Graduate School of Science and Technology(Master's Program)>Department of Science>Science Division

Science Division

Overview

The Science Division supplies a wide range of education and research based on fundamental science such as physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and environmental science. Our education curriculum mainly consists of lectures and special research through which students acquire advanced professional knowledge and research techniques. Special research regarding thesis themes, which are advanced based on careful guidance and discussion by advising teachers, will give practical research techniques for observations, experiments, simulations, theories, consideration, presentations, article writing, etc., to the students. You will acquire advanced professional knowledge and problem-solving capabilities to solve various problems. In addition, you will acquire the capability of understanding and explaining the essence of things by using logical, critical thinking based on professional knowledge.

The Main Research Themes

Physics Unit

The target of the Physics Unit is to theoretically and experimentally solve a wide range of mysteries of space-time and matter, from the past to the future, and from the maximum to the minimum.

Physical Property Theory

Matters around us consist of a huge number of atoms. One atom consists of many protons, electrons, neutrons, etc. Particle physics handles such particles and smaller particles, but condensed matter physics researches the nature of matter that consists of many atoms and has a diversity that can be directly recognized by us.

Magnetic Physics

The magnetic property (magnetic force) of a magnet is mainly caused by the spin of electrons included in each atom constituting the magnet. All elements that have electrons provide magnetic properties, but the type and strength of the magnetic property depend on the number of electrons of the element. For example, many transition elements such as iron show strong magnetic properties because they have magnetic moment. Magnets always contain transition elements. However, the magnetic property of matter cannot be understood even if the magnetic property of each element is known. This is because the mutual actions depend on element combination, distance, and array. It can be said that matter consisting of a huge number (about ten to the twenty-second) of electrons provides an infinite amount of diversity. As an interesting phenomenon produced by electrons contained in matter, superconductivity is also known. In recent years, it has been actively discussed that magnetic properties play an important role in the mechanism of superconductivity. In this way, magnetic properties is not an independent research field, but is related to other physical phenomena. Developing new magnetic materials is also needed in various application fields for magnetic refrigeration materials, magnetic recording, etc., as well as magnets.

Optical Physics

We have developed a spectrometer for electromagnetic waves in the terahertz region, which is the only electromagnetic wave region that has been left unexplored until recently, and are using it to study the optical response characteristics of various materials. Furthermore, we aim to establish a technology to freely control light and electromagnetic waves by fabricating artificial microstructures. Specifically, we are working to control terahertz waves by using new concepts such as metamaterials and time walls.

Elementary Particle Theory

The main goal of particle physics is to elucidate the principles and laws governing the motion and interaction of elementary particles and to construct a theoretical system that describes them comprehensively and in a unified manner. The research areas include not only the construction of theories beyond the Standard Model such as grand unified theory, supersymmetry, quantum gravity, superstring theory, and M-theory, but also the elucidation of mysteries about the universe such as the creation of the universe, inflation, large-scale structure of the universe, accelerated expansion, and dark matter, and interdisciplinary research with the fields of quantum fundamental theory, quantum computation, and quantum information. The research fields are diverse.

High Energy Physics

Particle physics (high-energy physics) researches the most fundamental status of nature. At present, a very small particle (about one hundred-millionth of an atom) can be observed with a particle accelerator (a kind of “microscope”). To observe a smaller world, a particle accelerator should create a higher energy status by accelerating and bombarding particles. This high-energy status generates a small “Big Bang.” Observing a small world helps us unravel the start of the universe beginning from the Big Bang. A particle accelerator can be considered as experimental equipment for creating the universe.

Cosmic Ray Physics

We study the physics of solar-terrestrial and heliospheric scale space through the observation of cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are high-energy charged particles (mainly protons) in space, and although they arrive at the earth almost isotropically due to the galactic magnetic field, a slight anisotropy (non-isotropy) is observed in the direction of their arrival. By observing such anisotropy over a long period of time, we can study the structure of the magnetic field and its variations on the scale of the heliosphere.

Observational Astronomy

While there are bright objects such as stars and galaxies in the universe, there is also a large amount of matter (interstellar gas, intergalactic gas, etc.) floating around that does not shine brightly on its own. Such matter has the effect of partially blocking the light from the bright objects (stars and quasars) behind it, and can be detected from the earth as light attenuation (absorption lines). Using these absorption lines, we are studying the internal structure of quasars themselves, the history of material evolution in the universe, and giant molecules drifting in interstellar space.

Teaching and Research Faculty

Chemistry Unit

Through fundamental research of the structure, properties, and function of molecules and their set systems, and of response and reaction to stimulus, our laboratory fosters human resources who can contribute to structuring a society capable of sustainable development.

Analysis Chemistry

Analysis chemistry is a science field related to the experimental methods for separation and measurement of physical objects to understand their elements, compounds, and properties. Analysis chemistry not only gives methodological foundation to every chemistry field but also contributes to various activities in clinical analysis, food analysis, environmental analysis, etc. Our laboratory handles the classes, experiments, and exercises related to analysis chemistry, and also handles new analysis methods designed by combining laser light, ultrasonic waves, chemiluminescence, oil-water interface, and enzyme reactions with electrochemical analysis.

Inorganic Chemistry

Inorganic chemistry handles all elements listed in the periodic table. However, the properties of all the elements cannot be understood in detail because there are an infinite number of elements and their compounds. Therefore, you will first learn about the basic principles of atom structure and its generation, inter-atom chemical binding, and molecular structure and its properties. Next, you will learn about the properties of each element and isotope, and their typical compounds, and will acquire an understanding about various compounds and chemical phenomena. You will master the fundamental experimental manipulations required for synthesis, purification, and identification of inorganic compounds, and will analyze solid crystal structure and molecular movement, will separate and concentrate isotopes, and will research the structure and properties of inorganic compounds related to living bodies.

Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry is a research field for handling organic compounds that mainly consist of carbon and hydrogen. The term “organic” came about because it originally indicated the materials generated from living objects. However, at present, organic compounds, of which the main components are carbon and hydrogen, include a wide range of components containing various elements such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, halogen, silicon, and boron. More concretely, various materials around us, for example, intravital compounds, medical and agrochemical products, perfume, cosmetics, and detergents, pigments and dyes, polymeric materials, fuel, and lubricating oil are organic compounds. The main research targets of our university are to synthesize new organic compounds and to find their properties and functionalities. Synthesizing new unknown materials is not easy in many cases, a new technique may be examined for synthesizing, and the mechanism of the synthesis reaction may be checked in detail. The more difficult the research is, the more you learn, and the greater pleasure you get when something is successful.

Physical Chemistry

Physical Chemistry is a science field to model various chemical phenomena and to disclose their essence by using precise measurement instruments and mathematical expressions. In recent years, material chemistry has developed markedly, and newly developed chemical materials and chemical phenomena are being used in our daily life. Many of the important phenomena that determine their properties and efficiencies are caused by very thin (the thickness of several molecules) areas on the “interfacial surface” between two materials. Our target is to develop new measurement methods, to understand the molecular phenomena occurring on the interfacial surface, to control the phenomena on the surface or in the materials by using external fields such as magnetic fields, and to find new phenomena and new materials.

Teaching and Research Faculty

Geology Unit

The Geology Unit has a research target to understand various phenomena and the history of the earth's crust, and will elucidate the laws that control the geosphere system. This laboratory fosters human resources who can understand complicated natural phenomena occurring in the field, and can solve complicated natural problems by using physics and other knowledge and methodologies in various fields.

Stratigraphy and Tectonics

Geologic Science is a science field for understanding the past and present status of the earth, discovering the information necessary to think about our future based on the history of the earth, and supplying the results to society. We are asked to accumulate knowledge about the earth and to unravel the workings of nature in order to protect us from rapid earth-environment changes and various disasters and to address earth-scale problems. There are many types of earth activities, e.g., crustal movements, typhoons, earthquakes, and drought. Such phenomena seem to be non-related with each other, but they have a close relationship at various points. For example, climatic changes in Japan are related to the extreme changes of seawater temperature in the waters off South America (El Nino or La Nina). Such complicated earth activities show that phenomena thought to be completely non-related are actually closely related. Geologic Science unravels earth-environment changes by using the stratum, rocks, and fossils that recorded the past environment and history, finds the relationship between the phenomena, and predicts future aspects.

Petrology and Mineralogy

To understand earth activities is to know our present and future. There are various kinds of earth activities, from invisible crustal movements to large-scale volcanic activities and major earthquakes. The rocks forming the Northern Alps recorded crustal movements and magmatic activities caused by the past plate tectonic activity, but also caused by new volcanic activities such as in Mt. Yakedake. The Matsumoto Basin, which is known to have beautiful country views, was created by very active geologic faults, and it is still changing even now. Such earth activities have continued for a very long period - much longer than the existence of humans. To understand the magmatic activities and crustal movements that are currently occurring below the ground, the facts recorded in rocks and minerals must be found and their mechanism must be unraveled. The steady quest for earth activity records is a key to understanding the present and future.

Teaching and Research Faculty

Biology Unit

The Biology Unit is undertaking biological research that may surprise the world, from a macro viewpoint of thinking about various kinds of biology and evolution, and from a micro viewpoint of unique transmission, generation, and physiology.

Plant Ecology

In natural plant associations, many species coexist and affect each other. Plant associations are largely affected by weather conditions. Plant Economy is researching the plant-population maintenance mechanism, plant-association-structure forming mechanism, environmental adaptation of individual plants, vegetation-distribution formation mechanism, evaluation of the effects of global warming on vegetation, effects of nonnative plants on native plants, and other themes. We are mainly addressing woody plants and herbaceous plants in subalpine zones and alpine zones, but are also addressing plants in lower zones. We use various research techniques such as outdoor plant-population dynamics measurement, physiological ecology (photosynthesis, transpiration, etc.), dendrochronology, and genetic approaches. We also undertake research by combining outdoor measurements, indoor experiments, and cultivation experiments.

Phylogenetics and Evolution

The diverse world of living organisms today is the result of many trials and errors over the 3.8 billion years of life history, and natural selection and chance have also played an important role. It is a difficult task to accurately determine the evolutionary processes that have occurred in the past, but phylogenetic evolution is a field that takes a multifaceted approach, including phenotypic similarities, similarities in morphogenetic (developmental) processes, and similarities in genetic information, to reveal the process of phylogenetic evolution with a high degree of confidence. How did insects originate?　How did they acquire the ability to fly? From such "macroevolution", we are working to elucidate phylogenetic evolutionary phenomena at various scales.

Reproductive Biology

Most vertebrates consist of males and females. In some species, males and females can be distinguished by appearance because of secondary sexual characteristics that occur mainly in mature individuals. Different from the secondary sexual characteristics, there is another distinguishing property called nuptial coloration, which can be identified only in the breeding period. How are these properties related to reproductive behaviors? In other species such as humans, sex is determined by the configuration of sex chromosomes. However, in the case of lower vertebrates, the genetic sex can be artificially differentiated into the other sex (induction to sex change). What is the mechanism of the sex change? We are advancing such research using various species of the Oryzias.

Molecular Symbiology

Using “coexistence” and “metabolite” as keywords, we are advancing research to unravel the strange properties of plants by using molecular biology and biochemistry.

Genetic Education

We are developing educational materials to experience the mechanism of heredity and researching the relationship between the various pathways involved in the "movement" of DNA.

Plant Parasitic Mycology

We are clarifying the taxonomy and ecology of plant parasitic fungi, and conducting research on host-parasite interactions and co-evolution.

Molecular Optogenetics

We are working on manipulating life phenomena with light.

Bird Ecology

We are engaged in a variety of research on birds, mainly those living in rivers and lakes, including environmental use, food, and genes. What factors are necessary for birds to remain there? Thinking about this may provide an opportunity to consider how human society interacts with nature.

Evolutionary Anthropology

Evolutionary Anthropology is the study of "where did we come from, who are we, and where are we going? We are working to elucidate the ecology and evolutionary history of primates, including humans, by combining genome analysis, stable isotope analysis, non-contact vital sensing technology, etc., depending on the research objectives, with behavioral observations of primates, including humans.

Teaching and Research Faculty

Environmental Sciences Unit

We are researching various phenomena of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere on the earth's surfaces, from the viewpoint of environmental science (material cycle science).

Ecological System Analysis

This is geoscientific research centered on material cycles in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. This includes studies on the formation process of surface environments through erosion and sedimentation and the restoration of sedimentary environments, the formation of atmospheric environments and gas exchange between the atmosphere and land surfaces, and the hydrological cycle in forests, mountains, and snow/ice regions. Many of the studies are conducted in mountainous areas, taking advantage of the geographical location of Shinshu.

Earth System Analysis

This is a study of material cycles in ecosystems from the perspective of biological processes. This includes research on the role of microbial communities, the behavior of toxic substances in lake ecosystems, the evaluation of the effects of human-induced environmental modification such as toxic chemical pollution on aquatic ecosystems, microbial activity in the subsurface, ecosystems surrounding birds, and the development and function of root systems in forest ecosystems.

Teaching and Research Faculty

Underlying Faculty / Department

Physics
Chemistry
Geology
Biology
Environmental Sciences