Ceremony held to present 66th Leave a Nest grant TOYOBO POLYMER SCIENCE Award
Toyobo Co., Ltd. held a ceremony to present the 66th Leave a Nest grant TOYOBO POLYMER SCIENCE Award on March 11, 2025, at its Research Center in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture.
Participants pose for a commemorative photo with the award recipients.
Mr. Masuda and Ms. Ito, who are second and third from the left in the front row, respectively.
Mr. Masuda delivers a presentation to introduce his research
This award has launched as a scholarship program in 2021 aimed at supporting young researchers in the fields Toyobo focuses on, utilizing the framework of a research grant system operated by Leave a Nest Co., Ltd. The company is based in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, and is headed by CEO Yukihiro Maru.
In recent years, there has been a trend towards requiring "applied research" as a target for competitive research funding. However, our company wants to shed light on fundamental research that pursues essential functions for the evolution of materials, which may seem inconspicuous but can sometimes change the world. Therefore, for four consecutive years, we have set "basic and fundamental research on polymer materials" as the theme for the call for applications. In this fiscal year, the award winners were selected based not only on themes focusing on the fundamental understanding of polymers, but also on themes emphasizing new materials and their industrial applications.
Representing Toyobo at the March 11 ceremony were Katsuya Ito, Executive Officer, Innovation Department, and Osamu Morimoto, General Manager of the Research Center. After enthusiastic presentations delivered by the recipients, active Q&A and opinion exchange sessions were conducted. Toyobo is committed to advancing the field of polymer science and technology, one of its core areas, while supporting young researchers and promoting open innovation through collaboration with universities and research institutions.
Winners of the Leave a Nest grant TOYOBO POLYMER SCIENCE Award
| Affiliation | Name | Research Title |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo | Tsukuru Masuda | Understanding the Dynamic Wettability of Polymer Interfaces via Interpretable Machine Learning of Structure–Property Relationships |
| Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University | Mako Ito | Next-Generation Antifouling Paints: Microbial Innovation for Microplastic Removal |
For more information, contact
Public Relations Group, Corporate Communication Department, Toyobo Co., Ltd.
MAILpr_g@toyobo.jp
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