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Professor Tsuboi received the Excellence Award at the Fire and Disaster Prevention Science and Technology AwardsUtsunomiya Campus

On Thursday, November 20, 2025, Professor Sotaro Tsuboi of the Department of Regional Faculty of Economics Department of Regional Economics Teikyo University, received the Excellence Award at the Fire and Disaster Prevention Science and Technology Awards ceremony held at Mitaka City Public Hall in Mitaka, Tokyo. The Fire and Disaster Prevention Science and Technology Awards are awarded by the Commissioner of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency to individuals or organizations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of development and improvement of fire and disaster prevention equipment, papers on fire and disaster prevention science, and case reports on cause investigations, with the aim of contributing to the advancement of fire and disaster prevention science and technology and the revitalization of fire and disaster prevention activities. This year, 70 submissions were submitted from firefighting organizations, universities, fire equipment manufacturers, and others across the country, and Professor Tsuboi's award was one of 29 selected for the Excellence Award.

Professor Tsuboi's project, titled "Development of Fire and Disaster Prevention Teaching Materials to Promote Understanding of Disaster Risks Learned Through the Creation of 3D Terrain Models," uses transparent plastic container lids, such as food containers and simple lunch boxes, to trace contour lines and then stack them, making it possible to create 3D terrain models in a simple, inexpensive, and safe way. This method is unique in that it allows students to experience learning about the shape of an area and disaster risks by "making a map," in addition to the traditional method of learning about disaster prevention by "looking at a map" such as a hazard map. This method has been used more than 50 times in disaster prevention courses both in Japan and overseas, and is also being implemented at our university in geography lectures, high school-university collaborations, Teikyo University Science Camp, open campuses, and more.

On the day, an exhibition presentation was held after the award ceremony, and many visitors came to see Professor Tsuboi's booth. Not only were they able to hold the actual objects in their hands and get a feel for the three-dimensional effect, but there was also a lively exchange of opinions on topics such as teaching material creation methods and learning effects.
We will continue to work to improve regional disaster prevention and response capabilities through research and on-site practice.

For more information about Professor Sotaro Tsuboi, click here
For Department of Regional Economics Faculty of Economics, click here

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