Japan-Finland 100 years – Science and Art Anniversary Seminar 12 December 2019

This year marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Finland. In addition, the Alumni Club of Finnish researchers of the Academy of Finland’s partner – Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS) – is celebrating its tenth year.

To mark these milestones the Academy of Finland, together with JSPS’s Office in Stockholm, the JSPS Alumni Club and the Europe Office of Hokkaido University, is organising a jubilee seminar linking science and art on Thursday,12 December between 1 pm and 7 pm in Helsinki. 

Attendees at the event will see and hear the video greeting of the jubilee’s ambassador, lighting designer Motoko Ishii, and lighting designer Lisa Ishii’s lecture “Valo from Finland, Hikari from Japan”. Professor Maarit Karppinen from Aalto University will talk about her decades long collaboration with Japan in novel functional materials for different energy technologies. Attendees will hear the views of Professor Shinichiro Tabata from Hokkaido University on people and communities in the Arctic and the possibilities of sustainable development. Dr Kristiina Jokinen, who works at AI Research Center of AIST Tokyo Waterfront, will focus on issues, challenges and future views relating to social robots, and Dr Aki Tsuruta from theFinnish Meteorological Institute will describe the research collaboration between Finland and Japan on greenhouse gases.

The seminar is free of charge and open to the public, but registration in advance is required. Please register at the latest by Thursday, 5 December. The language of the event is English.

The Academy of Finland provides EUR 260,000 in funding for researcher mobility and scientific seminars each year.