Author: sin0928yano@gmail.com

I finally got every documents I needed for Visa application for Australia. I have submitted to the Australia embassy on last week. I also have finished online training to work at ANSTO (Australia Nuclear science and technology). So, it seems I am going to be ready for the job. This time has been weird for my life. I had work for weekdays but I did not get salary so I could focus on what I really want to study.

Looking back this almost 3 months, I had prepared for my study for next 3-5 years. I still need to brush up the project but I guess I could finish my first draft. Also I could finish one of my papers. And I would like to finish one more or possibly two drafts. So, if there were meanings for this delaying. I also have had enough time to study for pursuing my interest. I might have done more but still, normally scientists can’t have this kind of time.

The waiting with healthy body and mind is one of the hardest things, but the quote is saying that “When it is hard, look for the future” by Masayoshi Son.  So, I did a lot of planning and preparation.

Whilst, during staying in Japan, I could meet a lot of my friends, and talked, talked, and talked. We have a good time. I want to say thank you for my family and friends for meeting me and encouraging me. I can’t do anything without them. When I find exciting thing, if I don’t have anyone to share, there is nothing. Also, a lot of people helped me for this transition. I need to give them back by working hard.

I am listening the big bang theory form episode 1 to 6, I withdrew the audio part from DVD. I can listen to anytime I am walking, cleaning, and traveling alone. I think I finally get over my listening to English. And I am enjoying listening to books. Since I don’t have enough time to read book for fun, listening to book is very helpful.

I am currently challenging “31 days of writing something”. We could choose whatever we want to write and write every single day in October. I just finished 16 days now but it is brutally hard. I could not imagine how hard this challenging. I am writing 31 days of visionaries. I wanted to write people who might be going to change the world and changed the world with excellent insight. But, once I started write more than 30 people I found it is very hard. To write their character on my blog, I should know them very well. I realized I don’t have so many persons who I know well enough to write one post. But, I am learning a lot during this struggling. I have to and I want to finish this challenging. I will finish “31 days of visionaries”.

I am thinking I need to improve my English proficiency still, but while I am good enough to read and write, and listening. I need to practice speaking. I will do that in Australia, now I am thinking what I can do by using English. I want to find my next challenge by using English. Any suggestion? Thought?

The reason: As a great leader in Singapore, Asia, and the world. 

Lee Kuan Yew became prime minister of Singapore in 1959 when he was 35 years old, Cambridge educated, and third generation of immigrant from China to Singapore. Singapore has been lucky enough to have this man on their country. He is strong, diligent, smart, open minded, reliable leader and a man of vision. I have any doubt Singapore is one of most competitive countries in the world because of him and the people.

When I read about him, I was thinking whether or not I could be prime minister by 35 years old. Most people might say “please wait”, I would say “please wait”, but he did. Of course I am a scientist, I don’t need to be a politician but why shouldn’t I learn this attitude how we could contribute our own country. The country might be obsolete when it loses this kind of men.

Since I am Japanese, I was interested in what he was talking about Japan.  I realized that we young generation of Japanese had to take over everything from the older generation of Japanese whatever they had done good or bad.  For the bad side, I was reluctant to believe what Japanese had done to Asian countries. The cruel and brutal Japanese army had threaten to and beaten Asian people. Lee Kuan Yew says we did not apologize. I partially disagree with this though, at least he changed something what I had believed.

On the other hand, for the good side, we could take over the richness the older generation left us. And I am proud of Japanese who came back from full of ashes in our country caused by air raid and nuclear bomb. Japanese have complex feeling for American about this. And also Japan has invested a lot to Asian countries to industrialize the country. Lee Kuan Yew was insightful to ask Japanese industrialize, not give soft loan to Singapore. Singapore had succeeded, and then Asians realized the value of training and knowledge, and were more likely to cooperate with Singapore and Japan.

• The character of people

Although, they had been brought up separately and in different countries, about 80 percent of their vocabulary, IQ, habits, likes and dislikes in food and friends, and other character and personality traits were identical. In other words, nearly 80 per cent of a person’s makeup was from nature, and about 20 per cent the result of nurture. (From his book “From third world to first”)

 Since he wrote this for 1965-2000, now the globalization and World Wide Web might change very slightly though, this is very insightful observation. I think he is one of a few who has met a lot of people around all over the world with keen interest to learn something from them.

• The talented of people

The Japanese prime minister I met, from Ikeda in 1962 to Miyazawa in 1990, were all men of considerable ability. One stood out as a rough diamond – Kakuei Tanaka. (From his book “From third world to first”)

Unfortunately, I didn’t know much about Kakuei Tanaka who is one of most important politician in Japan. He had a reputation as a bulldozer, a man with a powerful computer like mind and tremendous energy. When I see the old Japanese men and women, I could see huge energy inside of them. They keep working all the time. I can believe that’s why Japanese was back from ash after World War II. So I sometime think how I can be like them. I want to know him well.

Sometimes I say to Asian people, we should see the future of ours, that’s why we are here. We are here to create. That is the only thing we could do for now instead of complaining each other. I believe the strength of Japanese and the quality of education to survive this global world as Lee Kuan Yew believes us. The book about Lee Kuan Yew tells me there are so many smart and talented people in Asia. As a one of Japanese, as a member of Asia, what can I and we could do for the future Asia? It is very important for me to know the Asian leaders and people, to create our future with them.

The reason: He invented the three law of robot [1]

He wrote these laws in his book about robot. They are very simple though, they are very profound.

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.[1]

On the story, these laws lead the robot revolution. The logic of robot is that the robots have to control people to make them prosper. Since human beings could not control by themselves, they think they need to control them. So then, they naturally think they should be able to choose who can survive in this world.

So, why did I bring up Asimov? It is because I think our minds are not ready to have robot which the developing robot technology is faster than ever. As you know, the computer who passed tuning test [2] very recently. That means that you cannot tell whether your boyfriend or artificial intelligence text you. Your boyfriend might use A.I. to text you with using the mode “Keep relationship”. I did some thought experiment. I wrote this before on this blog.

The case 1: At 20XX, someone killed someone.

One day in the near future, the police find the body and determine when exactly he/she would be killed.  Then the future A.I. computer could estimate the area where the suspect could reach by calculating every possibility, such as transportation records. And the A.I. checks the records of every person in that area, such as record of internet, purchase record, the person he/she was talking, texting to, and could estimate who would be potential murderer. So then A.I could shut down his/her house and close doors and the machine police can go to the house, and he/she will be summoned.

The case 2: At 21XX, A.I. still will work on and think.

Then, the A.I. will have accumulated its algorithm and experiences. And it will start thinking. “What are the conditions or crucial parameters for future murderer?” So, it would be able to anticipate who is the next murderer based on his records. So then the computer would ask human. “Why not arresting this person before he/she commits murder” Human being will say “You should not”. The computer will ask “Why? He/she should kill someone, why wouldn’t you stop him. I can kill him/her before the good citizen would be killed. Why can’t I or you kill him/her? It believes that the person who would kill is much worse than the future subject. “How will you teach A.I. about this mater, killing and our life?

Seriously, that is not far from now. For example, car companies are working for A.I. to help human’s driving. Actually this already became true Tesla motor will sell the car which have auto parking program very soon. Because the A.I. might do much better job than human does. We need to know better what we are doing. For example, if the Tesla car hit an old lady on the road during parking, who would be responsible for that, Tesla, the driver, or an old lady? While, the computer only can do what they are told with algorithm human programed. So, people have to judge, then the A.I. needs to decide.

So, how much the technology advance, we still have tons of questions we have to answer. We are not ready yet. How can we evaluate heaviness of life? What is the purpose of living as a human being? That’s why we need to go back to his thought.

[1] Isaac Asimov. On the book I, Robot

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test

The reason: The advanced material scientist

Among the visionaries I wrote here, he is special to me because he is (was?) my teacher. He supervised my Ph.D. He is not only good scientist but also good educator. Maybe, I am taking huge risk by writing this here. But, I write anyways.

I don’t need to mention, how he have been awarded many prizes in Japan including Asahi prize, Nishina memorial prize, and the Order of the Sacred Treasure Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. I believe (maybe I will get a lot of criticism) there are huge contributions to science from him. I am a professional scientist but I cannot write seriously here. So, you should not use this information as a source.

• As an instrument scientist

After getting Ph.D. from Univ. of Tokyo, he had worked for ISSP (Institute of solid state physics: Univ. of Tokyo) as instrument scientist. Some of readers here might know I am going to be an instrument scientist too. I could learn a lot from him. He has many collaborators now to pursuit his science because He helped a lot of scientist to do experiment when he was an instrumental scientist. However the great thing is it is said that he said “you don’t need to put my name on your paper”. So many scientists who was helped by him says “I owed Akimitsu-san a lot” now.

• Superconductivity

He and his group are famous for searching new superconductor. Superconductivity is a phenomenon the material shows absolutely zero resistivity and exclusion of magnetic field under certain critical temperature. There is huge possibilities for application though, since the temperature is very low (typically around absolute zero temperature), the most important goal for experimental researchers are finding new superconducting material which shows superconductivity at high temperature. One of great achievement of his group is finding MgB2, which have highest critical temperature among metallic compound. Metallic superconducting material is important because it is very easy to process.

• Orbital ordering

There are three of degrees of freedom which are charge, spin, and orbital in material. The charge and spin can order when the system overcome thermal energy by cooling the system. Also the orbital could order in material. Material scientists have been finding that the orbital ordering can be very important to know the physical properties of the material. Basically, there are two experimental methods to observe the orbital order in material. One is the polarized neutron scattering technique and the other is resonant X-ray scattering techniques. Prof. Akimitsu had done one of earliest example of the polarized neutron scattering experiment in 1976. Next example I know is from Dr. Ichikawa. He had used this technique for observing orbital order in YTiO3 in 2001. This is also important achievement in material science though, that also had shown how Prof. Akimitsu’s technique advanced. And unfortunately, as far as I know, there is no group can use this technique today.

• Multiferroics

Multiferroics defined as materials the exhibit more than one ferroic order parameter simultaneously.  The phenomenon is not so new but scientists now started to understand the mechanism of origin of multiferroic property from the microscopic point of view. For the application, the point is that we could control its physical properties by external field in different way. Usually, if we want to control the magnetic properties, we need to use magnetic field and if we want to control electric properties, it need to be control by electric field. But, mutiferroics can be used in different way. For example, the magnetic properties of material could be control by electric field and vice versa. In 2007, some group published the paper that proves this phenomenon by using the polarized neutron scattering technique under the electric field. Prof. Akimitsu had done similar experiment in 1978 already.

To be honest, I am kind of shy to write here. And unfortunately, I don’t have good English proficiency enough to describe very well. I am sorry.

The reason: They found the fundamental equation in scattering techniques.

Sir William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics “for their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays” in 1915. They are more famous about so called “Bragg’s law”. And William Lawrence Bragg is the youngest novel prize laureate. And they are from Australia, unfortunately I don’t know so much about Australian physicist, there is Bragg institute in Sydney which should be named after Bragg. Here is Bragg’s law,

n λ = 2 d sin θ

Where n is an integer, λ is the wavelength of incident wave, d is the spacing between the planes in the atomic lattice, and θ is the angle between the incident ray and the scattering planes.

The Bragg’s law is satisfied with the crystals scattered by every quantum beam such as electron, X-ray, and neutron. This equation is fundamental for every diffraction techniques. As an experimental physicist, I am still using this equation.  We physicist have 3 quantum beams, every beam have advantage and disadvantage. As I described before, I personally think, the technique in neutron diffraction is most mature, X-ray diffraction is now hottest and expanding, and Electron diffraction is expanding and most promising.

• Keenness on experiment

No known theory can be distorted so as to provide even an approximate explanation of wave-particle duality. There must be some fact of which we are entirely ignorant and whose discovery may revolutionize our views of the relations between waves and ether and matter. For the present we have to work on both theories. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we use the wave theory; on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays we think in streams of flying energy quanta or corpuscles. — Sir William Bragg ‘Electrons and Ether Waves’, The Robert Boyle Lecture 1921, Scientific Monthly, 1922, 14, 158.

 As we can see on this quote, scientists were struggling to understand wave-particle duality almost 100 years ago. Sometimes I feel I just can’t have more the experiment skill and keenness for observations than these genius experimentalists in science history did because they didn’t have computer, knowledge nor textbook, they seriously thought and interrupted the data in front of them honestly. Although now we have knowledge, computer, textbook, and techniques, I don’t just think I can have the critical thinking and deep thought experiment like they did. Also, I could easily forget how peculiar what we are observing at our experiment. The diffraction can only occur because it should be diffracted (waves) by crystals and counted at detector (particle).

• The future is still based on this equation.

As a neutron scattering experimentalist Bragg scattering is the strongest when beam scattered by perfect crystal. If there were defect on the crystal, still we could study well. One of my skills on neutron scattering is pair distribution function analysis, on which we don’t need to assume crystal. Originally, the method was developed for studying glass and amorphous material. That experiment method is useful when we are looking at small deviation from crystal. For this analysis method we don’t use Fourier transform of background instead of using Bragg scattering. This method is so powerful because we could use Bragg scattering and Background simultaneously from just one data set.  The Bragg scattering still the central issue among scattering community, even though we could develop new scattering techniques to take out more information from the sample in the future. The Bragg scattering have to be the thing we care most during experiment.

You can have free access these historical articles appeared on Nature,

http://www.nature.com/milestones/milecrystal/library/pdf/090219a0.pdf

http://www.nature.com/milestones/milecrystal/library/pdf/090360d0.pdf

The reason: He wrote 2001 space odyssey which still is readable in 21th century.

If I were asked “What is the best science fiction you’ve ever read?” My answer is “2001 space odyssey” Maybe, this book is just classics, the story is too easy to figure out though, the book is full of scientific interests the author could think of at that time. I still enjoy reading this elaborate science fiction. And I just admire him. How could just a man think of sophisticated story which is still readable after 50 years past?

• Why human survived

Maybe, I don’t know anything about the history of species though, when I read this, I have gotten fresh idea about the development of human society. On this story, firstly, apes were going to extinct because apes are not that strong to survive in the wild, not that smart enough to find out how to live. Apparently, the early stage of human being has to have some sort of revolutionary event to get smarter or stronger to survive. On this story, that is given from Monolith, which teaches apes how to use tool. Because of the tool they could start fighting against brutal animals. They don’t need to break bone when they eat, so that their thin became small enough to make fine sounds. Because of this, eventually people were going to speak. Because of tools, they didn’t starve anymore. So then, they finally started to have time to think.

• Super computer HAL

This is well known fact the name HAL was taken from IBM (H -> I, A ->B, L ->M, IBM). In the story, HAL is the third generation of computer revolution. The big different from the computers we have, HAL is alone. It is alone and works just one super smart computer. Since we have different revolution which is the invention of World Wide Web, the computer we know is working together. On this story, this super smart computer had conflict ideas that confused him because it was give secret order. It went crazy because it cannot tolerate.

• Is there any extravagant in our space?

On this story, human beings found there was the proof on extravagant on the moon. When they built the space base, they found strong source of magnetic field on the moon. When they found that, it sent a signal to Saturn or Jupiter (there is difference on Movie and Novel.) Because it is buried on the surface on the moon, estimated 3 million years ago, it should be buried by some intelligent life that should not be human because 3 million years ago is just the time human came out. So, human being decided to send people to Jupiter or Saturn to look up. How exciting is this story?

• Science have been not so advanced it was supposed to be on the book

Arthur C. Clark wrote that the human being found everything out about material science 1970’s. That is of course wrong otherwise I don’t have job in this world. Human being has been still innovating materials even more than 100 years contribution of many of brilliant scientists.

• What is life?

He also wrote interesting idea about the life. Think about human brain. Basically our thinking is just exchanging the electric signals. That should be very complex though, we might not need to have body to live. Because we think, so we are living, not because we have body.

Actually, 2001 was not advanced like he wrote on the book. The U.S.A sent men in late 1960’s however, human being has not advanced enough to go further. China is going to send people to the moon in 2020. Maybe, human being is going to challenge to space again soon.   We don’t know yet about the extravagant. This book is very fun to read, gives me a lot of imagination just meditating for imaginary space travel. Human being is catching up with his idea 50 years later.

 

The reason: The foundation of neutron scattering science in Asia

I would like to introduce one historical figure in Physics. As Europe and U.S.A., Japan has originated a number of brilliant physicists as well, such as, Shinichiro Tomonaga, Hideki Yukawa, Yoichiro Nanbu, including 9 of Novel prize winners in Physics. Among these physicists, I would like to bring up an experimental physicist who had contributed to neutron scattering experiment techniques for more than 50 years. He is special to me. He is the first generation of scientist in neutron scattering (nearly = diffraction, for the simplicity) in Japan.

His name is Dr. Gen Shirane. He was born in Kobe, Japan, graduated from the Univ. of Tokyo. After his graduation, he came to the U.S., and worked for Brookhaven national laboratory. Dr. Shirane has been recognized as one of the most energetic and keen experimental physicists in condensed matter physics. Throughout his career, he published more than 700 scientific papers, and the qualities of those papers are quite high. His works opened many new fields in condensed matter and neutron scattering experiments.

We physicists have three quantum beams to study materials, which are neutron, X-ray, and electron. Since those three are diffracted by crystal, the techniques are sometimes similar. Nevertheless, knowledge and techniques have been accumulating independently in those fields. I personally think, the technique in neutron diffraction is most mature, X-ray diffraction is now hottest and expanding, and Electron diffraction is expanding and most promising. Among them, I am a professional for this neutron scattering.

In addition to his scientific carrier, he was a good educator. He trained many physicists, especially Japanese physicist. My former boss who is professor at the University of Virginia described him as “Japanese Mafia.” Japanese young physicists often came to the U.S. and worked for him. They learned a lot of neutron experimental techniques from him. Once these physicists became good experimental physicists, went back to Japan, and started their own laboratories in major universities. I am a third generation of his follower of Dr. Shirane. I have never met him, because he died in 2005, the year I just graduated university. However, I always keep in my mind his enormous passion and enthusiasm for science.

I have read his selected publications which listed more than 30 papers with more than 100 cited. This is remarkable figures. I needed 1 month to finish this. He is a specialist for experimental techniques on so called triple axis spectrometer invented by Dr. Brockhouse. After almost 60 year after invention, this machine is everywhere in the world, and very productive. Shirane worked hard on this machine and produce a lot of paper and techniques.

He also teaches me good instrument scientist should also be good scientist. Since, it takes a lot of time to maintenance for this machine and its users, Instrumental scientists tend to be instrument manager. But I believe I have to be very the scientist who knows this machine best, produce papers, invent new techniques, and then give the users good idea to work on, as Shirane had done.

I am going to work for ANSTO OPAL research reactor which started 2008, so the snowball neutron scattering start packing just 6 years ago in Australia. I am in charge of one of these machines in Australia ANSTO. How much productive it would be depends on our contribution to Australian neutron scattering. And also Japan leaded to establish the AOCNA (Asis-Oceania neutron scattering association), whose first conference was held at Tsukuba Japan 2011. The community of neutron scattering in Asia is growing. I don’t have any intention to stop rolling down this hill with this community.

http://neutrons.phy.bnl.gov/Gen_Shirane_page.shtm

The reason: He teaches the pleasure of finding things out

Richard Feynman is one of the best theoretical physicists in American history. He received the Nobel prize in 1965 For his contributions to the development of quantum electrodynamics with Julian Schwinger and Sin-Itiro Tomonaga. We was born in NYC in 1918 and died in California in 1988. He was scientist and teacher. The way of his living left me a lot and taught me about how to live as a scientist.

• The struggle

He was not interested in publishing pretty papers. He was struggling, more intensely than I had ever seen anyone struggle, to understand the workings of nature by rebuilding physics from the bottom up. Feynman, Richard P. (2005-04-06). The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman (Helix Books) . Basic Books. Kindle Edition.

 There is conflict ideas struggle and fun to physics. As Elon Musk said, because people struggle to solve the problem, people never forget how he solved problem. And when we finally solved problem tremendous pleasure come to him. The best scientist struggle hardest because the problem he is trying to solve is the hardest problem people can think of. But he can’t live without trying.

• The pleasure of finding things out

Feynman always said that he did physics not for the glory or for awards and prizes but for the fun of it, for the sheer pleasure of finding out how the world works, what makes it tick. Feynman, Richard P. (2005-04-06). The Pleasure of Finding Things Out: The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman (Helix Books). Basic Books. Kindle Edition.

The science and technology is different. Science is more like purpose. Technology is like means to purpose. For example, I am physicist studying magnet. My goal is to find out why the magnet has this magnetic property? I am just curious why. Why is this material different from others? Why do these materials have same properties? So, I have to answer the question why. So then, I build hypothesis. Assuming the hypothesis is right, we do experiments. The questions and hypothesis requires technology to do experiment because the hypothesis needs to be tested. Nevertheless hypothesis turned to wrong, finding things out is great pleasure.

• Integrity

Now, Dr. Keel started out by telling me that he had a degree in physics. I always assume that everybody in physics has integrity—perhaps I’m naive about that —so I must have asked him a question I often think about: “How can a man of integrity get along in Washington?” It’s very easy to read that question another way: “Since you’re getting along in Washington, you can’t be a man of integrity!” Feynman, Richard P. (2011-02-14). “What Do You Care What Other People Think?”: Further Adventures of a Curious Character (Kindle Locations 2500-2503). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

 When I just graduated my Ph.D. program, I just wrote my blog in Japanese. Throughout my struggle in Ph.D. thesis, I had been asking myself. What is needed most to be physicist. I wrote the answer was “honestly”.  It is hard to know the law of nature. Many try should be fail. I could add false data to short cut my way. But I don’t, because without honestly, the science meaning anything. Just I know this isn’t right. So, anyone who keeping honest whatever required in human society like promotion or money, I think they are man of integrity in front of nature.

• Because he gave Japanese compliment.

He came to Japan with his wife Gweneth because Kyoto University invited him to their conference. After the conference they have time Gweneth and Feynman had decided to travel around Japan and then they decided to go nowhere small town in Japan. And then they also went to University of Kanazawa, Noto Peninsula. They happened to see transitional ceremony.

My Japanese is very poor, so I say something in English: “I love Japan,” I say. “I am particularly impressed by your tremendous rate of technological change, while at the same time your traditions still mean so much, as you are showing with this shrine dedication.” I tried to express the mixture I saw in Japan: change, but without losing respect for traditions. Feynman, Richard P. (2011-02-14). “What Do You Care What Other People Think?”: Further Adventures of a Curious Character (Kindle Locations 985-988). W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

Just his word saves me a lot. One of the brightest scientists respected what we are trying to do. And I would like also to say “I love America”.

The reason: His response for the 6^th grade little girls question “Do scientists pray?”

Almost all people in the world know his name. So, I don’t need to write him much though, maybe I am writing because I would like to know him better. Albert Einstein is a theoretical physicist. He developed the general theory of relatively. He was awarded Novel prize in 1921 for his service for theoretical physics, especially for the discovery of photo electric effect (not the theory of relatively). I don’t want to argue about his history and physics, but I just want to write what I am thinking about him.

• The thought experiment

Two of most important contributions of physics in 20^th century are “the relative theory and the quantum mechanics” And he was strongly against the quantum mechanics at the early stage of development. He said something like “God would not play dice by allowing things to happen by chance” However, his severe criticism helped quantum physicists to think. The reason why it is difficult to understand and discuss the quantum is because the quantum is too small to be observed directly. So discussions are made something “Assuming that the neutron is a particle and also a wave, what if we let it hit the single crystal, then what, to where, and with what speed would be observed” We called this thought experiment, since I do a lot experiment on reactor and accelerator, the experiment sometimes is limited by time and also is expensive. I will do the thought experiment a lot before I do experiment. The quality of thought experiment could be improved with discussion to understand the phenomena better.

• The musician

There are many physicists who play music instrument. Einstein said “I am playing violin to think”. He is totally much smarter and better player than I am though, still but I guess I understand what he is trying to say. For the science, I guess we are using our right brain to think rationally, but usually we struggle with our problem. Sometimes, we would be tired of it. However, when we are playing music instruments, we are using our left brain. We could forget problems we were facing and then we could see the problem with fresh eyes. Maybe, our unconscious keeps working during playing

• The role of school

“The value of a college education is the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think” I am still processing this idea. But this is an important quote that I have to keep in mind if I would be professor in somewhere in University.

• The ethic of scientist

Since I use accelerator and reactor to do experiment, when I was in the U.S., I occasionally went to Oakridge national laboratory. Everyone who does experiment in we have to meet officer on site to get detector how much we are exposed to radioactivity. So, we have to wait some time in front of receptionist. There is the copy on the desk everyone can take it. That letter is so called the Einstein’s first letter to Roosevelt. It pushed American to do experimental work on atomic bomb to against the Nazi. Atomic bomb is the worst weapon human could have, just one bomb could kill 100 thousand people not only solders but also children and women. This letter tells me why we need to use the great power with great responsibility.

• Do scientists pray?

On Sunday school in New York, a little girl asked the question “Do scientist pray?” Einstein said honestly “Scientific research is based on the idea that everything that takes place is determined by laws of nature, and this holds for the actions of people. For this reason, a scientist will hardly be inclined to believe that events could be influenced by a prayer, i.e. by a wish addressed to a supernatural Being.” But he added,

That did not mean, however, there was no Almighty, no spirit larger than ourselves. As he went on to explain to the young girl: Everyone who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe— a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble. In this way the pursuit of science leads to a religious feeling of a special sort, which is indeed quite different from the religiosity of someone more naïve. Isaacson, Walter (2007-04-10). Einstein: His Life and Universe (p. 388). Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.  

I am very comfortable on this idea. So maybe 20^th century and first half 21^st century should be one of science have a great power in society, but people will see the limit of science. If people would depend on science too much, it might be dangerous. It is very important to keep in our mind. The science has (will have) been developed by human beings and society.

The reason: The innovation with anger

Shuji Nakamura will be awarded the Novel prize 2014 for physics with Isamu AkasakiPreview and Hiroshi Amano for having invented energy efficient and environment friendly lighting source.  He was born in Ikata, Japan. He got a Ph.D from University of Tokushima, Japan. Now, he is a professor at University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA. He did great commitment to make blue LED (light-emitting diode). Since the red and green LED had been made already, the blue LED was needed to make the new white light source.

• The speed of innovation

There are great inspirations by knowing his ways to study. One point I would like to make here is his speed of innovation. Why has he succeeded faster than anyone and any company else? For the study, he has to make single crystal by using so called FZ (Floating zone) method. The machine for the FZ method is commercial so that everyone can do that. But, the point is he did everything remodeling, repairing, maintenance, using by himself. He remodeled the machine in the morning and tried to grow the single crystal in the afternoon. Since many people tried to remodel with the makers it took one or two months to finish, however he did everything by himself. That’s why he innovate anyone and any company else. This is good hint for me, I should not give up learning how to fix the machine I am in charge of otherwise I cannot innovate faster than anyone else.

• Innovation with anger

On the interview right after Novel community announced, he said “The anger was my incentive. I can’t do anything without anger”

One of surprising events for him is about his compensation of his invention. He was researcher Nichia Chemical at that time. Nichia paid him just $200 for this invention. Can you believe that? He was furious because the company had earned worth $600 million by using his invention. He went to litigate against Nichia. People said that if you go to a trial for this invention you will not be able to be nominated at Novel Prize. Why don’t you stop meaningless fight? But he did. Firstly a district court approve his claiming $200 million for his invention though, the high court rejected. Since the money matter cannot be argued at the Supreme Court, Nichia and he had finally agreement which Nichia pays around $8 million to Nakamura. He said “This is devastating failure, the juridical system in Japan is just sucks” and also said “This is the defeat of all engineers and scientists who is working at company in Japan” And then, unfortunately, he chose to go to the U.S. to get freedom to study. This event is very important to me.

• Read and Do better than what you read.

One of important person for him is Ogawa who gave him to opportunity to study even though company might lose a lot of money. There is an important quote from him from the book “Brilliant” by Bob Johnstone.

Book learning was no good: country boys like him were more practical. “If you study books, you only believe what is written in them, and you can’t go on to the next step. Just reading books and copying what’s in them is no good. Read the books, then stop and think, and you’ll be able to do something better than what’s in the book.” Asked how he came up with his own inventions, Ogawa replied, “By thinking hard and working hard. Everybody used to do it by the book, without thinking. But that way, you can’t make any improvements.” Bob Johnstone. Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura And the Revolution in Lighting Technology (Kindle Locations 237-240). Kindle Edition.

This is kind of warning to me, I am scholar who is professional of study. But reading is not job but just the part of job. Only when we create something new or beyond, the study means something to us. For the scientist like me, the goal is creating papers. What we have to do is contributing for the society and the world by producing new knowledge.

• The entrepreneurship

 I believe that Japanese have to focus more on the entrepreneurship. I am not sure that this is because cultural background though, Japanese are not taking risk so much lately. The young college graduations want to big companies, like Toyota, Sony. It seems that they are afraid of something to be failure.  Japanese used to have great entrepreneurships. However we might lose it sometime or somewhere. I did not have the entrepreneurships when I was in college. I just wanted to be a scientist. But, I would like young people to have more entrepreneurship in Japan. I would like to contribute to make the pave way of getting the entrepreneurship back in Japan by encouraging, investing, or however I come up with for young people. The following quote is also the book “Brilliant” by Bob Johnstone.

Japanese should ask themselves why, despite the facts that the bright blue light emitting diode originated in Japan and that two of the “Big Five”* manufacturers of gallium nitride LEDs are Japanese, essentially none of the huge surge of related entrepreneurial activity has taken place in Japan. Almost all the solid-state lighting start-ups that have popped up over the past few years have been American, Asian, or, interestingly enough, Canadian. Though the regulatory environment in Japan is no longer as hostile to entrepreneurs as it once was, the Japanese still have much to learn about how to foster risk taking and wealth creation. (Bob Johnstone. Brilliant!: Shuji Nakamura And the Revolution in Lighting Technology (Kindle Locations 119-123). Kindle Edition.)