AsianScientist (Apr. 25, 2016) – Dr. Hideo Hosono, a professor from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, was awarded a Japan Prize last week for pioneering new realms in materials science and contributing to the advancement of basic science and industry.
Hosono, who is also the director of the Materials Research Center of Element Strategy, invented a series of unconventional inorganic materials that defy traditionally-held ideas about elements and compounds. Through his work, he helped open up new horizons in material science from basic science to industrial applications. Among his achievements are the development of energy-efficient liquid crystal displays used in personal and tablet computers and large organic light-emitting diode displays for televisions—just two notable examples of applications of his research found in daily life.
The Japan Prize is an international award presented to individuals whose original and outstanding achievements in science and technology have served to promote peace and prosperity for mankind. Each year, the Japan Prize Foundation calls for nominations from over 13,000 prominent scientists and researchers worldwide, from which candidates are chosen through a rigorous, year-long selection process.
The Prize came into being after the late Mr. Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. which is now known as the Panasonic Corporation, responded in 1982 to the then government’s wish of creating a prestigious international prize for scientists around the world as a token of gratitude for the international society. With a Cabinet endorsement, the Prize was first awarded in 1985.
This year, the 32nd Japan Prize was awarded in two fields—namely, Materials and Production and Biological Production and Biological Environment. Dr. Steven D. Tanksley, professor emeritus from Cornell University in the US, was recognized in the latter field for contributing to the stable production of food crops through his pioneering work on molecular genetic analysis.
Hosono and Tanksley each received a certificate of merit and a prize medal, in addition to a cash prize of 50 million yen (US$450,145).
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Source: The Japan Prize Foundation.
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