The final quarter of 2025 proved to be a dynamic period of knowledge exchange for our group. Spanning two months and crossing international borders, we’ve participated in three significant academic gatherings, covering the diverse fields of meteorology, geomatics, and hydraulic engineering.
From the Meteorological Society of Japan in Fukuoka to the Philippine Geomatics Symposium in Quezon City, and finally the Suiko Conference in Fukushima, our lab showcased latest findings while forging vital connections.
First participation in the Japan Meteorological Society Conference
The travel season kicked off on November 6–7, 2025, at the 2025 Meteorological Society of Japan Autumn Meeting in Fukuoka. The conference provided a platform for our students to present recent findings and engage with leading experts.
Alvin attended to support his students, noting the positive impression the young researchers made on prestigious scientists in the field.
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Zeyu Chen (M1) delivered an oral presentation on his WRF-Chem ensemble study. He detailed the impacts of anthropogenic heat and pollutants on localized heavy rainfall in the Kanto region, receiving insightful suggestions from Prof. Hiroshi Niino.
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Mok Wattanasopon (B4) presented a poster on the development of a small-scale WRF “Urban” model designed for educational and research purposes.
For Wattanasopon, this was a debut conference experience. “I realized the importance of improving the social impact of research by actively participating in events,” he reflected, noting that the feedback on his engineering-oriented research was invaluable.
Advancing Spatial Technologies in the Philippines
Later in the month, we traveled internationally to Quezon City for the Philippine Geomatics Symposium (PHILGEOS) 2025, held November 24–25. Organized by the University of the Philippines (UP) Department of Geodetic Engineering, the event focused on “Enhancing Human Quality of Life Through Spatial Technologies.”
Alvin participated as one of the keynote speakers and served as a technical session chair for the “Health and Social Well-Being” track. He also utilized the visit to discuss potential student exchange opportunities between Science Tokyo and UP.
Roseanne Villanueva Ramos played a dual role, presenting her paper on “Improving prediction of PM2.5 in Metro Manila using XGBoost with Optuna hyperparameter optimization” and serving as a session chair. Ramos highlighted the value of the cross-disciplinary exposure: “I gained new learnings on urban systems, smart cities, and health, particularly focusing on methodologies utilizing earth observation and machine learning.”
Closing the Year with Hydraulic Engineering in Fukushima
The year’s conference activities concluded in Fukushima Prefecture at the 70th Annual Conference on Hydraulic Engineering (Suiko Conference) from December 10–12, 2025. Organized by the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), this event is a cornerstone for professionals in water-related fields in Japan.
Our students presented research addressing critical climate and mobility issues:
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Hiroki Ryoga presented on “Dynamic Population Thermal Exposure Using UTCI and Mobile Population Data”, one of his research interest as part of his doctoral studies.
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Jin Xiao presented on the “Urbanization and Climate Change Effects on Futuristic Thermal Comfort of Three Megacities,” emphasizing the SSP370 scenario.
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Thanakrit Yoongsomporn presented findings on how rainfall influences nationwide human mobility, utilizing high spatiotemporal resolution data.
The students reported that the feedback received confirmed the relevance of their work. Jin Xiao described the trip as “highly productive” for understanding current trends in urban climate studies, while Alvin took the opportunity to coordinate with Prof. Makoto Nakayoshi on their ongoing global climate modeling project.
Looking Ahead
These three conferences offered more than just a podium for presentation; they provided the students with critical peer feedback and expanded professional networks. The meetings also served as a platform to showcase the strong support and contribution from our existing collaborators. The works that were presented by the students are currently included in their thesis and a few of them being further advanced for publications.
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