Springer Nature Group awards scholarship to Japanese university postgraduate students
The Julius Springer Scholarships, presented at an award ceremony in July 2021, are intended to remove some of the financial barriers to study.
August 6, 2021 | Tokyo
Springer Nature Group in Japan has selected two applicants to receive the Julius Springer Scholarship, an award of which will provide €12,500 (approx. 1.5 million JPY) each to Japanese university students who are in financial need, to contribute to the costs of their education. This scholarship is designed to enable university students who are experiencing hardship, for example due to the coronavirus pandemic or other reasons, to pursue their studies and continue research. The awarding ceremony to grant the scholarship took place online on July 28, 2021.
The scholarship was awarded following a competitive process, involving a written submission in response to a call for applications between February and May 2021. A total of thirty-six applications were received, and two students were selected for the scholarship after online interviews of a shortlisted group. The two students who have been selected to receive the scholarship are Ms. Yuno Suzuki of Teikyo University and Mr. Ryosuke Shimada of the University of Tokyo.
This Julius Springer Scholarship is funded by the Julius Springer Charitable Fund, a charity affiliated with Springer Nature. The fund provides financial support for people in need in Germany and, each year, in another country where Springer Nature operates. This year, Japan has been selected to receive support from the fund and has established the Julius Springer Scholarship for university students in Japan. Julius Springer is the name of the German publisher who founded the academic publishing house Springer, now known as Springer Nature.
Antoine Bocquet, Managing Director of Springer Nature in Japan, said: “Springer Nature is honored to be able to support university students in Japan who are in financial need, to further continue their studies. We are delighted that this Julius Springer scholarship will support the education and research of Ms. Yuno Suzuki and Mr. Ryosuke Shimada, who have both put in great efforts towards their studies. They have both demonstrated strong motivation to take up new challenges and to pursue their research in medicinal sciences and mathematics, respectively. I sincerely wish both students all the best in their future endeavors”
Comments from the two recipients of the Julius Springer Scholarship:
Ms. Yuno Suzuki of the Graduate School of Pharma-Science at Teikyo University commented, “Thank you for selecting me as a Julius Springer Scholarship student. I am delighted and honored to be chosen for this award. My research interest is in drug delivery systems (DDS), a technology that aims to deliver drugs to target tissues in the required amount. DDS technology can make existing drugs safer and more effective, for example, by using liposomes, which are nanoparticles made of lipids. In recent years, new drug development is becoming more and more difficult because of the number of barriers that need to be overcome. Therefore, I think DDS technology has an important position in drug development. I would like to accumulate different experiences during my doctor’s course in order to contribute to advances in medical science through such DDS technology in the future.”
Mr. Ryosuke Shimada of the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Tokyo commented, “I am earnestly grateful for being selected as a Julius Springer scholarship student. I am extremely honored to be receiving scholarships from one of the most famous publishers for researchers, teachers and students like us. My major is arithmetic geometry in mathematics.
Arithmetic geometry is the application of techniques from geometry to problems in number theory. My current interest is in the Langlands conjecture, which stems from the mysterious interrelationship between two different prime numbers, the quadratic reciprocity law. I consider that such a mystery of numbers is closely related to the origin of the universe, as it has been believed by mathematicians since ancient times. Unraveling the truth of the universe through such research is my goal in life, and I will keep studying for this purpose”
The call for applications of the Julius Springer Scholarship has been supported by the Research University Consortium 33 (RU33) and NPO Cheiron Initiative.
Congratulatory address by Dr. Amane Koizumi, Project Professor of the Research Enhancement Promotion Headquarters National Institutes of Natural Sciences and a representative of the Research University Consortium 33:
“Congratulations to Ms. Suzuki and Mr. Shimada for being selected for the Julius Springer Scholarship. During this coronavirus crisis, both education and research at universities are facing extreme challenges. I understand that many students are spending their time in the midst of great difficulties. University faculty members also find that there is no correct answer for dealing with this crisis, and we are undertaking various responsibilities through trial and error.
Hearing Ms. Suzuki and Mr. Shimada’s words, I believe that education and research will be the most powerful force for humanity during this difficult time. In order to continue our support, such as through this scholarship program, I envisage that it is important for academic publishers like Springer Nature, universities, and students to work together and continue its efforts to advance education and research”
Congratulatory address by Dr. Takeya Adachi, Founder and Vice President, NPO Cheiron Initiative and Research Assistant Professor, Keio Frontier Research & Education Collaborative Square (K-FRECS) at Tonomachi, Keio University:
“I wish to congratulate Ms. Suzuki and Mr. Shimada for receiving this prestigious Julius Springer Scholarship. As the shape of science and innovation in the world is gradually changing, diverse and disruptive research is being carried out under various initiatives that support not only the research itself, but also the environment of the researchers. I am convinced that for such new challenges that create serendipity to happen, the provision of relief such as this scholarship is essential. With the same vision, we, NPO Cheiron Initiative, have promoted and will continue to promote activities to support researchers with their families as well. I would be very happy if Ms. Suzuki and Mr. Shimada would both make the most of this scholarship and continue to work diligently on their research. At the same time, I hope that they will not confine themselves to the shell of their own expertise domestically, but also focus on various encounters across other countries and disciplines that will lead to their own serendipities“
