Third Lecture of Royal Palm Lecture Series features UTokyo President Dr. Teruo Fujii

On December 6, 2023, for the third lecture of the Royal Palm Lecture Series, National Taiwan University (NTU) had the honor of inviting Dr. Teruo Fujii, an acclaimed engineering expert and the incumbent president of the University of Tokyo (TokyoU), to speak at NTU College of Management. Through the speech titled “Transcending Boundaries: from Underwater Robotics to Molecular Computing,” President Fujii encouraged NTU students not to fear exploring or tapping into uncharted territory but instead seek ways to put their learned skills into practice and “embrace the unknown.”

Before assuming the President of TokyoU, Dr. Teruo Fujii acted as the Executive Vice President and oversaw the financial and international affairs of the university. He is also an acting member of the Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Japanese Cabinet Office, highly involved in drawing the country’s science and technology projects and coordinating governmental ministries in this regard. As a PhD in engineering, he specialized in applied fluid dynamics and underwater robotics. With his speech, President Fujii went through his boundary-breaking academic journey across multiple science dimensions. Dr. Fujii also shared his vision for TokyoU, including the “UTokyo Compass” initiatives.

In his introductory remark, NTU President Wen-Chang Chen emphasized that TokyoU is not only a top-ranking academic institution globally but also a long-term and essential partner of NTU in academic collaboration. He is delighted to have President Fujii share his expertise and experiences with NTU faculty and students. President Fujii’s profound wisdom and leadership would offer a unique source of inspiration and provide insights into how TokyoU became such a world-class institution.

President Fujii believes that to cope with complex challenges where clear solutions are yet on the horizon, such as climate change, biological resources, and social interaction, people have to ask the right questions. For a university, in addition to collaboration on the campus and between outside parties, it also has to constantly reflect on its purpose and reposition itself to meet societal needs.

President Fujii also touched on the project he led in recent years on autonomous underwater robotics, detailing how it helped achieve Sustainable Development Goals and can be incorporated into future university courses. He also shared his educational experience, the moments that led him to study various fields of engineering, and the research projects he had embarked on during his academic years.

In conclusion, President Fujii reminded NTU students that in a rapidly changing modern society, stepping out of the comfort zone is inevitable, but venturing into new subjects or territory is not to be anxious about. From his personal journey switching from fluid dynamics to biological science, he found that to be a challenging yet rewarding experience. He believes that it offers a unique opportunity to apply the learned knowledge to new domains and make wonderful things happen. “Instead of fearing the unknown, we should embrace it,” says President Fujii.

NTU Royal Palm Lecture Series invites a diversity of distinguished speakers, including academic scholars, technical experts, NTU distinguished professors, highly-accomplished alumni, recipients of honorary doctorates, and influential entrepreneurs. These eminent speakers address pressing global issues and emerging technological frontiers, providing our students and faculty with precious, timely knowledge and insights. The plan is to host six lecturers each year, with the expectation that the rich experiences and wisdom of the distinguished guests will provide inspiration as well as insights to every attendee.