The Department of Mathematics and Statistics of University of Helsinki, the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Inverse Modelling and Imaging, and the Finnish Inverse Problems Society (FIPS) hosted the first Finland-Japan Workshop in Industrial and Applied Mathematics on 26-30 August, 2024. Organised at the Central Campus of University of Helsinki, the workshop aimed to maintain and enhance collaboration among mathematicians of the two countries and create a platform for fostering broader scientific discussions in areas of Inverse Problems, Industrial Mathematics, Numerical Analysis, and related topics. The workshop was supported by the University of Helsinki, the Research Council of Finland, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).
Academic excellence meets industrial needs
The workshop was kick-offed on Monday with a keynote speech on the use of generalised minimal residual (GMRES) methods to develop fast and easy-to-use algorithms for X-ray CT computations by Ken Hayami-sensei from Japan’s National Institute of Informatics and bookended on Friday by Professor Samuli Siltanen’s (University of Helsinki) talk on popularising mathematics via social media videos. In between, the workshop week facilitated various sessions focusing on challenges, approaches, and competencies of both nations. These included, for example, talks on inverse problems for optical tomography (by Manabu Machida-sensei, Kindai University), the role of ChatGPT in teaching computational inverse problems (Doctoral Researcher Heli Virtanen, University of Helsinki), development of a mathematical model to detect early signs of diabetes (Shinya Uchiumi-sensei, Hokkaido University), and activities of the Finnish Center of Excellence in Inverse Modelling and imaging (Head of Unit Johanna Tamminen, Finnish Meteorological Institute).
As envisioned by the organisers, the workshop paid a close attention to interplay between the academia and industry. Kenji Kajiwara-san, Director of Kyushu University’s Institute of Mathematics for Industry, delivered a presentation exhibiting the Institute’s many activities to develop a new research area of “Mathematics for Industry” as a response to demands from society and industry. Ichiro Kataoka-san from Hitachi, a Japanese multinational conglomerate founded in 1910 and currently one of Japan’s largest companies by market cap, presented a machine learning driven solution to support digital design in manufacturing. Furthermore, Yuuya Takayama-san from Nikon Corporation, a Japanese optics and photographic equipment manufacturer familiar to all professional photographers across the globe, introduced a tilt and rotation adjustment algorithm for photographs.
The visiting participants gave the Finnish inverse problems community a high praise for its mathematical know-how. The Finnish research was seen as having a great balance between more theoretical work and practical applications in real problems. The guests were also impressed by the opportunity to visit an X-ray laboratory at the University of Helsinki’s Kumpula Campus, as physical experiments are not common for inverse problems workshops in Japan. And on Helsinki’s side, the local hosts were deeply honoured to receive such distinguished and enthusiastic guests for the period of whole working week.
Local flavour at the banks of Lake Tuusula
To foster healthy balance between academic focus and opportunities for socialising, the workshop week also included one excursion day for the Finnish hosts to introduce their visitors some local flavour. In addition to the previously mentioned laboratory tour in Kumpula, the workshop participants visited Ainola, the former home of Aino and Jean Sibelius. As a unique landmark of Finland’s national cultural heritage, the location served as an excellent testing ground for such Finnish traditions as a tournament of mölkky and smoke sauna. The day was capped with a dinner at Krapi, one of the seven original family estates in Tuusula municipality and first mentioned in maps of the area in the 17th Century.
As the workshop week came to an end, all involved parties considered it to be a resounding success. Insightful talks, changing of ideas, and opportunities to connect and network in a unique setting provided fuel for scientific thinking processes and created great opportunities for future collaboration. The workshop will return in 2026 in Japan!