This course will take a case study approach to regional disasters. The course contents will include learning of basic soil mechanics to determine the mechanism of failure of naturally occurring slopes. Such knowledge can be extremely valuable to inform future design. This will be supplemented with analysis of state-of-the-art research on disaster prevention technologies.

The course is intended to be a deep-dive into specific disasters like slope failures under heavy rainfall conditions, breakwater performance under tsunami impact etc. To this end, the course will introduce a few fundamental concepts in soil mechanics, engineering geology, hydraulics of groundwater as well as natural hazards. Along with such technical tools, students will also be introduced to the frameworks of vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management.

After the successful completion of the course, students will be able (1) To understand fundamental physics concepts related to particular disasters, (2) to understand basic forensic analysis, (3) to analyse specific state of the art disaster mitigation technologies and (4) to perform basic vulnerability and disaster risk assessment.

The class in the first week will provide an overview of the contents of the course. As a general outline, the necessary concepts required to understand the basic mechanism of a particular disaster will be highlighted. Following this, students will work individually or in teams to analyze relevant case histories/experimental studies/research papers assigned to them. Students are expected to clearly (a) identify the problem (b) explain the failure mechanism or any other relevant result using the concepts taught and (c) provide critical comments wherever possible.

An indicative schedule for the course is as follows
(1) Introduction and highlights of case histories/experimental studies/research papers [1 week]
(2) Fundamental concepts related to regional disaster - 1 [3-4 weeks]
(3) Development of a numerical tool in MS-Excel for assessment of stability of naturally occurring slopes [2-3 weeks]
(4) Fundamental concepts related to regional disaster - 2 [2-3 weeks]
(5) Analysis of case history/experimental studies/research papers - 2 [2-3 weeks]
(6) Understanding vulnerability: political, physical, social, economic and environmental factors [1 week]
(7) Disaster risk identification and assessment [1 week]
(8) Final presentation [1 week]
(9) Feedback [1 week]

Total: 14 classes and 1 feedback session

Beneficial but not mandatory: basic mathematics and physics (high school level). Students must be willing to work with basic mathematics.

- Class participation (25%, students are expected to actively participate in discussion)
- Assignment report (30%)
- Oral presentation (45%)

Students are expected to be independent in finding online resources to attain relevant issues of discussion during seminar to enhance student interaction and understanding during classes.

After class, student consultation will be arranged with prior notice.

Computer simulations play an important role in the process of scientific discovery, complementing theory and experiments. In this seminar course, the students will learn how to code computer simulations in Python to investigate problems of great biological interest. For example, we will study how populations of prey and predators change over time in a given ecological system, understand how bacteria search for food around their environment, and predict the spread of epidemics. The course is structured as a series of tutorials (as Jupyter notebooks) where students implement a model for a given biological system and run simulations to learn more about it. In the final project, students will investigate a problem of choice, and present their results for the final evaluation.

To be able to program computer simulations using the Python programming language.
To understand how models are routinely used to in biology.
To learn about the process of scientific discovery: how to ask your own questions and design your own "computer experiments" to give an answer.

Schedule (may be subject to change, some topics are covered in multiple classes):
- Introduction to the course
- Programming in Python
- Chemical kinetics
- Predator-prey population dynamics
- Epidemiology
- Final project
(Total:14 classes and 1 feedback)

Course open to all students. In order to practice with coding, each student should work on a laptop during classes.

Class attendance and active participation (50%), final project and oral presentation (50%)

If conditions permit it, in one or more occasions students will be divided into small groups to work together on a project.

Please feel free to come to my office at any time, or to send an email to brandani@biophys.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Addictive disorders like drug and alcohol dependence, internet addiction, and gambling disorders are a widespread problem affecting millions of people in Japan and across all cultures. Nearly everyone knows someone affected by addiction, from "kitchen drinkers" and methamphetamine use disorders, to video game and shopping addiction. This course is designed to help students understand why people become addicted, problems associated with addiction, and how people can recover from addiction. This course will provide students with an understanding of how addictions develop and how they are maintained. Students will gain knowledge in the biological, psychological, and social factors of addiction. Then, they will learn about distinct types of addictive disorders. Further, students will gain knowledge in the methods of identification and behavioral concepts in addiction recovery. At the end of the course, students will understand how addictions are conceptualized and the processes involved with behavior change.

To gain basic knowledge of problems associated with addiction
To learn about the biological, psychological, and social factors of addiction
To understand the ethics considered in addiction
To understand the psychological concepts of addiction recovery

1. Addiction Background and Prevalence
2. Neurobiology of Addiction
3. Psychology of Addiction
4. Social Influences of Addiction
5. Substance Use Disorders (Alcohol and Drugs)
6. Behavioral Addictions (Technology and Gambling)
7. Assessment and Diagnosis
8. Laws and Ethics
9. Punishment and Rehabilitation
10. Clinical Access and Referral
11. Cognitive Behavioral Concepts
12. Motivational Interviewing, Support Groups, and Relapse Prevention
13. Presentations I
14. Presentations II
- Feedback

特になし

40% - Group Presentation
30% - Short Personal Reflection Paper
15% - Quizzes
15% - Class Participation

Students are expected to complete assigned readings and assignments before class.

Students may contact the instructor if they have questions and they may schedule an in-person appointment by email.

This seminar introduces various fascinating aspects of chaos. While “chaos” often has the connotation of something complicated and uncontrollable, we will see that chaotic behavior can emerge from seemingly simple situations. We will discover that chaos can be, in its own way, very ordered. Perhaps even more surprisingly, chaos can actually be a source of stability. Along the way, we will familiarize ourselves with some of the necessary mathematical tools to describe chaotic behavior. Finally, we will discuss where chaos occurs in physics and everyday phenomena. Throughout the seminar, we will perform several simple experiments on a computer and learn to recognize chaotic behavior.

-　Understanding the connection between non-linearity and chaos.
-　Becoming familiar with the basic mathematical theory of chaos.
-　Recognizing chaotic phenomena in daily life and physics.
-　Being able to write simple computer programs to visualize chaotic behavior.

Week 1-2: Dynamical systems and phase-space description.
Week 3-6: Using the Julia programming language to visualize dynamical systems.
Week 7-9: Bifurcations: the route to chaos.
Week 10: The Lyapunov exponent: chaotic or not?
Week 11-12: Self-similarity and Feigenbaum constants: order in chaos.
Week 13-14: Chaos in physics.
Week 16：Feedback

Basic programming skills and knowledge about basic physics (mechanics) are helpful but not required. Students should be familiar with high-school level mathematics (algebra and calculus).

The students will be graded based on their participation in class (30%) as well as worksheets and programming assignments (70%). Students will need at least 60% in total to pass.

Students will occasionally have to complete assignments or simple programming exercises.

Office hour: Wed. 15:00-16:00

Welcome to the fascinating world of "Physiological Neuroscience"! Have you ever wondered how our incredible brain enables us to think, see, hear, and move? This seminar will unravel the mysteries of our body's ultimate control center.
In our initial sessions, we'll learn about the basic structure of the brain and get to know the building blocks, called neurons. We'll zoom in on these neurons, paying special attention to their membrane proteins like ion channels and receptors. These proteins play an important role in creating electrical signals by establishing ion gradients.
After understanding these essential mechanisms, we'll explore how these signals travel, facilitating communication between neurons. As the course progresses, we'll delve into the brain's development and learn how neurons establish the right connections, like wiring a complex network.
In our final sessions, we'll explore the functions of different brain structures and specialized neurons, allowing us to understand how we perceive the world around us - from seeing and hearing to sensing pain. Throughout each seminar, you'll not only gain insights into the brain's fundamental properties and functions but also explore disruptions caused by various diseases, medications, substances, or toxins. This knowledge will equip you with valuable tools to comprehend related issues on a deeper level.

Get ready for an engaging journey into the wonders of the brain!

By the end of this seminar, you'll uncover the fascinating world of neurons and how they communicate. We'll dive into exciting medical and biological aspects of neuroscience, giving you a well-rounded perspective. Plus, you'll gain the skills to engage in stimulating discussions about the latest advancements in the field, regardless of your academic background. This seminar offers an eye-opening journey into the wonders of the brain!

1. Introduction to Neuroscience
2. What is a Neuron?
3. The Important Role of Ion Channels
4. How Can a Neuron Sense an External Signal? Receptors
5. A Matter of Concentration: Ion Gradients and the Membrane Potential
6. Time for Action: The Action Potential
7. Worksharing Within the Neuron: Neuronal Polarity and Subcellular Specialization
8. Neuron Conversations: How Brain Cells Communicate
9. How is the Message Delivered from One Neuron to the Other? Neurotransmitter
10. The Development of the Brain: Neurogenesis
11. How to Connect the Wires? Axon Guidance and Neuronal Regeneration
12. Through the Eye to the Brain: Understanding Vision
13. Can You Hear Me? The Auditory System
14. "Ouch!" How We Sense Pain
15. Feedback


Changes in order and/or content might occur.

The course is open to all students, but a basic understanding of biology is recommended.

Attendance and active participation: 20%
Midterm assignment: 40%
Presentation: 40%

To make the most of each seminar, it's essential to be prepared. This involves reviewing the previous session, working through any questions, and independently studying the upcoming subject. Expect to spend around 60-90 minutes getting ready.

For a deeper understanding of neuroscience, it's advised to attend the "Disorders of the Nervous System" seminar. This will provide additional insights into the field.
If you have further questions, feel free to write me an email.

In this seminar we will develop critical thinking skills by considering central issues in moral philosophy. Along the way we will learn fundamental philosophical skills, including: how to identify and evaluative arguments; how to present a thesis clearly; and how to defend a view against possible objections.

Students will be encouraged actively to participate in discussions concerning topics including the nature of the self, moral dilemmas and the possibility of free will. Lessons will be primarily conducted through group work and presentations by students, supported by handouts and short lectures by the lecturer. The lectures will summarize the content to date and place the essays under consideration in their historical and conceptual context.

- To introduce students to a range of classic issues in moral philosophy.
- To foster students' abilities to participate in philosophical debate and to improve their confidence in articulating their ideas.
- To develop students' communication and presentation skills.
- To develop students' abilities to reason critically, to interpret philosophical texts and to construct and critique arguments.

Week 1 Introduction
What is philosophy? Different definitions of the subject considered.

Weeks 2 - 3 Philosophical Methodology
Introduction of foundational concepts such as argument, proof, refutation, reasoning.
Thought experiments introduced and critiqued.

Weeks 4 - 5 Luck, Misfortune and Moral Emotions
Discussion of cases where an individual's character is deeply shaped by chance events, and related issues.
What is an emotion and how do the emotions relate to perception and reason?

Weeks 6 - 7 Wishing Never to Have Been Born
Is it coherent to wish never to have been born?
Puzzles of death, non-existence and the meaning of life.

Weeks 8 - 9 Duties to Future Generations
The concepts of rights and duties and their relation to freedom.
Do we have duties to future generations, and if so on what grounds?

Weeks 10 - 11 Free Will and Determinism
Is it possible to be responsible for something which one was powerless to stop? If not then how can responsibility be a coherent concept in a deterministic universe?

Weeks 12 - 13 Life in a Perfectly Just World
What is a (political and moral) utopia? Would it be desirable to live in such a world, or is the existence of wrong necessary for goodness to its distinctive value?

Week 14 Recap of themes covered in the course
Discussion of connections between the themes broached, and the relation between metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.
Recapitulation of the philosophical methodologies introduced in the start of the course.

Week 15 Feedback class

Students will be expected to read one text in English in preparation for each class, to be provided by the instructor. The text will be 1-2 pages long.

Students will be evaluated by two quizzes (each worth 50%) one in the middle of the semester and one at the end of the year.

Students will be expected to read approximately 1-2 pages of philosophy in English every week.

For any inquiries, students can contact me by email, and we can arrange in-person or Zoom office hours on request.

This course is designed to provide knowledge on food production and the challenges of food production under changing climate. The students will learn about the concept of climate change and its effect on food production, the basics of plant breeding techniques, plant and environment interaction, sustainable food production, the role of plant breeding in climate change mitigation and resilience, the concept of integrated plant breeding, and how different knowledge can be integrated with plant breeding to provide solutions to the food security problems.

Understand what is plant breeding and what is climate change
Understand the basics of plant environment interaction
Gain knowledge of the concept of sustainable food production
Understand the importance of an integrated research approach
Think out how to provide integrated solutions to sustainable food production

The following topics will be covered during the 14 weeks of the semester. Week 15 is an exam session, and a feedback class is given in week 16.

1. Definition of plant breeding and basic plant biology
2. Plant breeding and basic crop improvement techniques
3. Breeding in self-pollinated crops
4. Breeding in cross-pollinated crops
5. Modern techniques of plant breeding
6. Field designs and crop evaluation
7. Climate change and sustainable food production
8. Plant-environmental interaction
9. Plant-microbe interaction
10. Drought stress
11. Heat stress
12. Salinity stress
13. Sustainable agriculture techniques/approaches
14. General discussion and seminars

特になし

Grading: Class attendance and active participation (20%), assignments and quizzes (30%), and final exam or coursework (50%).

Students should read or listen to the required pre-class materials and submit any required assignment before the class, and come to class ready to participate in class activities.

No fixed office hours. Students are requested to make appointments directly or by email.

ジェンダーの視点は、現在、世界で生じている大きな社会変動を読み解くうえで、必要不可欠なものになりつつある。しかし、ジェンダーの多様性をふまえた社会構築に対する反動が世界各地で起きており、新たな社会秩序は模索されている途上である。
また日本社会におけるジェンダーをめぐる議論は、まだまだ世界の潮流に追いついていない現状がある。本講義では、多様な人間社会をジェンダーの視点から考察するうえで必要となる視座を、文化人類学の関連文献の講読と討議を通して把握することを目指す。

・フェミニズムの視点が、女性に特化した研究に閉じられたものではなく、人間を根底から考察し、異なる存在が共生するうえで必要不可欠な視点であることを理解する。
・日常生活のなかで、自明とされているジェンダー観を問い直すことができるようになる。
・現代のジェンダーをめぐる諸議論を把握できるようになる。
・ジェンダーの視点を文化人類学に取り入れることの意義と課題について把握する。

授業では『ジェンダー人類学を読む』（宇田川妙子・中谷文美編）を講読するが、受講生は担当する章と、そこに提示されている参考文献のうち、一つを取り上げてレビューを行い、授業でディスカッションを行う。授業と講読を通じて、ジェンダーやセクシュアリティをふまえた人類学的な研究の動向と視座を明らかにする。

第1回　講義と講師の紹介
第2回　ジェンダー人類学の現在
第3回　国家が規定するジェンダー役割とローカルな実践—インドネシア
第4回　他者化するまなざしの交錯の中で—タイ
第5回　女性・身体・暴力—インド
第6回　世俗主義・イスラーム・女性—トルコ
第7回　地域の「門番」概念としてのジェンダー・セクシュアリティー地中海ヨーロッパ
第8回　アフリカ地域研究における生業とジェンダー中南部アフリカを中心に
第9回　親族組織に埋め込まれたジェンダーーポリネシア・サモア
第10回　ジェンダー視点と社会問題の交錯—オーストラリア・アボリジニ
第11回　「開発とジェンダー」をめぐる政策と実践—スリランカ農村女性の事例から
第12回　国際移動とジェンダーーフィリピンの事例から
第13回　グローバル化する世界における女子割礼／女性性器切除—交渉されるジェンダーとセクシュアリティ　
第14回　ポストコロニアリズム・フェミニズム・宗教
第15回 フィードバック

他の人類学に関する講義を同時に受講していることが望ましい。

授業への出席が前提となる。講義内での受講生の報告（60％）、ディスカッションへの参加状況（40％）で評価する。

・講読担当者以外も、受講生は講読個所をあらかじめ読んで授業に臨むこと。
・講読担当者は、文献に登場する概念や用語の背景も調べたうえで講読担当章の内容を要約し、自分の意見もまとめて発表すること。
・受講生は授業で提起された問いを、関連文献の講読によって深めることが期待される。

・総合人間学部の学生は、別途選抜を行うので、総合人間学部便覧のシラバスを確認のうえ第1回目の授業に出席すること。
・授業中、疑問点などは積極的に質問すること。

This seminar-style course will give students a chance to learn about some important models in applied probability. The focus will be on Markov chains, which are central to the understanding of random processes, and have applications in simulation, economics, optimal control, genetics, queues and many other areas. As well as introducing mathematical techniques, it will be a goal to show how these can be applied to understand certain random phenomena, such as the long-time behaviour of random walks, survival/extinction of branching processes, convergence of algorithms, and reinforcement.

- To understand basic models of applied probability, particularly Markov chains
- To apply mathematical techniques to understand random phenomena in applications
- To gain experience in reading and presenting mathematics in English

In the first lecture, the lecturer will introduce the topic, and basic aims of the course. For most subsequent weeks, the classes will consist of two parts:
- a part where students present their attempts to solve problems set by the lecturer in the previous class;
- a part where the lecturer introduces some new topics upon which the following week's student problems will be based.

The following indicates possible topics, though this may vary depending on the students’ proficiency level and background.

(1) Introduction to applied probability and Markov chains [1 week]
Review of basic probability, definition of a Markov chain, outline of course
(2) Basic properties of discrete-time Markov chains [7 weeks]
Class structure, hitting times/probabilities, computations using probability generating functions
(3) Long-time behavior of discrete-time Markov chains [3 weeks]
recurrence/transience, invariant distributions, convergence to equilibrium, time reversal, ergodic theorem
(4) Applications [3 weeks]
Random walks, branching processes, urn models, queuing models

Total: 14 classes and 1 week for feedback

特になし

Students will be expected to participate in class, both by presenting material prepared in advance, and by discussing problems. Their performance in these aspects will contribute 70% of the final mark. There will also be a final exam, in which students will be asked to apply the techniques covered in the course, which will also contribute 30% of the final mark.

As noted in the course schedule, from the second week, students will be asked to prepare and present problem solutions. (Their efforts on such assignments form part of the assessment.) Details will depend on the number of students enrolled on the course, and will be discussed in the first class. Typically the lecturer would expect students to spend 1-2 hours per week on study outside the class.

現在の防災服は、かっこよさは求められていない。
また、現在のファッションも防災的機能は意識されていない。
早朝に地震が起こった時、そのままの服で逃げれたら？
普段の服が防災服になれば、外に出る時に、もっと時間が短縮され、助かる命が増えるかもしれない。

自分の心音を録音し、その音をハイスピードカメラで可視化し、その一コマを使って、
デジタル捺染で防災に有効な服を考えて、デザインする。

その体験から、音、映像、服がデジタルで繋がることから
デジタルとアートとファッションの関係を学ぶ。

服にデジタル技術と防災機能を取り込み、社会や産業にインパクトをもたらす創造的（アートな）な価値を作り出すこと。

授業回数はフィードバックを含め全15回とする。

以下の要素について研究をしながら、作品を仕上げていく。

1グループで防災対応できるファッションを考えて企画する

2 録音した音を、スピーカーで再生し、ハイスピードカメラで動画撮影する

3 上記で撮影した動画からクリエイティブな１コマを選ぶ

4 上記から選んだ一コマを防災をテーマにしたファッションのデジタルパターンに入れてファッションデザインをする

5 上記を特殊な紙で印刷し、生地にデジタル捺染する

6　上記の生地をミシンで裁縫する

7 映像のデジタル編集を学び作品化

8 講評

映像制作とアートに興味があり、コンピュータの基本操作ができること。
ミシンが扱えればなお良い

レポート、作品制作、平常点の合計で評価を行う。詳細は授業中に説明する。

参考になる映像や展覧会を見る。

・オフィスアワー：午後６時〜７時

・色彩の区別を伴う課題に各自取り組んでいただきます。