A rising star of clean-energy research at I²CNER, Associate Professor Yukina Takahashi hopes to commercialize photovoltaic solar cell technologies using her expertise in materials science and build innovative energy conversion systems. She is a promising junior researcher whose charming appearance belies the mind of a diligent expert in this pioneering field.
A native of Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Dr. Takahashi was a bookworm from a young age. She excelled at her Japanese language classes yet, surprisingly enough, struggled with math and science. She always had a thirst for knowledge and was a voracious reader, even devouring entire books on difficult scientific subjects. She says she first came across the concept of research as an occupation in a book while in junior high, and a love of experiments is what set her on a path for science, namely chemistry. After entering the Natural Sciences I at the University of Tokyo, she joined the chemistry club, devoting her college days to conducting science experiments. During her master's program, she joined the Tatsuma Group at the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo, where she would work until receiving her PhD in engineering in 2007.
After completing her PhD, Dr. Takahashi spent three more years at the Institute of Industrial Science working as a project research associate. Since August 2010, she has been working with the Yamada Group in the Department of Applied Chemistry at Kyushu University's Faculty of Engineering, where she specializes in photoelectrochemistry, photocatalysts, and energy conversion. Dr. Takahashi has received multiple awards for her research, including the Young Researcher Award of The Electrochemical Society of Japan (Sano Award) in 2014 and The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry's Encouragement Award in 2018. She also has an athletic side as a prized member of the Applied Chemistry faculty intramural softball team. Dr. Takahashi is an up-and-comer in her field, a female junior researcher whose work is now attracting considerable attention at I²CNER and beyond.
Dr. Takahashi has a refined air about her, owing to her elegance and quiet demeanor, yet she commands a strong presence with a manner of speech that reveals a dedicated researcher with years of experience.
Dr. Takahashi uses monochromatic light source lamps in order to obtain the photovoltaic action spectrum.
Attending an international conference in June 2014.
Dr. Takahashi has a refined air about her, owing to her elegance and quiet demeanor, yet she commands a strong presence with a manner of speech that reveals a dedicated researcher with years of experience.
My research looks at types of clean and renewable energy, the major types of which are solar, hydrogen, hydropower, wind power, geothermal, and biomass. For all of the variety, we have yet to provide definitive clean-energy solutions at practical and industrial levels. Renewable energy will become more commercially viable if we can make the conversion to electricity cheaper and more efficient, but improving that efficiency is one of the largest obstacles we currently face. My research mainly focuses on photocatalysts, which I hope to harness in order to develop photovoltaic solar cells that are capable of creating what we in the field call “new energy.” This is a change for me and my research, which until recently had been focused on energy storage by means of reduction and oxidation, both of which utilize combinations of various inorganic compounds such as titanium oxide and nickel hydroxide.
Dr. Takahashi uses monochromatic light source lamps in order to obtain the photovoltaic action spectrum.
Now I am much more focused on understanding the mechanisms of plasmon-induced charge separation (PICS), which employs metal nanoparticles as photocatalysts. We know that metal nanoparticles induce plasmon resonance—the collective oscillation of electrons induced by incident light—so I am trying to efficiently harness this light energy in repeated experiments that incorporate and alternate inorganic materials as well as organic and hybrid materials.
Attending an international conference in June 2014.
Ultimately, I want to create new kinds of energy conversion systems. But I realize that in order to do this, I need to incorporate perspectives from a variety of fields into my approach to research, which is focused on photoelectrochemistry. One of my goals is to produce alternative energy conversion systems that are tailored to specific environments and purposes. Solar cells have become a main clean energy source, with many different types in use around the world, the most common being the crystalline silicon solar cell. I believe that I can utilize my experience—and the photocatalysts and solar cells that I research—to invent solar cell technologies using new materials that can replace conventional materials like silicon. The importance of clean and renewable energy will only continue to increase in future energy strategies. That’s why I plan to continue exploring the mechanisms behind clean energy and working to create renewable, green, and efficient energy conversion systems.
The joy of research comes from the totally unexpected. It's a thrill to see something you had never thought of before, realizing that some things still escape your comprehension. That's why chemistry is so exciting. And that's why the unknown is so exciting. I think it would be great if society could one day benefit from my pursuit of the unknown.
In many fields of science, we have yet to comprehend the mechanisms needed for the creation of new energy conversion systems. It is rewarding to reveal the unknown through research and exciting to find out what lies on the other side.
In research, gender doesn't matter—all that matters is a passion for your subject. I personally feel very lucky to be doing research here at I²CNER, which is home to researchers from MIT, ETH Zurich, and other top universities from around the world as well as experts from private industry. Working here, I've had opportunities to go abroad, attending symposiums in Germany and participating in exchange programs, all thanks to I²CNER and its dedication to new energy creation. Not only is it appealing to have access to some of the largest and most advanced research equipment in the world, but it's also incredibly stimulating to be able to talk with experts from different fields. As a woman, it's also encouraging for me to see the number of fellow female researchers increase in recent years.
Dr. Takahashi likes to be surrounded by beautiful things while she works. Her fountain and ballpoint pens are from Montblanc and Itoya. Her letter openers she buys from specialty shops or when traveling abroad. She says her favorite one is from Spain, seen here fourth from right.
This coffee maker was a gift from Dr. Tetsu Tatsuma, her mentor while at the University of Tokyo, to celebrate a promotion. She pours a cup of freshly brewed coffee into a heart-shaped mug—just the kind of thing we've come to expect from Dr. Takahashi!
She uses an iPad mini in lieu of a smartphone to manage her schedule, take photos, and jot down ideas. It's always with her wherever she goes, making it the go-to item for students at parties when a professor-themed round of charades gets started.
It's a joy to be able to pursue something you love, and I hope that the pursuit makes it all the more enjoyable.
College is a time when you are free to pursue the things that interest you. I hope you'll find what you enjoy and never let it go, no matter what it is. With basic research, you may sometimes feel discouraged since there are no clear goals. Research takes a lot of time, and you may find yourself holed up all night in the lab on occasion. If it were a typical desk job, you might think this much overtime isn't much different than working in a sweatshop—or “black” company, as we say in Japanese. [laughs]
Even though the research process can take time and things don't always go well, I have never thought of my job as “black.” Research is something that you do because you enjoy it, and I think the same can be said for work. The moment your research feels forced, it stops being fun.
One of my university professors used to say that you can't do research without a vision—that if you have doubts about an experiment from the beginning, it's destined for failure. Discouragement can actually narrow your field of vision. And not just in research, but in life in general. When that happens, it helps to take a step back and take an objective look at yourself and at the bigger picture. That’s when you'll find new insights.
If you're worried about what career path to take, think about what you like to do, and how much you like doing it. Whether you're in the lab, in the classroom, or at work, it really is a true joy to be able to do work that you love. Despite what some people might say, I believe everyone has something they like to love, no matter how trivial it may seem. University provides unparalleled freedom to pursue your interests, so I hope that you'll take advantage of your time here to learn to love the things you love in even more depth.
This interview was conducted in June 2018.
