ISIJ 2026 General Awards

On March 11, 2026, three members of the NIMS Research Center for Structural Materials (RCSM) were honored with prestigious awards from The Iron and Steel Institute of Japan (ISIJ). Dr. Ryoji Sahara received the Asada Award; Dr. Akinobu Shibata, together with seven co-authors, received the Sawamura Paper Award; and Dr. Tomotaka Hatakeyama received the Research Encouragement Award.

• Announcement of the winners of the paper awards to be presented in 2026| ISIJ Website

ISIJ Asada Award (Academic Division)

Awarded Theme
Structural Materials Design by Hierarchical Computational Techniques Independent of Experimental Parameters

• Ryoji Sahara

  Group Leader, Computational Structural Materials Group, Materials Evaluation Field, Research Center for Structural Materials

ISIJ Sawamura Paper Award

Paper Title
Relationship between Three-dimensional Crack Morphology and Macroscopic Mechanical Properties of Hydrogen-related Fracture in Martensitic Steel

Authors (Awardees): Akinobu Shibata (NIMS), Yazid Madi (MINES Paris-PSL), Jacques Besson (MINES Paris-PSL)、Akiko Nakamura (NIMS), Taku Moronaga (NIMS)、Kazuho Okada (NIMS), Ivan Gutierrez-Urrutia (NIMS), Toru Hara (NIMS)

• Akinobu Shibata, Yazid Madi, Jacques Besson, Akiko Nakamura, Taku Moronaga, Kazuho Okada, Ivan Gutierrez-urrutia, Toru Hara. Relationship between Three-dimensional Crack Morphology and Macroscopic Mechanical Properties of Hydrogen-related Fracture in Martensitic Steel. ISIJ International. 64 [4] (2024) ISIJINT-2023-316 10.2355/isijinternational.isijint-2023-316

NIMS Awardees

• Akinobu Shibata

  Distinguished Group Leader, Steel Research Group, Materials Evaluation Field, Research Center for Structural Materials

• Akiko Nakamura

  Electron Microscopy Unit, Materials Fabrication and Analysis Platform, Advanced Engineering and Services Division

• Taku Moronaga

  Principal Engineer, Electron Microscopy Unit, Materials Fabrication and Analysis Platform, Advanced Engineering and Services Division

• Kazuho Okada

  Senior Researcher, Steel Research Group, Materials Evaluation Field, Research Center for Structural Materials

• Ivan Gutierrez-Urrutia

  Principal Researcher, Steel Research Group, Materials Evaluation Field, Research Center for Structural Materials

• Toru Hara

  Managing Researcher, Research Center for Structural MaterialsMicrostructure Analysis Group, Materials Evaluation Field, Research Center for Structural Materials

At the Award Ceremony
From left: Dr. Kazuho Okada, Dr. Akinobu Shibata, Akiko Nakamura

ISIJ Research Encouragement Award

Awarded Theme
Study on Microstructure and Creep Properties of Heat-resistant Steel

• Tomotaka Hatakeyama

  Senior Researcher, Creep Property Group, Materials Evaluation Field, Research Center for Structural Materials