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Sawada Lab
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The lab combines observation and simulation to build a society resilient to flood disasters.
AboutAbout the lab
Engineering research where fundamental science meets societal issues
The Sawada Group (Mathematical Flood Disaster Science Research Group) conducts research to build a society resilient to disasters and the like.
The lab observes and predicts the future of both natural phenomena, such as weather and the movement of water, and social phenomena, such as transportation and the economy.
Based on those predictions, the lab aims to flexibly control social infrastructure.
The lab explores mathematics that integrates computer simulation with field observation data, in order to get at the essence of phenomena in which nature and society interact.
Key terms
- Data assimilation
- A method of incorporating observation data into simulation calculations to estimate a state close to reality
- Uncertainty quantification
- A method of numerically estimating how far off a prediction may be, that is, its range and likelihood
- Social meteorology
- A research field that deals jointly with weather prediction and social behavior, such as people's evacuation actions. The name was coined by the lab
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to build a society robust to disasters by observing and predicting the entire social space, including both natural and social phenomena, and controlling social infrastructure based on those predictions. Building on mathematics that integrates simulation and observation data, it studies the prediction of droughts and floods and countermeasures against them.
*Illustrative imageIntegrating Simulation and Observation
The lab studies methods, such as data assimilation and uncertainty quantification, that integrate simulation with observation data. The core of this work is incorporating satellite observation data into models of terrestrial water and ecosystems.
*Illustrative imageDrought Monitoring and Prediction
The lab calculates not only water shortages but also the effects of drought on terrestrial ecosystems, capturing a more realistic picture of drought. It is putting drought monitoring and prediction systems into operation in developing countries, such as those in Africa.
*Illustrative imageSocial Meteorology and Flood Countermeasures
The lab explores methods that use satellite and other observation data to predict heavy rain caused by rapidly developing clusters of cumulonimbus clouds. It is also considering measures that use information on prediction uncertainty to encourage people to take appropriate evacuation actions.
MembersFaculty
The Sawada Group consists of faculty members, project researchers, project specialist staff, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorYohei SawadaPublications ↗
- Project LecturerLe Duc
- Project Assistant ProfessorKenshi Hibino
- Project Assistant ProfessorSneha Shrinivas KulkarniPublications ↗
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Typhoon In-Fa (MODIS )” MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC / Public domain (cropped)
- Integrating Simulation and Observation: “SMAP's First High-Resolution Global Soil Moisture Map (SVS30601)” NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio - Marit Jentoft-Nilsen, Global Science and Technology, Inc./Mark Malanoski, Global Science and Technology, Inc./Heather Hanson / Public domain (cropped)
- Drought Monitoring and Prediction: “Drought in East Africa (6246)” NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data provided by Inbal Reshef as part of the Global Agricultural Monitoring Project between NASA, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), and the University of Maryland. More data and information about this joint project is available at Satellite Information for Agricultural Monitoring. / Public domain (cropped)
- Social Meteorology and Flood Countermeasures: “Growing cumulonimbus, summer cloud - Flickr - odako1” Koichi Oda / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (交通・都市・国土学研究室
（BinN / 都市生活学・ネットワーク 行動学研究グループ） ): “X-shaped pedestrian Sakura bridge over Sumida river, linking Taitō and Sumida wards, view from Tokyo Skytree, Japan” Basile Morin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped) - Related lab (地域/情報研究室): “Landsat View, Tokyo, Japan - Flickr - NASA Goddard Photo and Video” NASA Goddard Space Flight Center from Greenbelt, MD, USA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (関本研究室): “ISS-62 Tokyo, Japan at night” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (次世代インフラシステム研究室(福田研究室)): “Lavaux highway at night” Deralpinbergsteiger / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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