■ Introduction to Division

Division of Environmental Science
Division of Social Engineering and Environmental Management
Department of Urban Environment Development
The environment which surrounds us consists of various
areas of human society and nature, and provides a base forhuman activities. In order to create a attractive and wealthy
environment in cities and other areas of living, it is necessary to examine the present condition of the environment

and to improve its quality over the long term.
Education and research subjects of the department arefocusing on a development of technology of disasterprevention and reduction, conservation of infrastructure
based on civil engineering.

Department of Rural Environment Management
An ideal rural environment can only be accomplishedthrough harmony among human activities, resource
supplies, and natural environmental capacities. Complex
and complicated interaction between the naturalenvironment and human activities must be maintained byincorporating "functionality" and "sustainability" into thebasic philosophy. Therefore, the following educational andresearch activities are performed: 1) Analyses of themechanisms of the natural environment, including soil,

water and plants, using holistic approaches thatencompass functional relationships in a regionalenvironment. 2) Planning of a regional space where a landconservation function is expected. 3) Establishment of amodel and technology for sustainable resource use andcirculation of water, biomass, and land resources toward
creating a rich regional environment.

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Division of Biological and Human Environment
Department of Environmental Ecology
Environmental problems have be en cause d in thecomplex relations between humans’ activities and naturalenvironments, from local to global scale. The objective of
this depar tment is to resolve these environmental
problems from the aspect of environmental ecology. The
department aims to develop research and education,
which focus on the symbiosis between human beingsand natural environments, and the establishment ofsustainable recycling-based society. For the symbiosis,
we research into the interrelations between organisms
and environments, and the structure, dynamics, andfunctions of ecosystems. In additions, we evaluate
biodiversity, and propose conservation regimes. For theestablishment of a sustainable recycling-based society,
we study the utilization and management of specificresources to regions
and reconstruction ofsustainable biologicalproduction systems.

Department of Human Ecology
The Department of Human Ecology
conducts education and researchon various problems that directly
impact human health and existence, both theoretically and pract i c a l l y, a n d c u r re n t m e m b e r s
include specialists in the fields ofhealth, medical and mathematicalsciences.

Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University

5Division of Sustainability of Resources
Department of Sustainable Society Studies
Toward sustainable society, Researches from various
perspectives are required. In this course, we will mainly
educate and research about the following theme.
・ Environmentally friendly, efficient and comfortable city /transportation planning, and town development planningconsidering the landscape, local uniqueness and historyof the region.

・ Water quality control technology (water treatment) andrelationship between material transport and aquatic
ecosystems to make our society safe, comfortable, andsustainable.
・Living environment, life style and their supported social
system on the basis of zero carbon emission, soundmaterial cycle, and coexistence with nature.

Department of Material and Energy Science
New scientific technologies have a vital role to play insolving environmental problems like global warming,ozone layer depletion, acid rain, and pollution by volatile organic compounds and hazardous metals. The
FuelMolecular Sieve

6Air

Fuel Cell

Waste Materials

development of new chemical technologies is indispensable for the construction of sustainable society
and achievement of SDGs.

Division of Agricultural and Life Science
Division of Science for Bioresources
Department of Biofunctional Chemistry
The department’s research focuses on AgriculturalChemistr y, which is interdisciplinar y research fielde n c o m p a s s i n g b i o s c i e n c e , b i o t e c h n o l o g y, a n dagrochemistr y. The study of Agricultural Chemistr y

includes fundamental investigations on life phenomenaof plants, animals, microorganisms, and the chemical

structures and functions of their bio-products and also

advanced fields for applying our discoveries in ways that
improve human society.

Department of Plant Stress Science

Diversity in barley spikes

Influx (green) and ef flux (red) transpor ters of silicon, abeneficial mineral for helping plants to overcome biotic andabiotic stressPlants are exposed to a number of stresses including
atmospheric, soil, and biotic stresses. Therefore, it is an
important issue to overcome these stresses for sustainable food production. The educational and research subjects of this division are to discover novel genes involvedin stress tolerance and to develop stress-tolerant plants
by using diverse plant and genome resources.

Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University

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Division of Science for Bio-Production
Department of Plant Science
All life on the earth is dependent on the energy fixation ofsolar power through photosynthesis by plants.
Sustainable, reliable, and safe food production and ahigh quality supply is essential for our lives in the 21stcentury. In addition, the exploitation of Bio-energy has
become a pressing concern. Innovative technology
based on a deep understanding of plant physiology,ecology, and genetics and their diseases will lead to
overcoming the challenges facing our food supply.
Based on plant science, we study and direct advanced
technology for breeding, disease control, propagation,cultivation and postharvest handling in agricultural andornamental crops.

Department of Animal Science

Human society is related to animals in diverse ways; animals are used not only for food production but also for
ex p e r i m e n t a t i o n i n m e d i c a l a n d p h a r m a c e u t i c a lresearch, which serves as the basis for healthcare, medicine and pharmacy. Animals also function as means ofpsychological therapy andserve as companion creatures. Such utilization andapplication of animals tohuman activities involves
numerous problems thatcannot be resolved without
applied research and tech-8nological development, which are based on fundamentalresearch. With this fact in mind, the Depar tment ofAnimal Science carries out fundamental research toclarify various functions (heredity, reproduction, physiology, immunity, nutrition and ecology) relating to vital
phenomena at the levels of animal cell, individual andgroup. The Department also works on applied research
to find solutions for various problems relating to animalproduction, human health and medicine, to apply such
solutions in technological development, and even toaddress challenges in the biotechnology-based production, management and logistics of livestock food products. Through these research activities, the Department
seeks to develop human resources who are equippedwith highly specialized knowledge based on comprehensive perspectives, and who have problem-solving andR&D capabilities.