized in academic publishing, were discussed, leading to a lively exchange of opinions on new trends surrounding paper writing and the dissemination of research results.

In the subsequent research presentations, three researchers took the stage to introduce their research findings: Associate Professor Moriizumi from the Institute of Plant Science and Resources at Okayama University, Professor Nobuko Fukuda from the Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology at Okayama University, and Professor Rie Makiura from the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University. Associate Professor Moriizumi lectured on the molecular mechanisms of aquaporins involved in the selective permeation of water and CO₂, Professor Fukuda on the potential application of plasmonics to aquatic environmental science, and Professor Makiura on the creation of porous complex MOF nanosheets using aquatic interfaces and the development of their functions. Questions were also raised by participants, leading to active discussions on the research content and future developments. After the seminar, a social gathering was held at the same facility, where participants exchanged ideas on research content and potential future collaborations.

This seminar provided an opportunity to consider new research developments for water resources, environmental, and energy issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, with aquatic environmental science as its theme. Under the "Program for Promoting the Enhancement of Regional Core and Distinctive Research Universities (J-PEAKS)," Okayama University aims to promote interdisciplinary research exchange, starting with interdisciplinary fusion, to create new knowledge. Through such initiatives, the university will continue to further promote research collaboration both within and outside the university.

Please continue to look forward to the initiatives of Okayama University, an open regional core and distinctive research university.