The 2012 "Millennium Science Forum" organized by Oxford Instruments was held at the British Embassy in Tokyo on Wednesday 14th November 2012.
The Millennium Science Forum was established in 1998 to promote scientific exchange between Britain and Japan and award a prize to a young researcher from a Japanese University or research institute who has performed outstanding research in the area of condensed matter science. The prize is named after Sir Martin Wood, Founder and Honorary President of Oxford Instruments plc.
Previous winners of the "Sir Martin Wood Prize" include Dr Yasunobu Nakamura of NEC Corporation, Dr. Tokushi Kizuka, Nagoya University, Dr. Katsuya Shimizu, Osaka University, Dr. Keiya Shirahama, Keio University, Dr. Ichiro Terasaki, Waseda University, Dr. Toshimasa Fujisawa, from NTT basic research laboratories, Dr. Yuzo Ohno, Tohoku University, Dr. Tsuyoshi Kimura, Osaka University , Dr Kazutomo Suenaga, AIST, Dr Akira Ohtomo, Tohoku University Dr. Yousoo Kim, RIKEN, Dr. Shuichi Murakami from Tokyo Institute of Technology, and Dr. Yukio Kawano from Tokyo Institute of Technology.
The Sir Martin Wood Prize selection committee consists of 8 Professors from Japanese Universities and is chaired by Professor Hidetoshi Fukuyama from Tokyo University of Science. The "Sir Martin Wood Prize" winner receives ¥500,000 in cash and the opportunity to give a series of lectures in British Universities, including Oxford University.
The winner of the 2012 "Sir Martin Wood Prize" is Dr. Daichi Chiba, Associate Professor, Kyoto University Institute for Chemical Research, Division of Materials Chemistry, Nanospintronics Laboratory. Dr. Chiba was awarded the prize for his work in Electric-field control of ferromagnetism in semiconductors and metals.
Dr. Chiba was awarded the prize at the British Embassy by Ms. Julia Longbottom, Chargé d'Affaires and gave a lecture at the Millennium Science Forum.
The guest speakers at the event were Professor Robin Nicholas from the Department of Physics, Oxford University Professor Koichi Kitazawa from Japan science and Technology Agency.
Further details of the prize and nomination procedures can be obtained from the Millenium Science Forum home page.