International Partnership Advances Quantum Materials Research & Innovation

Posted: April 25, 2017

The University of Tokyo has formally joined the SBQMI, UBC and the Max Planck Society in an international partnership designed to advance quantum materials research and innovation. The new partnership will create the Max Planck – UBC – UTokyo Centre for Quantum Materials, an expansion of the original Max Planck-UBC Centre for Quantum Materials, established in 2010.

UTokyo President Makoto Gonokami, UBC President Santa Ono and Max Planck Society President Martin Stratmann signed an agreement to formalize the growing partnership today at the University of Tokyo. They were joined by Bernhard Keimer, director of the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research, Andrea Damascelli, scientific director of UBC’s Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute; and Atsushi Fujimori, Professor of Physics at UTokyo.

“I am thrilled that UBC researchers will be working alongside top scientists from Max Planck and the University Tokyo to create knowledge for a better future,” said Andrea Damascelli, in Tokyo for the event.

The partnership commits to joint research collaborations at all three institutions and creating exchange opportunities for scientists and students to work and study at the partner institutions. Quantum materials research has potential applications in the electronics and information fields, the automotive industry, the health care sector, and sustainable energy. UTokyo brings expertise in synthesizing and characterizing quantum materials to the Centre. Currently 120 research groups at different departments in three UTokyo campuses work in the area of condensed matter physics.

“I’m excited to see that UTokyo is now part of the Center for Quantum Materials,” said Fujimori. “I believe it will be the strongest partnership in quantum materials research and encourage new generation in this field.”

Since 2010, the Centre has created a new, innovative forum for scientific exchange and collaboration, which has enabled important discoveries in superconductors and other quantum materials. The Centre has given bright young scientists new opportunities to experience the spirit of international collaboration, and to contribute to a rapidly evolving research frontier.

“I very much look forward to new research collaborations with friends and colleagues at the University of Tokyo, and to a unique partnership with leading scientists on three continents,” noted Keimer.