Prize Recipient


Recipient Picture

Kenji Watanabe
National Institute for Materials Science

Citation:

"For seminal contributions to the synthesis and assembly of high-quality 2D materials and their heterostructures."

Background:

Kenji Watanabe graduated from the Faculty of Science of Shizuoka University in 1985. Earned credit and left the doctoral course of the Graduate School of Science of Hokkaido University, joined Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. in 1990. Joined the National Institute for Research in Inorganic Materials (NIRIM) established under the auspices of the former Science and Technology Agency (reorganized into National Institute for Materials Science NIMS in 2001) in 1994. His research has included contributions to the understanding of the optical properties of wide band gap semiconductors including diamond and boron nitride. His honors include Citation Laureate for 2022 by Clarivate, Highly cited researcher (2017-2021, Physics and Materials, Clarivate), Science 2017 Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Japan, Thomson Reuters Research Front Award 2016. He is a member of the Physical Society of Japan, The Japan Society of Applied Physics and Japan New Diamond Forum.