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[Topics] YUBAMOTO Yuto, a second-year student in the School of Agriculture, has been awarded the 2024 Yamakawa Prize!
On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, a ceremony was held at Shiiki Hall on Kyushu University's Ito Campus to honor the recipients of the 2024 Yamakawa Prize, supported by the Kyushu University Fund. YUBAMOTO Yuto, a second-year student in the School of Agriculture, was among the awardees.
Giving to Kyushu U Grant-Supported Project "Yamakawa Prize"
The award, named after Kyushu University's first president, Kenjiro Yamakawa, aims to nurture the next generation of leaders. It recognizes undergraduate students who excel academically and demonstrate outstanding qualities in humanity, social awareness, international perspective, and expertise, as outlined in the Kyushu University Education Charter. These students are selected for their potential to play leading roles in various fields of society and to make significant contributions globally in the future.
Bringing Japan's Forests to the Forefront of the World: Transforming Forests through Technology
The theme for which I was awarded the Yamakawa Prize is "Bringing Japan's Forests to the Forefront of the World: Transforming Forests through Technology." In summary, I aim to develop a product that facilitates the management of Japan's forests by utilizing XR technology, which integrates the widely discussed technologies of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). To achieve this, I am a member of a student organization dedicated to XR technology development, where I learn and develop XR technology during my lectures and in my spare time.
The Reason I Became Interested in This Theme
My interest in combining forestry with XR technology began during a high school research project, where I had the opportunity to hear from a forester in Miyazaki. This experience sparked a strong interest in forestry. Additionally, during an intensive course I took in the spring, I met the leader of the student organization I am currently part of and learned about XR technology. I realized that XR technology, which can achieve things impossible in the real world, could offer new approaches to forestry.
What I Want to Work on in the Future
Although managing forests can be summarized in a single phrase, it involves setting detailed goals and methods. Therefore, the first thing I need to do is develop a perspective on forest management through my regular studies. Additionally, I aim to increase my opportunities to engage with actual forests both domestically and internationally by participating in open exercises at other universities and studying abroad in countries like Germany and Canada. Furthermore, I plan to continue developing XR technology to deepen my understanding of it and work on creating prototypes that apply what I have learned about forestry.