Hirosi Ooguri to receive Medal of Honor from the Emperor of Japan

November 2, 2019
Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)
 

The Emperor of Japan will confer a Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon to Hirosi Ooguri, Director of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe at the University of Tokyo and the Fred Kavli Professor of Theoretical Physics and Mathematics at the California Institute of Technology, the government of Japan announced on November 2.

“I have been brought up in the public school system in Japan, starting from elementary education and all the way to the graduate school. My research has also been generously supported by the people of Japan. It means a lot to me to receive this award from the Japanese government.”

“I have been extraordinarily fortunate to have been able to enjoy my career in basic science research. I will continue my effort to advance our understanding of high energy physics and cosmology. As the director of the Kavli IPMU, I will also do my best to create and sustain an environment to support basic science research,” said Ooguri.

The awards will be conferred by Emperor Naruhito on November 3, the Culture Day holiday and the birthday of Emperor Meiji, who established the awards in 1881. Medals with Purple Ribbon were added in 1955 to recognize “individuals who have contributed to academic and artistic discoveries, inventions, and innovations.”

Robert W. Conn, president and chief executive officer of The Kavli Foundation, has sent his congratulations to Ooguri on the news.

“We are thrilled that Hirosi Ooguri has received the Medal of Honor, one of Japan’s most prestigious awards, in recognition of his many accomplishments and contributions to science. As the director of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, we know Hirosi as one of the finest scientists in the world. We are honored to have him lead the Kavli IPMU and congratulate him on this richly deserved award.”

An award ceremony is scheduled on December 17. Then, recipients will be invited to the Imperial Palace to have an audience with the Emperor and receive his commendations at the State Banquet Hall.
 

Hirosi Ooguri’s Education:
1984    Kyoto University    Bachelor of Science
1986     Kyoto University     Master of Science
1989     University of Tokyo    Doctor of Science

Employment:
1986 – 1989    University of Tokyo            Assistant Professor
1988 – 1989    Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton    Member
1989 – 1990    University of Chicago        Assistant Professor
1990 – 1996    Kyoto University            Associate Professor
1996 – 2000     University of California, Berkeley    Professor
1996 – 2000     Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory    Faculty Senior Scientist
2000 – 2007     California Institute of Technology    Professor
2007 – present     California Institute of Technology    Fred Kavli Professor
2010 – 2015    California Institute of Technology, Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy          Deputy Chair
2014 – present    California Institute of Technology, Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics            Founding Director
2016 – 2019     Aspen Center for Physics        President
2018 – present    Kavli IPMU, University of Tokyo    Director

Awards & Honors:
2008     American Mathematical Society    Eisenbud Prize for Mathematics and Physics
2008     Alexander von Humboldt Foundation    Humboldt Research Award
2009     Mathematical Society of Japan    Takagi Lecturer
2009     Nishina Memorial Foundation    Nishina Memorial Prize
2012     Simons Foundation            Simons Investigator
2012     American Mathematical Society    Fellow
2014     Kodansha                Kodansha Prize for Science Books
2016    International Planetarium Society    Best Educational Product Award
2016     Chunichi Shimbun            Chunichi Cultural Prize
2016     American Academy of Arts and Sciences                Fellow
2018     Joachim Herz Foundation        Hamburg Prize


Related links
Types of Medals (Cabinet Office)
Summary of the Honors System (Cabinet Office)
Hirosi Ooguri’s website (Caltech)