International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics

Sukekatsu Ushioda

President, NIMS

Chief Project Officer, MANA, NIMS

On the establishment of a International Research Center at NIMS

The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), in cooperation with five other institutions has been selected to participate in the World Premier International (WPI) Research Center Initiative which was launched recently by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). NIMS was one of five institutions selected nationwide, and was the only Independent Administrative Institution (IAI). NIMS's International project, which we will introduce here, is called the International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, or MANA (from MAterials NanoArchitectonics). MANA will bring together outstanding researchers from Japan and other countries to conduct advanced materials research contributing to a sustainable society under a number of top scientists from NIMS.

The new MEXT program is expected to create world-class research centers with "global visibility." To achieve this goal in the MANA project, we must improve the research system in NIMS. We are therefore committed to devoting our full efforts to creating a research system that will contribute to true internationalization, the establishment of a tenure track for outstanding young researchers, fostering of young independent researchers and young leaders.

As the host institution for MANA, NIMS will naturally give the activities of the new project its full backing. At the same time, we will also make every effort to ensure that NIMS itself becomes one of the world's preeminent research institutes through the activities of MANA. Expect great things from MANA - and from NIMS - in the future.