Scientific publisher Nature Publishing Group (NPG), UK, has announced the winners of the 2009 Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science. The 2009 awards invited nominations from Japan, with two prizes of 1.5 million JPY - one for mid-career achievement (up to 59 years of age), and one for lifetime achievement (60 years of age and over).
Prof. Fumio Oosawa received the lifetime achievement award, while the mid-career award was bagged by Dr. Hiroaki Kitano. The Awards were presented by Dr. Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief of leading weekly science journal, Nature.
Professor Fumio Oosawa, who has been active in research for more than sixty years, was recognised for the large number of students he has mentored over many years. Many of his former students have gone on to prestigious appointments at leading universities in Japan and have themselves mentored a large number of students.
Dr. Hiroaki Kitano received the mid-career award for his encouragement of students towards continual personal and scientific development and to broadening the scope of their scientific knowledge. Dr. Kitano has mentored many Japanese and non-Japanese students.
Launched in 2005, the annual Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science recognise outstanding scientific mentorship and focus on a specific country or countries each year. 2009 sees the first Awards in Asia, with nominations invited from Japan. The panel of judges for the 2009 Awards included 2001 Chemistry Nobel Laureate, Prof. Ryoji Noyori.
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