Message from the President
Toward the Realization of a Carbon-Neutral Energy Fueled World
Tatsuro Ishibashi, President
Green innovation that utilizes CO2 emission free renewable energy sources is essential to ensure a sustainable supply of environmentally friendly energy for future generations. In his policy speech during the 203rd extraordinary Diet session convened on October 26, 2020, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared, "We aim to achieve a carbon-neutral, decarbonized green society in 2050, which will pledge a cut in overall greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050."
At Kyushu University, we have comprehensively promoted environmental and energy science research, which is our unique part of strengths, with the aim of realizing a carbon-neutral energy society. On December 1, 2010, International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (I2CNER) was established under the World Premier International Research Initiative (WPI) program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
Over the past ten years, I2CNER has conducted cutting-edge basic research on energy issues both in Japan and the world, and has established a worldwide network and international collaboration schemes with overseas principal investigators. After receiving a final evaluation from the WPI Program Committee stating that the institute had reached the WPI standards ("world premier" status), I2CNER was nominated as a WPI Academy Center on April 1, 2020. By fully making use of the international network we have established to date, we will be i) strengthening our ties with strategic partner universities (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and University of Edinburgh), ii) enriching our international network, iii) actively employing a diverse group of researchers, including young, foreign and female researchers, and iv) accelerating international brain circulation. Through these intensive measures, we aim to become a leading-edge basic research institute that contributes to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
On August 26, 2019, I2CNER entered into a strategic partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where Director Petros Sofronis works on a cross-appointment basis. Through the continuation of the University of Illinois Satellite and mutual collaboration, we will further extend our research activities as an international research center for the science of rapid energy conversion on carbon dioxide emissions reduction.
Kyushu University is committed to produce outstanding research accomplishments on energy science and foster world top-level researchers with I2CNER as a leader in achieving a carbon-neutral energy society. We highly appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
