Joint Research
Joint Research, Commissioned Research, Donation for Research Purposes
Joint Research
A cooperated research conducted on an equal footing under mutual contracts, receiving research expenses from outside institutions such as private corporations, local public entities, independent administrative corporations and semi-governmental corporations.
Commissioned Research
A research that is conducted when we receive a commission from a client (no restrictions). It will be carried out on an equal footing and the expenses of research will be charged to the client. Also, the results of the research will be always reported to the client.
Donation for Research Purposes
This donation is for the encouragement of academic research at Fukushima University. Donations will be used for the promotion of academic research at Fukushima University in accordance with the wishes of the donor. Fukushima University prohibits private accounting of donations. Donations and subsidies received by individuals must be donated to the university and accounted for by the university.
Environmental Radioactivity Research Network Center (ERAN)
Overview of ERAN
The following six research institutes have established the Environmental Radioactivity Research Network Center (ERAN), a cross-organizational collaboration, with the aim of contributing to the solution of various issues in the environmental recovery of Fukushima by research clarification of the transfer process of radioactive materials and assessment of its effects.
The ERAN has been accredited by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and has been active since April 1, 2019.
ERAN Participating Institutions
Background of ERAN Establishment
Even though many years have passed since the nuclear power plant accident, issues related to the environmental fate of radioactive materials remain, and the importance of research on environmental radioactivity dynamics and effects is increasing. It is Japan’s responsibility in the international community to disseminate internationally the knowledge of the nuclear accident.
Therefore, we are working to identify the diffusion, transport, deposition, and transfer processes of radioactive materials on land and in the sea, as well as in ecosystems, to clarify the actual conditions and mechanisms of these processes, and to predict the long-term contamination situation based on the results obtained, and to elucidate the effects of such contamination. The six major institutions that have been promoting this research have formed a joint research center in order to deepen the academic field and to enable the strong dissemination of results by working across relevant institutions.
ERAN Features
CRiED, IER, IREM, JAEA Fukushima Environmental Safety Center, QST Fukushima Restoration Support Research Department, and NIRS Fukushima Regional Collaboration Research Center all have their own areas of expertise in radioactive material transfer process research.
| CRiED | Deals comprehensively with air, water, and sediment transport; studies the future environmental migration of radioactive materials originating from the nuclear power plant accident; IER conducts various field studies by taking advantage of its geographical proximity to the site, as well as comprehensive research in the fields of environment, biology, and agriculture. |
|---|---|
| IER | IER conducts a variety of field studies by taking advantage of its proximity to the field, and conducts comprehensive research in the fields of environment, biology, and agriculture. |
| IREM | Promotes basic research on radiation exposure medicine and fosters professional personnel who can deal with health management and emergency radiation exposure accidents. |
| JAEA Fukushima Environment and Safety Center | Conducting research on the dynamics of radioactive materials moving from forests to estuaries and coastal areas via rivers and reservoirs, and on modeling for numerical analysis of spatio-temporal changes. |
| IES | Conducts research on radioactive material transfer models and environmental fate of tritium and radiocarbon from reprocessing facilities. |
| National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIER) Fukushima Regional Collaboration Research Center | Through research on the migration to forests and rivers, evaluation of biological and ecological effects, and dynamic evaluation in the atmospheric environment, the center conducts initiatives for environmental recovery in the disaster-stricken areas and provides support for reconstruction town planning in cooperation with local municipalities. |
ERAN’s initiative
We will function as a global hub for environmental radioactivity research by promoting domestic and international joint research on the environmental fate and effects of radioactivity, accepting researchers from overseas, disseminating information overseas in collaboration with the IAEA and other organizations, and fostering young researchers through open recruitment.
Initiative 1: Open Call for Research Themes
In order for this Joint Research Center to function as a core for research on the transfer process of radioactive materials related to the nuclear power plant accident, we will widely invite applications for joint use and joint research themes from researchers in Japan and overseas, and promote such research. Through the promotion of joint research, we will contribute to the formation of research communities and research networks, and to the development of each community, etc.
Initiative 2: Training of Young Researchers
In order to foster researchers in the elucidation of the transfer process of radioactive materials and the evaluation of their effects, interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and bird’s-eye view knowledge is necessary. Therefore, it is necessary to deepen one’s own research as well as to experience research in other fields, and collaborative research with research institutions in the network that have different research communities in their backgrounds will be meaningful. Therefore, in order to foster young researchers in particular, we will actively adopt research themes from young researchers.
Initiative 3: Disseminating Results
We will disseminate the research results obtained through this joint research center through domestic and international papers and academic conferences, and hold debriefing sessions open to the people of Fukushima Prefecture and others to help more people understand the current status of environmental restoration in Fukushima. We will also strive to promote accurate understanding among the international community by strengthening the dissemination of information to the IAEA and other international organizations.
Open Call for Research Themes
ERAN is now accepting applications for research themes related to the evaluation of environmental fate and effects of radioactivity. Application guidelines and application forms are available on the ERAN website.