Environmental Studies

This course explores how to balance contemporary ecological and social imperatives with the economic and aesthetic functions of cities, particularly in an unpredictable future. While there is no simple answer to this question, the course engages with various theories, technologies, and practices in urbanism and architecture to critically examine it. By reflecting on the historical development of architecture, infrastructure, and urban design, the course provides a contextual framework for analyzing the city as a complex system.  

Throughout the course, various practitioners and theorists from different design fields will be invited to discuss projects and case studies from Japan and around the world. Key topics include spatial design, urban design, design utilizing digital technology, sustainable design, landscape design, and craftsmanship.  

This course examines the key processes that shape Australia's biophysical environment. It explores Australia’s environmental evolution over time and provides foundational knowledge across several environmental science disciplines. The course addresses contemporary environmental issues and highlights the unique challenges facing Australia’s environment in the future. Topics include geology, climate and weather, soils, landscape evolution, water, flora, fauna, and biodiversity, with an emphasis on the interdependence of these systems. The course also investigates current issues in Australian environmental science within the context of the continent’s environmental history.

This course presents an overview of research frontiers relating to international and domestic climate policy, politics, and government; comparative politics discussions related to climate change, such as the role of democracy, economic development, and corruption in shaping countries’ commitments to climate change mitigation; and political theory discussions relating to just climate transition, and ways to ensure accountable and democratic support for climate action. 

This course provides research training for exchange students. Students work on a research project under the guidance of assigned faculty members. Through a full-time commitment, students improve their research skills by participating in the different phases of research, including development of research plans, proposals, data analysis, and presentation of research results. A pass/no pass grade is assigned based a progress report, self-evaluation, midterm report, presentation, and final report.

The course addresses urban and industrial waste, including the main pollutants that appear in air and wastewater systems. It covers pollutant origin (sources and formation mechanisms), dispersion processes, environmental and health impact, and risk assessment. Special attention is given to green engineering and its relationship to sustainable development.

The course explores the unique landscape of sustainable fashion in Italy, highlighting the interplay between its rich historical, cultural, and artisanal heritage, and the contemporary surge in experimental and high-tech practices driven by R&D centers and emerging brands. Students examine how these two facets intertwine – both theoretically and in practice – shaping a dynamic and contemporary sustainable fashion scenario. Thus, the course delves into Italy’s artisanal legacy in fashion and textile, presenting case studies of local craftsmanship and companies, accompanied by an overview of contemporary cutting-edge experiences, to assess their role in the current sustainable paradigm.

To this extent, students are primarily introduced to the historical development and meaning of sustainable fashion in the Italian context, to then focus on more recent trends in material innovations, design, and production processes. The contents of the course also cover the foundations of sustainable fashion as a global phenomenon, to critically reflect on its definition and to explore key sustainability principles. Classes are scheduled according to macro themes and employ a hybrid approach, blending theoretical knowledge (traditional lectures) with practical application through class activities (hands-on or meta design projects). An interdisciplinary perspective is adopted to demonstrate the possibilities of integration of ecology, philosophy, science and art in the design perspective. The course features field visits to local museums, institutions, and designers’ studios to witness sustainability in action. Additionally, guest lectures from field experts and scholars provide specific insights or address key challenges.

The course explores various social and ecological issues that are perpetrated by the current system of exploitation for economic gain. Students are introduced to the "flourishing business model canvas" (by Antony Upward). The components of the canvas are broadly discussed throughout the duration of the module, and familiarization with grand societal challenges and entrepreneurial approaches to them. Students work in teams during lecture time to analyze existing sustainable business models and understand how they are aiming to solve problems while delivering social and ecological value. Other sustainability related issues are discussed in class. Team work, open group discussions and utilization of the business model canvas foster sustainable entrepreneurial competencies such as cooperation, individual reflexivity, and initial strategic and systems thinking.

This six-week summer course provides individual research training through the experience of belonging to a specific laboratory at Tohoku University. Students are assigned to a laboratory research group with Japanese and international students under the supervision of Tohoku University faculty. They participate in various group activities, including seminars, for the purpose of training in research methods and developing teamwork skills. The specific topic studied depends on the instructor in charge of the laboratory to which each student is assigned. The methods of assessment vary with the student's project and laboratory instructor. Students submit an abstract concerning the results of their individual research each semester and present the results near the end of this program.

This course is an overview of marine environments, organisms, and ecosystems. Students explore the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the ocean, emphasizing major marine ecosystems (coastal, pelagic, polar/subpolar). The course also examines how human activities affect marine ecosystems and discusses possible conservation strategies. 

This course examines water as a resource. It covers the hydrologic cycle and quantification of the water balance, water use and supplies and the human impact upon water including runoff amount and quality.