OIST Podcast

* This podcast episode is in Japanese only. 「沖縄という場所は、海洋研究するには非常に良い場所だなと思いました」と語るのは、ワシントン大学で流体力学を学び、カリフォルニア大学サンタバーバラ校で海洋の応用研究を行っていた御手洗哲司教授。OISTを初めて訪れた当時の様子を振り返ります。2009年からOISTで海洋生態物理学ユニットを立ち上げ、今は研究担当ディーンとしても活躍する御手洗教授は、沖縄の自然環境を活かした研究を展開しています。テーマはサンゴ礁や深海の熱水噴出孔など多岐にわたります。 御手洗教授は、沖縄に貢献できる研究を目指し、様々なプロジェクトを推進しています。例えば、NTTおよびその他国内外の研究機関と共同で自律型海洋ロボットを用いた台風の直接観測を行い、台風の目の直下でデータを収集して予測精度の向上を目指しています。 さらに、海洋によるCO2吸収のプロセスを理解し、人工的に強化する方法を探る研究や、第十一管区海上保安本部および那覇海上保安部と協力して離岸流の予測システムを開発し、リアルタイムで波の状態を監視するプロジェクトも進行中です。 「様々な研究分野を融合した新しい海洋研究を生み出したい」と語る御手洗教授。沖縄への貢献についても、「海の安全向上、そして産業化にもつながる研究をしていきたい」と熱意をもっています。 インタビュアーは、沖縄県内で活躍するラジオDJ、ナガハマヒロキさん。収録は2024年1月に行われました。     OIST 海洋生態物理学ユニットについて： https://www.oist.jp/ja/research/research-units/mbu     OIST COI-NEXT グローバル・バイオコンバージェンスイノベーション拠点紹介のウェブサイト（英語のみ）：　 https://www.oist.jp/coi-next     共創の場形成支援プログラム COI-NEXTについて（外部リンク  https://www.jst.go.jp/pf/platform/https://www.jst.go.jp/pf/platform/）  

Nick Luscombe from OIST Sonic Lab speaks with Rosie Perkins, who is Professor of Music, Health, and Social Science at the Royal College of Music London (RCM). Rosie’s research investigates two broad areas within music and mental health: how music and the arts support societal wellbeing and how to enhance musicians’ wellbeing and career development. Rosie has particular interest in music and parental mental health, founding and co-leading the Music and Parental Wellbeing Research Network which fosters novel, international, and interdisciplinary collaborations to explore the role of music in supporting parental wellbeing. Rosie’s work has been supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Arts Council England, British Academy, Dutch Research Council, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and has featured in a wide range of international journals and press. Rosie is an honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London and a Fellow of AdvanceHE (FHEA) and the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). In 2019, Rosie was elected an Honorary Member of the Royal College of Music (HonRCM).

Okinawa is filled with captivating sounds. From nature to culture, the island offers an abundance of experiences that are not only pleasant but also beneficial to our well-being. In such an environment, people can truly experience a deep sense of happiness. That’s how Nick Luscombe, Artistic Director of OIST Sonic Lab, describes Okinawa. Together with Professor Izumi Fukunaga from the Neural Computation Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), he launched the OIST Sonic Lab project. The goal of this project is to explore the elements of sound that enhance our sense of well-being and uncover the science behind them. In this podcast, Luscombe and Prof. Fukunaga share their unique perspectives on the topic. The conversation is hosted by Hiroki Nagahama, a well-known radio DJ in Okinawa. The recording took place in November 2024. About OIST Sonic Lab: https://www.oist.jp/sonic-lab OIST COI-NEXT Global Bioconvergence Center of Innovation website: https://www.oist.jp/coi-next   About the Program on Open Innovation Platforms for Industry-academia Co-creation (COI-NEXT) https://www.jst.go.jp/pf/platform/

This episode of the OIST Sonic Lab podcast features a conversation with Dr Miles Parsons who is a research scientist at The Australian Institute of Marine Science. Miles is doing some pioneering work in the oceans in Western Australia, including the use of sound to help revitalise degraded reefs.   To find out more: https://www.aims.gov.au  

Dr. Jamila Rodrigues is an anthropologist affiliated with the Complexity Science and Evolution Unit (led by Prof. Ulf Diekmann) at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). Dr. Rodrigues is working with Okinawan fishermen to understand how they perceive climate change and identify the economic, social, and environmental factors that most affect their well-being. This time, Mr. Hiroki Nagahama, a radio personality in Okinawa, interviewed Dr. Rodrigues and two people who are supporting with her research: Mr. Minato Nakaema, the head of the Ginoza Village Fishery Cooperative, and Ms. Saori Nakagawa, who works as Dr. Rodrigues' assistant. In this podcast episode, we talk about why Dr. Rodrigues became interested in the lives of Okinawan fishermen, the challenges the fishermen face, and the goals of the project that the three of them are working toward. * This episode is in Japanese only.     About the Complexity Science and Evolution Unit (led by Prof. Ulf Diekmann): https://www.oist.jp/research/research-units/cse       OIST COI-NEXT Global Bioconvergence Center of Innovation website: https://www.oist.jp/coi-next    

OIST’s first exhibition by a visiting artist transforms data on coral reef health into a thought-provoking artistic experience.  Hiromi Ozaki, known by her artist's name, Sputniko!, is a Japanese British artist combining art and technology to explore social issues. Her work integrates scientific concepts and emerging technologies to question perspectives and highlight important social and environmental issues.  OIST science writer Merle Naidoo recently interviewed Sputniko! for the OIST podcast.  Sputniko! frequently collaborates with scientists, as seen in her project titled “Red Silk of Fate” involving bioengineered silk that combines genetic engineering with cultural mythology. Inspired by Asian mythologies about a red silk line that connects two people who are destined to be together, she collaborated with Prof. Hideki Sezutsu from the University of Tokyo, who also serves as the Research Director at the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), to create genetically engineered red silk that contains the “love hormone” oxytocin.  In this podcast episode, Sputniko! discusses the beginnings and challenges of her artistic journey, explaining how science and technology have become central themes in her work. She also shares the inspiration behind her latest exhibition, "Coral Colors," which was on display at the OIST Tunnel Gallery from November 29 to January 9. 

Here at OIST Sonic Lab we have a deep fascination with sound, and it's a passion shared by this podcast episode`s guest, writer Caspar Henderson. His latest book, A Book of Noises - Notes on the Auraculous, is a captivating read and a wonderful contribution to the discussion about the importance of deeper listening. Link to Nick Luscombe BBC Radio programme about the hypersonic effect: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001kh53 Link to Book of Noises: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/B/bo200525016.html

From delivering medicine to managing drone fleets, Vyorius CEO Nishant Singh Rana shares his startup journey and insights with OIST science communicator, Merle Naidoo. He discusses how Vyorius evolved from a drone manufacturer to a rising innovator in unmanned systems management. One standout story is their collaboration with the Indian government during COVID-19, where drone deliveries in Manipur cut vaccine delivery times from 1.5 hours to just 15 minutes! Now based in Japan through the OIST Innovation Accelerator, Nishant is focusing on expanding in Asia, working with airlines, logistics companies, and more. His vision? Skies filled with autonomous vehicles, transforming industries while shifting human roles to higher-value tasks. Curious about the future of drones and autonomous systems? Listen to the full podcast here for more on Vyorius’ innovative approach and Nishant’s entrepreneurial advice.

This episode of the podcast features the first Sonic Lab production, played back in full.  An Okinawa Sound Portrait,  created for the Hyatt Regency Seragaki Island in Okinawa,  was created using only sounds from Okinawa and around the concept of 24 hours on the island, both on land and in the ocean. It also features the sanshin of Aragaki Mutsumi and is designed to enhance a sense of relaxation as it tells the story of the island through a sonically rich and diverse soundscape.

沖縄科学技術大学院大学（OIST）のゲイル・トリップ教授が率いる発生神経生物学ユニットの「OISTこども研究所」では、注意欠如多動症（ADHD）の要因や、行動パターン、感情的な反応、言語力、社会性に焦点をおいた研究を行っています。エビデンスに基づいた支援の開発や検証にも力を入れています。 今回、沖縄を拠点にラジオパーソナリティなどとして活躍するナガハマヒロキさんが、同研究所の古川絵美博士と、小口真奈博士にインタビューをしました。 二人は、OISTこども研究所で、地域の当事者、保護者、教育に関わる方々の協力を得て、みんなが過ごしやすい環境づくりを目指す研究活動を行っています。 このエピソードでは、ADHDの概要や日本と海外の社会における課題の違い、ADHDを持つこどもたちをどのように支援することができるのかを中心にお話しています。 また、二人が注力するプロジェクト、「らぶはび」についても紹介しています。このプロジェクトでは、ADHDの理解を深めるため、行動の多様性や脳の活動パターンの違いを研究し、その成果を地域の皆さんと共に話し合いながら、親子や地域の支援に活かして、新しい行動習慣の促進や定着を目指しています。 らぶはび アンケート参加のお願い 注意の向け方や活動レベルが周りと違っていて，困り感のあるお子さまをお持ちの保護者の方、また学校や地域で子どもやその家族を支えている方、さらには子どもの頃から同じような悩みを抱えていた成人の方々からの体験談やご意見を募集しています。みなさんのアイデアを集めて、共に解決策を見つけていくことを目指しています。ご参加はこちらから。https://lovinghabits.info/ らぶはびについて：OISTこども研究所「らぶはび」ページ OIST発生神経生物学ユニット（ゲイル・トリップ教授）について：https://www.oist.jp/ja/research/research-units/hdnu OIST COI-NEXT グローバル・バイオコンバージェンスイノベーション拠点紹介のウェブサイト（英語のみ）： https://www.oist.jp/coi-next 共創の場形成支援プログラム COI-NEXTについて（外部リンク）： https://www.jst.go.jp/pf/platform/

In this episode, OIST Sonic Lab Artistic Director Nick Luscombe hosts a panel discussion recorded in front of a live audience at CIC Tokyo entitled, "The Science of Sound and Well-being." The speakers include Mark James, a cognitive scientist and philosopher working at OIST, Hikari Sandhu, a Tokyo based music therapist, and sound recordist and producer James Greer. Together, they discuss each of their backgrounds, work and research and tap into their areas of expertise and experience.

Following on from our discussion about Uchinaaguchi in episode 2 with Misato Matsuda and Chiaki Chibana, Nick Luscombe chats with Professor Patrick Heinrich, of Ca'Foscari University, in Milan, Italy. Professor Heinrich is an expert in the field of Sociolinguistics, Japanese Studies and Language Endangerment and his recent paper presents data showing that speakers of a Uchinaaguchi in Yomitan village, Okinawa, report higher rates of well-being.