Tohoku Initiativefor Fostering
Global Researchers
for InterdisciplinarySciences

TI-FRIS
学際融合グローバル研究者育成東北イニシアティブ

Connect, expand, from Tohoku to the world.

Strategic Professional Development Program for Young Researchers
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)Message

The Tohoku region faces challenges like declining birthrate, aging population, disaster reconstruction, and green energy, all deeply related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Seven
national universities in Tohoku have strengths in unique research related to these issues and havecollaborated in various aspects, building a solid system. The Tohoku Initiative for Fostering Global
Researchers for Interdisciplinary Sciences (TI-FRIS) aims to develop researchers with interdisciplinary, internationality, and sociability, who can play a crucial role in addressing these challenges.

Toshiyuki
HayaseProgram Manager
Director
Frontier Research Institute forInterdisciplinary Sciences
Tohoku University

TI-FRIS forms a consortium of the seven national universities in the Tohoku region to develop programs capitalizing on each university's strengths and unique activities. With cooperation fromdomestic and international research institutions and companies, TI-FRIS provides interdisciplinary
researcher exchange, international collaborative research, social implementation, and transferable
skills training programs. Through these programs, TI-FRIS flexibly responds to researchers' intrinsic
growth, emphasizing diversity and creating a challenging, innovative environment.
The goal of TI-FRIS is to foster researchers as leaders in interdisciplinary research communities,spearheading international collaborative research projects and social implementation of research
results in the future.

Overview of the Initiative
The Tohoku Initiative for Fostering Global Researchers
for Interdisciplinary Sciences (TI-FRIS) is a program thataims to establish and demonstrate the effectiveness of a
new researcher development program covering the entire
Tohoku region to foster world-class researchers withinterdisciplinarity, internationality, and sociability.
Launched in 2020 in the "Strategic Professional Development Program for Young Researchers" of the Ministry ofEducation, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, andled by Tohoku University, the Initiative has formed a consortium with Hirosaki University, Iwate University, Akita
University, Yamagata University, Fukushima University,and Miyagi University of Education. In partnership withcooperating research institutions and companies inJapan and abroad, TI-FRIS Fellows, who are young
researchers selected from participating universities, areactively participating in the program.

Tohoku Region-Strengths ofthe seven universities-Diversity
Challenging and creative environment

Hirosaki University
Natural environment and foodRadiation emergency medicine

Akita University

Iwate University

Resource & recycling
Decreasing birthrate & aging population
Ultra-high-density magnetic recording

Agriculture-industry cooperation
Veterinary medicine
Disaster-prevention urban development

Tohoku University

Yamagata University
Organic electronics
Soft materials
Molecular epidemiology
Institute of Nazca

Materials science
Spintronics
Futuristic medicine
Disaster science

Miyagi University of Education
Pedagogy

Fukushima University
Nuclear power plant decommissioning
Sociology

Features of the Initiative
Researchers that TI-FRIS Aims to Foster

Feature 1World-leading researchers in their specialized field
who also possess abilities

Interdisciplinarity
35.7%▷ To engage in interdisciplinary research with researchers from different fields(Interdisciplinarity),※▷ To collaborate and advance research with researchers from around the world(Internationality), and▷To work in cooperation with society and apply research outcomes
for the benefit of society (Sociability).

New Approach

Diversity through collaboration
among participating institutions

Personas of TI-FRIS Fellows
Feature 2Internationality35.0%※◯ Selected from top-class young researchersat participating universities◯ Outstanding research skills in a specialized field◯ Strong challenging spirit
to explore new academic fields(e.g.) Completion of doctoral course → Postdoc→ Assistant professor at a participating university

New Approach

International collaborative researchthrough continuous overseas visits

New Approach

Support from international mentors

1

Proven Track Record

Unique interdisciplinary
young researchers fostering system

Feature 3Sociability29.3%※New ApproachSocial implementation of researchthrough collaboration with companies

New Approach

Utilization of research
results through collaboration with society※Balance of importance at starting (Results of monitoring questionnaire for the 1st TI-FRIS Fellows)2Interdisciplinarity

TI-FRIS/FRIS
Hub Meeting

Interdisciplinary Researcher
Exchange Program (5 years)

Broad interaction
among young researchers
across fields and universities

Interaction with researchers
in different fields
TI-FRIS Fellows from different specializations and institutions
gather across the boundaries of their specialties and affiliatedinstitutions to present and discuss their research findings and conduct research exchanges that will develop into interdisciplinary
research. This program aims to strengthen their ability to developinterdisciplinary research with researchers in different fields (interdisciplinarity).

◯ TI-FRIS/FRIS Hub Meeting (monthly)◯ TI-FRIS/FRIS Retreat (yearly)◯ Grant for Interdisciplinary ResearchInternationality

International Collaborative
Research Program (5 years)

Social Implementation
Program (5 years)

Collaborative researchwith world-class researchers

Acquiring the ability
to apply research to society◯ Fund for Start-up Activities◯ Fund for International Collaborative Research◯ Grant for Publication and Presentation ofResearch Results◯ Grant for Organizing Seminars

Transferable Skills Training Program (5 years)
Acquiring broadly applicable skills
such as problem-solving, self-management, and interpersonal skills
To strengthen the skills essential for world-classresearchers, this program offers courses by prominent researchers and experts from Japan and abroad.
TI-FRIS is promoting resilient operation by holding
lectures online and archiving recorded videos.

○ Hybrid of onsite and online participation○ Archiving of recorded videos○ Open to science journalists

Sociability

TI-FRIS Fellows stay at overseas research institutions andconduct continuous international collaborative researchwith world-class researchers. This program aims tostrengthen their ability to advance research through friendly
competition with researchers from around the world (internationality).

3TI-FRIS/FRIS Hub Meeting supports the growth of young
researchers to understand the importance of interdisciplinary
research and to be able to use it. The presentations will focus
on "what is interesting about my field," "what is the researchmethod in my field," and "introduction of problems that are not
likely to be solved only within my field." The meeting is held
once a month at Tohoku University and online.

◯ Lecture Course by Top Researchers◯ Lecture Course on Academic Impact◯ Lecture Course on Societal Impact◯ Lecture Course on Industrial R&D and Social Implementation◯ Lecture Course on Interdisciplinary Research

TI-FRIS Fellows undertake industry-academia collaborative
research with companies and others. This program aims tostrengthen their ability to work with society to translate
research outcomes into social applications (sociability) incollaboration with society through exchanges and support
for the development of the social implementation of theirresearch results.

◯ Advisory Support for Industry-Academia
Collaborative Research◯ Advisory Support for Social Implementation◯ Grant for Industry-Academia Collaborative
Research and Social Implementation

Common Program

Fundamental research facilities
and communication opportunities

In partnership with the participating institutions, TI-FRIS provides the fundamental research facilities for TI-FRIS Fellows
to conduct independent research. TI-FRIS also offers opportunities for TI-FRIS Fellows to present their findings and interact
with stakeholders and for introducing the Initiative.

◯ Research Facilities
Sharing Network◯ TI-FRIS Symposium

4Double Mentor System
DomesticMentor

TI-FRIS Fellows
TI-FRIS Fellows are selected from participating universities every year. The Fellowship period is for a maximum of five years, followed bya five-year follow-up period. They will engage in regular interdisciplinary researcher exchanges across various specialties and institutions, continuous international collaborative research with overseas researchers, and the application of research outcomes in society.

Senior faculty members at TI-FRIS Fellows’ home institutions serve as their domestic mentors to secure andsupport a stable and independent research environment for TI-FRIS Fellows.

The Initiative monitors the activities and research achievements of TI-FRIS Fellows as well as the effectiveness of the program and theachievement of its goals, providing feedback for program development (annual monitoring is conducted within the Initiative's implementation period).
After completing the Fellowship, the TI-FRIS Fellows may continue to participate in some of the programs as "Senior Fellows," conducting ongoing research exchanges.

InternationalMentor

Call for and Selection of TI-FRIS Fellows

Senior researchers at TI-FRIS Fellows' international
collaborating institutions serve as their international
mentors to support TI-FRIS Fellows in a variety of ways
to secure their international research environment.

Selection of TI-FRIS Fellows will be conducted in two stages: a preliminary selection at each participating university and a final selection
at the Initiative.
Participating Universities
Preliminary Selection

Faculty Evaluation Committee
Final Selection

May to June

March to April

Selection Perspectives

Governance

The TI-FRIS Secretariat is located within the Frontier Research Institute at Tohoku University,
the lead institution. The Program Manager oversees the Initiative, while the Program Steering
Committee, composed of members from all participating institutions, discusses importantmatters. Outside experts form the Advisory Board and External Evaluation Committee andcheck the progress of the Initiatives, verify them, and make suggestions for improvement. The
Faculty Evaluation Committee selects and assesses TI-FRIS Fellows, while the Program Development Working Group implements programs. Domestic and international mentors support
TI-FRIS Fellows. An online researcher exchange and meeting system ensures efficient workand collaboration.

Tohoku University
President
Executive Vice President for Research

Outside Experts
Advisory Board
External Evaluation Committee

Participating Institutions/Cooperating Institutions

Program Manager

Participating Institutions
Management Council
Executives of ParticipatingUniversities

Program Steering CommitteeFaculty Evaluation Committee
Program Development
Working Group

Cooperating Institutions Abroad
Domestic Mentors

International Mentors

TI-FRIS Fellows

Diversity in Research Institutions(as of June 2023)

Hirosaki University

Research Areas
AdvancedBasic Science
19%

Akita University

Materials andEnergy
22%

Humansand SocietyLife and
11%
Environments
Device and18%
Technology
Information and19%
Systems
11%

Iwate University

Yamagata University
Tohoku University
Senior Fellow

Miyagi University of Education

Fukushima University
Senior Fellow Senior Fellow

Examples of TI-FRIS Fellows’ Activities
Development of Electrocatalytic
Materials by Supercritical
Hydrothermal Treatment ofOrganic and Inorganic Wastes
Dr. Yuta Nakayasu (Tohoku University)
Dr. Kazutoshi Haga (Akita University)
Dr. Hiroya Abe (Tohoku University)

5◯ Researchers who are willing to promote interdisciplinary research and todevelop new research fields through active exchanges with researchers
from different fields.
◯ Researchers who are motivated to conduct international collaborative
research and who can begin it promptly.
◯ Researchers who are motivated to realize the social implementation ofresearch results by interacting with a variety of stakeholders.

Senior Fellow

Secretariat/Technical Support

Seminar Lecturers, etc.

Positions / Associate Professor: 12Assistant Professor: 15
Average age / 36.6 years oldJune

All applicants from each university
will be considered.

◯ Researchers affiliated with a participating university, who have obtained theirdoctorate within the last 10 years and who are less than 40 years old.
◯ Researchers who can carry out research activities in an independent
research environment with the support of domestic and international mentors.
◯ Researchers with outstanding research abilities and with research achievements in specialized fields.

Statistics of Current Fellows

Program Steering Committee
Decision of TI-FRIS Fellow
Selection

Organizing a Public Lectureby the President of
Urakawa Bethel House

Dr. Yuki Takahashi(Fukushima University)

6

Contact

Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University

Tohoku Initiative for Fostering Global Researchers
for Interdisciplinary Sciences Secretariat
6-3 Aramaki aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, JapanTEL 022-795-5765

E-mail ti-fris@fris.tohoku.ac.jp

https://www.ti-fris.tohoku.ac.jp/en/

Published in July 2023