The University of Tokyo, GPES

Profile

Dr. Takashi Oda is an Associate Professor of Geography at The University of Tokyo. Previously, he was an Associate Professor at Miyagi University of Education in Sendai (2013-2022) where he led the establishment of the 311 Disaster Risk Reduction Learning Institute for Educators (311 DRR-LIFE) and served as Deputy Director-General (2019-2022), developing educational programs for teachers. Dr. Oda has also been involved in global capacity development programs, including JICA's DRR training and teaching at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok. His academic career began with a JSPS postdoctoral fellowship at Ochanomizu University, followed by a position as an Assistant Professor at its Center for Simulation Sciences. Earlier, Dr. Oda conducted his doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, as a Fulbright Scholar. He also served as community affairs advisor to the Consul-General of Japan in San Francisco (2005-2008) in the United States. A native of Fukushima Prefecture, he holds a Ph.D. in environmental studies and an M.Sc. in earth science from Tohoku University.

Research interests

Dr. Oda's research focuses on disaster risk reduction, education, and recovery from a geographical perspective. His current work involves understanding the spatial aspects of disasters and promoting disaster risk reduction education. The March 2011 Tohoku earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disasters profoundly impacted his studies and family roots, driving his active participation in efforts to assess disaster impacts and support regional recovery. In recent years, Dr. Oda has focused on enhancing disaster literacy, particularly using digital and paper-based maps. He collaborates with researchers both domestically and internationally on disaster education and awareness for schools and communities, contributing to the development of training programs and educational materials. Dr. Oda evaluates the effectiveness of workshops for teachers and the general public using Web-GIS, and promotes the use of disaster geographic information. His research addresses the challenges of using geographic and spatial information in risk communication, recognizing that maps can sometimes mislead.