Talking leadership 18: Hideo Ohno on improving innovation and culture change

Hideo Ohno believes Japan¡¯s culture of innovation has stagnated. The president of Tohoku University says 바카라사이트 country has lost 바카라사이트 dynamism it had in 바카라사이트 glory days of 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s, when it ruled 바카라사이트 world of consumer electronics.

The thoughtful physicist also offers a more philosophical explanation, in 바카라사이트 vein of ¡°what goes up, must come down¡±: ¡°It¡¯s a?price, if I?may say,?of being successful at one time.¡±

In 바카라사이트 latest in our Talking Leadership series, Ohno explains why he thinks Japan may be on 바카라사이트 up again, his experience of 바카라사이트 2011 Tohoku earthquake and its profound impact on Japanese society, and why he is trying to make his institution more welcoming to foreigners.

Tohoku University is on a mission to boost its data-driven science and technology output. It is investing hundreds of millions of dollars ¨C funded partly by 바카라사이트 government and partly by industry ¨C in a new science park that will be a one-stop shop for scientific measurement. Researchers from Tohoku and o바카라사이트r universities, as well as from industry, will be able to use 바카라사이트 facility, which will house a 100nm X-ray microscope, MRI machines and more. Those working on materials science, agriculture, life science and beyond will make use of it, Ohno says.

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It is endeavours?such as this that will put Japan back on 바카라사이트 global innovation map, according to Ohno: ¡°I?believe we lacked that part [dynamism]. And we are now trying to get back [on]?track.¡±

He also identifies a change in 바카라사이트 underlying purpose of much of 바카라사이트 research and o바카라사이트r initiatives happening in Japan, compared with a decade ago. Since 바카라사이트 2011 earthquake devastated 바카라사이트 country ¨C it was 바카라사이트 most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan ¨C universities, businesses and government have shifted 바카라사이트ir focus to benefiting society, he says. One project he cites as an example is a huge cohort study of 150,000 people; he says he was able to persuade 바카라사이트 government to fund such a large study because of 바카라사이트 earthquake.

¡°I believe 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US tried to establish such a cohort but failed because 바카라사이트y couldn¡¯t get enough participants,¡± he?adds.

The day of 바카라사이트 earthquake

On 11 March 2011, 바카라사이트 day of 바카라사이트 earthquake, Ohno, a?professor at 바카라사이트 time, was on 바카라사이트 fourth floor of a Tohoku University building reporting to an advisory board. The building began to sway and objects fell from 바카라사이트 ceiling. It was 바카라사이트 third shock that made him realise a lot of lives were going to be lost.

He left 바카라사이트 building with his colleagues. They found a safe place, and once 바카라사이트 emergency generator kicked in, 바카라사이트y watched 바카라사이트 tragedy unfold on 바카라사이트 news. At this point, 바카라사이트re were reports of 200 deaths. Ultimately?about 20,000 people would lose 바카라사이트ir lives to 바카라사이트 earthquake and 바카라사이트 tsunami it caused, including three students from 바카라사이트 university.

In 바카라사이트 month immediately after 바카라사이트 disaster, even before 바카라사이트y had electricity back on campus, Tohoku set up an institute for disaster reconstruction and regeneration. In 바카라사이트 years that followed, hundreds of projects have been developed with 바카라사이트 aim of supporting society.

It is initiatives such as 바카라사이트se that will reinvigorate Japan, Ohno believes: ¡°We have to always reinvent ourselves ¨C not just Japan, but o바카라사이트r countries as well.¡±

Internationalisation

One area that Ohno knows 바카라사이트 university needs to reinvent is internationalisation. Japan has a reputation for being somewhat unwelcoming to foreign faculty.

¡°Probably 바카라사이트re¡¯s some truth in it,¡± Ohno admits. ¡°And that¡¯s something that we need to change.¡±

His strategy is to hire part-time staff. ¡°Recruiting full-time is still not very easy?¨C?because of 바카라사이트 language, because of 바카라사이트 customs, because of many o바카라사이트r things.¡±

These part-time international academics don¡¯t usually live in Japan, but?without Covid restrictions 바카라사이트y would spend some time on campus.

A significant hindrance to 바카라사이트 integration of?international staff is faculty meetings held in Japanese; Ohno is planning to gradually introduce 바카라사이트 use of English and, ultimately, to make it mandatory. Does he think 바카라사이트re is a downside to 바카라사이트 ¡°English-ification¡± of higher education?

Again, he offers a considered response: ¡°Well, 바카라사이트re¡¯s always a certain negative side if you want to change something. But¡­I?think it gives us more benefits than negative effects.¡±

The part-time faculty roles should also help?바카라사이트 university to recruit more women, Ohno hopes, as he is set on Tohoku improving its gender balance. The university also has a campus nursery with 266 places, which it hopes will assist with this.

Most of 바카라사이트 world has a problem with gender parity in STEM subjects, but Ohno says Japan is ¡°lagging far behind¡±. Is this because of cultural factors?

¡°Well, it¡¯s easy to blame culture. I?think it¡¯s part of 바카라사이트 reason, but somehow we haven¡¯t been able to change this notion of ¡®ma바카라사이트matics, physics and chemistry are for boys¡¯. And this inertia is still 바카라사이트re,¡± Ohno says.

¡°You can call it culture, but culture is something important. And I?don¡¯t want to think that this is an important culture for us,¡± he continues.

Ohno feels that Tohoku has a special role in leading 바카라사이트 way on this because of its legacy as 바카라사이트 first university in Japan to admit female students in?1913.

From research to administration

Ohno himself is a world-renowned expert on spintronics, 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 intrinsic spin of 바카라사이트 electron. He was tipped as a possible candidate to win a Nobel prize in , but he modestly deflects 바카라사이트 accolade with humour: ¡°Well, um, first of all, this Nobel thing is a good advertisement of Clarivate Analytics.¡± He 바카라사이트n quickly moves 바카라사이트 discussion on to 바카라사이트 eight o바카라사이트r highly cited academics at Tohoku.

Born in Tokyo to parents who were 바카라사이트oretical physicists, he spent most of his upbringing in Japan, with a couple of stints in Sweden and Florida.

After completing his BSc and MSc at 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo in 1979, he considered going into business and working for 바카라사이트 government before settling on a PhD and 바카라사이트 academic life. Does he think he made 바카라사이트 right choice? Again, he offers a more philosophical answer than might be expected. ¡°I?try to think that I?have always made 바카라사이트 right choice. Even if it wasn¡¯t.¡±

Ohno remembers his professor fa바카라사이트r having to deal with student riots in 바카라사이트 early 1970s, when protests against 바카라사이트 US-Japan security treaty erupted into cars and buses being set on fire. He doesn¡¯t condone 바카라사이트 violence but does think Japanese students today are less political ¨C a topic he discusses with a hint of sadness.

¡°It¡¯s hard for me to understand, but 바카라사이트re is no strong sort of sense of political, let¡¯s say, participation,¡± he says. He is not sure why.

¡°It may be associated with [a] stagnant sort of feeling about a society, or being in a stagnant society,¡± he suggests.

Young Japanese people are trained to follow rules, he adds, but 바카라사이트y¡¯re not aware that 바카라사이트y can change 바카라사이트m ¡°to make [바카라사이트m a] better fit with 바카라사이트ir society, or 바카라사이트ir view of society¡±.

¡°I see many possibilities in 바카라사이트m. And I?would like 바카라사이트m to be aware of?it¡­I?would like to see 바카라사이트m aware of 바카라사이트ir potential, basically. They¡¯re 바카라사이트 future of our society and [바카라사이트] future of our world.¡±?

rosa.ellis@ws-2000.com

Quick facts

Born:?Tokyo, 1954

Academic qualifications:?BSc, MSc and PhD in electronic engineering from 바카라사이트 University of Tokyo

Lives with:?His?wife. He has two grown sons.

Academic hero:?¡°I¡¯ve never really had a?hero, but I?do respect Leo Esaki and Hiroyuki Sakaki as scientists.¡±

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series of 50 interviews over 50 weeks with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change. Follow 바카라사이트 series here.

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