Dr. Tomohiro Okadera specializes in environmental engineering and economics with especially interested in interrelationship between human activities and water ecosystems in a regional scale. He has developed the method of water inventories of Yangtze River and Tokyo-bay area by using the input-output analysis models, water footprint analysis of energy production in China and Thailand, and valuation of water ecosystems in Japan so far. Recently he attempts to apply water-energy nexus approaches to investigate implementation and adaptation of innovative energy-environmental technology systems for Asia-Pacific regions.
By Dr. Yoshikatus Takazawa, Ayako Kinoshita, Mitsuha Yoshikane, Atsushi Tanaka , Yasuyuko Shibata National Institute for Environmental Studies IDEA Consultants, Inc.
Dr. Yoshikatsu Takazawa is a member of "Center for Environmental Measurement and Analysis" in the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan. The theme of his research has been the analytical method, monitoring, and environmental chemodynamics of organochlorine pesticides, perfluorinated alkyl substances and other hazardous chemicals with high priority. For several years, he has been in charge of sub-projects on "Advanced Environmental Measurement and Analysis Research Program" and "Research on Disaster Environment". His aim is to provide solutions and preventative measures for environmental issues by developing measurement procedures to contribute towards an understanding of the environment and changes in that environment.
Dr. Tomohiko Isobe graduated and received Ph. D in Agriculture from United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology in 2001. He had worked as a postdoc at National Institute for Environmental Studies (2001-2005) and Ehime University (2005-2008) and as a Faculty Member at Ehime University until 2014. He started his second career in NIES from May 2014 as a Temporal Researcher. His major is Environmental Analytical Chemistry and research interests are developing the analytical method for emerging environmental contaminants, biomonitoring of chemicals for large scale cohort study, and quality assurance and quality control of the high throughput chemical analysis. Previous research topics were analytical method and environmental behavior of alkyl phenolic compounds, comprehensive analysis of steroid estrogens and their metabolites, biomagnification and temporal trend of brominated flame retardants, and monitoring of other anthropogenic environmental contaminants. Now he is involved in National Center of the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), which is the nation-wide large-scale birth cohort study. Under the JECS project, he is developing the high throughput analytical method for nicotine metabolites, POP chemicals and novel flame retardants and applying developed methods to large-scale biomonitoring.
By Dr. Yosuke Koyama, Nukiyuki Suzuki Centre for Environnmental Risk Research, NIES
Dr. Yosuke Koyama received a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 2010 and a Master’s degree in industrial chemistry in 2012, both from Doshisha University, with his research on the characterization of nanoparticles generated from fuel cladding materials used in next generation nuclear reactor. In 2015, he obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Kyoto University, with his research on the exposure assessment of nanoparticles in working environment of disaster area of the Great East Japan Earthquake and toxicodynamics of inhaled nanoparticles. Since 2015, he works on the research project on “Health and Environment Risk Management Strategies in Environmental Emergency” in NIES, especially on proposal of phased criteria value in disaster. His research interests include strategic approach of chemical risk management and control. His research interests also extend to behavior of radioactive cesium contained in aerosol generated from the radioactive waste in incineration.
By Dr. Sohee Minsun Kim Urban Environmental Management, SERD Asian Insittue of Techonology
Dr. Sohee Minsun Kim is an Assistant Professor in Urban Environmental Management Program at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok, Thailand. Her current focus of research is on the assessment and policy development for sustainable (peri-)urban land use and livelihood. A native of South Korea, Dr. Kim holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Landscape Design from Tama Art University in Japan, a Master’s degree and a PhD in Urban Engineering from the University of Tokyo. Prior to joining AIT, she has participated in various research projects on integrated planning system in metropolitan region, slum upgrading and community empowerment throughout her academic and professional career at the University of Tokyo, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in India, United Nations University – Institute for Sustainability and Peace, and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Japan.
Waste management is high on the national and international agenda due to severe negative impacts on environment, lack of resources to effectively manage waste, and loss of resources which could be saved and/or recovered through proper waste management based on the waste hierarchy, circular economy and 3R approach (reduce, reuse and recycle). Giving importance and priority at national and local level on waste management and 3R; to support developing Asian countries in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets to enable the environment sector and other relevant sectors to identify, justify, address and intervene with policies and actions that will prevent and reduce the negative impact on environment and health, energy and material security as well as boosting economic activities, while at the same time alleviating poverty. RRC.AP is providing technical support on national and local capacity for waste management through: scientific information, action-oriented policy, awareness raising, pilot demonstrations, infrastructure and technology, trainings for enhancement of capacity and partnership. Waste management activities include: National and City Waste Management Strategies; Academic Curriculum on Holistic Waste, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) – Municipal Waste Management Initiative (CCAC-MSWI) projects in 5 Southeast cities assessments to mitigate short-lived climate pollutants; ASEAN End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Recycling project and UNIDO Partnerships for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) for Industrial Waste Inventory in Mongolia.
Dr. Nophea Sasaki is an Associate Professor of Natural Resources Management at School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). Dr. Sasaki has worked on REDD+ scheme, development of forest carbon accounting systems, biodiversity conservation, and low-carbon development projects. Prior to joining AIT in January 2016, Dr. Sasaki was an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Applied Informatics, University of Hyogo in Japan. He was a postdoc in forestry-carbon cycling modeling at the Max Planck Institute of Meteorology, a Bullard Fellow in advanced forest research at Harvard University, and a visiting scientist at Adelaide University. He is recognized for his research achievements in sustainable management of forests, carbon retention, and result-based financial compensation. He served as global expert panel on REDD+, forest management, and biodiversity conservation and advisor for a special REDD+ Promotion Project of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute in Japan. He has organized several regional training workshops on carbon accounting and carbon trading systems to government officials from ASEAN member states. Dr. Sasaki has a PhD degree majoring in forest management from Gifu University, Japan.
Ms. Laksiri Chomchuen currently is a PhD candidate in Urban Environmental Management from AIT. She holds a Master degree in Regional and Rural Development Planning from Asian Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor degree in Social Work from Thammasat University, Thailand. She was recently working as an International Consultant for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), under the regional programme entitled ‘Pro poor and Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Secondary Cities and Small Town’ in 2014-2015. She also took a leading role in regional development projects and academic research. She worked as a Research Analyst for the PTT Public Company Limited under the Cooperated Social Responsibility Division (CSR) in 2012-2014. Prior to that, she was a Social Researcher cum Program Coordinator for AIT on the specialized areas of urban environmental management application projects, evaluation of solid waste management program, community and local initiatives development, and gender equality empowerment during 2007-2011.
Mr. Nurrohman Wijaya was born in Bandung City, Indonesia. Currently, he is a PhD student in Urban Environmental Management (UEM), School of Environment, Resources and Development (SERD) at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. His current research is on climate change adaptation and sustainable urban development. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in the field of Urban and Regional Planning from the Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB), Indonesia in 2004, and completed his master’s degree in the field of UEM from AIT, Thailand in 2010. He had worked as a research associate in AIT, and an urban planner in various Indonesia’s sub-national and government agencies. His research interests mainly focuses in the area of urban planning, infrastructure planning, urban environmental management, sustainable urban development, and climate change adaptation.
