The IMI Manifesto 2021
Since its establishment in April 2011, the Institute of Mathematics for Industry (IMI) of Kyushu University has been promoting collaboration and exchange with industry and various academic disciplines, and has been successful both in research and in nurturing young talents. In 2020, IMI started "Graduate Program of Mathematics for Innovation (GPMI)", which was selected as "Doctoral Program for World-leading Innovative & Smart Education" by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). We are committed to cultivating human resources that can use their mathematical modelling skills to collaborate and innovate with researchers in a diverse range of fields based on a deep understanding of data. IMI has also played an essential role in building an international network and has become a leading institution for activities related to industrial mathematics, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
In recent years, mathematics has been playing an increasingly important role as a foundation for industry. The significance of mathematics to society has long been recognised in Europe and North America. In 2019, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and MEXT issued a joint report entitled "The Coming Era of Mathematical Capitalism --How the Power of Mathematics Changes Our Future--", which emphasised the importance of mathematics as an essential science for leading the fourth industrial revolution. At the same time, the application range of mathematics is expanding, not only in fields that have traditionally been associated with industry, such as numerical analysis, mathematical optimisation and statistics, but also in fields that have been less associated with industry, such as algebra and geometry in collaboration with a wide spectrum of academic fields, including information, materials, and life sciences, as well as energy, finance, and law. The Institute's catchphrase, "Mathematics for Industry (MfI)", refers to a new approach to mathematics that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries to meet the demands of both society and academia.
As IMI celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2021, we would like to renew our commitment to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and communication and creating new mathematics that will contribute to innovations in industry. IMI will continue to contribute to society as a cornerstone for the development of MfI by deepening new research fields, fostering human resources with an understanding of both industry and mathematics, and creating organic linkages among relevant parties.
Osamu Saeki, Director
Institute of Mathematics for Industry, Kyushu University
Our Commitment
- We work on various problems that arise in industry and establish a system to enable academics to work effectively with industry to solve these problems.
- We develop human resources with the mathematical and co-creative skills to contribute to industry.
- We create new mathematics to stimulate rapid progress in technology and generate innovation through exchanges between industry and universities.
- We support researchers and engineers in industry to make use of their mathematical knowledge.
- We provide education to the public so that mathematical methods can be properly implemented in society, avoiding risks such as financial crisis, fairness issues in machine learning, and security breaches.
Our Activities
- As a MEXT-accredited Joint Usage/Research Center, "Joint Research Center for Advanced and Fundamental Mathematics-for-Industry", we offer various events and networking opportunities to promote interaction and deepen mutual understanding between industry and universities.
- We organise seminars and tutorials to provide up-to-date information on industrial mathematics, share industrial challenges, and identify new research themes.
- To promote joint research between industry and universities, we provide a matching service for research and development teams. IMI also provides technical consultation services by IMI researchers. (The network established by the Advanced Innovation powered by Mathematics Platform (AIMaP), a project commissioned by MEXT, will be utilised.)
- We organise events as a venue for pioneering new mathematics that will create technological innovation in industry and for developing human resources that will use advanced mathematical knowledge in industry. In particular, we organise Study Group Workshops (SGW) every year to explore solutions to problems raised by industry.
- We provide education on MfI through the GPMI and other programmes. We also provide financial support for motivated students.
- We conduct long-term research internships to develop students' problem-solving skills in industry, and to increase the opportunities for companies to use advanced mathematical talent in their operations. In addition, we seek better forms of internships that benefit both companies and universities.
- We accept engineers and researchers from industry as working PhD students, mainly through the GPMI.
- We accept engineers and researchers from industry to participate in the education of graduate students through lectures and seminars.
- We send researchers to industry to give lectures and seminars to help engineers acquire mathematical knowledge.
- We disseminate information and promote MfI by publishing the latest results in academic papers, commentary articles, and books as well as by outreach activities such as newsletters and lectures.
- We establish an international network in cooperation with overseas academic institutions and companies by holding international workshops and exchanging students.
- We survey trends in mathematical science research for industry overseas in cooperation with national institutions.
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