Laboratory members

1 Laboratory profile

Under the leadership of Professor Ryuichi Teshima and Professor Toshiyuki Yasui, the Socio-Critical System Laboratory (SCS) focuses primarily on social systems, but takes a systems engineering approach rather than traditional social systems theory. Most of the students in the first class were returning to the university after gaining experience in industry, but the second class includes more new graduates who bring greater variety to the laboratory. Research themes cover a broad range of issues, from the pharmaceuticals industry to architecture and construction.

2 Overview of SCS's 2nd year

From this academic year Professor Yasui, who had been an SDM Special Guest Professor, began to guide students full-time over the course of his 2-year appointment. Professor Yasui has started a new and extremely interesting class on "Socio-Critical Systems" that uses both policy and systems engineering perspectives to examine how social systems are built and structured. The discussions with students are spirited and enthusiastic, and the opinions expressed insightful.

The laboratory held its first retreat this academic year to give working students an opportunity to get out of their ordinary surroundings and concentrate on their research. The retreat also enabled the laboratory to prepare for interim presentations, theme presentations and other SDM events.

Seminars this year are led by Mr. Nakajima, one of our 2nd year masters course students. He works with the faculty to finalize topics and schedules and has put together a strong organization.

3 Future activities

At work

By the time this issue is published, 2008 Spring students will have finished presenting their master's theses and have a bit of breathing room, but everyone else will be busy. Our 2008 Fall students will be entering the final preparations for graduation in September and 2009 Spring students will be getting ready for their interim presentations. We look forward to continuing our projects with the SDM Research Institute (policy recommendation project for pharmaceuticals, policy recommendation project for animation) and to seeing further results come out of the graduate school's research in its third year. The laboratory will continue to be actively involved in activities to provide advice and recommendations on social systems.
  

Socio-Critical System Laboratory (SCS Lab)
Professor Ryuichi Teshima

Former Chief, Washington Bureau, NHK
Area of expertise: Intelligence and crisis management for large, complex systems
Books and publications: "Ultra Dollar," "Diplomatic Losses" (Shinchosha Publishing), "Intelligence: War Without Weapons" (Gentosha, joint author) etc.