Information exchange meeting including students

The 1^st section was entitled "From the World's Quiz King to the Medical King-The Future of Question Answering Technology and IT." Dr. Koichi Takeda, who holds a PhD in information science and is Technical Director of IBM Research Tokyo, introduced IBM's question answering system Watson, which competed on and won the American television quiz show Jeopardy! Dr. Takeda also discussed the application of Watson to medical diagnosis.

The 2^nd section was delivered by Dr. Hideo Watanabe, who holds a PhD in engineering and also works at IBM Research Tokyo. The lecture was entitled "IT to Support Resilient Urban Planning-Smarter City & Resilient City." Following last year's Tohoku Earthquake, particular focus has been placed on the resilience for quick recovery to normal conditions after an emergency has occurred. Dr. Watanabe introduced IBM's IT technology (weather forecasts, traffic simulations, etc.) for realizing a smart city which can function in both normal conditions and emergencies.

In both the 1^st and 2^nd section, researchers who serve as project leaders at IBM gave direct and easy-to-understand lectures on themes which are related to students studying information systems, urban environments, management systems, electrical and electronic technology, chemistry and biological science.

The 3^rd section featured a slightly different theme than the previous two. From the perspective of management and personnel cultivation, a lecture was given by Mr. Yoshinori Sakaue, Corporate Officer in charge of development and manufacturing of system technology at IBM Japan. The lecture was entitled "Professionals and Leadership in Global Society and at Global Corporations." When addressing participating students who will lead global society in the future, Mr. Sakagami concluded his message as follows: "It's important to assert one's self and not to accept defeat. Take action and be aggressive."

The lecture series ended with a message from Mr. Jon Robison, Corporate Officer in charge of marketing and communications at IBM Japan. "Japan is one of the world's most powerful countries," said Mr. Robison in encouragement of students who will lead the future of Japan, a technology superpower. "There are very few countries that possess the competitive power of Japan in the global market. You are members of a rising generation and are part of a young, clever and smart future. Until now, Japan has sought to differentiate itself from the rest of the world. However, I hope that you will act as Japanese who will contribute internationally to the world." Afterwards, an information exchange session (informal talk session) for Chuo University students was held. Participants in the session divided into 7 teams which included IBM instructors and employees.

In a relaxed atmosphere, participating students enjoyed drinks while deepening exchanges based on a variety of themes. Students talked with the lecturers and Chuo University alumni employed at IBM, discussing the form of global IT corporations, the meaning of diversity and career design. This concluded all of the day's events.