Laboratory for Green Porous Materials (LGPM) held its opening ceremony in Singapore
On March 11, iCeMS and the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) of Singapore celebrated the inauguration of Kyoto University’s On-site Laboratory for Green Porous Materials (LGPM). The event kicked off with a scientific talk session in the morning, followed by the official opening ceremony, both held at the A*STAR facility in Singapore.
The morning session began with greetings from LGPM's director, iCeMS Distinguished Professor Susumu Kitagawa. Expressing his gratitude, Kitagawa reflected on the significance of holding such an event after the delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the value of international collaborative research.
The introductory remarks were followed by a series of six insightful scientific discussions. The first presentation was delivered by Assoc Prof Dan Zhao, the Dean's Chair at the National University of Singapore. This was followed by Asst Prof Ken-ichi Otake of iCeMS, leader of LGPM’s Research Group 1. Dr Jason Lim, Group 2 Leader at LGPM and Head of the Advanced Biomaterials Department at IMRE delivered the third talk. The session continued with Mr Daisuke Asari, CEO of Atomis Inc, then Dr Tetsuo Oikawa, Senior Product Manager for TEM at JEOL ASIA, and finally, Dr Takashi Kikuchi from the Application Laboratories at Rigaku Corp, sharing their latest research findings.
After the scientific session, lunch provided an exciting opportunity for attendees to discuss potential future collaborations.
The afternoon ceremony began with Prof Norihiro Tokitoh, an Executive Vice-President of Kyoto University underlining the Kyoto-Singapore strategic alliance, followed by A*STAR's CEO, Mr Frederick Chew, who spoke on the collaboration's potential to advance green material development. Prof Andy Hor then advocated for cross-disciplinary work in developing AI-designed sustainable materials.
Then a ceremonial exchange of gifts between Chew and Tokitoh marked the beginning of the Kyoto University and A*STAR collaboration.
After that, Prof Motonari Uesugi, Director of iCeMS, then introduced the iCeMS’ vision focused on self-assembly, exploring the intersection of life and material science. Prof Loh Xian Jun, Executive Director of IMRE, provided insights into IMRE's focus on advanced materials and technologies.
Another gift exchange, between Uesugi and Loh, symbolized the strong bond between iCeMS and IMRE.
The day concluded with LGPM director Kitagawa, outlining the lab's mission and its critical role in pioneering materials science for a sustainable future, stressing the importance of innovative solutions to global challenges.
After the ceremony there was a tea reception that provided an excellent opportunity for attendees to engage in further discussions and networking in a more relaxed setting. Alongside this, participants had the chance to explore the IMRE facilities, gaining insights into the cutting-edge research and development being undertaken.
The one-day event was also attended by representatives of the Singapore and Asian offices of Japanese institutions such as JST, RIKEN, JETRO, JEOL, Rigaku, Yachiyo Engineering, Shimadzu, as well as the Embassy of Japan in Singapore and Kyoto University’s ASEAN Center. Moreover, researchers from Singapore’s leading universities were also in attendance, enhancing the collaborative atmosphere of the event.
