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Upon completion of the Facility of Organic Photonics and Electronics Research, the Center of Excellence facility of the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics Research (OPERA), an opening ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 5, 2011.
OPERA was established in April 2010 when Professor Chihaya Adachi’s research, “Challenge for electroluminescence super device through innovation of organic materials” was selected as one of the thirty research projects for the Funding Program for World-Leading Innovative R&D on Science and Technology (FIRST) of the Cabinet Office in fiscal 2009. The center has been carrying out research and development to industrialize next-generation organic EL devices in collaboration with about twenty institutions including other universities and corporations such as the Institute of Systems, Information Technologies and Nanotechnologies.
The ceremony was attended by about 200 people who are involved in the center. OPERA Project Leader Chihaya Adachi delivered a speech saying, “As the center has been steadily producing research achievements since its establishment, it is our earnest wish to promote discussion and research among researchers here at the new facility. I hope this will serve as an international center of excellence toward the industrialization of next-generation organic EL devices.” President Arikawa said in his address, “The university will make an all-out effort to support the management of the center, and I would really appreciate kind assistance from the parties concerned.”
After that, complementary speeches were given by Naoki Okumura, an executive member of the Council for Science and Technology Policy; Hayashi Towatari, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT); Akihiko Morota, Director, Device Industry Strategy Office of Commerce and Information Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI); Takeo Ushio, Vice-Governor, Fukuoka Prefectural Government; and Soichiro Takashima, Mayor of Fukuoka City. Then a commemorative address titled “Future to be opened up by organic EL” was given by Keiichi Otake, a member of the Board of Directors of Panasonic Corporation / Director of Image Devices Development Center. Following the ceremony, the center was opened with the ribbon-cutting, and the guests were invited to see the research facility.
On the completion of the facility, further enhancement and promotion of education research in the area of organic optical electronics is expected at Kyushu University, which has been leading the research in that area.
Top: The large-size organic EL display installed at the ground-floor entrance of the research facility
Middle: OPERA Project Leader, Chihaya Adachi, giving an overview of the research facility (second from left)
Bottom: At the ribbon-cutting (from left to right): Toru Takimoto, Director-General of Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry at METI; Director, Device Industry Strategy Office of Commerce and Information Policy Bureau at METI; Naoki Okumura, an executive member of the Council for Science and Technology Policy; Hayashi Towatari, Deputy Director-General of MEXT; President Setsuo Arikawa; and Chihaya Adachi, OPERA Project Leader
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