08-16-2017, 08:50 PM
anchoring speech for inaugration exhibition
Kyoto University
Sections
Speech at the Inauguration Ceremony for the Center for Advanced Science and Innovation at Uji Campus (June 1, 2011)
Hiroshi Matsumoto, the 25th President
It is my great pleasure to welcome so many people at this inauguration ceremony for the Center for Advanced Science and Innovation at our Uji campus in this season marked by the lush greenness of trees. I would like to thank you all on behalf of Kyoto University.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation in particular to Director-General Seiichi Nagatsuka from the Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry as well as Mayor Isamu Kubota of Uji City, who joined us today despite their busy schedules as a result of responding to the earthquake disaster, not to mention all the guests and participants from related parties inside and outside the university.
The Center, which we just inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, was founded with the support of the 2008 Industrial Technology Research and Development Facility Subsidy from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), which aims to support the creation or upgrading of facilities that will connect cutting-edge research to the product development activities of relevant companies and promote the application of cutting-edge research to industry in a region with high potential in a specific sector of technology, eventually to maintain and develop internationally competitive technological expertise while stimulating the local economy.
The design of this facility features a handsome appearance suitable for a sophisticated, advanced research facility; the feel of an open facility in which rooms have a wide view with effective use of glass; consideration for energy saving through the effective use of rainwater and LED lamps for all lights; flexibility which allows diverse modes of research and experiments in the future with the provision of technical balconies and free access floors; security to prevent the leakage of research and experiment data; and support rooms for women to facilitate the research activities of female researchers.
The details of Kyoto University's research projects will be shown to you later, but the projects to be based on this facility will include the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization's RISING (R&D Initiative for Scientific Innovation of New Generation Batteries) project led by Zenpachi Ogumi (a specially appointed professor from the Office of Society-Academia Collaboration for Innovation) and an R&D project on the next generation of thin-film solar cells led by Susumu Yoshikawa (a specially appointed professor from the Institute of Advanced Energy at our Uji campus).
As you may know, in recent years batteries have been utilized in diverse applications, which include laptop PCs, digital cameras and cellular phones. Now, in our present age, we may call them the staple food of industry, just as steel was in the post-war high-growth period or semiconductors were in the 80s to 90s. While the importance of batteries is increasing, the economic and social circumstances in our country are undergoing a drastic change reflecting considerations for global environmental issues or reconsideration of our energy policies after the Great East Japan Earthquake. To be able to respond to these challenges promptly, it will be critical to commercialize such technologies as smart grids and electric vehicles by dramatically boosting the performance of batteries, to finally realize a low-carbon society as early as possible.
Hoping that this institute will play a key role in achieving these goals, I would like to ask again for the generous support from the relevant government authorities and industry.
In closing, I would like to express again my deepest appreciation to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for its assistance in the construction of the building, to the staff of the local municipalities who helped us until the completion of construction, our Uji campus staff, and all parties concerned for their kind cooperation.
I would like to conclude by expressing my hope that this institute will serve as a hub point for Kyoto University's endeavors to promote the further development of collaboration among industry, government and academia.