German Innovation Award 2013
© DWIH Tokyo
On Tuesday, June 18, five Japanese scientists were awarded the Gottfried Wagener Prize 2013, also known as the German Innovation Award. The award is supported by ten global German companies with research activities in Japan. It focuses on application-oriented research in the fields of Environment & Energy, Healthcare and Safety & Security. 91 scientists from 39 Japanese universities had participated in the competition. The award includes 9 million yen in prize-money as well as fellowships for overseas research stays.
The 1st prize was presented to Dr. Masateru Taniguchi (40) of the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University. Taniguchi´s newly developed “Single Molecule Electrical Sequencing Technology” will be crucial in attaining faster and more precise analyses with nanopore DNA sequencers. Dr. Taniguchi was awarded prize money worth 4 million Yen.
The 2nd prize went to Dr. Teruo Ono (45) of the Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University. With his development of “Non-Volatile Memory Using Spin Dynamics”, it is expected that electronic devices with extraordinarily low power consumption, such as mobile devices, can be realized in the future. The scientists Dr. Yusuke Ohba (43) of Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Dr. Taro Hitosugi (41) of Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University and Dr. Kenji Miyatake (44) of the Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi, were awarded the 3rd prize. In addition to the prize money, all winners are granted a fellowship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) for a short-term research stay in Germany.
The award ceremony was held at the Residence of the German Ambassador in Tokyo and was attended by approximately 150 guests from science, business, politics and media. In his commemorative lecture, Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Ryoji Noyori honored the scientists for their outstanding achievements. Noyori also stressed the importance of the promotion of science without borders. The German Innovation Award, said Noyori, plays an important role in doing so. In another speech, Ichita Yamamoto, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, underscored this remark and emphasized the potential for innovation the strategic partnership between Germany and Japan offers.
The German Innovation Award was launched in 2008 by technology-focused German enterprises and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan. It is coordinated by the German Research and Innovation Forum Tokyo. The prize is named after Gottfried Wagener, a German researcher and co-founder of Tokyo Institute of Technology who helped restructure the educational system in the Meiji era of pre-war Japan.
The award is granted under the patronage of Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, the German Federal Minister of Education and Research.
Winners of the German Innovation Award “Gottfried Wagener Prize 2013”
1st Prize
Dr. Masateru Taniguchi (40)
Professor, The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University
Development of Single-Molecule Electrical Sequencing Technology
2nd Prize
Dr. Teruo Ono (45)
Professor, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University
Development of Non-Volatile Memory Using Spin Dynamics
3rd Prize
Dr. Yusuke Ohba (43)
Professor, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine
FRET-Based Biosensors for Accurate Prediction of Responses to Molecular Target Drugs in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Dr. Taro Hitosugi (41)
Associate Professor, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University
Development of Titanium Dioxide Transparent Conductors
Dr. Kenji Miyatake (44)
Professor, Clean Energy Research Center, University of Yamanashi
Development of Ion Conductive Polymers for Fuel Cell Applications
Jury
Chairman:
Dr. Masuo Aizawa, Counselor to the President, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and former President of Tokyo Institute of Technology
Permanent Members:
Dr. Akira Fujishima, President of Tokyo University of Science
Dr. Junichi Hamada, President of The University of Tokyo
Dr. Teruo Kishi, NIMS Advisor and former President of National Institute for Materials Science
Dr. Hiroshi Matsumoto, President of Kyoto University
Partner Companies
BASF Japan Ltd., Bayer, Bosch Corporation, Evonik Degussa Japan Co., Ltd., Henkel Japan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Japan Co., Ltd./ Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Corporation, Merck Ltd., SCHOTT Nippon K.K., Siemens Japan K.K., TRUMPF Corporation
Co-partners
German Academic Exchange Service – DAAD, German Research Foundation – DFG
Supporters
The Federal Foreign Office, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, German JSPS Alumni Association, German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Organizer
German Research and Innovation Forum Tokyo