July 5, 2012

On July 5, a commemorative ceremony for the completion of the new NanoGREEN/WPI – MANA building at Namiki site, NIMS, was held with over 150 attendees, including 116 guests.

The ceremony began with an opening address by Dr. Sukekatsu Ushioda, NIMS President. Then four guests, Dr. Ken-ichi Ichihara (the Mayor of Tsukuba city), Mr. Koichi Morimoto (Deputy Director-General of the Research Promotion Bureau, MEXT), Dr. Teruo Kishi (Chair of Executive Board, Tsukuba Innovation Arena, TIA-nano), and Prof. Toshio Kuroki (Director of WPI Program), made congratulatory speeches. They encouraged the researchers at MANA and expressed their great expectations that further promotion of fusion research will produce innovative results in various fields.

Dr. Sukekatsu Ushioda, NIMS President.

Mr. Koichi Morimoto, Deputy Director-General of the Research Promotion Bureau, MEXT.

Prof. Toshio Kuroki, Director of WPI Program.

Dr. Ken-ichi Ichihara, the Mayor of Tsukuba city.

Dr. Teruo Kishi, Chair of Executive Board, TIA-nano.

The participants in the Auditorium of the WPI - MANA building.

At the laboratory tour, MANA researchers explained about research on a brain-type device (Atomic electronics Unit, Nano-system Field) and on a nanosheet (Soft Chemistry Unit, Nano-materials Field).

After the laboratory tour, a celebration party was held at the Melting Pot Café in the new building.

Participants listened to an explanation of the outline of the new building.

Dr. Tsuyoshi Hasegawa (right in the back row), MANA Principal Investigator, gave an explanation about brain-type device to the participants.

Participants inspected a terrace outside at the second floor of the new building.

Dr. Tadashi Ozawa (right), MANA Scientist, gave an explanation about nano-sheet to the participants.