KYUSHU UNIVERSITY 先生の森 Introduction of Unique Professors at Kyushu University!

Professor, Kyushu University Platform of Inter/Transdisciplinary Energy Research, Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Hydrogen Energy Systems, Advanced Hydrogen Energy System Lab

Hydrogen energy—a significant focus of research at Kyushu University—has gained attention around the world as a promising next-generation energy source. One globally-minded Kyushu University researcher, Professor Akari Hayashi, has her sights set on contributing to Japanese society through her hydrogen fuel cell research, using the learning and experience she gained during her Ph.D. program in chemistry at the University of California, Davis. Professor Hayashi is also the proud mother of a one-year-old baby boy.

Professor Hayashi was born in Osaka. She loved the English language from a young age, which she started learning while still in kindergarten. After graduating from Josei Gakuen Senior High School, and filled with a desire to master English, she traveled to the United States to attend university in California. Once at university, she majored in chemistry, a subject that had always interested her, and engaged in electrochemistry research, particularly reactive phenomena. At university, she developed an appetite for learning, inspired by the people around her, and after receiving a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Sonoma State University in 1997, she went on to receive her Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Davis, in 2001. Upon returning to Japan after eight years abroad, Professor Hayashi became a visiting researcher at Toyota Central R&D Labs., Inc. in 2002. In 2005 she became a post-doctoral researcher at the National Institute for Materials Science, and in 2006, began her work on hydrogen fuel cells as a researcher at Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Cutting-Edge Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. After serving as a tenure-track assistant professor at the Nagoya Institute of Technology Center for Innovative Young Researchers in 2010, she came to Kyushu University in 2011 as an associate professor at the International Research Center for Hydrogen Energy. She became a full professor in 2015, assuming her current post at the Kyushu University Platform of Inter/Transdisciplinary Energy Research in 2017. She is also actively involved in education beyond the university, taking part in research and education aimed at spreading knowledge about hydrogen energy and teaching mock classes for high school students.

Professor Hayashi’s frank and candid manner is apparent in her every answer. Her students adore her, too, and call her an "extremely approachable professor." Despite being born in Osaka, she speaks without a hint of the Osaka dialect. “It seems that I lost my accent while I was studying abroad in the US,” she explains.

The Hydrogen Society Showroom was created to allow visitors to see, hear, and experience hydrogen energy technology. Visitors can compare brand-name fuel cell vehicles and home-use fuel cells (nicknamed “ene-farms” in Japan), try their hand at filling a hydrogen tank at the dispenser, or see a diorama model of what a hydrogen society might look like in 2030.

Professor Hayashi conducts lectures for high school students and the general public. Here she is seen explaining the concept of hydrogen energy to high school students.

Fuel cell technology is gaining widespread attention because it produces no carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and is highly efficient, due to its direct conversion of chemical energy into electricity. A fuel cell is a device that generates electricity by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. This electricity is commonly referred to as "hydrogen energy." Japan is dedicated to developing hydrogen energy technology in a bid to produce carbon-free energy for the world.

Hydrogen energy may not yet be a household topic, but for years the Japanese government has worked with companies and universities to develop a whole range of products for its practical application. Take fuel cell vehicles, for example. Instead of gasoline engines, these cars have fuel cells and high-pressure hydrogen tanks located under the seats and hood. Toyota announced its fuel cell vehicle, the MIRAI, in December 2014, which is already commercially available in the United States. Honda has also launched the CLARITY, its own model of fuel cell vehicle. In Tokyo, fuel cell buses were introduced into the Toei Bus network in 2017, with five fuel cell buses currently in operation. In Nagasaki, the development of fuel cell boats has reached the final phases of testing. There are now 112 hydrogen stations in operation across Japan as of December 2019, and hydrogen energy technology is making remarkable progress. Fukuoka City has been particularly swift to focus on the future potential of hydrogen energy, proclaiming itself a “Hydrogen Leader City” in March 2015. There is no doubt that hydrogen energy will increasingly become part of our everyday lives.

Professor Hayashi conducts lectures for high school students and the general public. Here she is seen explaining the concept of hydrogen energy to high school students.

Fuel cell and hydrogen energy technologies are built upon the accumulated research and experiments of countless individuals across a wide range of academic fields. At Kyushu University’s Hydrogen Energy Education and Research Base, members work together in teams every day, each researching topics such as materials and integrated systems for fuel cells, and methods for efficient energy storage.

My field of expertise is electrodes, more specifically electrocatalysts, which determine fuel cell performance. Electrocatalysts improve the efficiency of the hydrogen-oxygen reaction that takes place in a fuel cell. I investigate different electrocatalysts, performing research and testing on their performance and degradation mechanisms before proposing potential applications. Repeated experimentation is necessary at the nanoscale (one nanometer is one-billionth of a meter), and the results are not something that has an immediate impact on our everyday lives. However, I firmly believe that the research I do today will have an impact tomorrow as we build the foundations for the hydrogen society to come. I have plans to continue my research through further collaboration with industry partners.

Detailed explanations of hydrogen energy available on the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry website:

https://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/category/saving_and_new/advanced_systems/hydrogen/ (Japanese)

What’s most important for me is to find meaning in whatever I do. I think that’s why I chose fuel cell research—because I genuinely felt that it would make a difference in people’s lives. Hydrogen fuel cells have become a topic of national importance, so there are plenty of opportunities to conduct research in collaboration with Japanese industry leaders. Universities are where we generate new ideas, but turning those ideas into something tangible is the work of the private sector and local communities. While much of my research goes unnoticed to the outside world, I do feel that I am making a difference in society, because when I meet the demands of industry partners, I can change the course of entire industries. Our partners in industry range from gas and electricity companies in the energy sector to car companies and other manufacturers. I find it fascinating to be able to apply my research across a number of different industries.

The facilities and learning environment at Ito Campus are some of the biggest and best in the world. Researchers come to Kyushu University from some of the world's leading corporations and academic institutions—such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH)—to create a highly international environment where you can form teams to work on a diverse range of research. What students choose as a research topic and the direction they take that research is entirely up to them. I encourage them to appreciate the privilege they have to study here and to think about how they can get the most out of their time at Kyushu University. The choices a student makes can transform their entire life on campus.

Disappearing Frixion Ball Pens (red/blue)

These pens, which Prof. Hayashi uses to correct and annotate students’ theses, are so vital to her everyday work that if she forgets to bring one to work, she will immediately race out to buy another. Red is for corrections, and blue is for directions on improving student writing.

Notebook

Prof. Hayashi uses a notebook, not a smartphone, to organize her schedule. She relies on it so much that it’s hard to get through the day if she forgets it. She doesn’t always use the same size or design but instead gets a new one each year in one of her favorite colors: red or pink. Recently she has traded her yearly planners for monthly ones—slim, A5-sized notebooks that are easier to carry around. She writes in them using a blue 0.38mm Uni-ball Signo.

Pink accessories and goods

“I love anything pink! It just puts me in a good mood,” says Prof. Hayashi. Her office is filled with pink. Not only are her cushions and blankets pink, even the hand cart that she uses around the office is hot pink!

Challenges Overcome as a Student Become Future Pillars of Support

I faced the most significant challenge in my life when I was studying for a Ph.D. in the United States. The Ph.D. program is similar to a doctoral program in Japan, but during the second year, you have to take a qualifying exam to test your basic research skills, which is extremely difficult. Those who pass can continue studying in the Ph.D. program to receive their doctorate, but those who fail are not even allowed a second chance to take the exam and must either transfer to the master’s course or quit school. My fellow students and I were all filled with anxiety over whether we would pass, and some of my classmates decided not to take the exam. There was intense pressure, and it was a challenging time. Luckily, I passed the exam and received my Ph.D., and I feel like that victory still provides me with a great deal of support to this day.

Experiences such as these have made me believe that we should all approach our studies, and research, with conviction. Maybe it’s inevitable, but talking to students, I get the impression that they see their research as merely a means to get a job. The four years you spend at university is a very precious time. I want students to utilize their time at university to the fullest and enjoy their studies and research without focusing too far down the line. I think that my mission, and that of other academic staff, is to provide an environment where students will enjoy learning.

Please concentrate your efforts on the issues at hand and tackle them with all your strength. Never be afraid and learn from your experiences. In life, no barrier is insurmountable. Be true to your purpose and do what needs to be done to achieve your goals. Keep your chin up and never look back. Keep pushing forward, believing in a brighter tomorrow.

This interview was conducted in January 2020.