Future Prospects with Professor Hiroshi Amano
Future Prospects Initiative: 8 June 2015: Meeting with Professor Hiroshi Amano, 2014 Nobel Laureate in Physics. © UNESCO / N. Hougenade
On 8 June 2015, the Executive Board was honoured to receive Professor Hiroshi Amano from the University of Nagoya (Japan), and 2014 Nobel Laureate in physics, , for a presentation on the theme “Innovation as a driving force for development” followed by a fruitful exchange with Board members and other delegates. The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Professors Hiroshi Amano, Isamu Akasaki and Shuji Nakamura "for the invention of diodes emitting blue light allowing savings of white light sources", better known as LED.
This session was part of the series of meetings under Decision 194 EX/31 "UNESCO 70 years and Future Prospects" and was in line with one of the key missions of UNESCO, namely bridging the gap between science and policy.
"For over a billion and half people, night announces darkness" stressed Mr. Mohamed Sameh Amr, Chairperson of the Executive Board. Many people in the world still do not benefit from correct lightening and it is vital for countries that have developed new technologies to be aware of issues related to access. The UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015 the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies.
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, recalled that the 70th anniversary of the Organization is an opportunity to celebrate the "S" in its acronym for Science. It is important to lay the foundations of applied science requiring quality education on science. To move forward, we need among other things to promote social cohesion and the effective implementation of public policies.
Professor Amano gave a presentation entitled: Development of GaN-based Blue LEDs: contributing to solving global issues such as energy, water, food, environment and health for a sustainable society. In his address to the Executive Board, Professor Amano said that before the 18th century, fire and candles were the only forms of illumination. In 1858, fluorescent lamps were invented, marking the beginning of quantum mechanics. After 1962, we witnessed the arrival of LEDs and in the 1970s, we used very complex non-native means. In February 1985, Professor Amano realized that aluminum nitride may be the solution to his laboratory research. The first production of gallium nitride was funded by other researchers, with his collaboration.
Today, video games and mobile phones are powered thanks to the increase in these diodes. We even go as far as talking about people’s addictions to their mobile phones. This proves that we are all, more or less, in contact with these diodes. In 1996, a filter was added to blue light diodes, producing white light. With this technology, the blue LEDs contribute to electronic devices, as well as all lighting systems. Moreover, blue LEDs provide considerable energy savings.
Finally, Professor John Dudley, President of the International Committee of the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies, raised scientists’ concerns to on research projects. He said "The world needs long-term research" and urged UNESCO to raise the awareness of Member States to the need to fund programmes in this framework.
He also recalled that the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies crystallizes more than twenty activities and events every day around the world, exemplifying the international scientific community’s major responsibility.
An interesting and fruitful discussion followed the presentations, which focused mainly on the future of blue LEDs, South-South and North-South cooperation, funding and supporting research, collaborations with developing countries and international students, and collaboration with other research centers, particularly in developing countries.
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