Hurricane storm surge flood waters can take a heavy toll on society. TACC supercomputer simulations are an important tool for U.S. state and federal agencies in protecting life and property.

The Harvard Move Lab is a translational research hub led by Faculty Director Conor Walsh and Executive Director Paul Sabin in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). It employs professional engineers, product developers, and academics who work across disciplines to bring research innovations to market. One of the Move Lab’s signature efforts is a soft, wearable robotic device called Reachable, aimed at helping stroke survivors and people with other movement impairments regain mobility and independence.

How do you protect native tropical forests in the Republic of Palau that help sustain life on Earth? Scientists from the Institute of Pacific Islands Foresty (IPIF) in Hilo, Hawai'i and communities in Palau are following nature’s lead. And that’s led to global recognition of the site’s biodiversity and the scientists’ research. In 2017, the Smithsonian added the forestry plot in Palau to their ForestGEO program. The forest monitoring plot research has united government officials, nonprofit organizations and community members to work towards restoring native tropical forests in Palau.

Companies and other organizations are constantly under threat from data hackers, but the cost to maintain vigilance can be greate. Cybersecurity Center for the Public Good at Tufts University now offers free help to nonprofit organizations in and around Boston and nationally.

With the increasing number of foreign residents, the importance of Japanese language education is on the rise. Starting from the academic year 2024, Kobe University has been designated as the Kinki regional hub school for MEXT’s “Japanese language teacher training and development promotion hub project.” This comes at a time when the landscape of teacher training is undergoing significant changes, such as the establishment of a national qualification for Japanese language teachers, which allows for “registered Japanese language teachers,” starting this year. What role will Kobe University play as a hub school in this evolving environment? We spoke with Professor ISHIKAWA Shin’ichiro of the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, who is in charge of the project, about specific initiatives and future prospects.

The “Open Seminar” is a forum for dialogue between researchers and citizens on themes such as disaster prevention and recovery. Organized once a month by the Kobe University Research Center for Urban Safety and Security, its 300th session will be held in November 2024. The series started in May 1997, about two years after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. It was initiated by Professor Emeritus MUROSAKI Yoshiteru (then a professor at the Faculty of Engineering), who deeply felt the importance of disseminating information to the public after the disaster claimed the lives of over 6,000 people. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the disaster in January next year, starting this September, researchers from various fields will be invited each month to discuss the theme “30 years since the earthquake and the future.”

With the increasing impact of climate change becoming more and more tangible, achieving carbon neutrality—net-zero greenhouse gas emissions—has become an urgent priority.

The key is hydrogen, often referred to as the ultimate energy medium. Hydrogen does not emit carbon dioxide (CO₂) when burned and can be obtained from a variety of sources. In November 2023, Kobe University established the Research Center for Hydrogen Energy Technology (HyTec), which is engaged in research with an eye toward the future.