“I've never thought of basic research as boring – not for one second.”
This is a leader who pours his energies into cultivating his juniors in the field of basic research.
PhD (Engineering), Research Scientist Quantum Optical Physics Research Group, Optical Science Laboratory NTT Basic Research Laboratories, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
Yoji Kunihashi
Aiming to be a world-class top researcher, an attempt to enter the narrow gates of a support organization.
Among the several semiconductor engineering labs that he could join starting in his fourth year, Dr. Kunihashi chose the “Nitta Laboratory” specializing in spintronics. The subject of his graduation research was how to make a spin last longer. He figured out strategies to make a spin last longer inside a semiconductor, and achieved great results. Tohoku University brings together researchers at the forefront who espouse a “research first” principle. Drawn to its well-organized research environment, Dr. Kunihashi proceeded directly to a master's degree program at one of Tohoku University's graduate schools. “During the second year of my master's degree, I attended an international conference abroad for the first time, through the system at the Tohoku University Division for Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education where I was student. The Tohoku University Division for Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education is a support organization for young researchers who, regardless of existing research frameworks, promote interdisciplinary research in new fields created through the fusion of different fields, and aim to be top researchers in the world. Only especially outstanding people are selected from a pool of applicants who have satisfied various criteria. Many researchers attempt to enter the narrow gates of this support organization, which not only provides scholarships, but also offers research fund assistance depending on the research proposal submitted, and paves the way for attending international conferences. Dr. Kunihashi was one of those chosen. “At the Division for Interdisciplinary Advanced Research and Education, it was necessary to take classes in other departments. I remember it was fun taking an applied physics class,” he says.
The confidence and conviction gained at his first international conference. After leaving the nest, he landed at a basic research laboratory – a rarity in Japan.
Dr. Kunihashi flew to his first international conference. After a nerve-wracking presentation, he was surprised by the number of foreign researchers gathered in front of the panel where he presented his research, and the level of attention he had drawn. Even though he was young, and only had a master's degree, he realized that he could win their acceptance if he produced results. This gave the young researcher a big boost of confidence. He explains, “At that moment, I was truly glad that I belonged to the Nitta Laboratory. Because even if you wish for it, it's not easy for an environment where you can do research that draws the world's attention to emerge. Of course, this doesn't mean that the results produced depend solely on one's environment. It was an incident that made me decide to continue studying at Tohoku University, and get my doctorate degree there. In succeeding international conferences that I attended, I made another huge realization, and that was the existence of NTT Basic Research Laboratories. I realized that this company frequently participated in international conferences, and that many of the company's researchers were also interested in spintronics. Because I was interested in the company, I decided to investigate and learn more about it. I found out that its laboratories were formidable, being the company (on the whole) whose papers were the second most cited papers in the world. There are only a few companies in Japan that have basic research laboratories. I was strongly drawn to the pioneers there who continue to work on basic research that was focused on the next 10 or 20 years. And it was also the company where the co-author of my paper and my mentor and teacher Professor Nitta both worked.” Thus, Dr. Kunihashi decided to apply for work at NTT Basic Research Laboratories.
He has never thought of basic research as boring – not for one second. He wants to continue engaging in research in whatever form.
At NTT Basic Research Laboratories, teams are composed of about 10 people each, but basically, each person has his or her own subject, and aims to produce results in that subject. There, outstanding young researchers from all over Japan work to improve each other in friendly rivalry, building an uncommon research environment in Japan. However, their field is basic research – a field where even the starting point is unclear. When asked whether they also learn about hardship or not, Dr. Kunihashi laughs and replies. He says that researchers are lucky, because they get to continue doing what they like to do. He explains, “I want to discover things people haven't heard of before. I want to surprise the world. From this desire for self-fulfillment, I continue working on my research. Various stimuli inspire this desire – stimuli such as presenting my research abroad, and seeing the successes of people of the same generation. I was greatly stimulated during my time at Tohoku University, the starting point of my research. I've never thought of basic research as boring – not for one second.” Eighty percent of his research results would not have been achieved solely through his assumptions at the start. This is precisely why Dr. Kunihashi, who talks of wanting to continue having a wide outlook, has a future-oriented goal. He says, “I want to produce good research results while I'm young. Ultimately, I want results that anyone, even a small child, can understand. It's OK even if I’m not the first author on a paper. I want to compete with the world while cultivating the younger members of our team. I want to make Japan strong. Even when I retire from my research job someday, I fervently hope I can continue to engage in research in whatever form.”
PhD (Engineering), Research Scientist Quantum Optical Physics Research Group, Optical Science Laboratory NTT Basic Research Laboratories, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
Yoji Kunihashi
After graduating from the Department of Chemical Science and Engineering of the National Institute of Technology, Tokyo College, transferred to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tohoku University (3rd year) in 2005. Entered the Department of Materials Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University in 2007. Completed his doctoral course at the Nitta Laboratory of the Department of Materials Science, and received his doctorate degree in 2012. In the same year, joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and was assigned to NTT Basic Research Laboratories.