Prague, May 23 (CTK) – Renowned Japanese chemist Hiroshi Nakatsuji has received the highest award of the Czech Science Academy (AV), the “De scientia et humanitate optime meritis” honorary medal for his contribution to science and humanitarian ideas, from AV President Eva Zazimalova.
Nakatsuji is director of the Quantum Chemistry Research Institute (QCRI) at the Centre of Technical Sciences in Kyoto.
Nakatsuji has helped find the exact analytical solution to the equations that are crucial for the quantum theory, that is the Schrodinger and Dirac-Coulomb equations. His solution was very significant for theoretical chemistry and physics since until then, scientists expected these equations to be analytically solved for some types of particles only.
“Hiroshi Nakatsuji has published more than 550 original articles that have over 15,000 citations. He is a member and the general secretary of the International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science, a member of the World Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists (WATOC), a holder of many awards and an editor of prestigious world journals,” the AV said.
Nakatsuji has long cooperated with Czech researchers. In 2005, he was one of the initiators of the Japanese-Czech-Slovak Symposium. This year’s symposium takes place from Monday till Thursday.
The award for Nakatsuji was proposed by Zdenek Hostomsky, head of the AV’s Organic Chemistry Institute.
This medal has been bestowed on respected scientists since 1996. Other laureates are, for instance, historian Jaroslav Panek, psychologist Philip G. Zimbardo, chemist Zdenek Havlas and philosopher Erazim Kohak.
