Springer Nature and the University of Tokyo to hold SDGs Symposium 2021, “Interdisciplinary science solutions for food, water, climate and ecosystems Sustainable Development Goals”
24 February 2021
A symposium bringing together researchers in Japan and Editor-in-Chief of Springer Nature to discuss how to achieve progress for the SDGs will take place online on March 26, 2021.
Tokyo February 24, 2021
The United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address the key global challenges of our times, and achieving a sustainable future for all will require academia, business, policymakers and civil society to work together in a transdisciplinary manner. To highlight and strengthen the connections between researchers and publishers, this symposium titled “Interdisciplinary science solutions for food, water, climate and ecosystems Sustainable Development Goals” will take place online on March 26, 2021.
This symposium is organized by Springer Nature and the University of Tokyo. As a publisher of journals such as Nature, Nature Food, Nature Sustainability, and Sustainability Science, Springer Nature plays an important role in advancing the discovery and dissemination of evidence-based sustainability research. The University of Tokyo has established the Future Society Initiative, which aims to promote effective collaboration and to contribute to the future of humanity and the planet. This symposium will discuss how research can better address the SDGs and develop effective solutions to global challenges.
The symposium will consist of three parts: two keynote lectures, three research presentations and a panel discussion. The keynote speakers will be Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief of Springer Nature (former Editor-in-Chief of Nature), and Taikan Oki from the University of Tokyo. Research presentations will be delivered by Hiroyasu Hasumi, and Alexandros Gasparatos, both from the University of Tokyo, and Tomoko Hasegawa from Ritsumeikan University. A panel discussion comprising the keynote and presentation speakers, will be moderated by a journalist, Hiroko Kuniya.
This event will provide an opportunity to understand the interconnectivity between social and natural systems, including the intersection between multiple SDGs, such as SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life On Land), and the need for sustainable solutions in view of the ongoing changes in the climate and ecosystem of our planet.
In the lead up to the symposium, a weekly special blog series will share insights on the SDGs from researchers directly involved in SDG-related research. These blogs, available from February on Springer Nature’s research blog site, The Source, and featuring speakers involved in the symposium, will feature interviews with Taikan Oki, followed by Hiroyasu Hasumi, from the University of Tokyo, Tomoko Hasegawa of Ritsumeikan University, and Alexandros Gasparatos, from the University of Tokyo, who will describe their research related to the SDGs, explain the importance of transdisciplinary research to achieve the SDGs, and deliver messages to encourage early career researchers to get involved in SDGs research. There will also be an article by Philip Campbell at the end of the series.
Message from Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief of Springer Nature
“Springer Nature aims to lead the way as a publisher of research that is accelerating progress towards the SDGs, whether it is published in the pages of our journals, books or magazines. We know the importance of collaboration between disciplines and between researchers, to maximize the impact of research. One area I am especially focused on is the future of food, from land and oceans - a theme that cuts across several of the SDGs - and is vital to the future of humankind as we head towards a global population of 9 billion people.
“During my talk, I will be showing how gaps between researchers, stakeholders and policymakers can be bridged, and how research publishers can help. Together with Japan’s researchers, I will discuss how collaborating in new ways can boost the impact that research can have on major societal challenges. We look forward to your participation in this event.”
<Event summary>
Date: Friday, March 26, 2021, 16:30 – 19:00 JST
Venue: Online (Zoom)
Organizers: Springer Nature, The University of Tokyo
Language: English (with simultaneous interpretation in Japanese)
Target: Researchers, policymakers, students, anyone interested in SDGs and science
Registration fee: Free
Keywords: SDGs, transdisciplinary science, sustainability science
Event URL: https://www.springernature.com/jp/campaign/20210326-E
Event URL (UTokyo): https://ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/event/8388/
Registration form: https://willap.jp/p/acc_4294/sdg_symposium/
The Source, a blog site which provides insight and discussion on publishing in the academic world: https://www.springernature.com/gp/researchers/the-source
About Springer Nature
For over 175 years, Springer Nature has been advancing discovery by providing the best possible service to the whole research community. We help researchers uncover new ideas, make sure all the research we publish is significant, robust and stands up to objective scrutiny, that it reaches all relevant audiences in the best possible format, and can be discovered, accessed, used, re-used and shared. We support librarians and institutions with innovations in technology and data; and provide quality publishing support to societies.
As a research publisher, Springer Nature is home to trusted brands including Springer, Nature Research, BMC, Palgrave Macmillan and Scientific American. For more information, please visit springernature.com and @SpringerNature.
About the Future Society Initiative
The University of Tokyo established the UTokyo FSI in July 2017, under the direct leadership of the university president. The aim of the initiative is to promote effective collaboration and to contribute to the future of humanity and the planet, based on the university’s mission of serving the global public as outlined in the University of Tokyo Charter.
Contact information
Ayako Miyazaki
Springer Nature
Communications
TEL: +81-(0)3-4533-8204
E-mail: ayako.miyazaki@springernature.com
