The National Institute of Science and Technology Policy (NISTEP) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has selected 10 researchers who are active across various fields of science, technology, and innovation as "Nice Step Researchers 2025." The selection focused on individuals engaged in research addressing social issues and widely disseminating their achievements.
(Left) Numerical experiments with ideally arranged continents to examine cloud and atmospheric circulation responses;
(Right) Characteristic water vapor transport systems observed at mid-latitudes.
Provided by University of Tsukuba
Researchers whose recent achievements have attracted attention were identified through surveys of approximately 1,600 experts and other evaluation methods. The 10 researchers were selected through NISTEP's internal review process based not only on their research accomplishments, but also on cutting-edge, groundbreaking research content in emerging and interdisciplinary fields, including integration with humanities and social sciences; industry-academia collaboration and innovation; and development of international research activities.
The selection centered on young researchers expected to excel, who represent fields including meteorology, materials science, AI (artificial intelligence), life sciences, and folklore studies.
The "Nice Step Researchers" program began in 2005. Past selections include Shinya Yamanaka and Hiroshi Amano, who later received Nobel Prizes.
The selected researchers and their research areas are as follows (titles omitted; affiliations as of December 26, when announced):
- Yoichi Kamae: Associate Professor, Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba: "Research on climate sensitivity and extreme phenomena centered on clouds and atmospheric circulation"
- Yoshiaki Kawagoe: Associate Professor, Research Center for Green X-Tech, Green Goals Initiative, Tohoku University: "Interdisciplinary research on aircraft materials, design, and operations through multiscale analysis"
- Akitoshi Shiotari: Group Leader, Department of Physical Chemistry, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Germany: "Single-molecule chemistry using ultrasmall light beyond the nanoscale"
- Ai Niitsu: Team Director, Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS), RIKEN: "Creating proteins to understand cell membrane dynamics"
- Yuta Hashimoto: Associate Professor, Department of Research, National Museum of Japanese History: "Minna de Honkoku (Transcription by Everyone): Citizen science for historical documents"
- Chie Hieida: Assistant Professor, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST): "Development of emotion models for empathetic AI robots"
- Yusuke Himeoka: Research Associate, Universal Biology Institute, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo: "Theoretical research to clarify the differences between life and non-life"
- Kai Fukami: Associate Professor, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University: "Pursuing data science breakthroughs in unsteady aerodynamic solutions using nonlinear machine learning"
- Ryuichiro Yagi: Representative, Korbato Health; Project Assistant Professor, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Keio University Hospital: "Toward innovation in early detection of cardiovascular disease: Research, development, and implementation of ECG and echocardiography AI"
- Shinya Yamamoto: Associate Professor, Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, USA: "Research on rare undiagnosed diseases using Drosophila"
Original article was provided by the Science Portal and has been translated by Science Japan.