Go freely forward in high spirits!
Taro Hitosugi
(Professor, Department of Chemistry)
1999 PhD (Koichi Kitazawa Laboratory), The University of Tokyo, 1999-2003, Sony Corporation, 2003-2007, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, The University of Tokyo, 2007-2015, Associate Professor, Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, 2015-2016, Professor, Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2016-2022, Professor, Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2019-2022, Program Sub-coordinator, Tokyo Tech Academy for Convergence of Materials and Informatics (TAC-MI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2020-2022, Special Advisor to the President, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2022- Professor, Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Tokyo.
Q. What was your favorite subject as a child?
A. Physical education
It could not be anything else but physical education! I preferred soccer, basketball, wrestling, volleyball, swimming, and many other forms of moving my body over studying. Now, I only go for walks and watch rugby, but that is about it. I sometimes go to the UTokyo rugby team's games. It is not an answer you would expect in The Rigakubu News, is it? Many lessons that apply to research can be learned from sports or even just by reading “Slam Dunk” or watching “School Wars.”
Q. What were you interested in when you were in middle and high school?
A. Listening to music.
I fell in love with music, Whitesnake, Led Zeppelin, Billy Joel, Chicago, and many others when I was in elementary school in the US. I also remember listening to Southern All Stars songs over and over because I went to junior high school in Kamakura. Listening to music is a great way to create a change of pace. Apart from in-person meetings, I almost always have the radio on. I have background music on, even while commuting to work and during online meetings (when I am not speaking). When a great song comes on, it brightens my mood. It is not an answer you would expect in The Rigakubu News, is it? (laughs)
Q. What is your motto?
A. Forward!
This is the motto of Chuji Kitajima, a former head coach of Meiji University’s rugby team. In rugby, you can only pass backward. Therefore, to go forward, you must take a step backward. Moreover, the oval shape of the rugby ball sometimes makes it come back despite being kicked forward. There are times when things do not go according to plan, both in research and everyday life. At those times, I like to think a setback is just the first step forward. That makes me feel much better!
Read more about this in my interview in RIGAKU-RU.
Q. What are your hobbies?
A. Enjoying the warmth of sunlight/Relaxing in warm sunlight
I can relax when I am surrounded by greenery. Or when I am drinking coffee. I love its aroma.
Q. What do you like about the School of Science at the University of Tokyo?
A. An environment where I can think deeply about the mysteries of nature and face them in earnest.
I have experience doing research at several universities and companies (even marketing and sales at one point). Each has its positive and negative aspects. What I like about the School of Science is that I can do research in a calm environment, without getting caught up in the politics within the university, such as reorganization. I do not know what the future holds, though.
Q. What books and textbooks would you recommend for students?
A. 1. The Essential Drucker on Individuals: To Perform, to Contribute and to Achieve by Peter Drucker (especially the second half)
2. The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail, Clayton M. Christensen
3. Ryoma ga yuku by Ryotaro Shiba.
I love reading and read often. I do not exaggerate when I say I skim over 100 books a year. All three of these books contain hints for how to advance research and overcome or avoid setbacks. They also taught me that no matter how much one tries to think rationally, one cannot avoid setbacks. If students are interested in how to write scientific papers, I recommend the manga “Craft of writing scientific papers” by Koreo Kinoshita. It is packed with essential knowledge.
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