iTHEMS Program Director Tetsuo Hatsuda elected new International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

On April 24, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences announced the election of 250 new members (25 new International Honorary Members), and Tetsuo Hatsuda, Program Director of RIKEN iTHEMS, was elected as one of the new International Honorary Members. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is the oldest academy in the United States, founded in 1780, and the Academy's mission is stated as follows : "Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences honors excellence and convenes leaders from every field of human endeavor to examine new ideas, address issues of importance to the nation and the world, and work together “to cultivate every art and science which may tend to advance the interest, honor, dignity, and happiness of a free, independent, and virtuous people” (From "About the Academy" webpage).

“We honor these artists, scholars, scientists, and leaders in the public, non-profit, and private sectors for their accomplishments and for the curiosity, creativity, and courage required to reach new heights,” said David Oxtoby, President of the Academy. “We invite these exceptional individuals to join in the Academy’s work to address serious challenges and advance the common good.”

From RIKEN, Akito Arima (former President), Ryoji Noyori (former President), Masatoshi Takeichi (former Director of the Center for Developmental Biology), Shigeyuki Yokoyama (former Director of the RIKEN Systems and Structural Biology Center), and Takuzo Aida (former Deputy Director of the Center for Emergent Matter Science) have been selected. This year, two Japanese have been selected: Tetsuo Hatsuda and Isao Kumakura (Professor Emeritus, National Museum of Ethnology). Induction ceremonies for new members will take place on September 21 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Upon receiving the prize, Dr. Hatsuda said, "I feel very honored to be appointed as a foreign honorary member of the Academy. I hope to contribute to the well-being of humanity and the development of science in cooperation with my seniors in various fields."