Activities

2024.12.8 On December 8, 2024, Professor Iima (Hiroshima University) of Group B02-2 gave an invited lecture at the research conference Dynamics Days Sapporo 2024.

On December 8, 2024, Professor Iima (Hiroshima University) from Group B02-2 gave an invited lecture on individual and collective movement of Euglena at the research conference Dynamics Days Sapporo 2024.
2024.11.30 Associate Professor Kenta Ishimoto (Team B01-2) gave a public lecture for high school students in “JST Math Caravan at Chubu University”.

JST Math Caravan at Chubu University
https://www.cuaes.jp/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Math-Caravan-at-Chubu-u.pdf
2024.11.8 On November 8th, 2024, the workshop on 3D sperm helical swimming analysis was held at Hirosaki University.
2024.11.4 Associate Professor Kenta Ishimoto (Team B01-2) gave an online public lecture for high school students as a part of a seminar series by The Japan Science Society.

Science Seminar
https://www.jss.or.jp/fukyu/seminar/seminar03.html
2024.10.26 On October 26, 2024, Professor T. Nakagaki, a member of General Group, gave a lecture on “Behavioral Proto-intelligence Explored in the Study of Protist Behavior” at the 43rd Life Science Symposium “Exploring Primitive Sensation and Intelligence” held at Toho University Narashino Campus.

Toho University Event information
https://www.toho-u.ac.jp/phar/event/43th_seimeikagaku.html
2024.10.25 On October 25th, 2024, the joint workshop with the Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) “散乱透視学" was held at the University of Electro-Communications.

The 2nd Diorama Behavioral Dynamics and Scattering Perspective Joint Workshop
https://sites.google.com/nips.ac.jp/2nd-georama-sc-joint
2024.10.16 In August 2024, Professor Nakagaki (B02-1) appeared on the YouTube channel “Yuru SEITAIGAKU Radio (chill ecology radio)” to introduce the behavior of protozoa and Cellular Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments.

1. Slime molds solve a maze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4EIARjpODo

2. Leave the design of railway networks to slime molds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUamA8XOQN8&t=103s

3. What is “Cellular Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments”?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csp7HiQRbII
2024.9.26 The 6th Area Plenary Meeting was held at Hokkaido University.

There were 91 in-person participants and 11 online participants.
Additionally, two academic investigators and five evaluation team members attended to provide their comments.
2024.9.24 The exhibition "ALL ROADS LEAD TO BIG CITIES," showcasing the research of Associate Professor Takaaki Aoki of the publicly offered group, had started at the "Shikon Shosai-kan" on the Hikone campus of Shiga University from September 3 to November 29, 2024. This event was reported by Chunichi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun.

Chunichi Shimbun newspaper　(September 18, 2024)
"Exploring Urban Landscapes through Mobility Data – Exhibition by Shiga University’s Associate Professor Aoki in Hikone"

Asahi Shimbun newspaper (September 22, 2024)
"Researching Urban Images from Flow Data of Commuting, Shopping, and Migration – Exhibition at Shiga University"
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASS9P4G6YS9PPTJB002M.html
2024.9.12 On September 12th 2024, from 9:20 to 18:00, we held an international workshop entitled “Behavior and physiology of protists -experiments and models-” at the Sorbonne University (Paris, France) in collaboration with Professor Romain Brette (Sorbonne University).
From the Publicly Offered Group, Professor Takashi Tominaga, and from the Planned Group, Professor Manabu Hori, Professor Katsuhiko Sato, and Professor T. Nakagaki gave presentations.
2024.8.23 On August 23rd 2024, from 14:00 to 17:00, at the Tsukuba University Tokyo Campus, we held a discussion with Professor Ritsu Kamiya (Professor Emeritus, University of Tokyo, Cell Biology) on the relationship between cell biology and mathematical modeling in the study of cell movement and behavior. The participants in the discussion were Drs. K. Shiba (A01-1), K. Shinohara (A02-1), K. Kikuchi (A02-2), M. Iima (B02-2), and T. Nakagaki (B02-1).
2024.8.8 Professor Makoto Iima (Team A02-2) conducted outreach activities for high school students at the Open Lab. held at the Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University.
2024.8.8 Professor Makoto Iima (Team A02-2) conducted outreach activities for high school students at the Open Lab. held at the Faculty of Integrated Arts and Sciences, Hiroshima University.
2024.8.2 Prof. Kazuo Inaba (Team A01-2) conducted outreach activities in his lecture for high school students at Shimoda marine research center, University of Tsukuba.
2024.7.27 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Group B01-1) introduced the field of "Ethological dynamics in diorama environments" in the university collaboration course "Explore the world of micro-organisms!".

[Couse Title]　Explore the world of micro-organisms!

[Date]　Saturday, July 27, 2024, 14:30-16:00

[Place]　Komaki City "Learning Creation Center Training room"
2024.7.26 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Group B01-1) introduced the field of "Ethological dynamics in diorama environments" in the university collaboration course "Knowledge Exploration Course".

[Couse Title]　Knowledge Exploration Course

[Date]　Friday, July 26, 2024, 13:00-16:30

[Place]　Aichi University of Education
2024.7.5 Prof. Daisuke Takagi of the University of Hawaii visited Prof. Ishikawa's lab in Planned Research Group B01-1.
2024.6.7 On June 7, 2024, Associate Professor Takaaki Aoki of the publicly offered group gave a gallery talk at the exhibition "ALL ROADS LEAD TO BIG CITIES" (June 3-November 29, 2024) at the Shiga University Institute of Economics and Business Administration "Shigadai Research Material Exhibition Corner. The event was reported in the Chunichi Shimbun newspaper.

Chunichi Shimbun newspaper
https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/909843
2024.5.28-29 A collective movement experiment using red tide algae in a diorama environment was conducted at the Higashi-Hiroshima Campus of Hiroshima University on May 28-29, 2024.

The Diorama Behavior Team (A01-1)'s Chief Researcher Tomoyuki Shikata and Term-appointed Researcher Ryoko Yano (NISA) visited the Higashi-Hiroshima campus of Hiroshima University and conducted a collective movement experiment in a diorama environment using red tide algae with the Algorithm Evaluation Team (B02-2)'s Professor Makoto Iima and Specially Appointed Assistant Professor Dr. Yamashita (Hiroshima University). They also discussed the mathematical model of red tide.
2024.5.27 Publicly Offered Group Associate Prof. Takaaki Aoki will hold a workshop "Mathematical and Geographical Modelling environmental humanities in RIMS 2024" (June 3~4, 2024) at the Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University. In this series of workshops, comparative studies between the movement of protists such as slime molds and the dynamics of human society have also been discussed.

Mathematical and Geographical Modelling environmental humanities in RIMS 2024
https://takaakiaokiwork.github.io/Mathgeomodel/2024/06/03/RIMS2024.html
2024.5.27 Publicly Offered Group Associate Professor Takaaki Aoki will exhibit his research in the exhibition "ALL ROADS LEAD TO BIG CITIES" (June 3 - November 29, 2024) at the Shiga University Institute of Economics and Business Administration "Shigadai Research Material Exhibition Corner".

Phase 1: In what kind of places do people gather and live? -Millennium Simulation of Streets and Roads- (June 3 - August 29, 2024)

Phase 2: The urban landscape through human flows - from daily commuting and shopping behavior to moving and migration - (September 2 - November 29)

The simulation of the co-development of cities and roads, inspired by the adaptive network formation of slime molds, will be introduced. Gallery talks by Professor Aoki will also be held on Tuesday, June 11 and Tuesday, July 9.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO BIG CITIES
https://www.econ.shiga-u.ac.jp/ebrisk/2020/Collections/folder2708/ARLTBC.html
2024.5.27 Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki of Group B02-1 talked with Dr. Masanao Yamaoka, who launched the innovative research on CMOS annealing computation at Hitachi, at the web media Linking Society, part of the Hitachi Group's Social Innovation Project to solve social issues. Discussion was made on the significance of mathematical modeling of protist behavior in order to extract autonomous de-centralized algorithms of prototype of intelligent behavior and (2) the future expansion of Hitachi’s new concept of computing.

[Vol. 1] Mathematical Models Have Depth Beyond Words (April 24, 2024)
https://linkingsociety.hitachi.co.jp/_ct/17695118

[Vol. 2] Reimagining Human Social Activities with Mathematical Models (May 08, 2024)
https://linkingsociety.hitachi.co.jp/_ct/17695120

[Vol.3]Computers of the Future Will Require a Balance Between "Roughness" and "Precision" (May 15, 2024)
https://linkingsociety.hitachi.co.jp/_ct/17695121
2024.5.15 Professor Nobuhiko Suematsu (Meiji University), a research collaborator of Team B02-2, will give an invited lecture on ``Convection patterns created by photosynthetic microorganisms in response to light fields'' at the session ``Kitchen Earth Science: Experiments that generate diverse outcomes'' at the JpGU Meeting 2024.

JpGU Meeting 2024
https://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2024/sessionlist_en/detail/O-07.html

Session Detail
https://www.jpgu-member.org/proposal/session/invited/author/ja/
2024.4.11-12 April 11-12, 2024. The Hokudai-NYCU Joint Workshop on Applied Mathematics between Department of Applied Mathematics, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), Taiwan, and Research Center of Mathematics for Social Creativity, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, was held (at NYCU, Taiwan), and co-organized by our research area.
Assistant Professor Yukinori Nishigami of Group B01-1 and Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki of Group B02-1 participated and presented their results.
2024.4.12 Bimonthly series on the ethological dynamics in diorama environments has started in the UP magazine.
The April issue includes the column 'A story of intelligence that begins from a cell' by Prof. Nakagaki, the area representative.

The University of Tokyo Press "UP magazine"
https://www.utp.or.jp/up/
2024.3.25 On March 25, 2024, Prof. Toshiyuki Nakagaki of Group B02-1 gave a lecture entitled "Exploring the way of life of protists: “Cellular ethological dynamics in diorama environments" at the Industry-Academia-Government Academic Exchange Forum of the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Bioscience and Biotechnology (100th Anniversary Meeting) and introduced research concepts in this field.

Industry-Academia-Government Academic Exchange Forum of the 2024
https://www.jsbba.or.jp/2024/program/sanwaka.html
2024.3.23-24 Associate Professor Kenji Kikuchi (Team A02-2) participated as a lecturer in the 15th Transgrade Practical Course "Stereomicroscopic Observation of Quail Embryos" hosted by Associate Professor Keiko Numayama of Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering. We conducted outreach activities to 45 people. Representative Nakagaki, Professor Sato (Team B02-1), and Mr. Echigoya (Nakagaki Lab) also participated.
2024.3.21 The 5th Area Plenary Meeting was held at Tohoku University.

There were 68 in-person participants and 8 online participants.
Two academic investigators and four evaluation team members were also in attendance to give their comments.

→The 5th Area Plenary Meeting
2024.3.1・3.8 Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki of Group B02-1, in cooperation with Assistant Professor Yukinori Nishigami of Group B01-1, introduced the ecology and smart behavior of protists to the public at the Sapporo Citizen's College 2024 Winter / CHIERIA Learning Volunteer Project Lecture "Microbes Change Our Future," on March 1 and 8, 2024. The actual observation of ciliates with a simple smartphone microscope by one person at a time was well received.
2024.2.23-24 Associate Professor Kenji Kikuchi (Team A02-2) participated as a lecturer in the "Fluorescence Microscope Assembly Training" hosted by Associate Professor Keiko Numayama of the Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, and conducted outreach activities to a total of 30 people, including junior high and high school students and teachers.
2024.2.16 A Workshop on mathematical life science was held at University of Toyama in collaboration with other KAKENHI projects in Transformative Research Areas A.

Mathematical life science— Transformative Research Areas (A)：3G+∞ Fusion Meeting —

Date: Friday, January 19, 2024, Saturday, January 20, 2024
Venue: Faculty of Science, University of Toyama
2024.1.30 “The mysterious world of slime molds that approaches the “intelligence" of single cells” (broadcasted on November 13, 2022) will be rebroadcast on NHK E-Tele Science ZERO on February 4 and 10, 2024. This program introduces the research content of Group B02-01, and due to its popularity, it will be aired again on domestic terrestrial TV following the international broadcast on NHK WORLD-JAPAN on October 23, 2023.

NHK Educational TV Science ZERO
https://www.nhk.jp/p/zero/ts/XK5VKV7V98/episode/te/DRJYK5PP8L/
2024.1.22 Assistant Professor Shiba Kogiku (Team A01-2) conducted outreach activities at Open campus in Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba.

【Facebook】 University of Tsukuba event information
2024.1.14 Prof. Toshiyuki Nakagaki of Group B02-1 served as Discussion Leader of the Biological Intelligence for Robotics Session at the Gordon Research Conference on Robotics "Physical and Computationally Intelligent Behaviour in Robots" (January 14-19, 2024, Ventura, CA), and gave a talk in the Bioinspired Intelligent Robots Session "Physical and Computationally Intelligent Behaviour in Robots". He conceptually introduced the prototype of intelligent behavior of protists and how it works.

Physically and Computationally Intelligent Behaviour in Robots
https://www.grc.org/robotics-conference/2024/
2024.1.10 Dr. Shikada (Group A01-1) and his colleagues created a video titled “Ecophysiology of Red Tide Plankton'' and published it on the website of Fisheries Technology Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency.

Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency
https://www.fra.go.jp/gijutsu/kenkyu/plankton.html
2024.1.4 November 23, 2023 Hirohashi (a member of publicly offered research group) give a public talk and demonstration of giant squid dissection for about 80 public audience, which was YouTubed on time.

Asahi Weekly DIGITAL
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASRCR61B4RCRPIHB00L.html

Kobe Shimbun NEXT
https://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/tajima/202311/0017059490.shtml
2024.1.4 September 4-8, 2023 Hirohashi (a member of publicly offered research group) was invited to the 16th Biology of Sperm conference held at Stockholm as a plenary speaker to give a talk about "two types of males and two types of sperm in squids.

Left bottom: with the organizers (Rhonda and John) .
2023.12.20-22 From December 20th to 22nd, 2023, the “Workshop on Taxis Behavior Equation in Hiroshima" took place at the Hiroshima University Phoenix International Center MIRAI CREA.

On-site participants included members from the Algorithm Evaluation Team (Team B02-2), Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University) [representative] from Team B02-1, and Professors Shiba and Yoshida from the Diorama Behavior Team (Team A01-2).
Additionally, Professor Ishikawa, Professor Omori, and one graduate student from the Mechanical Modeling Team (Team B01-1) joined the workshop online. The focus of our intensive discussions was on primordial intelligence algorithms rooted in the phototaxis and chemotaxis of living organisms.

Program - Workshop on Taxis Behavior Equation in Hiroshima
2023.12.17 December 17th, Professor T. Nakagaki of Group B02-1 participated in the Ig Nobel Prize official event “Ig Nobel Face-to-Face 2023 in JAPAN” at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, and introduced some concept of research project on Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments in the panel discussion “Why do people do science?
The event was broadcast on NHK TV News (7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.).

Miraikan - Ig Nobel Outline
https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/news/press/202311133242.html

「Ig Nobel Face-to-Face 2023 in JAPAN」
https://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/events/202311093234.html

NHK TV News "Event where Nobel Prize and Ig Nobel Prize winners talk in Tokyo"
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20231217/k10014290641000.html
2023.12.11-12 December 11-12, Professor T. Nakagaki of Group B02-1 held an international workshop "Biological Physics of adaptive behavior in cells and higher organisms" as part of Hokkaido University-Bremen University Exchange Day with Professor H. G. Doebereiner of the University of Bremen. He introduced the research project on Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments and exchanged opinions with ten German researchers. There were presentations by graduate students from both the Japanese and German sides.
2023.11.18-19 November 18-19, Science Agora 2023 (hosted by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, supported by Cabinet Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology/Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry/Science Council of Japan/Keidanren/The Japan Association of National Universities/Federation of Japanese Private Colleges and Universities Associations, etc., held at Tokyo Daiba Telecom Center), we held a planned exhibition titled '' Towards learning from microscopic strategies of the single-cell, protists'' and introduced a part of our research project to over 500 visitors.

This exhibition was planned and implemented mainly by Group A02-1, Group B02-1, and Group B02-2 in collaboration with related graduate students and high school students from Super Science High School. Over 100 visitors wrote down a comment on the behavior of protists.

Science Agora 2023:Towards learning from microscopic strategies of the single-cell, protists
https://www.jst.go.jp/sis/scienceagora/2023/on-site/booth/324.html
2023.10.27 The research of Associate Professor Kenta Ishimoto (Team B01-2) of the planning group was introduced in the scientific magazine New Scientist.

Paper
「Odd Elastohydrodynamics: Non-Reciprocal Living Material in a Viscous Fluid」
https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXLife.1.023002

New Scientist
「Sperm caught breaking Newton's third law of motion」
(October 28, 2023 issue)
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2397442-sperm-caught-breaking-newtons-third-law-of-motion/
2023.10.25-26 A joint seminar was organized by the Issac Newton Institute (Cambridge) and the Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University. Dr. Kogiku Shiba (University of Tsukuba), the leader of the planning group of this project, gave an invited lecture and introduced the results of his research on chemotaxis of sperm motility and research activities in the area of Ethological dynamics in diorama environments.

Titles and abstracts of the presentations can be found below.

INI-RIMS joint seminar | Fluid Mechanics for Life

In addition, videos of the joint seminar presentations are available at
https://www.newton.ac.uk/seminar/40055/
https://www.newton.ac.uk/seminar/40530/

This joint seminar was jointly organized by the "Role of Boundaries in Biological Fluid Dynamics" meeting held by the Institute for Mathematical Analysis, Kyoto University, and the INI research program "Mathematics of movement: an interdisciplinary approach to mutual challenges in animal ecology and cell biology".
https://fluid.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/2023年度研究集会「生物流体力学における境界の役/
https://www.newton.ac.uk/event/mmv/
2023.10.24 October 24, 2023: NHK Science ZERO introduced our research project “The mysterious world of slime molds that approaches the “intelligence" of single cells” (broadcasted on November 13, 2022) has been remade into "The Superpowers of Slime Molds" for overseas use, and it was broadcasted internationally on NHK WORLD-JAPAN.
This program can also be viewed on NHK+ and NHK On-Demand.

The Superpowers of Slime Molds
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/2015308/
2023.10.9
On October 9, 2023, at "Scientists Festival that You Can Visit" (Akihabara, Tokyo)”, sponsored by the Japan Association for the Advancement of Science (JAAS) and supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Science Council of Japan, the Union of Japanese Societies for Biological Science, etc.), professor T. Nakagaki of B02-1 group gave a lecture titled “Cellular Ethological Dynamics for Proto-intelligence Observed in Diorama Environments" at the session "Interesting and Serious Scientists: The World of Ig Nobel Prizes”, and participated in the panel discussion, to show the research activities of our research project.

Japan Society for the Advancement of Science Annual Conference 2023
https://meetings.jaas.science/

Program
https://meetings.jaas.science/program/
2023.10.2 October 2, 2023, in the popular series "President Interview No. 107: Expanding possibilities by changing your perspective ~ Two perspectives and knowledge to find clues to solutions" in the magazine "People and Systems" published by NTT Data Engineering Systems, Inc., the research of Planned Research group B02-1, "Skillful behavioral abilities of protists including slime molds" was introduced.

"People and Systems" published by NTT Data Engineering Systems, Inc.
https://www.nttd-es.co.jp/magazine/backnumber/no107/no107-specialreport.html
2023.9.27 September 27, 2023, (NPO) hello tomorrow Asia Pacific SUMMIT 2023 (held at National Gallery Singapore, Singapore) Alternative Intelligence Session “Brainless, but capable of complex decision-making” by Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University) of B02-1 group gave a Keynote Speech “Capable of remembering, anticipating, and deciding, to think that single-celled organisms are stupid would be wrongful,” followed by a panel discussion “Hidden in plain sight: intelligence as we don't know.” He introduced some of the research in this area.

Hello Tomorrow APAC Summit 2023
https://www.hello-tomorrow-apac.org/apac-summit-2023
2022.9.15 The 4th Area Plenary Meeting and the 3rd Discussion Meeting were held at Hokkaido University.

There were 68 in-person participants and 26 online participants.
Two academic investigators and five evaluation team members were also in attendance to give their comments.
2023.9.12 Prof. Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University) of B02-1 group wrote an article about research in this area and scientific research in general, in the Hokkaido Shimbun's evening column “GYOGANZU (Fisheye)”.

September 12, 2023
"When humans return to being single-celled"
Movement of sperm as a single-celled organism during the change of generations in humans.

August 29, 2023
"Researcher's role"
Switching of phototaxis in Chlamydomonas.

July 4, 2023
"Small hairs in the body are amazing"
Ciliary movement from unicellular to multicellular organisms.

June 13, 2022
“Dandelion by the edge of fence"
Understanding the functions of living organisms through fluid dynamics.

January 7, 2022
"Mathematical model to understand weather and corona infection"
On the importance of mechanical study.
2023.9.1 On August 26th, 2023, research on "skillful behavior of protozoa" by Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Hokkaido University) of B02-1 group was introduced in the video content of the web media "Rike Lab".

Main story (5 minutes 33 seconds) https://youtu.be/lEs6iJwXgcw

Short version (35 seconds) https://youtu.be/uoDzCenr0VM
2023.8.22 On August 22nd, 2023, assistant Professor Yukinori Nishigami (Hokkaido University) of B01-1 group, jointly with B02-1 group, accepted overseas students (9 students from university and high school) supported by SAKURA Science Program (JST) and conducted a hands-on learning program on ecology and behavior of protist.
2023.08.10 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Group B01-1) introduced the field of "Ethological dynamics in diorama environments" in the university collaboration course "Let's observe the world of micro organisms!".

【Couse Title】
Let's take a peek into the world of micro organisms!
【Date】
Thursday, August 10, 2023, 13:30-15:30

【Place】
KARIYA Cultural Center "AIRIS"
2023.07.19 The 20th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held in Fisheries Technology Institute (Goto).
2023.7.11-12 July 11-12, 2023. The joint research meeting International Workshop on Applied Mathematics was held at Hokkaido University between the Department of Applied Mathematics, National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan, and Research Center of Mathematics for Social Creativity, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, which was co-organized by this research area. Associate Professor Katsuhiko Sato of the Planned Research Group B02-1 presented the results, and Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki participated and exchanged opinions.
2023.06.27 In April 2023, UK based organization [Braintastic! Science] piloted their new show for children, Amazing Animals, at the Edinburgh Science Festival, featuring the work of B02-1 group (Professor T. Nakagaki).

In April 2023, UK based organization [Braintastic! Science](*1) piloted their new show for children, Amazing Animals, at the Edinburgh Science Festival, featuring the work of Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki. During the show, founder and presenter Ginny Smith introduced the families to the amazing cognitive abilities of animals including crows, chimps and dolphins as well as the surprising puzzle-solving skills of the humble slime mould. The audience were challenged to solve a simple maze, and to connect the Tokyo area subway map, before seeing the slime mould’s solutions, and hearing about how effectively they can solve puzzles like this, despite not having a brain! The show was received really well, and Braintastic! Science now plan to add it to their repertoire, taking it to schools and festivals around the UK and (occasionally) elsewhere, sharing the amazing abilities of the slime mould, and the work of the Professor Nakagaki group, with a wide and diverse audience.

(*1) Braintastic! Science
https://www.braintasticscience.com/
2023.06.03 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Group B01-1) introduced the field of "Ethological dynamics in diorama environments" in a university laboratory tour of the SS Science Club of Toyota Nishi High School which is a super science high school (SSH).

【Couse Title】
Toyota Nishi High school　Laboratory tour

【Date】
Thursday, March 30, 2023, 15:30-17:30

【Place】
Aichi University of Education
2023.05.18 The 18th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held in Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology
2023.03.30 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Group B01-1) gave a lecture in "Meeting for development of teaching materials using microorganisms" - observation of microorganisms contained in water from a nearby pond using a microscope.In this lecture, we introduced the research activities of "Ethological dynamics in diorama environments".

Couse Title
Meeting for development of teaching materials using microorganisms

Date
Thursday, March 30, 2023, 15:30-17:30

Place
Aichi University of Education
2023.3.10 Assistant Professor Nishigami of Group B01-1, Associate Professor Sato, Professor Nakagaki, Postdoctoral Researcher Atsushi Taniguchi, Postdoctoral Researcher Charles Fosseprez, and graduate students of Group B02-1 gave a class to 40 students at Hokkai High School as part of the Hokkaido University Academic Fantasista Project (in collaboration with the Hokkaido Shimbun).
The theme was "Exploring the Ecology and Behavior of Protists", and participants learned hands-on through laboratory practice and lectures.
2023.3.8 Assistant Professor Nishigami of Group B01-1, Associate Professor Sato, Professor Nakagaki, Postdoctoral Researcher Atsushi Taniguchi, Postdoctoral Researcher Charles Fosseprez, and graduate students of Group B02-1, in cooperation with the SSH project of Keisei High School in Hokkaido, accepted 14 foreign high school students (India and Australia) of the JST Sakura Science Program and others for a one-day experience.
The theme was "Exploring the Ecology and Behavior of Protists", and participants learned through laboratory practice and lectures.
2023.2.19 Professor Nakagaki, a member of Group B02-01, gave a talk on "Clever Single Cells" to elementary school students as part of the science club activity of "Team Kujira-go" an NPO (nonprofit organization) that conducts hands-on learning activities on marine ecosystem and environment for children, who will be responsible for future science.

Facebook:"Team Kujira-go"
2023.2.17 One-day workshop on mathematical life science was held at Kyoto University in collaboration with other KAKENHI projects in Transformatice Research Areas A.

「Methods and Applications in Mathematical Life Sciences --Transformative Research A: 3G+∞ Fusion Meeting —」
2023.01.28-29 Math & Modeling Lecture in Sendai was held.

Date : 28-29 Jan, 2023
Place: Kawauchi Hagi Hall, Tohoku University
2022.12.8 The workshop on gamete cell motility for the members of our research area was held at Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba.
2022.11.18 Lecture video for junior and senior high school students by the Council of Joint Usage/Research Centers in National Universities (JURC)- As part of the Knowledge Base [SUGUWAKA Academia] series, Assistant Professor Nishigami (Group B01-01) and Postdoctoral Researcher Taniguchi (Group B02-01) , Prof. Nakagaki (Group B02-01) and others created and published “Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments at a Glance".
the Knowledge Base [SUGUWAKA Academia] series
2022.11.4 November 4, 2022 Exhibited at Science Agora sponsored by JST: We were able to welcome more than 550 visitors in two days.

Visitors can directly observe 30 kinds of protozoa using 4 different microscopes according to their interests, and wrote short comments to share with other visitors.
2022.10.29 One-day Workshop on Cellular-level ethological dynamics towards "proto-intelligence" was held at Kyoto University.

Two speakers from overseas and four from Japan gave lectures. Forty participants attended in person and 30 participated online.
2022.10.25 Sinior Scientist Tomoyuki Shikata (Planning Team A01-1) conducted an outreach activity to elementary school students (the Miiraku elementary school).

【Date】
Tuesday, October 25, 2022, 9:30-11:00

【Place】
Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency (Fukue Island)

【Contents】
We explained on red tide and swimming behavior of red-tide plankters, and introduced the research activities of Ethological dynamics of protists in diorama environments.
2022.9.10 On Saturday, September 10, Dr. Taniguchi and Dr. Charles Fossepre, postdoctoral fellows of group B02-01, accepted a one-day college experience (five students) from Hokkaido Keisei High School, a super science high school, and conducted a hands-on course on an overview of "Ethological dynamics of protists in diorama environments".

[Program]
Hokkaido Keisei High School SSH 1-day experience program

Commemorative photo after the course
2022.8.28 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Group B01-1) gave a lecture "Let's look into the world of microorganisms" - introduction of various microorganisms and their research, observation of microorganisms in water using a microscope - at the Miyoshi City Library Learning Exchange Plaza "SunLive". In this lecture, we introduced the research activities of Ethological dynamics of protists in diorama environments.

【Course Title】
Let's look into the world of microorganisms

【Date】
Sunday, August 28, 2022, 13:00-15:00

【Place】
Miyoshi City Library Learning Exchange Plaza "SunLive"

【Contents】
introduction of various microorganisms and their research, observation of microorganisms in water using a microscope. In this lecture, we introduced the research activities of Ethological dynamics of protists in diorama environments.
2022.8.26 Professor Nakagaki of Team B02-01 will give a lecture on "Ethological dynamics of protists in diorama environments" for high school students at "Academic Fantasista 2022," a project promoted by Hokkaido University and the Hokkaido Shimbun as part of the "Science and Technology Dialogue with the Public" project by the Cabinet Office.

Hokkaido University Research Times 「Academic Fantasista 2022」
2022.8.25 Dr. Yuasa, Dr. Onizuka, and Dr. Kitatsuji (TeamA01-1) conducted outreach activities at a work-study program held at Hatsukaichi Municipal Ohno Junior High School.
2022.8.21 Prof. Kazuo Inaba (Team A01-2) conducted outreach activities at a lecture for high school teachers held at Hakodate Shirayuri Gakuen Junior & High School.
2022.8.20 On August 20, 2022, the Plenary Meeting, with the participation of 74 in-person and 14 online, was held at Hokkaido University.

This was our first meeting in which all members participated.
Senior scientific research specialists and external evaluation committee members also attended the meeting to give their comments.
2022.8.15 Associate Professor Kenji Kikuchi (Team A02-2) participated as an online lecturer in "Field Biology of the Northern Sea, Intertidal Zone in Summer 2022" organized by Research Center for Marine Biology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, and conducted outreach activities to a total of five 2nd to 4th year undergraduate students from national, public and private universities.
2022.8.6 Assistant Professor Shiba Kogiku (Team A01-2) conducted outreach activities at Open campus in College of Biological Sciences, University of Tsukuba.
2022.8.5 Prof. Kazuo Inaba (Team A01-2) conducted outreach activities at an open lecture for high school students held at Shimoda marine research center, University of Tsukuba.
2022.8.4-6 Dr. Kitatsuji, Dr. Sugimatsu, and Dr. Yuasa (Group A01-1) observed a diurnal vertical migration of the toxic red tide dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi in the Yatsushiro Sea by R/V Yoko-Maru of the Fisheries Research and Education Agency on 4-6th August in 2022.
2022.8.1-5 Associate Professor Kenta Ishimoto (Team B01-2) conducted outreach activities at Mathamatics Public Lectures at Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University.
2022.7.25 Prof. Noritaka Hirohashi, a member of the publicly offered research group, conducted outreach activities for 13 high school students as a part of the STEAM project organized by Matsue Higashi High School.

Photo: a student dissecting a female of “akaika” squid
2022.7.21 The 11th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2022.6.18 Assistant Professor Nishigami of Team B01-1, Professor Nakagaki of Team B02-1, Postdoctoral Researcher Atsushi Taniguchi, Postdoctoral Researcher Charles Fossepre, Graduate Student Shun Echigoya, et al.

Dr. Atsushi Taniguchi, Dr. Charles Fossepre, and graduate student Shun Echigoya gave a science lecture for high school students at Asahikawa Kita High School in Hokkaido. The theme was "Exploring the Ecology and Behavior of Protists," and participants learned experientially through field practice, laboratory practice, and lectures. It was hosted by Hokkaido University and the Hokkaido branch of the Yomiuri Shimbun, and co-sponsored by Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments.

Science Lectures
https://www.es.hokudai.ac.jp/news/2022-06-18-science-lecture/
Reported in the Hokkaido edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper on July 20, 2022.

Hokkaido University Research Times
https://www.hokudai.ac.jp/researchtimes/

science lecture 2022 part1
https://www.cris.hokudai.ac.jp/news/3196

science lecture 2022 part2
https://www.cris.hokudai.ac.jp/news/3246

Twitter
https://twitter.com/HokkaidoUnivPR/status/1572100190185869313?s=20&t=-4PihQ-L6SmjaeNEa-Nt1Q

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/HokkaidoUniversity
2022.6.11 Research exchange meeting was held in Sendai.
2022.6.10 The 10th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held in Sendai.
2022.6.2 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Team B01-1) conducted outreach activities at a Senior High School Affiliated to AICHI UNIVERSITY of EDUCATION.
2022.5.19 The 9th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2022.5 Technical support for sperm chemotaxis research was provided among Teams A01-2, A02-2, and B01-2 to help strengthen collaboration.
2022.4.20 Prof. Toshiyuki Nakagaki of Planning Team B02-1 presented "Online Science Cafe "Schrödinger's Wednesday (Wednesday Night Live 19:30-21:30)" and exchanged opinions with participants on the theme "Formulation of proto intelligence by Ethological Dynamics in Diorama Environments".
https://wirelesswire.jp/2022/04/82145/
2022.4.16 The 8th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.

Shimoda Seaside Experiment Center, University of Tsukuba
2022.4.2 Associate Professor Kenji Kikuchi (Team A02-2) cooperated in an interview with the Asahi Shimbun newspaper "Nono-chan's DO Science: Why can water striders walk on water?".

Asahi Shimbun newspaper: "Nono-chan's DO Science: Why can water striders walk on water?"
2022.3.11-14 Technical assistance on ciliate swimming observation and mechanistic modeling was provided among Teams B01-1, B01-2, and B02-1 to promote stronger collaboration.
2022.3.11-12,18-19 Associate Professor Kenji Kikuchi (Team A02-2) participated as a lecturer in the 10th transgrade training course "Fluorescence Microscope Assembly Training" organized by Associate Professor Keiko Numayama, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, and conducted outreach activities to a total of 49 participants including junior high and high school students and teachers.
2022.3.17 The 7th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2022.02.17 The 6th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2022.01.27 The 5th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2022.01.11 On January 11, 2022. Assistant Professor Yukinori Nishigami (Research Group B01-1)., together with graduate students Mr. Shun Echigoya, Associate Professor Katsuhiko Sato (Research Group B02-1).), and Professor Toshiyuki Nakagaki (Research Group B02-1)., hosted six students from the Hokkaido Keisei High School, a super science high school, for a one-day university training program at the Institute of Electronic Science, Hokkaido University.

Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Yukinori Nishigami and others, the program students studied and conducted experiments on the theme of "Exploring the Behavior of Protists," and then presented and discussed their findings.
2021.12.16 The 4th General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2021.12.15-16 Associate Prof. Hironori Ueno (Team B01-1) conducted outreach activities at a high school attached to Aichi University of Education.
2021.11.27 The 3rd General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.

National Research Institute of Fisheries and Environment of Inland Sea at Hatsukaichi City
2021.10.25 Associate Professor Hironori Ueno (Team B01-1) conducted an outreach activity at Aichi Prefectural Obu Higashi High School.
2021.10.21 The 2nd General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.
2021.9.16 The 1st General Group Meeting (Regional Executive Committee Meeting) was held.