On Friday, March 13, “The JIGE* 2026 Doctoral Colloquium Series with Penn State University**: Special Seminar” was held in person and online at Tohoku University, with approximately 60 students and faculty members participating, including those from JIGE project partner universities.
This year’s colloquium series centered on the main theme of “Disaster Science.” Prior to the “Special Seminar,” a three-day “Tohoku University-Penn State Joint Field Tour” was conducted. During the tour, 15 researchers and graduate students from both universities visited areas affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
At the “Special Seminar: Natural Disasters and Social Impacts; How to Prepare for Next Disasters,” moderated by Professor Takeshi Kakegawa of the Graduate School of Science at Tohoku University, presentations were given by Professor Jun Muto of the Graduate School of Science at Tohoku University and Professor Kevin Furlong of College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State University. The presentations were followed by a lively discussion among the graduate students and faculty members from the participating universities. A similar discussion is scheduled to take place online at the end of March.
Tohoku University plans to continue hosting the Doctoral Colloquium Series under the JIGE framework in the next academic year and beyond.
*: This colloquium series was conducted as part of the JIGE Project, an educational and human resource development initiative jointly promoted by Tohoku University, Kansai University and Chiba University.
**: The Pennsylvania State University in the USA is an international partner university of the JIGE Project.