Kaoru Sato, Professor, Department of Earth and Planetary Science

Dr. in 1991 from the Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University. 1995 Research Associate at Kyoto University, where he began studying atmospheric gravity waves and their role in global atmospheric phenomena and the physics of atmospheric hierarchical structure using large atmospheric radars, radiosondes and high-resolution General Circulation Models (GCMs). In 1999, he became an assistant professor at the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR), where he initiated the first large-scale atmospheric radar project in Antarctica (PANSY radar), which was realized at Showa Station in 2011. Currently, he is promoting international joint research centered on the Global Atmospheric Radar Observation Network and high-resolution GCM. He was a member of the 44th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE) wintering party and the 60th summer party, and has been in his current position since 2005. He received the Fujiwara Award from the Meteorological Society of Japan, the Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2021.

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Q. What was your favorite subject as a child?
A. Science , arithmetic, music
Science: I thought experiments that produced results that defied expectations were interesting. Math: I enjoyed solving problems. Music: I was fascinated with playing the piano with my friends from next door. I thought it was wonderful to have a variety of sounds that I could not produce alone.

Q. What is your motto?
A. Regrets never cease.
Even if you set a goal, come up with an idea, study carefully, and continue to work hard, there are many times when you wish you had done something differently. But that is normal. I have decided to reopen my mind to the fact that it is proof that I am continuing to challenge myself to do my best.

Q. What do you like about the School of Science at the University of Tokyo?
A. Respect for each other's field of study.
We are all passionate about our research, so even though we are in different fields, we often resonate with each other and have fun talking.

Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Music
Once I set up a telecommuting environment for the Corona Pandemic, I have more opportunities to play the piano. I play only about 15 minutes a day so as not to affect my work, but I am gradually working on new pieces.

Q. What books would you recommend to students?
A. An Introduction to Dynamic Meteorology by James R. Holton
This is a specialized book, but it is a must-have textbook for those who want to study meteorology. It is now in its 5th edition, but the 4th edition, written by Dr. Holton alone, is probably easier to read. It is written in clean and concise English, and is full of interesting physics of the atmosphere, not only in the content itself but also between the lines.

Q. What is your source of inspiration?
A. When I am discussing with students and collaborators in the laboratory, when I am walking around thinking
I think it is because discussing aloud helps me to organize issues and consider them from various angles at the same time. When I am walking while thinking, I cannot see what is going on around me, so I am afraid that if I meet someone I know, I may not notice them and be rude.

Q. Would you go to the future?
A. I would like to go to the future.
The global environment is changing drastically due to human activities. Various efforts are being made to maintain a livable planet in the future, but the results will not be known until after our lifespan. I hope the future is wonderful.

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