MIRAI 2.0 Research & Innovation Week aims to increase knowledge about, and collaboration in MIRAI's focus areas: Ageing, Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, Materials Science, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
– We are 19 universities within this cooperation contributing with our knowledge and expertise within these exiting areas. Umeå University Is part of the thematic expert group within ageing via Professor Carl-Johan Boraxbekk, Department of Radiation Sciences, and in Sustainability via Professor Carina Keskitalo, Department of Geography, says Jenny Ahlinder Hagberg, project manager for MIRAI at Umeå University.
Umeå University has been collaborating in the MIRAI project since 2017. For Carl-Johan Boraxbekk the collaboration has been important:
Carl-Johan Boraxbekk, professor at the Department of Radiation Sciences, is one of Umeå University’s researchers planning MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation Week.
Photo: Mattias Pettersson
– MIRAI has broadened my perspective on ageing research, and it has allowed me to find collaborators I wouldn't have been in contact with otherwise. Also, with a focus on younger researchers, and helping them in their careers, new research questions sometimes emerge, which is fantastic, he says.
Japan and Sweden are two countries that are facing similar challenges with a growing ageing population, but we are also two very different countries.
– I believe that the differences between our countries can contribute to novel solutions, and it will make us think about our research area in a different way than we are used to.
Another unique aspect of the project is that you not only come in at the end and take part in the research results but that you are involved during the research process. For example, we have visited other laboratories at Japanese universities to see how they are setting up their work, says Carl-Johan Boraxbekk.
Carina Keskitalo, professor at the Department of Geography, is part of the thematic expert group for the sustainability track during MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation Week.
Photo: Ulrika Bergfors
Carina Keskitalo, who is part of the thematic expert group for the sustainability track, talks about the connection to UTRI, Umeå Transformation Research Initiative, a Umeå university-wide grass-root initiative from a large number of teachers and researchers to support interdisciplinary research collaboration in the transition to sustainable development.
– Transformation research is really about sustainability: how can we change society, energy use, and our behaviour and regulation to support sustainability. Several young researchers from UTRI Young Researcher Network will participate during the Research and Innovation week.
Members of the steering group representing Umeå University in MIRAI are Vice-Chancellor Hans Adolfsson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Katrine Riklund and Deputy Dean Greg Neely. Katrine Riklund and Greg Neely are also part of Umeå University reference group together with Ingrid Svensson (International Office), Carl-Johan Boraxbekk (Ageing), Carina Keskitalo (Sustainability), Ove Andersson (Materials Science), Markus Nattijärvi (AI) and Janina Priebe (The Faculty of Arts and Humanities).
– The possibility to apply for seed money will be announced during the research- and innovation week. Participation in the week and the upcoming workshops will be a requirement to be eligible to apply for collaboration projects with participants from Sweden and Japan. We would really like to encourage participation already in June. This give participants the opportunity to connect and broaden their network, says Jenny Ahlinder Hagberg.
To participate in MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation Week on June 7-11, you can register until 6 June. Participation is free of charge. The theme of the week is: International Collboration in a digital era - Fostering innovative minds for the future. Host of the week is Gothenburg University.
See the whole programme for MIRAI 2.0 Research and Innovation Week
Read more about MIRAI and Umeå University
Listen to Umeå University researchers during the week:
Tuesday 8 June - Ageing
Nina Karalija, Umeå University
Dopamine loss in the aging brain: insights from the Cognition, Brain, and Aging (COBRA) study
Mattias Hedlund, Umeå University
High Intensity Training in aging: a HIT?
Wednesday 9 June – Sustainability
Climate, security and sustainable transformation
Session Chair: Carina Keskitalo, Umeå University
Irina Mancheva, PhD, Department of Political Science, Umeå University
The Implementation of EU water-related policies through collaborative approaches: a comparison between Finland and Sweden [ST]
Friday 11 June – Ageing
Session Chair: Carl-Johan Boraxbekk, Umeå University
Petra Sandberg, Umeå University
Ancient mnemonic in new format: promoting cognitive health in old age by app-based learning
Further participants can be added to the list of speakers.