Application for Academy Center Certification
World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
Host Institution

Tohoku University

Research Center

Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR)

Host Institution HeadSusumu Satomi

Center Director

Motoko Kotani

Administrative Director

Masaru Tsukada

Please prepare this application based on the content of your center’s progress report and the progress plan you submitted for the center’s
final evaluation. Summarize the center’s future plans with regard to the following 6 items within three A-4 pages. (Also fill out theappendices at the end of this form.)

1. Overall Image of Your Center* Describe the Center’s overall image including its current identity.

The mission of AIMR is to create new materials with innovative functions through an ingenious methodof atomic and molecular control departing from traditional approaches, construct devices based on new
fundamental paradigms, and contribute to society by building a foundation for safe and rich life . In orderto achieve this mission, AIMR stipulated its identity as “discovering common elements and universal
principles among different material fields and creating new materials science which can predict newfunctions,” and proposed a new research strategy, “mathematics-materials science collaboration.”
Under the leadership of Prof. Motoko Kotani, a mathematician, AIMR strongly promoted mathematicsmaterials science collaboration unprecedentedly at an institutional level. In particular, at the initial stageof this challenge, AIMR organized a system for the mathematics-materials science collaboration byestablishing Mathematics Unit and Interface Unit, and setting three Target Projects. Based on such highly
motivated measures, AIMR has published high quality papers appearing in Science, Nature’s sister journals,

Physical Review Letters and so on. AIMR also focused on strengthening international cooperation networkwith world-leading institutions, and now AIMR is recognized as a hub of international collaborations andglobal brain circulation.
Although the English name of the center, Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), will be
never changed, Japanese name of AIMR has been modified in order to make the name more consistent
with the present AIMR’s status and fit the university’s organization.

2. Research Activities* Describe how the center will challenge new research fields and adopt new strategies.

AIMR will deepen and mature the mathematics-materials science collaboration that has beendeveloped over the past half a decade, and make it a standard aspect of materials science in the 21stcentury. Specifically, results are already emerging in 1) Spin-centered materials science and 2)

Tohoku University- 1
AIMR

Design of hierarchical structure based on theoretical prediction, and AIMR is recognizing thatthese will be future priority areas. In the area 1), in order to create new device technologies based onrecent spin physics, we will facilitate a new theoretical principle to control energy and information transfer
with mathematical guidance and will develop various energy saving devices and a new power generation
system. In the area 2), AIMR implemented target projects to build the basis for materials science wherematerial properties can be predicted. We have revealed interaction among the layers of hierarchy and therelationship between the dynamic structure formation of non-equilibrium systems and functions throughthe introduction of mathematical indices. Based on these new findings, we will provide guiding principles
to find new structures, and to realize the proposed structures. We also develop theories to evaluatestability with numerical validation. With a view to the construction of “Topological Design” that enables
calculations for predicting the properties of materials based on “computational homology,” we will build
the foundation for enabling the smart design of materials within a mathematical framework.
Another recent global trend is “application of big data analysis by high performance computing.” AIMR
can also play a central role here as its mathematics-materials science collaboration aims to discovercommon principles hidden behind the complicated structures, which is suited to this area. Along theselines, AIMR has already produced some promising results, with full potential to bring about a paradigm
shift. We plan to construct a new materials informatics method enabling molecular simulations and timeseries analysis of high-dimensional phase information, interactively based upon a homological database.
Based on these measures, AIMR plans flexible and quick strategy in line with present needs, and willcontribute to society by creating revolutionary functional materials based on the new materials scienceborn at AIMR.

3. System for Managing the Research Organization* Describe the research organization and management system that the center will use to carry out the research strategy and plan
described above.
* In Appendix 1-3, list the Principle Investigators, enter the number of center personnel, and provide a diagram of the center’smanagement system.

Center Director Motoko Kotani and PIs listed in Appendix 1 will be united, pursuing pioneeringresearch. In the last fiscal year, six new PIs (Professors), Tomoteru Fukumura, Yong P. Chen, Masahiro
Yamashita, Ayumi Hirano, Hiroshi Suito, and Chris Pickard joined AIMR and eight PIs left AIMR. Although
the total number of PIs is almost the same as before, the research areas to focus on have been slightly
changed depending on the recent global trend of materials science. As shown in Appendix 3, the center’s
management organization system follows the present system with five research groups, “Materials Physics,”“Non-equilibrium Materials,” “Soft Materials,” “Device/System,” and “Mathematical Science.” The top-down
management by the Center Director, a global standard research environment and support system, themerit-based salary system, as well as the position of Administrative Director (a researcher hold thisposition) will also be maintained. The center is managed with flexibility and quick decision-making. Thejoint appointment system will further promote personnel exchange between AIMR and research groups in
the university, and inside and outside Japan. In particular, we will establish a career path for young

Tohoku University- 2AIMR

researchers by making a tenure-track system based on organic networking with other departments in theuniversity.
With respect to the organization for internationalization, if we can get support by WPI Academy, AIMR
will maintain some of the joint laboratories established at overseas satellites (see the next section 4) andpromote international collaboration through employing postdoctoral researchers at the joint laboratories
and closely exchanging information.
Overall organizational structure of AIMR consists of 80 researchers (42 full-time members, 15
concurrent members, and 23 postdocs; excluding research assistants), 28 research support staffs, and 18
administrative staffs (see Appendix 2).

4. International Circulation of Best Brains* Describe your policy and concrete plan for promoting the international circulation of the world’s best brains, which is an importantfunction of the WPI Academy.

Until FY2016, the proportion of researchers from abroad has been kept at around 50%. AIMR
completed the common equipment room, where even short-stay visitors can start experiments almost
immediately. AIMR has conducted joint research with 15 partner institutions, in which 14 are overseas
institutions. In particular, AIMR forged a closer relationship with four institutions as satellites and set up
Joint Research Centers (joint laboratories) at three satellites, the University of Cambridge, University ofCalifornia, Santa Barbara (UCSB), and the University of Chicago. At the Joint Research Centers,
postdoctoral researchers employed by AIMR accelerated international joint research, and these efforts
gave actual results in global brain circulation. The International Relations Unit of the Administrative Divisioncontributed greatly to promoting researcher exchange between AIMR and overseas institutions andsteadily making AIMR a hub of global brain circulation by pursuing exchange agreements and operating
original exchange programs, such as GI3 (Global Intellectual Incubation and Integration) Laboratory
Program and Brain Circulation Program.
AIMR will maintain these international activities without ant break, keep the position in theinternational materials research community, and materialize global brain circulation through implementing
the following activities:(1) Joint Research Centers: AIMR maintains and develops the above Joint Research Centers without
any break and continues activities as a hub of international cooperation. We will reconsider research
themes and researchers at the centers any time and stimulate the new evolution of research.
(2) Foreign PIs, international collaboration and exchange: AIMR continues to invite excellent
researchers as PIs from overseas and performs fruitful collaborations through intensive discussion at AIMR.
We will invite/dispatch young researchers from/to overseas partner institutions at any time when neededin order to activate global brain circulations of young generation. We hope that, using the budget of WPI
Academy, we can continue GI3 Laboratory Program implemented during the WPI support period.
(3) Holding workshops with partner institutions: AIMR strengthens global network with existing 15
partner institutions, from present one-to-one style to many-to-many style, and AIMR acts as a hub in theTohoku University- 3AIMR

global materials research community. We need to organize workshops with the partner institutions andexpand the collaboration network to achieve the goal.
(4) Holding International Symposium: Every year, AIMR has organized AIMR InternationalSymposium (AMIS) to provide a forum of academic exchange; invited prominent researchers including
Nobel laureates, overlooked the forefront of wide range of materials science, and transmitted AIMR’s
research achievements to the world. Together with other three WPI centers related to materials science(MANA, iCeMS, and I2CNER), AIMR has jointly organized WPI one-day Symposium, for example, at themeetings of European Materials Research Society (E-MRS). Such efforts received a high evaluation andcontributed to increasing the international visibility of WPI and WPI centers. We hope that we can continue
such successful performances to establish the “WPI-brand” and contribute to the global brain circulation.

5. Support by Host institution* Describe measures that the host institution will take to support and sustain your WPI center. Describe your strategy for extending thesystem reforms achieved by the center via the WPI program to the host institution and other institutions.

(1) Host institution’s policy on support to sustain AIMR: The host institution, Tohoku University,
continues to maintain the position of AIMR as a regular department of the university, providing AIMR withauthority, resources and infrastructure given during the WPI period, even after the termination of the WPI
program support. It can be seen in the statements of Tohoku University’s “Third Mid-term plan” thatstrengthening AIMR and constructing world-leading research environment and research support system
are among the university’s goals. It is also expressed that Tohoku University will keep AIMR as the core toachieve the university’s goals, “establishing world-leading research institutes” and “jumping to world classas the hub of global brain circulation” stipulated in SATOMI VISION, by putting AIMR in “Organization forAdvanced Studies,” the special ward for research.
(2) Expansion of the achievements of the system reform as a WPI center to the inside andoutside of the university: The host institution, Tohoku University, established the “Organization for
Advanced Studies (OAS),” the special ward for research comprised of WPI-type institutes, in order tospread the expertise of internationalization and system reform which AIMR cultivated as a WPI center over
the whole university. Research system and administration system grown at AIMR have also spread intofields other than materials science, and Tohoku University is planning to establish new WPI-type institutes(other than materials science) under OAS. Tohoku University established International Affairs Center(developed from Research Reception Center of AIMR) and let this center organize “Tohoku University Day,”the meeting held at overseas institutions hosted by Tohoku University, run administrative affairs ofinternational open laboratories such as “ELyT MaX (Lyon-Tohoku joint laboratory supported by CNRS,France)”, and Tohoku Forum for Creativity. These efforts are raising the value of administrativeorganizations of OAS and AIMR, and largely contributing to increasing international presence of Tohoku
University.

6. Financial Measures* In Appendix 4, describe the measures to be taken by the host institution for sustaining the center’s functions and activities over a periodof 5 years, and describe what external funding will be used to carry out the center’s research activities.

Tohoku University- 4AIMR

President Satomi pledged to keep permanent staff members (nine tenure faculties and tenadministrative staff) already placed at AIMR, and add ten tenure positions. The six of the ten positions
have been occupied by Professors Kosmas Prassides (PI), Shigemi Mizukami (PI), Yasuaki Hiraoka (PI),Ayumi Hirano (PI), Hiroshi Suito (PI), and Associate Professor Hiroshi Yabu (tenure-track Junior PI). The
other remaining positions will be gradually offered via international recruitment. The financial resourcefrom the host institution will be used mainly to start the laboratories of such tenure positions and to keep
young researchers of Mathematical Science Group and the administrative/support staff members. Part ofthe resource will also be used to maintain cooperative relationship with the overseas satellites asmentioned above (see Appendix 4).
The host institution, Tohoku University, established the “Organization for Advanced Studies” tomaintain and develop the excellent research and organizational system which AIMR cultivated in the pastten years, and fixed AIMR as a regular department of Tohoku University. These activities have beenadopted as the relevant projects of the “National University Corporation Management Expenses Grants (topromote strengthening functions) 国立大学法人運営費交付金（機能強化促進分）” and “National University
Corporation Grants for Promotion of Strengthening Functions 国立大学法人機能強化促進費” in FY2017
provided by the Japanese Government. AIMR will also make maximum efforts to keep positions for young
experimental researchers (assistant professors and postdoctoral researchers) by external funds.

Tohoku University- 5AIMRAppendix 1

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
List of Principal InvestigatorsIf the number of principal investigators exceeds 10, add columns as appropriate.
Place an asterisk (*) by the name of the investigators who are considered to be ranked among the world’s top researchers.
Give age as of 1 April 2017
For investigators who cannot participate in the center project when its application, indicate the time that their participation will start in
the “Notes” column.

Name

Current affiliation(organization, department)

Tohoku University,

1. Tadafumi Adschiri* Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

2. Tomoteru
Fukumura*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

3. Ayumi Hirano*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

4. Yasuaki Hiraoka*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

5. Motoko Kotani*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research
Tohoku University,

6. Dmitri Valentinovich
Advanced Institute forLouzguine*
Materials Research
Tohoku University,

7. Shigemi Mizukami* Advanced Institute forMaterials Research8. Hideo Ohno*

Tohoku University,
Research Institute ofElectrical Communication

9. Shin-ichi Orimo*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

10. Kosmas Prassides

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute for

Academic degree
Notesand current(Enter “new” or “ongoing”)
specialties
Dr. ofEngineering /Hybrid Materials, ongoing
Supercritical Fluid
Technology
Dr. ofEngineering/
newSolid State
ChemistryDr. of Science/
Bio-devices

newDr. of Science/
Mathematics
ongoing(AppliedTopology andDynamicalSystems)
Dr. of Science/
ongoing
Mathematics(Geometry)
Dr. ofEngineeringongoing/
Materials ScienceDr. ofEngineering/ongoing
Applied Physics,
Spintronics
Dr. ofEngineering/
Nanoelectronics
Ph.D.
/
Materials
Engineering andChemistry
D. Phil.
/

Tohoku University - 1

ongoingongoingongoing

AIMR

Appendix 1

Materials Research

Chemistry,
Molecular
Materials
Dr. ofEngineering/
Quantum Nano
ScienceDr. ofEngineering/Nano-Process
Engineering
Dr. ofEngineering/
Mathematical
Modeling andNumerical
Simulation

11. Eiji Saitoh*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

12. Seiji Samukawa*Tohoku University,
Institute for Fluid Science

13. Hiroshi Suito

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials Research

14. Takashi
Takahashi*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials ResearchDr. of Science/
Solid-State
Physics

ongoing

Tohoku University,
15. Katsumi Tanigaki* Advanced Institute forMaterials ResearchDr. ofEngineering/
Nano Materials
Scienceongoing

16. Masahiro
Yamashita*

Tohoku University,
Advanced Institute forMaterials ResearchDr. of Science/
Coordination
Chemistrynew

17. Yuichi Ikuhara*

The University of Tokyo,
School of Engineering,
Institute of Engineering
Innovation

18. Mingwei Chen*

Johns Hopkins University,
Whiting School ofEngineering

19. Yong P. Chen

20. Tomasz Dietl*

ongoingongoingnewDr. ofEngineering/ongoing
Ceramics,
Electronmicroscopy
Dr. ofEngineeringongoing/
Materials SciencePh.D.
Purdue University, School /of Electrical and Computer Condensed
Engineering
Matter Physics,
Nanotechnology
Ph.D.
Polish Academy of/Sciences, Institute ofCondensed
Physics
Matter Physics(Theory)

Tohoku University - 2

newongoing

AIMR

Appendix 1

21. Alan Lindsay
Greer*

University of Cambridge,
Department of Materials
Science & Metallurgy

22. Ali
Khademhosseini*

Harvard-MIT Division ofHealth Sciences andTechnology, Brigham andWomen’s Hospital,
Harvard Medical School

23. Chris Pickard*

University of Cambridge,
Department of Materials
Science & Metallurgy

24. Thomas P.
Russell*

University ofMassachusetts, Polymer
Science and Engineering
Department

25. Alexander
Shluger*

26. Winfried Teizer*

27. Qi kun Xue*

Ph.D.
/
ongoing
Metallurgy &Materials SciencePh.D.
/
ongoing
Bioanalysis,
Microfluidics &Biomaterials
Ph.D.
/
Computational
Materials Science ongoing
TheoreticalCondensed
Matter Physics
Ph.D.
/
Polymer Scienceand Engineering

Ph.D.
/
Computational
University College London,
Materials
Department of Physics andScience,
Astronomy
Condensed
Matter Physics(Theory)
Texas A&M University ,Department of Physics and Ph.D.
Director of Center for/
Nanoscale Science andNano-Physics
Technology
Ph.D.
Tsinghua University,/
Department of Physics
Surface Science

Tohoku University - 3ongoingongoingongoingongoing

AIMR

Appendix 2

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
The number of Center personnel
FY2017
Principal Investigators

27

Other Researchers

30

Post-Doctor researchers

23

Research Support Staffs

28

Administrative Staffs

18

Tohoku University -1

AIMR

Appendix 3

World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI)
Diagram of management system

Tohoku University -1

AIMR