Susumu Kitagawa Decorated with Medal with Purple Ribbon
June 15, 2011
On June 15, Japan's Cabinet Office announced that Kyoto University Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) Deputy Director Susumu Kitagawa would be among 25 to be decorated with the Medal with Purple Ribbon, an award honoring contributors to the arts, academia, and sports. In total, 705 individuals and 24 groups are to receive medals in various categories during the Spring 2011 Decorations.
Prof. Kitagawa was recognized for his leading role in the development of inorganic chemistry research.
"The creation of unique porous coordination polymers composed of metal ions and organic compounds is a direct result of our successful development of a new field, the chemistry of coordination space," said Prof. Kitagawa. "These new compounds surpass existing porous materials in their ability to absorb, separate, and catalyze, opening the door to possible solutions to numerous energy and environmental challenges that we now face."
Following the award ceremony in Tokyo, the Emperor will have audiences with the recipients at the Imperial Palace on June 29.
Recent recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon include 
Kiyokazu Washida, President of Osaka University (2004), Tetsuro Matsuzawa, Director of Kyoto University's Primate Research Institute (2004), and Shinya Yamanaka, concurrently Director of Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) and Professor at the iCeMS (2008).
Media Coverage
- NHK (June 15, 2011)
- Yomiuri Shimbun (June 15, 2011 page 33)
- Yakuji Nippo (June 15, 2011 page 1)
- Sankei Shimbun (June 15, 2011 page 24)
- The Nikkei (June 15, 2011 page 38)
- Mainichi Shimbun (June 15, 2011 page 27)
- Kyoto Shimbun (June 15, 2011 page 6)
- Chugoku Shimbun (June 15, 2011 web)
- Asahi Shimbun (June 15, 2011 page 34)