Overview
- Speaking on Dec. 7 in Stockholm, Kitagawa described co-recipient Omar Yaghi as both a competitor and a colleague, saying their differing perspectives made the joint award welcome.
- Kitagawa reiterated that translating laboratory discoveries to societal use can take roughly 25 years and urged the Japanese government to expand sustained funding for fundamental science.
- He developed metal–organic frameworks, porous materials that can adsorb gases, with applications expected for energy and environmental challenges.
- On Dec. 6 he visited Stockholm’s Japanese supplementary school, telling about 100 in-person and online participants to become pioneers and to study widely.
- Reflecting on his career, the 74-year-old Kyoto University special professor said moving research bases, including time at Kindai University, provided vital stimulation and that learning in many places is important.