Researches & Researchers

Daiki Kumakura, is a Ph.D. student at the Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University. He is also a Junior Research Associate (JRA) at RIKEN iTHEMS, where he conducts his research. We asked him about the advantages of conducting research at iTHEMS as a student and his aspirations for the future.

What processes lead to the formation of planets? — Research Scientist Misako Tatsuuma aims to theoretically answer this question. Describing herself as "indecisive at times but fundamentally a perfectionist," Tatsuuma adds, "I consider strategies carefully before acting." This approach applies not only to her research but also to her private life. What are these strategies?

Professor Yasunori Nomura, a theoretical physicist at the University of California, Berkeley, has been staying at RIKEN iTHEMS for about two months each summer since last year, conducting research. Despite his busy schedule, Nomura is also actively engaged in outreach activities. We spoke with him about his life journey and thoughts on his research activities.

When we think of mathematics, the image of a large blackboard covered with various equations often comes to mind. Spirited conversations in front of such blackboards frequently appear in videos and photos capturing the research atmosphere of the Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program (iTHEMS). How are these lively discussion spaces created? We spoke with Tomoya Nagai, the Coordinator and Director of the Program Director's Office, whose work involves creating a conducive research environment.

When people think of research in quantum field theory, most imagine physicists. However, Special Postdoctoral Researcher Yuto Moriwaki is a mathematician. In this interview, we asked Moriwaki about the allure and challenges of working across the fields of mathematics and physics.

Living organisms are immensely complex. Their complexity renders it challenging to understand organisms’ behaviors and evolutionary processes. Despite advances in genomic analysis starting to reveal more biological details, many mysteries remain unsolved. Mathematical biology aims to unravel these mysteries using mathematics. We spoke with Senior Researcher Ryosuke Iritani, who is conducting research in this field, about why he chose this field and found it so fascinating.

In November 2021, a workshop was held at iTHEMS, initiated spontaneously by three young researchers during a casual conversation. How did this workshop come about, and what impact did it have on iTHEMS researchers?

What comes to mind when you hear the term "mathematical researcher"? Is it an image of someone shut away in a room, tirelessly conducting research? While this may be one side of a mathematician's life, discussions and communication with others can also lead to insights and problem-solving breakthroughs. Senior Research Scientist Hiroyasu Miyazaki believes that being in the interdisciplinary environment of iTHEMS has greatly expanded his perspective.

Many people think of experiments when they hear the words “biological research.” However, Jeffrey Fawcett researches the evolution of species by analyzing genetic information using computers. Below, we will introduce some of his theoretical research. 　

The rapid development of AI is driven by technology called deep learning. However, no one knows yet why AI with high performance can be achieved through deep learning. We asked Masato Taki, who is working on deep learning in iTHEMS, about applied technology that extends from deep learning.

Ade Irma Suriajaya (Chacha) is originally from Indonesia and shifted her field from aeronautical engineering to mathematics. We will introduce the beauty of mathematics, which Chacha has been eager to learn, going so far as to move from Indonesia to China and then onto Japan.