Commencement Ceremony, Spring 2021 Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University

 

Congratulatory Address

 

Congratulations to all of you including 136 master course and 19 doctor course graduates today. I also extend my warm congratulations to your families and all around you who have encouraged and supported you so far. 

 

Congratulations on your departure, but I would like to mention a few words on the spread of the new coronavirus infection over the past year and our unprecedented experience. First, we would like to express our deepest condolences to those who passed away in the corona sickness and to those who are still fighting this infectious disease. We would like to express our deep gratitude to those who support us at the forefront of infectious disease control, including medical care.

 

I regret that I did not have the opportunity to meet you today and confer your master’s and doctor’s degrees. This graduate school, as a member of society, has also been working to prevent the spread of infection. But I think that the learning environment and laboratory activities that you are familiar with have changed completely, and you have faced various difficulties, especially in completing dissertation. I would like to express my respect for your hard work that made you possible to overcome those difficulties. And I would like to express my gratitude for your understanding and cooperation with the university and graduate school during this period.

 

   From today on, I think, everyone should be involved in real-world problems in various ways. Indeed, digital transformation is rapidly advancing into the post-corona era. There will be a need for diverse knowledge, skills, colleagues and abilities. Data science is interdisciplinary in nature and will be essential in tackling real-world problems. Please remember that the interdisciplinarity is the policy of our graduate school. Knowing the diversity of viewpoints and making up their interactions you can reach a source of creativity. 

 

   I sincerely hope that with your interdisciplinary backgrounds you will find your own role and become a dependable person in your future community. And we also hope to keep in touch as alumni as long as you can. Your homecoming is always welcome.

 

Once again congratulations to all of you. See you again someday and somewhere.
 

 

Nobuaki Obata

Dean of Graduate School of Information Sciences

March 25, 2021