Message from the Director (Takashi MORII)

The Institute of Advanced Energy (IAE), established in May 1996, operates with the objective of exploring the energy systems for the next generation, primarily by investigating the basic principles of nature and by developing state-of-the-art technologies to utilize these principles for practical applications. For this purpose, 14 research sections are organized under three divisions, each dedicated to one of the following three basic processes: generation, conversion, and utilization of energy. The institute has set up the Laboratory for Complex Energy Processes with two research sections--this laboratory stimulates collaboration between researchers to address issues related to complex energy processes.

The two core research areas of the institute are "Plasma and Quantum Energy Science" and "Soft Energy Science". The former deals with energy generation via nuclear fusion on Earth, similar to that on the Sun. The latter investigates the nature's lows of highly efficient energy conversion and utilization, which led to the creation of biosphere on Earth by utilizing solar energy, based on the principles of bioscience and materials science. We actively promote the internationalization of research and return our research benefits to the society through industry-academia-government collaboration. The institute also involves in educational activities at the Graduate School of Energy Science and the Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences to formulate and enact the curriculum for students and to train young researchers in the leading research environment.

The institute has been certified as a "Zero-Emission Energy" Joint Usage/Research Center by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), and has held this status for the second time, starting from the fiscal year of 2016. As the research hub of Zero-Emission Energy, we collaborate with domestic and overseas researchers over a broad spectrum of academic fields, as well as promote the shareuse of cutting-edge research equipment to strengthen the foundation of academic research and to accelerate novel scientific research. Further, the institute collaborates with the Kyoto University Research Coordination Alliance including the research institutes/centers of the Kyoto University, promotes the share-use of research infrastructure through the Uji Campus Base of Equipment Support, and encourages overseas research and educational activities at the International Advanced Energy Science Research and Education Center of the Graduate School of Energy Science.

The Japanese Prime Minister has unveiled the vision of realizing a carbon-neutral, decarbonized society by 2050, keeping in pace with developed countries. Our society calls for the introduction of new principles and novel technologies in the processes of generation, conversion, and utilization of energy, to achieve the global mission of carbon-neutral society or to maintain carbon gas emissions and the amount of carbon absorption to be equal. The ongoing research of our institute on Zero-Emission Energy in a wide array of scientific disciplines will certainly create innovative solutions to satisfy such demands in order to realize a sustainable society.

With 25 years having passed since the establishment of the institute, a scientific culture of IAE has begun to develop under the Kyoto University's culture of academic freedom and significance in promoting original and creative research, creating new intellectual values. All the members of the IAE, including Hideaki Ohgaki, Vice Director, and Masato Katahira, Director of Laboratory for Complex Energy Processes, are committed to accelerating our research, educational, and international activities. We look forward to your continued support and cooperation in the years to come.

April 2021
Takashi MORII

2021.4 - 2024.3