Abstract

Although science is often regarded as a cold and remote activity outside of everyday experience, nothing could be further from the truth. Scientists of all stripes have shown a compassion for their work as strong as their artistic, literary, and performing counterparts. Now in Japanese Passion for Science we are offered a glimpse into the love for knowledge and exploration that defines science in Japan, along with striking insights into how science is conducted in the West. Contributors discuss a range of topics, including what brought them into science, what they are working on now, what they see as their next challenge, what is right--and wrong--with Western research methods, how state funding of major universities has affected academic research in Japan, and the need for vision as well as dedication and luck in the lab. In reading this book, students, teachers, and researchers from a range of scientific disciplines will gain an understanding of the people behind the great innovations occurring today in Japan.