Sumio Iijima

Sumio Iijima, born on May second, nineteen thirty-nine, in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is a distinguished physicist, chemist, and nanotechnologist. He is renowned for his pivotal role in the discovery of carbon nanotubes, a breakthrough that ignited significant interest and research in the field of nanotechnology. Although carbon nanotubes had been previously observed, Iijima's influential paper published in nineteen ninety-one brought these carbon nanostructures into the spotlight, marking a turning point in materials science.

His academic journey began with a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Electro-Communications in Tokyo, which he completed in nineteen sixty-three. He furthered his education at Tohoku University in Sendai, earning a Master's degree in nineteen sixty-five and a Ph.D. in solid-state physics in nineteen sixty-eight. Iijima's research career took him to Arizona State University from nineteen seventy to nineteen eighty-two, where he focused on crystalline materials and high-resolution electron microscopy, and he also conducted studies on carbon materials at the University of Cambridge in nineteen seventy-nine.

After his tenure at Arizona State University, Iijima worked for the Research Development Corporation of Japan from nineteen eighty-two to nineteen eighty-seven, where he studied ultra-fine particles. He then joined NEC Corporation, where he continues to contribute to the field. His groundbreaking discovery of carbon nanotubes in nineteen ninety-one not only involved capturing images of these structures but also elucidating their true nature, leading to his recognition as the discoverer.

In addition to his research, Iijima has held prestigious academic positions, including University Professor at Meijo University since nineteen ninety-nine and Distinguished Invited University Professor at Nagoya University. His accolades include the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics awarded in two thousand two for his contributions to the understanding of carbon nanotubes, which have significantly impacted condensed matter and materials science. He is also a foreign associate of the National Academy of Sciences and a foreign member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, as well as a member of the Japan Academy.