"Orchestrate Your Visions"

TEDxUTokyo 2012 was the first University-based TEDx event in Japan.
17 speakers shared their ideas worth spreading and visions for future Japan. More than 450 people from different backgrounds participated in the session, and over 2000 people came to the venue to see what was happening.
Strong community based on TEDxUTokyo will be continued. We organizing team believe this meaningful community, the platform including not only students but also alumni and people from business, government etc. to make innovation, expresses what future university should be.

7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo, 113-0033
Japan

Ayano Ninomiya

Born in Kagawa, Japan, Ayano has lived in the United States since the age of one. She graduated from Harvard College, The Julliard School, and studied at the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest. Appointed two years ago as Associate Professor at the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music, Ayano is not only an outstanding professional violinist with a 2nd prize at the Walter W. Naumburg International Violin Competition, but is also deeply committed to making a difference to communities through music.

Shusaku Uesugi

Uesugi is a young, talented product designer that will share his idea of how design can innovate education. Uesugi studied Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University, and finished the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Masters program in 2010. During his studies at CMU, he interned at Apple and Facebook as Software Engineer and also developed a new computer science course at CMU. After graduation he started working at Q&A website, Quora, as a web designer.

Yoshiki Ishikawa

After graduating from School of Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Yoshiki studied the latest method of health promotion at Harvard School of Public Health. He is now working on promoting the method in various parts of Japan at Cancerscan Inc.

Yuka Matsushima

While majoring in development economics at the University of Tokyo, Yuka engaged herself in expansion of Kamonohashi-project. Consequently she had worked for Boston Consulting Group for three years, and has now offering the opportunities for people to work on various social issues by founding CROSS FIELD.

Tamako Mitarai

After working at McKinsey & Company, Tamako Mitarai contributed to the promotion of Bhutan’s tourism as a fellow to the Bhutan’s prime minister for a year from September 2010. Mitarai has released a book “Bhutan, Kore de Ii noda” (Bhutan, it’s alright), which she wrote about her experiences and thoughts during a stay in Bhutan, known as “the country of happiness.” The actual situation of the country is vividly depicted in the book. Bhutanese are the people who lighten things up with “it’s alright” spirit at all times. Having been in very close touch with Bhutanese, Mitarai will share the new possibility of “happiness,” here at the TEDxUTokyo.

Kei Nagao

Born in Tokushima, he moved to the US at the young age of 5. Though he majors materials engineering, his interests and passion is in the education field. His deepest concerns are in the Japanese education system that excessively praises "ability" over all the other factors that we need children to achieve.

Yutaka Matsuo

He is an associate professor at the Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo. Currently he has been researching the possibilities of information utilization and Artificial Intelligence using the web, since recent computer technology has significantly improved.

Akira Baba

“Making digital game evolve” 　While teaching and advancing his research on Economic History of Japan, Historical Information Studies and Content Creation Science at Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies, the University of Tokyo, Baba takes an active role in promoting further development and domestic expansion of research on Digital Games as the chairman of Digital Games Research Association.

Taikan Oki

A prominent figure in the area of hydrology (a field of studies which deals with the circulation of water from its physicochemical characteristics, interactions with organisms and the relationship with human beings) especially in the study of the water circulation system. His studies are based on a broad view expanding among fields such as the global water circulation system and water resources around the world, evaluation of the influence of climate change, sustainability of human beings and its limits. In his paper “Global Water Resources Assessment Considering Virtual Water Trade”, which has received awards such as the Tison Award by the IAHS (International Association of Hydrological Sciences) and the Japan Water Award, he examines global water problems considering the idea of “virtual water”, which represents the necessity of water other than drinking water. This study is essential to countries expecting growth of population and consumption fraught with danger of scrambles for water resources, and should gain more importance globally in the future.

Yuji Akaba

After working for Komatsu Ltd. and studying at Stanford University, Akaba had consulted leading companies in Japan, Korea and Indonesia as a partner in McKinsey & Company for 14 years. Consequently he has co-founded Breakthrough Partners Inc., in order to pursue the mission to create “World-class venture company originating in Japan.” He also participates in a wide range of activities including starting new projects and restructuring management for large corporations.

Satoko Oki

Based on the experience of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in her first year of high school, Satoko Oki aimed to engage in seismology and received her Ph.D at the Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo in 2006. Later, she became a Postdoctoral Fellow for Research Abroad of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the University of California, San Diego. At present, as Assistant Professor of Outreach and Public Relations Office at the Earthquake Research Institute, the University of Tokyo, Oki has been actively involved in outreach activities such as expressing and giving her opinions from a seismological view through various media.

Atsuto Sasaki

He is from Morioka city, Iwate. As a head of Tokyo branch of SAVE IWATE, he has been devoting himself to reconstruction support activities in Tokyo. Also he is now working on “Reconstruction Education of Iwate” in his graduation thesis as to contribute to his hometown.

Emi Tamaki

Emi is a researcher. She views the Human Hands to be the Human Intelligence. She has researched and developed PossessedHand, a device is selected as one of “The 50 Best Inventions of 2011” by TIME Magazine. PossessedHand controls the human hand by applying electrical stimulus to the muscles around user’s forearm. PossessedHand teaches how to play musical instruments and how to operate difficult machines. She has tried to share the Human Intelligence by controlling Human Hands. At this talk, we share the potential of the Human Hand and the Intelligence.

Hiroshi Ooguri

At the age of 24, Ooguri became the youngest tenured faculty member at the University of Tokyo. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo and was a full professor at UC Berkeley before becoming the Kavli Professor at California Institue of Technology (Caltech). He is also a Principal Investigator (PI) of the Kavli IPMU at the University of Tokyo. He is a world leader in elementary particle physics, especially in the area of superstring theory. He is also a dedicated teacher and outstanding science communicator.

Kazuto Ataka

Dr. Kazuto Ataka is the COO director of Yahoo Japan. After working for McKinsey & Company he entered Yale University, finishing a PhD in Neuroscience. After Yale he returned to McKinsey & Company and for the next ten year he worked in merchandise development in the Asia-Pacific Region, reestablishing brands in a wide range of fields such as drink, retail, and high tech. In 2008 he joined the Yahoo Japan Corporation as Chief Operating Officer. He is the author of "Start from the issue" on the concept of intellectual production drawing from his experiences in neuroscience and marketing.

Hideyuki Horii

He is a professor of the department of civil engineering at the graduate school of engineering, the University of Tokyo. He also serves as an executive director of "i.school", the school of innovation, and promete knowledge structuring as a head of Center of Knowledge Structuring of the University of Tokyo.

Keisuke Matsumoto

As the representative of the Buddhist Youth Association of Komyoji, Keisuke has designed projects such as “Tasogare”, a concert held at the temple and “Kamiyacho Open Terrace” (a ‘temple café’). This organization has been awarded the 32nd Youth Encouragement Prize of the Matsutaro Shoriki Award in 2008. He acquired an MBA degree at the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India. He also created an “online temple” Higan-ji, organized by super-sect Buddhists, where he offers occasions to loosen up the rigid Buddhism and rebuild modern day Buddhism through new media.