OIST Board of Governors Welcomes Dr. Akira Yoshino

The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) has welcomed Dr. Akira Yoshino to the Board of Governors. Dr. Yoshino, who completed his master's degree at Kyoto University, had a long career as a researcher at Asahi Kasei Corporation, and is currently an Honorary Fellow of the company, an Honorary Professor at Kyushu University, and a Distinguished Professor at Meijo University, continuing to support scientific research in Japan.

Dr. Akira Yoshino

In the early 1980s, Dr. Yoshino invented the lithium-ion battery, which has since had a significant impact on many industries. Dr. Yoshino received the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2004, The Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering from the National Academy of Engineering in 2014, and many other awards for his achievements in the development of lithium-ion batteries. And in 2019, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Professor John Goodenough from the University of Texas at Austin and Professor Stanley Whittingham from the State University of New York at Binghamton. Lithium-ion batteries are lightweight, high-power, and repeatedly rechargeable, making them the technological foundation in a variety of modern products, including smartphones, computers, and electric vehicles.

Dr. Yoshino comments, "I know that OIST is a very unique university. I am pleased to be a member of OIST and look forward to working with OIST from the perspective of an industrial researcher to help translate its research results into practical applications.”