What makes R4D unique
R4D promotes co-innovation by connecting various communities from industry, academia, and government to create new value and pioneer a path toward a new society through science and technology. Here is what makes R4D unique:
1. Collaboration by members from diverse backgrounds that transcends the boundaries of industry and academia
At R4D, diverse members are involved in research that transcends the boundaries of industry and academia. Many of our members are active in promoting research at R4D while maintaining affiliations with universities.
2. Implementation of initiatives across research fields
R4D implements initiatives that bridge research fields to pioneer a path toward a new society. We comprehensively promote a wide range of research subjects, including not just the natural sciences, but also the humanities and social sciences.
By being part of such a unique research organization, JSPS Research Fellows (PD) and other research fellows (hereinafter “researchers”) are able to gain unprecedented insights and deep learning.
Development policy
The development policy for researchers is as follows.
1. Enhancement of research guidance
(1) Individual mentoring opportunities
We provide opportunities for one-on-one meetings with R4D researchers. This allows researchers to receive professional guidance while advancing their research and to obtain feedback on the direction and progress of their work.
(2) Opportunities to deliver presentations and engage in discussions at regular research seminars
We hold regular research seminars, providing opportunities for researchers to present their progress and receive direct feedback from other members. This enables them to receive advice from multiple perspectives and to be exposed to new insights.
2. Diverse opportunities for active engagement
(1) Opportunities for collaborative research with partner universities
We provide opportunities for researchers to engage in collaborative research with various universities partnering with teams across the organization. This enables us to gain deeper insights and make new discoveries through our collaboration with researchers who hold new ideas and different perspectives.
(2) Collaboration with business divisions
We provide opportunities to implement research topics through a bottom-up approach in cooperation with Mercari’s business divisions. After securing the consent of our users, we also provide data related to Mercari’s services for research purposes. This facilitates practical research that contributes to solving real-world issues.
(3) Strengthening ELSI initiatives
At R4D, we focus on addressing ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that can arise when a new technology is implemented in society. We provide discussions on research from ELSI perspectives as well as related educational opportunities. This enables us to advance forward-looking research that will have a broad impact. Moreover, it encourages researchers to conduct their work with a proactive awareness of society, ultimately earning them the trust of the community.
3. Outreach activities
At R4D, we showcase the efforts of our researchers through Mercari’s owned media and press releases. This allows us to widely share research results with society and have their value recognized. We also provide opportunities for researchers to learn how to communicate specialized content clearly through outreach events focused on disseminating technical information both within Mercari and externally. This serves to refine researchers’ skills in communicating about the knowledge and technology they work with, while also deepening the public’s understanding and interest in research topics.
All of this support enhances researchers’ expertise, the acquisition of new perspectives, and the broad application of research results to society, enabling more extensive and profound research.