The Provost Lecture Series

The Provost Lecture Series provides an opportunity to celebrate milestones in the careers of OIST faculty members. It will recognize newly promoted professors and those who have received prestigious awards. It will highlight faculty achievements and create a space for retiring professors to talk about their research accomplishments and lessons learned over the course of their careers. It is a way to celebrate OIST faculty, introduce them to the broader OIST community, acknowledge their research successes, share about their teaching and mentorship of students, and honor their service to the university.

Table of Contents

2025

The Provost Lecture Series 19

Samuel Reiter

Date: Friday, April 25, 2025

Speaker: Professor Samuel Reiter, Computational Neuroethology Unit

Title: Contingency and convergence in brains and behavior

Abstract:
If you could rewind the tape of life 600 million years and played it again, would you see the same kinds of minds? Looking at octopus, cuttlefish, and squid I argue no... but yes.

Chair: Professor Timothy Ravasi, Marine Climate Change Unit

The Provost Lecture Series 18

Marco Edoardo Rosti

Date: Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Speaker: Professor Marco Edoardo Rosti, Complex fluids and flows Unit

Title: Studying the multiscale nature of multiphase turbulence

Abstract:
Turbulent flows are ubiquitous in nature and industrial applications, but notoriously difficult to predict, owing to the non-linear and multiscale dynamics at play. The situation is further complicated when considering multiphase flows, where turbulent fluctuations can profoundly affect the dynamics of the dispersed phase, which in turn, can modulate the turbulent flow in complex and sometimes unpredictable ways. In the talk, I will discuss how we are advancing our understanding of multiphase turbulence.

Chair: Professor Pinaki Chakraborty, Fluid Mechanics Unit

2024

The Provost Lecture Series 17

Shinobu Hikami

Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025

Speaker: Professor Shinobu Hikami, Mathematical and Theoretical Physics Unit

Title: Quantum chaos, knots and strings

Abstract:
The statistics for nature, in many case, finds universal quantum chaotic behaviors.
Entangled knots have a relation to string theory with BPS invariants created by Schwinger effect.
We discuss the relations between these three subjects with examples of phenomena in exotic materials.

Chair: Professor Reiko Toriumi, Gravity, Quantum Geometry and Field Theory Unit

The Provost Lecture Series 16

Keshav Dani

Date: Friday, December 6, 2024

Speaker: Professor Keshav Dani, Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit

Title: Briefly in focus

Abstract:
I will discuss - in a way that’s accessible to the broader OIST community - the various fun and interesting scientific activities of the Femtosecond Spectroscopy Unit over the past decade.

Chair: Professor Nic Shannon, Theory of Quantum Matter Unit

2024-

To jump to the seminar pages, click on the posters

Contact: Office of the Provost, Email: provost_office@oist.jp