![リガクル[RIGAKU-RU] Exploring Science](/ja/rigakuru/images/top/title_RIGAKURU.png)
“I fall in love with what I start doing.” This is how Shoya Sakamoto of the Institute of Materials Research at Tohoku University describes himself, sitting in a relaxed position. After earning his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University and was appointed associate professor at a young age. Although his career seems to have progressed smoothly, it he had not planned it in advance. Engaging with the tasks at hand in earnest and valuing his connections with people led to a future he had never imagined.
The Nobel Prize that opened the door to physics
Born into a farming family in Saga Prefecture, Sakamoto was an avid basketball player during his middle and high school years. When asked about his future aspirations, he would jokingly answer, “professional athlete.” Becoming a researcher was something he would not even entertain at the time.
It was at a time when he spent much of his time at cram school that he heard the news that Japanese researchers Yoichiro Nambu, Makoto Kobayashi, and Toshihide Maskawa had won the Nobel Prize in Physics. The grand challenge of discovering the origin of matter and solving the mysteries of the universe filled him with an excitement he had never felt before, and he decided to study physics. He entered the University of Tokyo and majored in physics, with the aim of “studying physics-y topics like elementary particles and the universe.”
Social relevance and suitability lead to condensed matter physics
Although his fascination with elementary particles and the universe drew Sakamoto to the world of physics, another consideration rose. “While elementary particles and astrophysics are interesting, I wanted to choose a field that has a bit more connection to society,” he remembers.
“There were so many talented people in the physics department. I realized that pursuing truth with paper and pen was a path not meant for me.” This realization allowed him to assess himself without bias. Taking stock this way was by no means negative. It was an honest search to choose a field that would allow him to make the best use of his abilities.
What he discovered was condensed matter physics, a field that seeks to uncover the diverse properties of matter, creating a bridge to real-world applications. He continued his studies in this field in graduate school, throwing himself into research, trying to solve the mystery of what makes magnetic semiconductors, semiconductors that exhibit magnetic properties, magnetic.
The Program for Leading Graduate Schools makes a PhD possible
Although Sakamoto became deeply engrossed in research after entering graduate school, he had to face a common challenge for those aspiring to become researchers: achieving financial independence. “My family had modest means, so I knew could not continue my research indefinitely relying on my parents' support,” he recalls.
In such circumstances, the Program for Leading Graduate Schools*, a first-of-a-kind initiative that provides stipends and other support to enable students to focus on research without financial concerns, became a ray of hope.
Sakamoto saw it as a way in. “If I get accepted into the program, I can live independently and do research,” but he also made up his mind to look for a job in case he did not get accepted into the program. However, he got accepted. Not only was he freed from financial anxiety, but he also got to immerse himself in research along with fellow participating students who shared his aspirations.
Starting spintronics research thanks to chance and connections
After earning his PhD and taking his first steps as a researcher, Sakamoto chose to pursue a postdoctoral position in the United States. When asked about why he decided to do so, he says with a slight blush that there was not a particular reason. “I got to intern at an American company for three months through the Program for Leading Graduate Schools. I enjoyed it and wanted to do my postdoctoral research in the US as well.”
However, finding a postdoctoral position was not straightforward. Sakamoto wanted to shift from his previous field of “measuring materials” to spintronics. “I reached out to various labs in the field, but due to my lack of experience, things did not go smoothly.”
This time, his connections helped him. Through an introduction from his advisor, Professor Atsushi Fujimori of the Department of Physics, he got in contact with Professor Shen at Stanford University. His laboratory also focused on measurement, which was Sakamoto's field at the time. Although he was hoping to pursue spintronics, he did not want to miss a chance that was right in front of him.
As his postdoctoral term was coming to an end, another turning point arrived. A position opened at Shinji Miwa’s spintronics laboratory at the University of Tokyo’s Institute for Solid State Physics. This was the spintronics research Sakamoto had previously tried to pursue. “It aligned perfectly with what I wanted to do, so I decided to apply,” he says. He seized the opportunity that came at the perfect time.
Moving on to the next stage, encouraged by a mentor
Upon joining the University of Tokyo as an assistant professor, he devoted himself to the spintronics research he had wanted to do for so long. After five years of dedicated research in a stable position, it was time to put his roots down. However, at a time when many would consider settling down, Sakamoto's career took another turn. A position as an associate professor at Tohoku University opened. Professor Miwa strongly encouraged him to apply. “Professor Miwa always encouraged me to leave the nest as soon as possible. He emphasized the importance for researchers to constantly seek the next position and advance their careers.”
Having successfully secured the position, Sakamoto aims to fuse the two experiences he gained throughout his career: the skills “to measure” cultivated as a postdoctoral researcher and the skills “to build devices” he mastered at Professor Miwa's laboratory. “By combining these two, I believe I can conduct research that only I can do.” Solving mysteries using his measuring skills on the devices he has built himself, the seemingly unrelated experiences are beginning to form a single thread at Tohoku University.
The foundation is his inquisitive spirit as a physicist. “While I think developments from step 100 to step 101 are important, I am personally more interested in making the first step from zero. I want to discover interesting phenomena using unusual materials that no one has ever used before. If that leads to some kind of application in the future, that would be wonderful, but for now, I just want to solve the mysteries and reveal the curiosities.”
Although Sakamoto chose the field of condensed matter physics because of its connection to society, after his various experiences, he may once again be turning his attention toward the fundamental questions of physics. In his new laboratory, surrounded by a wide community of colleagues who sometimes even come together to barbecue or cook the Tohoku region's famous potato stew, Sakamoto continues to explore what nobody has seen before in the pursuit of the “first step from zero.”
To future researchers
To close off the interview, Sakamoto is asked to share a message with students who are facing their forks in the road and are about to embark on their paths. His are sincere, drawing on his experience.
“The best thing about the School of Science is that it teaches you the essence of matter.” If you have a solid understanding of the fundamentals of physics and chemistry, you will be able to excel in any field you choose in the future. I deeply believe that.”
He says that the greatest asset gained in the School of Science is not just expert knowledge, but the way of thinking that allows one to grasp things from the foundations up. He continues, addressing students who are considering pursuing a doctoral degree.
"In corporate research, you have to research what the company wants you to research. In contrast, a doctoral program offers the first and best opportunity to pursue what you truly want to do without any disturbance."
Of course, he understands from his own experience that the path of an academic researcher is not always appealing, given issues such as fixed-term contracts and compensation. Nevertheless, he says, “Being able to research what you love and do what you want to do is the best part of this job.”
Sakamoto's path liberates us from the idea that a career must be planned out in advance. At its core is a pure curiosity about physics, a passion for finding the interesting in everything, and a flexible mindset that allows him to fall in love with whatever he starts doing.
The future is a series of “chances” and “connections.” That is why immersing yourself in the studies right in front of you will one day become your unique “unprecedented weapon,” opening the door to an unexpected future.
*A long-term graduate education program supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and certain universities
※Interview conducted in 2025
Text by HORIBE Naoto
Photography by ATSUMI Shunichi
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