Yoshiaki Maeda, a mathematician, about his work at the Tohoku Forum for Creativity, how he would like to deepen his research to understand quantum physics from a geometrical point of view and his part in the Berlin Science Week.
Who are you and what is your profession?
My name is Yoshiaki Maeda and I am a mathematician. Together with my team at the Tohoku Forum for Creativity (TFC) and the University Research Administration Center, Tohoku University, I have been a member of the organizing committee of the Falling Wall Lab since 2014 and of the Berlin Science Week since 2019.
Can you describe your workplace?
I am doing research in mathematics and mathematical physics at the Tohoku Forum for Creativity, Tohoku University (TFC).
The TFC is an international visitor research institute at Tohoku University to facilitate collaborative research in order to identify important problems across all of the sciences and humanities.
How do you work at TFC?
The TFC brings together both junior and senior researchers in a stimulating environment that promotes creative approaches to new and interdisciplinary research areas.
Which trend will influence your work / research the most?
Since I have been working on mathematics and mathematical physics for over 30 years, I have been influenced the most by the interaction of mathematics and theoretical physics. My basic goal is to understand quantum physics from a geometrical point of view.
Who would you like to work with some day?
I already have a good team at Tohoku Forum for Creativity, and active research collaborators for my research projects.
Why Berlin Science Week?
It is a very good opportunity for Tohoku University to show the researchers and their activities in Tohoku University, and to collaborate with the researchers and the institutes in the Berlin area.
What is your part in 2021’s 6th Berlin Science Week?
I have been responsible for Belin Science Week since 2019 and am now an advisor to the Berlin Science Week team at Tohoku University. I look forward to providing advice to our team to organise a successful event at Berlin Science Week.
Is there a takeaway from the pandemic that you would like to share? Has anything changed in your daily routine?
Since the TFC is an international research centre, it was difficult for us to invite international researchers and conduct research activities such as international conferences and workshops. Instead of real activities, we tried different online activities, webinars, which also worked well.
What is your favourite spot in Berlin?
I like the East Side Gallery, where you can see interesting paintings that wish for peace in the world.
In the future, you would like to…
I like to discuss with people who have different ideas. I am interested in the topics of different research areas in science. I am looking forward to working at the Berlin Science Week and meeting good people.
PS: What is the most delicious thing you ate this week?
I made a hand-made sushi at home as I couldn’t visit my favourite sushi bar because of the Corona pandemic.
If you want to learn more about the work of Tohoku University, check out the recording of their event ‘The Future of Digital Health‘, which took place at Berlin Science Week on 5 Nov 2021, or read the recap of the presentations and ensuing discussions of the event in this article by Tohoku University.