・Ecology and fieldwork in freshwater environments across monsoon Asia, including Japan (freshwater fish, amphibians, aquatic insects, etc.)
・Cliff ecology
・Development of “3D digital organisms” that construct 3D models from real biological specimens

Associate Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University (Ph.D. in Engineering), specializing in river engineering and river environmental studies. He advances value co-creation through transdisciplinary research and practice, promoting collaborative environmental management with citizens, governments, and companies across diverse watersheds.
His watershed restoration project in the Notori River was selected as the only project from Japan for an international research grant by the National Geographic Society, and he serves as a National Geographic Explorer. In the Kamisaigo River, he co-created a restoration project with local communities and river managers, transforming a concrete-lined channel into a nature-rich satoyama river. This initiative has been featured in nationally certified school textbooks, reaching approximately 300,000 children annually. His work has received numerous awards, including the Good Life Award (Minister of the Environment Grand Prize).

I am a second-year student at Ibaraki Prefectural Mito First High School. A track and field athlete with ten years of experience, I have qualified for the Kanto Regional Championships for two consecutive years. At IHRP, I research “How can we create a world where electricity can be generated through running?” by developing a power-generating device.
My dream is to become an astronaut. In the Tokyo University of Science Space Education Program, I served as project leader and received the Business Partner Award. I completed the Next-Generation Global Leader Development Program and competed in the World Scholars Cup Global Round. After the GCI program at the Matsuo–Iwasawa Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, I continue to work there on LLM development. I also developed an AI coaching app that reached the final round of an app development competition. I see great potential in integrating space with sports, energy, and AI/data science.

I am Hiroto Nakawatari, a Year 12 student at Sapporo Kaisei Secondary School. Currently, I am conducting research with three classmates from the same school on “Enhancing the Efficiency of Methane Fermentation in Biogas Generation Using Food Waste”. This academic year, alongside my research activities within the IHRP, I am participating in numerous other research programmes, engaging daily in research aimed at solving global and Japanese energy challenges.
Through my research activities at secondary school, I discovered the joy of creating something with others and immersing myself in a single pursuit. In the future, I wish to continue striving alongside my peers in research endeavours, working to give tangible form to the society I envision.

My name is Tomo Hayakawa, and I am a high school student interested in combining technology and business to make innovation accessible and impactful. I believe meaningful solutions require not only technical advancement but also effective implementation that allows them to scale and reach a wider society.
Through IHRP, I am researching how error propagation in different motion capture systems affects injury prevention accuracy. This work was inspired by a close friend who had to quit tennis after a back injury.
Alongside my research, I am a member and captain of my school’s tennis team. As an individual sport, tennis has taught me resilience and competitiveness. I hope to apply these experiences to create innovations that generate real-world impact.