Dean’s message

Dean'sMessage

Welcome to Graduate School of Scienceand School of Science, Osaka University
Koichi Fukase

DeanGraduate School of Science
School of Science, Osaka University

Welcome to the School of Science and the Graduate School ofScience, Osaka University, and thank you for your interest in ouruniversity. The research conducted in our departments is purefundamental science, which has formed the basis of our civilization.
Humankind appeared on this planet at some time in the long historyof our universe, and we have prospered owing to the fruits of basic
scientific research, which are the crystallization of humanity’sknowledge and wisdom. Our endeavors started from a keen
curiosity about the world around us, and the scientific discoveries that lead us to sustainedprosperity can often be traced back to simply asking “why?” about the phenomena that takeplace in nature. The greatest scientific discoveries are often made when people follow their own
curiosity, and do not look for profit or a return.
The results of fundamental scientific research can be applied to technological developments,
which make our life easier and more comfortable. However, these technological developments
sometimes create novel and more complex problems. Highly advanced knowledges and skills
are required to solve them, and in many cases solutions cannot be found by simply applying
formulae established then. Instead, one needs to go back to the basic principles of science, andcarefully analyze the situation. For such problem-solving processes, it is essential to acquire theknowledges and skills through basic research at universities. Our fundamental research does notlook for understanding that can be immediately applied in our daily lives; we learn how to seek
answers to questions that are driven by pure curiosity. Maintaining this effort will certainly
advance our understanding of nature as we cultivate new scientific fields that may later turn out
to have great profit.
The School of Science was established in 1931 with the goal of promoting fundamental
science. Dr. Hantaro Nagaoka, the first president of Osaka University, was the first to advocate
the Saturnian model of the atom. His motto was “Originality and Inspiration,” which is still
inherent at Osaka University. The field of basic science continues to gradually expand. TheSchool of Science started with three departments, and now has four (Mathematics, Physics,Chemistry, and Biological Sciences). In these departments, we offer six majors (Mathematics;Physics; Chemistry; Biological Sciences; Macromolecular Science; and Earth and SpaceScience). Our faculty members actively pursue their own research goals, and work hard oneducation and research. Our departments are open to other fields, and we value frequentinteractions and promote interdisciplinary science.
In this pamphlet, we would like to introduce our graduate school and provide further
information and descriptions of individual departments and majors. We hope it will help you,and you will join us in future in our quest for scientific truths. Let us together pursue
fundamental science with keen curiosity and inquiring minds.

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024

HistoryHistory

History of the Graduate School of Scienceand the School of Science

The history of the School of Science of Osaka
University dates back to 1931, when it wasestablished together with the School of Medicine
upon the foundation of Osaka Imperial University.
At that time, Osaka was the commercial capital ofJapan, and played a pivotal role in industrial
development. The city became increasingly
convinced that Japan should no longer rely on
industrial technologies copied from the West, andshould endeavor to create new technologies fromoriginal, fundamental studies. Accordingly, businessleaders in Osaka came to recognize the need for an
educational and research institution in Osaka to
study basic science for the future, which coupledwith the support of local citizens, led to theestablishment of the School of Science. Reportedly,
local citizens covered all the expenses of the Schoolof Science for the first three years, including thefunds for its establishment, without receiving any
aid from the government. This demonstrates thefuture-oriented mindset and enterprising spirit
inherent in the people of Osaka, which also actuatedthe establishment of two renowned private schools,
Kaitoku-do and Teki-jyuku, in Osaka in the Edo
period (1603–1868).
Characteristically, from its onset, the School of
Science of Osaka University focused on industrial
application of technologies, while pursuingfundamental scientific principles. By placing equal
importance on applied research and fundamental
research, the School of Science aimed to always
meet the needs of society. This attitude has becomea traditional principle of the School of Science andis very much alive still today.
The Graduate School of Science began accepting
graduate students from universities

under the old school system and started education
and research guidance at the Department ofMathematics, the Department of Physics and theDepartment of Chemistry in 1933, and at theDepartment of Biology in 1952. In 1953, theGraduate School of Science was reestablished undera new school system with eight departments: one formathematics, three for physics, two for chemistry
and two for biology. The first master’s students anddoctoral students entered the Graduate School ofScience in 1953 and 1955, respectively. TheDepartment of Macromolecular Science was added
to the Graduate School of Science in 1963, the three
departments for physics were integrated into theDepartment of Physics in 1964, and the Department
Earth and Space Science was established in 1995.
Following a reform to place greater emphasis on
graduate education implemented between 1995 and1996, the Graduate School of Science wasreorganized and has since then comprised of six
departments: Mathematics; Physics; Chemistry;
Biological Sciences; Macromolecular Science; andEarth and Space Science. Affiliated institutes of theGraduate School of Science, the Research Center for
Structural Thermodynamics and the Project
Research Center for Fundamental Sciences, conduct
education and research together with the Graduate
School of Science.
Additionally, the Center for Advanced High
Magnetic Field Science was opened in 2014.
Recently, the Research Center for Structural
Thermodynamics was reorganized to the ResearchCenter for Thermal and Entropic Science in 2019
and the Project Research Center for Fundamental
Sciences was reorganized to the Forefront ResearchCenter in 2022.

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024

Characteristics

Characteristics

Characteristics ofthe Graduate School of Science

Inheriting the founding spirit and tradition of theSchool of Science of Osaka University, whichcelebrated its 80th anniversary in 2011, the Graduate
School of Science has maintained its research-firstprinciple, which places importance on a liberal,lively spirit and creativity unencumbered by oldconventions. It is very important for the progress ofscience to be in an environment where basic studies
are highly valued even if they are seemingly uselessat present. For instance, nobody pointed out theimportance of the structure of a gene when it wasrevealed in 1950s. However, as a result of theprogress of science in other fields, the structure of agene is now applied to many different technologies.
There are so many examples similar to this case.
This means that behind the progress of technologies,
there is a culture created by scientific studies. If a
country is to produce a unique, revolutionary
technology, the country should have a wellestablished scientific culture.

Lecture in Mathematics
environmental problems, and it is necessary to foster
a willingness to work for the wellbeing of humans
from a global perspective. Researchers should havea global mindset and the ability to produce morecreative, revolutionary results to contribute to thedevelopment and happiness of humans. In this light,
graduate education is now expected to not only
educate students through conventional basic studies,but also develop professionals who can cater tovarious industrial needs. In other words, graduate
schools are required to take on two important roles:
one is education in individual, highly specialized
fields of study; the other is a synthetically balanced
education which integrates and organizes thesefields of study.

Experiment in Chemistry
These days, science and technology are
becoming more advanced and specialized, covering
a wider range of fields. However, the original
missions of the Graduate School of Science haveremained unchanged, which include creating new
culture based on the tradition of basic science, as
well as educating researchers capable ofcontributing to this purpose. On the other hand, it isimportant to have a good understanding of how
science and technology can affect our society, suchas through energy andDiscussion in Macromolecular Science

Experiment in Biology
In order to meet the needs of the times by
successfully playing these roles, the Graduate
School of Science pursues the following two goals
in its educational and research activities: (1) tomaintain a liberal, creative, research-first principle
as its academic culture, and educate high-caliber
researchers capable of conducting research on theirown in their respective fields of study; and (2) totrain highly specialized professionals who haveexpertise across a broad range of natural science
disciplines by providing education and researchguidance on basic science, which is fundamental for

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024

Characteristics

all scientific skills and technologies. In order toachieve these two purposes, the Graduate School of
Science has accepted a significant number ofacademic staff from external organizations andlaunched new educational and research programs ofscience, with a view to promoting advanced,
interdisciplinary research on a global scale. The
Graduate School of Science also offers courses
jointly with other organizations within theuniversity; namely, the Graduate School ofInformation Science and Technology; the Graduate
School of Frontier Biosciences; the Graduate Schoolof Engineering Science; the Research Institute forMicrobial Diseases; the Institute of Scientific andIndustrial Research; the Institute for Protein
Research; the Research Center for Nuclear Physics;
the Institute of Laser Engineering; the Institute forRadiation Sciences, the Radioisotope ResearchCenter; the Center for Education in Liberal Arts andSciences; the Cybermedia Center; the Department ofSafety and Hygiene; and the Museum of Osaka
University. Many academic staff members

Library in the Department of Mathematicsof these organizations have joined the Graduate
School of Science to teach courses related to theirfields of study. Moreover, a number of outside
researchers have participated in research studies atthe Graduate School of Science as collaborative andguest instructors. These instructors are from theGraduate School of Science and Technology of Keio
University; the Institute of Physical and Chemical
Research (RIKEN); the National Institute ofAdvanced Industrial Science and Technology(AIST); the National Institute of Information andCommunications Technology (NICT); the National
Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health andNutrition; the Peptide Institute Inc.; Suntory
Foundation for Life Sciences, Bioorganic ResearchInstitute: and JT Biohistory Research Hall. With somany leading instructors with diverse specialties,

the Graduate School of Science provides a wide
range of educational and research programs
covering various areas from basic science to appliedresearch.

Experiment in Earth and Space Science
In the 20th century, science and technology
experienced remarkable progress, and in the present
century, we anticipate an even greater accelerationof these advancements. The continuous developmentof science and technology significantly contributes
to societal progress and enhances the well-being ofindividuals. It enables the provision of a prosperous
and comfortable life, fosters good health andlongevity. However, humanity is confronted with amultitude of problems, including energy concerns,
environmental destruction, climate change, poverty,conflicts, and infectious diseases. The impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic has been profound, whileenvironmental destruction and climate change also
amplify the risks associated with emerging
infectious diseases. As individuals living in the 21stcentury, it is imperative that we gain an objective
understanding of the role of science and technology
for human society and employ our collective
wisdom to effectively tackle these challenges. To
attain sustainable development in human society,concrete objectives known as the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) have been establishedwith a target deadline of 2030. The creation ofinnovative science and technology is pivotal inrealizing these goals. It is our generation's
responsibility to preserve the fundamental scientificknowledge that underpins the creation of suchtechnologies as part of our cultural heritage, passingit on to future generations. With this in mind,
researchers at the Graduate School of Sciencedevote their passion and energy to educational andresearch activities in an open and stimulating
environment to achieve their own individual goals.

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024

Organization

Organization

Organization ofGraduate School of Science
Number ofinterdepartmental course

Department ofMathematics

6 Courses

Department ofPhysics

5 Courses

Department ofChemistry

4 Courses

Name of other departments and institutes that provide
cooperation/partnership courses
Graduate School of Information Science and Technology
Graduate School of Engineering Science
Center for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Cybermedia Center
Keio University Graduate School of Science and Technology
Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research
Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences
Institute of Laser Engineering
Center for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Research Center for Nuclear Physics
Cybermedia Center
Institute for Radiation Science
Low Temperature Center
Cooperation with the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)

Institute of Scientific and Industrial ResearchInstitute for Radiation Science
Institute for Protein ResearchCenter for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences
The Museum of Osaka University

Cooperation with National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Cooperation with Peptide Institute, Inc.
Cooperation with Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Bioorganic Research Institute
Cooperation with National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition

Research Institute for Microbial Diseases
Institute of Scientific and Industrial ResearchInstitute for Protein Research
Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences
Center for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences

Department of
Biological Sciences

5 Courses

Department ofMacromolecular Science

3 Courses

Institute for Protein Research
Department of Safety and Hygiene
Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies

Department of Earthand Space Science

3 Courses

Institute of Laser Engineering

3 Departments

Cooperation with the Institute for Radiation Sciences
Cooperation with Graduate School of Medicine
Cooperation with Research Center for Nuclear Physics
Cooperation with National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition
Cooperation with the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)

Forefront Research Center

Research Center for Thermaland Entropic Science

Cooperation with National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
Cooperation with JT Biology Research Hall
Cooperation with Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research,
the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)

3 Departments
Department of ChemistryCenter for Advanced High
Magnetic Field Science

Department of Physics

Administrative Office

General Affairs Section
Assistant Head

Undergraduate Students Section

Graduate Students Section
HeadPersonnel Section
Accounting Section
Assistant HeadContract Section
Research Support Section

Contact Information of Graduate Students Section

e-mail: ri-daigakuin@office.osaka-u.ac.jp

Graduate School of Science
2023-2024