2014 News Archives
October 2014
Inventors of Blue LEDs Win Nobel Prize for Physics (Stockholm, Sweden, October 7, 2014)
The 2014 Nobel Prize for Physics has been awarded to a trio of scientists, Isamu Akasaki of Meijo University and Nagoya University, Hiroshi Amano of Nagoya University, and Shuji Nakamura of University of California, Santa Barbara. They invented blue-light emitting diodes (LEDs) that have revolutionized the lighting industry all over the world.
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) provided the research funding to Dr. Akasaki from 1987 to 1990 and jointly to Dr. Akasaki and Dr. Amano from 1993 to 2000 in *JST's Contract Development program. JST also provided research funding to Dr. Nakamura from 2001 to 2006 for his Inhomogeneous Crystal project and to Dr. Amano from 2007 to 2010 in its Contract Development program. JST has continued to support Dr. Amano's most recent research in its Super Cluster program since 2013.
*JST's Contract Development program (Year 1993-2000) (PDF: 8.2MB))
August 2014
Super Science High School Student Fair 2014 (Yokohama, Japan, August 8-9, 2014)
The 2014 Japanese Super Science High School (SSH) Student Fair was held at Pacifico Yokohama convention center on August 8 and 9.
Super Science High Schools (SSHs) are upper secondary schools that prioritize science, technology, and mathematics. They are designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). 204 Schools were awarded the title of SSH for the 2014 school year.
The SSH Student Fair is the annual exhibition and competition of students' scientific findings. More than 5,200 students participated in the event this year, including foreign students from 23 international schools. Carlan Ivey and Larry Jacobs, both seniors from Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology in Conyers, Georgia, participated in the event for the first time. Carlan Ivey presented his work on comparing particle detection methods to observe atmospheric interactions. Larry Jacobs presented his work on enhancing pancreatic islet function in an obese mouse model. Amanda Baskett, assistant director of the Magnet School, organized the application process and traveled with them.
The SSH Student Fair is co-organized by MEXT and Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). If you are interested applying for the 2015 SSH Student Fair, please contact us.
Larry Jacobs (right)
Carlan Ivey (center)
Carlan Ivey, Ms. Amanda Baskett (center), and Larry Jacobs
JST and FAPESP sign Memorandum of Understanding (Sao Paulo, Brazil, August 2, 2014)
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the collaboration in Science and Technology.
The MoU signing ceremony between JST President Dr. Michiharu Nakamura and FAPESP President Dr. Celso Lafer was held at Brazil-Japan Economic Forum in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Forum was mainly sponsored by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Nikkei Inc., and Valor Economico. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the forum and gave an opening speech. Prime Minister Abe and Sao Paulo state governor Geraldo Alckmin witnessed the signing ceremony. This MoU aims at promoting scientific collaboration and technological development between Japan and the Sao Paulo State, Brazil.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Governor Gelardo Alkmin, Dr. Michiharu Nakamura and Dr. Celso Lafer
June 2014
US-Japan Big Data and Disaster Research (BDD June 9, 2014)
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) opened the joint solicitation for "Big Data and Disaster Research (BDD)" on June 9, 2014. Researchers are encouraged to form their joint proposal and submit it to JST and NSF respectively.
Full Proposal Deadline date: September 8, 2014
For more details, please see these sites: JST (Japanese) or NSF (English)
May 2014
tjSTAR (Thomas Jefferson Symposium to Advance Research)(Alexandria, VA, May 28, 2014)
The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) participated in tjSTAR as an exhibitor. tjSTAR is a research symposium for Thomas Jefferson High School students to share research projects, explore potential research careers, and to take part in interactive learning opportunities. Thomas Jefferson HS for Science and Technology is one of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education focused high schools in the State of Virginia.
We introduced Miraikan Tsunagari Project using Geo-Scope and the therapeutic baby seal robot PARO. Many students visited our booth and enjoyed exploring Geo-Scope and interacting with PARO. Also we handed out.jst.s educational science magazines Science Window English edition and AuthaGraph Map to 320 students.
Around the World Embassy Tour (Washington, D.C., May 3, 2014)
The Around the World Embassy Tour is a signature event of Passport DC - a month-long celebration in May (May 1-31, 2014). More than 50 embassies participate in the event. The Embassy of Japan's open house is a popular site among visitors. The Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) introduced Japanese culture, food, and technologies to the public at the former Japanese Ambassador�s residence. Several Japanese private companies and Japanese independent agencies, including JST and JAXA, cooperated and worked together with the JICC.
JST invited Dr. Takanori Shibata, chief senior research scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and Ms. Christine Hsu, general manager at PARO Robots, U.S. Inc. We introduced four PAROs to visitors. PARO is a therapeutic baby seal robot which provides psychological and social effects to human beings through physical interactions. Dr. Shibata is its inventor. His team started this project in 1993 and commercialized in 2003 in Japan. Approximately 7,000 people visited the Embassy of Japan on that day. People enjoyed interacting with PAROs.
April 2014
The 3rd USA Science and Engineering Festival (Washington, D.C., April 26-27, 2014)
The 3rd USA Science and Engineering Expo was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention center on April 26 and 27. Over 750 leading STEM organizations participated in the event and more than 325,000 people attended over the 4 days (X-STEM - Thursday, April 24 and Sneak Peek - Friday, April 25 included).
JST introduced the therapeutic robot PARO and Miraikan Tsunagari Project using Geo-Scope in this event. People of all ages stopped by our booth; people who work in the medical field were especially interested in PARO. Also we handed out JST's educational science magazines Science Window English edition and other brochures.
The 54th Sakura Matsuri 2014 - Japanese Street Festival (Washington, D.C., April 12, 2014)
The Sakura Matsuri is the largest one-day exhibition of Japanese culture in the United States sponsored by the the Japan-America Society of Washington DC (JASWDC). It drew over 40,000 visitors in a single day. The Japan Science and Technology Agency .jst. participated in this event and jointly ran a booth named "SAKURA SCIENCE" with the following organizations as exhibitors (in alphabetical order):
- Embassy of Japan, Science Section
- Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi High Technologies America, Inc.
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
- New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
- Sumitomo Corporation of America
- Washington Strategy Group
JST introduced the therapeutic robot PARO and our National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), Tsunagari Project using Geo-Scope. Also we handed out JST's educational science magazines Science Window English edition and other brochures. Approximately 3,500 people visited our booth.
News Archives
News at JST Headquarters in Japan