Course Purpose / 目的
The International Post-Graduate Program in Human Security (IPHS) is an international educational program conducted by the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, the Graduate School of Medicine, and the Graduate School of Agricultural Science under the unified theme of “Human Security,” in cooperation with each other in their respective research fields (health, food and agriculture, environment, and DRR). The objective of the IPHS is to develop professionals and researchers who can contribute to the realization of human security as leaders of policies and local communities in domestic and international societies with a deep understanding of the complex structure of various issues related to threats to human existence and dignity. One of the courses, “Human Security and Environment,” aims to develop human resources who can contribute to solving problems for sustainable development of countries and regions, such as environmental risk and climate change impact assessment.
環境科学研究科、医学系研究科、農学研究科の3研究科が「ヒューマン・セキュリティ」という統一テーマの下に、それぞれの研究分野(健康、食糧・農業、環境、防災)から相互に協力して実施する国際教育プログラムであるヒューマンセキュリティ連携国際教育プログラム(International Post-Graduate Program in Human Security)では、人間の存在と尊厳に対する脅威について、食糧・農業、健康、環境・災害、地域社会等の諸問題の複合的構造を理解し、国内・国際社会において、政策や地域社会のリーダーとしてヒューマンセキュリティの実現位貢献できる専門的職業人・研究者の育成を行うことを目的としています。その一つのコースである「ヒューマン・セキュリティと環境」では、環境リスクや気候変動の影響評価など、国や地域の持続的開発に資する諸問題の解決に貢献できる人材の育成を目指しています。
Content and Course Structure / 内容・コース構造
Students enroll in the course "Human Security and Environment” established by the Graduate School of Environmental Studies to obtain a degree. Courses in this program consist of “common subjects” offered by the three graduate schools and two related graduate schools (the Graduate School of International Cultural Studies and the Graduate School of Engineering) from their respective fields of specialization, “major subjects” offered independently by each graduate school, and “thesis guidance and preparation." In addition to these courses, although they do not generate credits, the program provides opportunities for students to interact with each other beyond the boundaries of the graduate school through courses on how to write papers in English, joint seminars as official events, and so on. The goal of this program is to contribute intellectually to the clarification of the reality of human insecurity and the realization of a new international society that aims for people-centered problem solving through the development of human resources equipped with interdisciplinary knowledge and multiple perspectives that transcend conventional areas of specialization.
学生は、環境科学研究科が設置する「ヒューマン・セキュリティと環境」に在籍し、学位取得を目指します。このプログラムの授業は、3研究科および関連する2研究科(国際文化研究科および工学研究科)がそれぞれの専門分野から提供する「共通科目」、各研究科が独自に実施する「専門科目」、「論文指導・作成」等から構成されています。この他に、単位は発生しないものの、英語論文の書き方講座や、公式行事としてジョイントセミナーなどを開催し、研究科の枠を越えて学生が互いに交流する機会を設けています。従来の専門領域を越えた学際的な知と複合的な視点を備えた人材の育成を通して、ヒューマン・インセキュリティの実態の解明と人々を中心に据えた問題解決をめざす新しい国際社会のあり方の実現に知的側面から貢献することがこのプログラムの目標です。
Learning Outcomes / 学習成果
Students will learn basic knowledge and methods to tackle research problems in lectures and receive specialized guidance from their laboratories and academic advisors. In addition, through the interdisciplinary curriculum unique to this program, students will receive guidance and advice from faculty members of other graduate schools and sub-supervisors, enabling them to analyze issues from multiple and diverse perspectives and to work on problem solving. Additionally, for the graduation thesis, students are provided with opportunities for practical educational research based on a theme set by each student (e.g., environmental risk assessment, climate change impact assessment, formation of master plans that contribute to sustainable development based on scientific evidence, etc.) to cultivate their research and problem-solving skills.
The IPHS is also offered in collaboration with other graduate schools, students can take a wide range of related courses according to their interests. We plan to follow up with the students until the realization of the master plan, etc. after their graduation.
受講生は講義にて研究課題に取り組むための基礎的な知識・手法を学び、所属研究室や指導教員から専門的指導を受けます。加えて、本プログラム独自の学際的なカリキュラムにより、他研究科所属教員や副指導教員の指導・助言が得られることから、複合的・多角的な視点で課題を分析し,問題解決に取り組むことができるようになります。また卒業論文では、各自が設定したテーマ(例えば、環境リスク評価、気候変動影響評価、科学根拠に基づく持続的開発に資するマスタープラン形成など)に基づき、実践的な教育研究の機会を提供し調査能力と課題解決能力を養成します。
また、本プログラムは、他研究科と連携しているため、学生の関心に応じて幅広い関連科目を履修することが可能となっています。さらに、卒業後も継続的にマスタープラン等の実現までフォローする予定です。
Enrollment Targets / 入学者ターゲット
Practitioners and engineers from environment-related government agencies and private companies in middle-income countries and developing countries with environmental needs (India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, etc.). The program targets highly motivated and capable individuals who, upon returning to their home countries after graduation, intend to take on the formation, implementation, and management of related projects and policy measures in the environmental field in their home countries.
中所得国・開発途上国の環境対策ニーズ国(インド、インドネシア、フィリピン、ネパール、スリランカ、バングラデシュ、パキスタン、ベトナム、タイなど)の環境関連政府機関や民間企業等の実務者・技術者を対象とします。卒業帰国後は、自国における環境分野における関連事業や政策施策の形成・実施・管理を担うことを目指す意欲及び能力の高い人材をターゲットとしています。
Courses of IPHS
Main Members in
"Human Security and Environment"
※Additional faculty members from the Cultural Environment Studies Corse of the GSES are also available.
Professor
Water is one of the essential elements for human life. When rain falls in the mountains, the water stored in dams is purified, passes through the water supply system and is used in various places, and the used water flows into the sewage system together with rainwater as waste water. In addition, there are various water-related systems, such as maintenance to prevent overflowing of rainfall in the city and maintenance of water pipes. The field of civil engineering is involved in all of these water and sewage systems. My research focuses on the safety and hazard prediction of the water systems that support our lives and livelihoods, with a particular focus on the detection of new coronaviruses in sewage and the prediction of the number of people infected.
Since domestic wastewater, including water from toilets, flows into the sewage system, we have been researching the detection and prediction of the spread of norovirus using the sewage system, and have published data on concentrations in the sewage on our website. Viruses in the excreta of people infected with norovirus flow to sewage treatment plants. By examining the water in sewage treatment plants, it is possible to determine the infection status of the area, so that the data can be used to determine how much norovirus is likely to spread in the future. In fact, there can be a time lag of up to a month between when the norovirus starts circulating in the city and when we, the public, know about an ‘epidemic’, which refers to a situation where a large number of people are infected. During this time, patients visit a hospital and test positive for norovirus, the number of patients is reported to the health department, and the number of cases is determined to be a ‘sign of an epidemic’ based on the increase in the number of patients. However, if we can alert people to wash their hands and disinfect when norovirus actually starts to appear, we may be able to minimise the spread of the number of infected people. This information is currently being used by local authorities, schools and various other facilities.
Is it a matter of course that water comes out when you turn on the tap? In fact, it is said that water pipes laid during Japan's period of rapid economic growth have become decrepit in many parts of the country, and it is not unusual for them to break at any point. For example, in Wakayama Prefecture, an ageing aqueduct collapsed, stopping the water supply to 60,000 households. If this had been anticipated in advance, the damage could have been prevented.
As water pipes are underground, it is not easy to dig them out and inspect or replace them. So we wondered if it would be possible to predict the risk of damage while they are still underground. If the causes leading to deterioration and ageing can be detected and addressed in advance, damage can be prevented. We hypothesise that slight differences in water quality affect the deterioration of water pipes, and we are attempting to make advance predictions by studying the correlation between water quality and water pipe thickness at each water treatment plant. How can water quality be managed across vast dams? For example, we are looking at using information from satellites to detect changes in water quality and prevent algae blooms before they happen. Algae grow somewhere in the dam when the temperature rises in summer and photosynthesis becomes more active, but it is very difficult to remove the effects of algae, so the best way is to prevent them from growing.
Algae blooms are related to changes in water quality and temperature. This can be predicted by inspecting each point of the dam, but it takes a lot of effort to do this across a large dam without missing anything. We are therefore continuing our research into the possibility of detecting changes in water quality and water temperature in dams from satellites, so that we can improve water quality in advance to prevent algae blooms.
Specially Appointed Professor
Water is the most abundant substance on the earth, the principal constituent of all living things, and a major force constantly shaping the surface of the earth. It is also a key factor in air-conditioning the earth for human existence and in influencing the progress of civilization. Changes in the distribution, circulation, or temperature of the earth’s waters can have far-reaching effects; the ice ages, for instance, were a manifestation of such effects. Changes may be caused by human activities, in particular, since the latter half of the 20th century. People cultivate the soil, irrigate crops, fertilize the land, clear forests, pump groundwater, build dams, dump wastes into rivers and lakes, and do many other constructive or destructive things that affect the circulation and quality of water in nature. Besides, an expanding population and a rapidly growing economy especially in Asia and Africa are hindering sustainability on the globe.
Our studies and challenges have been focused on solving the world water issuers by understanding water circulation, along with the following subjects: (1) Impact assessment on the hydrological change under the changing climate and the land use change at a global and local scale; (2) Mechanism of slope failure and wood debris by torrential rains; (3) Socio-hydrology: trade-offs between urban flood resilience and urbanisation; (4) Numerical study on water pollution in the inundation areas; (5) Long-term heat, vapour and carbon dioxide fluxes observation for an impact assessment on the interaction between land and atmosphere.
Furthermore, the following inter-/trans-disciplinary research has been focused on achieving local sustainability: (6) Understanding requirements for sustainability of community-based programs; (7) Value-based co-creation of technology and lifestyle for a society based on a virtuous materials cycle.
Associate Professor
I am working on research and development of wastewater treatment systems that use the power of microorganisms. Although there are calls for the realisation of a sustainable society, including a carbon-neutral one, from the perspective of water use, there are issues such as the fact that wastewater treatment technology in developed countries is very energy-intensive and that in developing countries wastewater treatment technology has not spread sufficiently in the first place due to cost and other reasons. There is also a growing need to recover limited resources from wastewater, and research and development is being conducted to solve these social problems related to the water environment.
How to join our program?
プログラムに興味がある研究者・学生はこちら。
Application to Human Security and Environment Program
If you are interested in working with us as a PhD or master student, please consider apply to the "Human Security and Environment" Program, The Graduate School of Environmental Studies (GSES), Tohoku University.
For International Students at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies
Admission 2026 to "Human Security and Environment" Program
Time of Enrollment:April 2026
Application period : June 9 - July 4, 2025
Examination date : August 26 - 28, 2025
For more details
Contact Info
468-1, Aoba, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-0845, JAPAN
eishin.hata.a6 [at] tohoku.ac.jp
Links
東北大学/Tohoku University
https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/
東北大学グリーン未来創造機構/Green Goals Initiative
https://www.ggi.tohoku.ac.jp/
東北大学大学院環境科学研究科/Graduate School of Environmental Studies
https://www.kankyo.tohoku.ac.jp/en/
東北大学災害科学国際研究所/International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS)
https://irides.tohoku.ac.jp/eng/
東北大学工学研究科/School of Engineering
https://www.eng.tohoku.ac.jp/english/