The National Technical University «KhPI» invites scientists to a lecture by the distinguished Japanese physicist, cosmic neutrino researcher, and Nobel Prize winner in Physics in 2015, Takaaki Kajita, entitled “Japanese science -focusing on Japanese cosmic ray physics-” . It should be noted that Professor Kajita is one of the scientists who expressed their support for the Ukrainian people and a free Ukraine in the face of russian aggression in 2022. The event is dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Kharkiv Polytechnic University. The lecture will take place on 8 October, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (Kyiv time) in an online format on the platform Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81130416052?pwd=QGh8ANDIBKkNlP48eseWGsUxjZBqby.1 Identifier: 811 3041 6052, Access code: 447638
Takaaki Kajita a Distinguished University Professor of the University of Tokyo (Affiliation: Institute for Cosmic Ray Research) and also the leader of the KAGRA project, which aims to study the gravitational wave astronomy. He was director of the Cosmic Ray Research Institute at the University of Tokyo from 2008 to 2022. He was the President of the Science Council of Japan between October 2020 and September 2023.
Professor Kajita received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo School of Science in 1986 and conducted research at the Kamiokande and Super-Kamiokande detectors at Kamioka Observatory in central Japan.
In 1998, at the Neutrino International Conference, held in Takayama (Japan), he presented the analysis results which provided strong evidence for atmospheric neutrino oscillations. In 2015, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his role in the discovery of neutrino oscillations. In addition to the Nobel Prize, in different years, Professor Kajita has received other prestigious awards, including the Asahi Prize as a member of the Kamiokande team (1987), the Bruno Rossi Prize, Kamiokande Collaboration (1988), and the Asahi Prize as a member of the Super-Kamiokande team (1998), Nishina Memorial Prize (1999), Panofsky Prize (2002), Yoji Totsuka Award (2010), Japanese Academy of Sciences Prize (2012), Julius Wess Award (2013), Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics (2016).
It should be noted that Professor Takaaki Kajita is one of 194 Laureates of the Nobel Prize who in 2022 expressed their support for the Ukrainian people and the free and independent Ukrainian state in the face of russian aggression. Takaaki Kajita is also a signatory to the letter against the Putin regime, in which he and other leading figures in science, economics and literature made the appeal to the international community to increase support for Ukraine in its resistance to the russian invasion.
Professor Takaaki Kajita has visited Ukraine several times, where he met with Ukrainian scientists and students. In 2024, the distinguished professor visited Kharkiv Polytechnic University online, where he gave a lecture on cosmic neutrinos as part of Science Day.
His visits contribute to strengthening international scientific ties and developing cooperation in the field of physics. The scientist expresses his support for the Ukrainian scientific community and emphasizes the importance of preserving and developing science even in difficult times.
The lecture of Distinguished Professor will take place on 8 October, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (Kyiv time) in an online format on the platform Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81130416052?pwd=QGh8ANDIBKkNlP48eseWGsUxjZBqby.1
Identifier: 811 3041 6052, Access code: 447638