Sponsorship of the Protein Society Awards

The Protein Society is a non-profit organization with a mission to support state-of-the-art science through international forums that promote communication, cooperation, and collaboration among protein researchers around the world. The Protein Society annually hosts a symposium where it awards researchers who have made significant achievements in protein research and contributed to leadership, teaching, and service.

The 38th Protein Society Annual Symposium was held in Vancouver, Canada, from July 23 to 26, 2024, with award ceremonies taking place on July 25 and 26. The winners delivered speeches about their work during the ceremony. Since 2007, Rigaku has sponsored the 'Carl Brändén Award,' which honors Carl-Ivar Brändén for his pioneering work in protein structural biology. In 2024, we also began sponsoring the newly established 'Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Award,' named after the Nobel laureate recognized for her groundbreaking X-ray crystallographic analysis of biological molecules.

Raluca Cadar, CEO of the Protein Society, stated, “The Protein Society is privileged to recognize outstanding research in the field of protein science, and we are beyond grateful to Rigaku, for sponsoring both the Carl Brändén Award and as of 2024, the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Award, which is granted in recognition of exceptional contributions in protein science which profoundly influence our understanding of biology.”

The Protein Society also organized technical workshops and provided ample networking opportunities during the event. Rigaku will continue to support the advancement and innovation of science through such international initiatives.

Participation in JAIMA Summer Science School

At Rigaku, we believe it is important to help cultivate young people’s interest in science. This helps to plant the seeds for the next generation of scientists, ensuring the development of new technologies in the future.

On July 25, 2024, at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Rigaku took part in the "JAIMA Summer Science School 2024" by the Japan Analytical Instruments Manufacturers' Association. The event featured analytical instruments from 14 cooperating companies and 50 students from 15 schools attended. The students were divided into groups of 2 or 3 and spent an hour each at 3 different instruments, taking a lecture and participating in hands-on activities.

At Rigaku’s counter, students first took a lecture on crystal analysis and then used single-crystal X-ray diffraction to observe the structures of small crystals, including salt and sugar. They engaged in the activity enthusiastically and asked plenty of questions throughout the session.

The JAIMA Summer Science School has been held annually since 2012. This event helps middle and high school students better understand analytical instruments and technologies, which are fundamental to a wide range of industries, by giving them hands-on experience with actual instruments. Rigaku supports this event as part of outreach activities, helping to nurture the next generation of scientists.

Sponsorship of the Physical Society of Japan Jr. Session

In 1905, Einstein published three papers, including his theory of relativity, in what is known as the “miraculous year” of physics. Exactly 100 years later, in 2005, declared by the United Nations as the “World Year of Physics,” the “Physical Society of Japan Jr. Session” was launched as a next-generation talent development project aimed at junior and senior high school students interested in physics.

The 20th Physical Society of Japan Jr. Session was held on March 16, 2024. There were 103 initial submissions, and 88 were selected to present at the Session. We sponsored this event to support the research activities of young people who will lead the future in science and technology. We awarded the Grand Prize and Rigaku Prize for Excellence to Uto Senior High School (Kumamoto pref.) and Kurashiki Amaki Senior High School (Okayama pref.), and the Excellence Award and Rigaku Prize to Tokyo Metropolitan High School of Science and Technology.

We were honored to be the first company to present awards in the contest’s history. The donations and gifts for the winning students will be used to further their research activities.

We will continue to support this project in cooperation with the Physical Society of Japan.

Workplace Experience

Workplace experience is a program recommended by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology as a part of the career education curriculum in Japanese secondary schools. It helps students learn the reality of a job and work through the experience.

Rigaku accepted two students for a three-day workplace experience program at our Tokyo factory (located in Akishima City, Tokyo) in October 2023. They experienced different jobs each day. On the first day, they experienced "analysis work" in the laboratory using real analytical instruments. This included observing how drawings made with erasable pens disappeared when heated and analyzing the fluffiness of rice balls.
The second day took them to the software development department, where they engaged in a hands-on "programming experience." They programmed the movements of a robotic arm to deliver samples automatically.
Finally, on the third day, they joined the procurement department for "incoming goods handling ". They were assigned tasks such as receiving, sorting, and scanning deliveries using a barcode reader.
All these tasks were new experiences for them, and it was impressive how well they focused on each activity throughout the program.

At Rigaku, we provide students opportunities to explore the meaning of work and contemplate their future career paths through workplace experiences. Furthermore, we aim to address the lack of interest in science among kids and to inform the local community about Rigaku's activities and business. We have also hosted factory visits for local elementary schools and are committed to continuing our community-focused efforts.