Water Science and Environmental Engineering Research Group, KIT

The Hokkai Trunk Canal is a vital water facility connecting the Ishikari River and Chitose River systems in Hokkaido. This is a must-see for water researchers!!

【 GREEN WEB 】北海道NOW_北海幹線用水路 北海道の農業の「今」を動画で伝える「北海道NOW」。今回は、北海道の米どころ・空知(そらち)地域を流れる、国内最大の農業用水路「北海幹線用水路」の始まりから終わりまでをお届けします。https://www.hokuren.or.jp/_greenweb_/...

An alumnus who works as an agricultural consultant engineer visited our laboratory. He taught us in detail how the pipeline works, the irrigation system, and the vital maintenance methods in Hokkaido. International students asked about water resource issues in arid areas of Africa and received advice on new technologies that would help them find a solution. Thank you so much!!!

Today, our alums working at a water and sewage consulting company came to give us a special lecture. It is one of the top companies in Japan, and it is named NJS. We could take valuable and interesting lectures such as the water and sewage system, the vital role of water and sewage consultants, introduction of the company, cutting-edge technologies, examples of practical work in Hokkaido and Kanto regions, international projects, recent issues, experiences of career advancement for young employees, advice for students, and so on. Thank you very much!!!

📅✨ Save the date!

The next joint JpGU-AGU meeting will be held in Japan in 2026. Building on the successes of the joint JPGU-AGU meetings in 2017 and 2020, which embraced the theme “For a Borderless World of Geoscience,” we look forward to another impactful event.

We have presented our latest studies at AOGS2024 in Korea and discussed fruitful issues in person. We mainly presented a fingerprinting technique for pollutant control from river to ocean in river basins, a satellite image analysis of soil organic carbon in wetlands, and a conceptual modeling to estimate seepage nutrient load in BG (biogeoscience). The atmosphere (AS), hydrology (HS), ocean (OS), and interdisciplinary (IS) science sessions were also exciting. Thank you!

https://www.asiaoceania.org/
https://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2024/

We are coming to AOGS2024 (Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 2024), the 21st annual meeting from 23 to 28 June 2024. The venues are the Alpensia Resort and Mona YongPyong Resort in Pyeongchang, Gwngwon-do, Korea. The 2018 Winter Olympics games was held in February 2018 in Pyeongchang.

AOGS is introduced on the AOGS website below.

Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) was established in 2003 to promote geosciences and its application for the benefit of humanity, specifically in Asia and Oceania and with an overarching approach to global issues. Asia-Oceania region is particularly vulnerable to natural hazards, accounting for almost 80% human lives lost globally. AOGS is deeply involved in addressing hazard related issues through improving our understanding of the genesis of hazards through scientific, social and technical approaches. AOGS holds annual conventions providing a unique opportunity of exchanging scientific knowledge and discussion to address important geo-scientific issues among academia, research institution and public. Recognizing the need of global collaboration, AOGS has developed good co-operation with other international geo-science societies and unions such as the European Geosciences Union (EGU), American Geophysical Union (AGU), International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), Japan Geo-science Union (JpGU), and Science Council of Asia (SCA).

https://www.asiaoceania.org/
https://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2024/

Application guidelines for Master's and Doctorate programs have been published.
https://www.kitami-it.ac.jp/en/admission/
If you have any inquiries about joining our team, emailing to [email protected]

KITAMI INSTITUTE of TECHNOLOGY | Admission The English version of the application guidelines (Fall 2024 enrollment,Spring 2025 enrollment) has been published. Please check it out.

We went to the Shibetsu Salmon Museum, one of the famous museums in Eastern Hokkaido. It's wonderful. A rich ocean comes from rich forests, villages, and rivers. We wish to contribute our study to conserving the aquatic ecosystem.

#標津サーモン科学館

We went to Shibetsu Town on May 27 to report the results of our water purification research last year. When we went to the fish market first thing in the morning, we saw many fish being landed. The marine resources that come from the richness of the sea are amazing!

The signal crayfish is designated an alien species by the Ministry of the Environment and is regulated by law regarding its keeping, cultivation, storage, transportation, import, etc. After collecting them and recording the number of individuals, body length, and s*x, I boiled them and tried eating them. They tasted like shrimp or crab...


#ウチダザリガニ #外来種

Shimadzu Corporation held the TOC (Total Organic Carbon) Analyzer training program at Sapporo on May 16. We brought the TOC-L into our lab two years ago. This time, we could learn the analyzer's principle and characteristics and how to maintain a combustion tube, syringe head, 8-port valve, etc. We rarely see the inside of the analyzer. This analyzer is vital for evaluating the carbon concentration in water in carbon-neutral research.


#カーボンニュートラル #ブルーカーボン

【インターナショナルCアワー開催のお知らせ】　
インターナショナルＣアワーを下記の通り開催することが決まりましたので、ご案内申し上げます。

UNI-W9X with 20 core Xeon w7-2475X 2.6GHz and GeForce RTX4070 12GB has come to our lab⭐️So excited to tackle much more intelligent work coming fiscal year💪Operating system must be installed to the vacant large box firstly, though💦

Four Bachelors of Engineering and three Masters of Engineering have been born in our research group yesterday😊
Moreover, MEng Igusa received the Student Outstanding Presentation Award from the Hokkaido Branch of the Japan Society of Civil engineers❗️
Congratulations ‼️

Visitamos la UNAP (Universidad nacional del Altiplano - Puno). El campus era elegante y confortable❣️Los profesores amablemente nos presentaron y nos dieron conceptos básicos sobre Puno😍 Fue un tiempo muy corto pero concentrado. Muchas gracias por tomarse el tiempo para nosotros. Me encanta el nombre de la universidad, es genial, ¿no? ¡Manténgase en contacto y nos vemos de nuevo!😊

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)




#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学

Durante este trabajo de campo visitamos Puno durante la temporada de lluvias. A diferencia del estudio de la temporada seca de 2022, hubo un hermoso paisaje lleno de vegetación y flores🌼También hubo una lluvia repentina⛈️, pero afortunadamente no afectó el estudio. Las bendiciones de la rica tierra y el agua son tan preciosas y hermosas.☺️

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)




#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学

En colaboración con el Círculo de Investigación de la UNAP, realizamos un estudio de campo para recolectar tierra alrededor del Lago Titicaca del 26 de febrero al 1 de marzo. Prof Cayo Ramos de la UNALM también nos apoyó. Gracias a todos 😊 La investigación fue perfecta y hubo muchos descubrimientos nuevos basados ​​en la experiencia de 2022, y fue un tiempo corto pero intenso. Fue muy divertido reencontrarnos y hacer nuevos amigos. Gracias por la cálida bienvenida ❤️ Me alegro de estar aquí de nuevo. Haré lo mejor que pueda en la investigación utilizando muestras preciosas 💪

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)


#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学

Ica, one of the largest agricultural area in Perú, was the first target basin of our collaboration research between UNALM and KIT, as a JICA-JSPS project since 2011. The farm land with illigation system in the arid area is broadly observed from the aircraft. On the way to Nasca, the famous World Cultural Heritage, February 21, 2024.

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)




#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学

The Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering Research Group has newly installed the BLTEC QuAAtro 39 as a High-Performance Continuous Segmented Flow Analyzer for Nutrient Analysis on December 1, 2023.
At the primary production level of an ecosystem, it is necessary to know quickly and accurately the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are limiting nutrients for living organisms. Eutrophication (too much nutrient) and oligotrophication (too little nutrient) in water bodies have also been recognized as problems in maintaining a sound aquatic ecosystem.
One of the research goals of the Regional Circulation and Symbiosis Research Promotion Center at Kitami Institute of Technology is advanced decarbonization research that effectively uses ecosystem services at the local level.
The installation of this analyzer is expected to lead to the development of water environment research in cooperation with domestic and international research institutes.

On November 18, Prof. Katsuaki Komai gave a short speech at the Japanese Culture and Language Center opening ceremony at Ha Long University (UHL), Vietnam. Many representatives from the Hokkaido Festival, including Mr. Tsutomu Takebe, the special advisor, also attended this ceremony. And faculties and students celebrated this ceremony. The center will play an essential role in exchange with Japan, especially the Kitami Institute of Technology (KIT), which has an exchange and cooperation agreement with UHL. Prof Komai talked about his incredible experience as a visiting professor at UHL in August 2023. He mainly taught Water Resources Management and Environmental Analysis for 2nd and 3rd-year students and joined the Japanese Language class as a guest. The students are eager, friendly, optimistic, and have great potential for the future. UHL is rapidly growing to be a driving force in Quang Ninh province, north of Vietnam. He will stay around for a week for the research collaboration about Ha Long Bay, the water environment, and SDGs.

At Kitami Institute of Technology, we discussed the expected methodology to estimate the water environment in study sites at the meeting.
Also, we visited Notsukeushi Park and the Kitami Wastewater Treatment Center in Kitami City. We have discussed machine learning applications to estimate water resources remotely at the beginning of the program. From the basic point of view, we learned it again through a different application case to predict water quality in the lake of Notsukeushi park in Kitami, in person.
At our laboratory, we preprocessed soil samples and determined how to analyze the chemical components of soil samples. Analyzing the soil carbon and nitrogen properly is essential in this research project.
During the stay in Kitami, a heart-warming courtesy visit to the Rector was paid and a lunch meeting with international center staff and students was held.
As the summary of our international exchange program, we shared the findings through the program and discussed future collaboration at the workshop. Nos vemos❣️

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)

#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #野付牛公園 #北見市

During the latter half of the international exchange program between Kitami Institute of Technology (Japan), and Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru), we moved to Hokkaido. The Kushiro Wetland is the largest in Japan, registered as the first Ramsar site. And we can observe the red-crowned crane (“tanchou” in Japanese, Grus japonensis), a special natural monument. The wetland area has decreased recently due to vegetation migration, so the restoration project is ongoing. We took the soil core samples near the wetland restoration project site, the west of the Kushiro Wetlands, with the cooperation of the Kushiro River Office (Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau) and Hokkaisuiko Co Ltd. We carefully selected the sampling points considering the water level and vegetation in historical records. Working in the wet ground and forest was challenging, but we got all the planned samples. Good job❣️

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)

#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学 #釧路湿原 #釧路河川事務所 #北開水工コンサルタント

After two days of trekking the Oze wetland in the international exchange program between Kitami Institute of Technology (Japan), and Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru), we visited the Sonohara Dam on the way to Tokyo. Nine dams, including the Sonohada Dam, are located upstream of the Tonegawa River. The Tonegawa Integrated Dam and Reservoir Group Management Office (Kanto Regional Development Bureau, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism) is monitoring and managing the complicated flood discharge and water resources of the Tonegawa River using these nine dams and advanced prediction systems for the watershed. So cool‼️

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)

#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学 #薗原ダム #利根川ダム統合管理事務所 #関東地方整備局

In the international exchange program between Kitami Institute of Technology (Japan), and Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (Peru), we visited the Ozegahara wetland on the second day of the fieldwork in the Oze National Park. The origin of the Ozegahara wetland was a dammed lake by the eruption of a volcano named Hiuchigatake, which is towering behind the wetland. The vegetation and ponds likely make a unique ecosystem under the highland climate. The long wooden road maintained by Tokyo Power Technology Co Ltd gives us safe trekking and protects the wetland from tourists' unnecessary invasion. No other landscape was so beautiful😍

Acknowledgment: A part of this activity is supported by JSPS (Bilateral Collaborations) and JST (Sakura Science Exchange Program)

#さくらサイエンス #二国間交流事業 #北見工業大学 #東京パワーテクノロジー #尾瀬ヶ原