Leaders from different fields, sectors, generations, and nationalities are invited as speakers , and the vision of Science Agora celebrating the tenth anniversary this year is shared with an audience.
*Simultaneous translation (Japanese and English)
Michinari Hamaguchi earned his Ph.D. in medicine from Nagoya University and he was appointed Research Associate in 1980. Since then, he had been working at Nagoya University, except for the time he pursued his research at the Rockefeller University in the U.S. from 1985-1988. He served as the President of Nagoya University from Apr. 2009 to Mar.2015 before becoming the President of JST in Oct. 2015.
Miyoko O. Watanabe trained in physics at the Tokyo University of Science, and has since held research positions at the Toshiba R&D Center in Japan, Dalhousie University, Canada, and the University of Birmingham, UK. She returned to Toshiba in 1999 and served as Executive Quality Leader before joining the Japan Science and Technology Agency in 2013. She serves as Chairperson of Committee on Comprehensive Synthetic Engineering, Science Council of Japan.
Tadashi Onodera joined NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone), after studying Electrical Engineering at Tohoku University. Then he started working at DDI ( current KDDI, telecommunications company providing both of mobile and fixed-line services including internet) in 1984. He had been President of KDDI from June 2001 to November 2010, and he has been Chairman of KDDI since June 2005.
Takashi Onishi received his Ph.D. in Engineering from the University of Tokyo. He has held academic positions at The Nagaoka University of Technology, Tokyo University, and Keio University. He has served on 20th and 21th term cooperation member of Science Council of Japan before taking up his current position in 2011. He is President of Toyohashi University of Technology since April 2014, and Vice President of The Japan Association of National Universities since April 2015.
Katsuhiro Endo joined the Bank of Japan in 1968, after receiving his B.A. in political science and economics from Waseda University. He has served as General Manager of Aomori Branch, Lead Auditor, General Manager of Kobe Branch, Director of Computer Information Department at the Bank of Japan, Executive Counsel at Japan Securities Agents, Ltd., President at Tokiwa Sohgoh Services until July 2011. Since then, he was appointed President at Japan Student Services Organization, as well as Park Superintendent at Tokyo Academic Park since April 2015.
Professor Dame Anne Glover received her Ph.D. in Molecular Microbiology from University of Cambridge. She has pursued a career in scientific research at Aberdeen University. She was the first Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland (2006-2011), and the first Chief Scientific Adviser to the President of the European Commission (2012-2015). She is currently Vice Principal for External Affairs and Dean for Europe at the University of Aberdeen.
Satoru Ohtake joined the Science and Technology Agency in 1984, after receiving his M.S. in physics from the University of Tokyo. He has since engaged in policy planning and R&D management, and establishing the Government's Science and Technology Basic Plans (1996, 2001 and 2011). He was appointed Senior Executive Director of Japan Science and Technology Agency in 2013 and then Principal Fellow in October 2015.
Hiroshi Amano received his Ph.D. from Nagoya University in 1989. He was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics together with Prof. Isamu Akasaki and Prof. Shuji Nakamura "for the invention of efficient blue light-emitting diodes which has enabled bright and energy-saving white light sources". Currently, he is Director, Professor, Center for Integrated Research of Future Electronics, Institute of Materials and Systems for Sustainability at Nagoya University.
Kazuo Iwano joined IBM Japan in 1975 after graduating the University of Tokyo with Mathematics major. He acquired his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Princeton University in 1987. He had been in charge of various roles in Research and emerging technology such as Director of Tokyo Research Laboratory, VP, Emerging Business (Cloud Computing and Smarter Cities). He is currently Principal Fellow of JST since October 2012. His research interest includes combinatorial optimization, cloud computing, and Cyber Physical Systems.
Yuichiro Anzai is well known for his pioneering work on learning by doing and human-robot interaction in the fields of cognitive and computer sciences. He served as the president of Keio University, the chair of the Central Council for Education, the chair of the Association of Pacific-Rim Universities, and others. Currently he is Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT), a member of the Council for Science and Technology, and the chair of the reform for connecting high-school and university education.
Kazuo Kyuma received his Ph.D. in engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. He has since taken part in research and development at Mitsubishi Electric including optical fiber sensors, optical neurochips, and image processing systems. He has also served as Technology Research Institute Director and Vice President representative executive officer at Mitsubishi Electric.
Tateo Arimoto has been involved with the Japanese government's science and technology policymaking after studying physical chemistry at Kyoto University. He has served as Executive Research Fellow at the Economic and Social Research Institute of the Cabinet office, Director General of Science & Technology Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Education and Science, and Principal Fellow of the Center for R&D Strategy at the Japan Science and Technology Agency.
