（From left) Vice President (Research and Development) NAKABEPPU, President UENO, Associate Professor SUZUKI and Mr. KODAMA Keiji
Associate Professor SUZUKI Hidehiko at the Department of Physics of the School of Science and Technology (Earth and Planetary Atmosphere Physics Group), received the 2023 Meiji University Keiji Kodama “Ganbaru” Research Promotion Award, and the award ceremony was held on July 30 at the Shikonn Kan Alumni Memorial Building on the Surugadai Campus.
This award, established through a donation from a Meiji University alumnus, Mr. KODAMA Keiji (1957 graduate of the School of Business Administration), commends Meiji University’s faculty members who have made remarkable achievements in research. The award winners are selected by evaluating metrics, such as the number of papers and number of citation counts of international research papers, over the past five years.
Associate Professor SUZUKI’s research field is atmosphere physics, and his research theme is atmosphere physics research using optical remote sensing. After working mainly as a Project Researcher at the National Institute of Polar Research, as a wintering party member of the 49th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-49), and as the JARE-55 summer party member, he joined the School of Science and Technology at Meiji University in 2014. He is conducting observation, research, etc., related to phenomena that take place in the upper atmosphere region, which is the boundary between Earth and space, such as noctilucent clouds that glow in the night sky. Three graduate students have participated in the Antarctic Research Expedition from the Earth and Planetary Atmosphere Physics Group where Associate Professor SUZUKI serves as an academic supervisor.
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At the award ceremony, after a certificate of commendation and a list of prizes were given, President UENO gave a speech and then Mr. KODAMA took the stage. Mr. KODAMA talked about his thoughts on the word “ganbaru,” which means making efforts to pursue one’s wish without anxiety, in the title of the promotion award and said, “Associate Professor SUZUKI is wonderful not only for his research achievements but also for expanding students’ opportunities, such as by enabling them to participate in the Antarctic Research Expedition. I hope you will continue to give students dreams and hopes,” placing expectations on him.
Comment from Associate Professor SUZUKI
I went on to the graduate school of the University of Tokyo after graduating from Meiji University, because at that time Meiji University did not have a laboratory that dealt with geophysics. I am happy that my wish was granted and that I opened a geophysics laboratory at Meiji University.
Geophysics is a study of nature, so it requires a tenacious attitude. I feel that students at Meiji University have such quality. To increase the presence of research at Meiji University, I will continue to pursue research with students.
Associate Professor SUZUKI saying, “Students at Meiji University have the qualities necessary for studying geophysics”