Hidemitsu Furukawa is a leader in polymers research. He runs the Soft and Wet Matter Engineering Laboratory (SWEL) at Yamagata University and serves as the chairman of the Soft and Wet 3D Co-Creation Consortium, president of Polymer Mirai Juku and head of the Project toward Smart Soft-Manufacturing Revolution.
He studied physics at Saitama University and earned his PhD in physics at Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1996. He joined the faculty at Yamagata University in 2009 after working as a researcher at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and Hokkaido University.
Academic Affiliations
- January 2022 - PresentJapan Society for Design Engineering
- September 2017 - PresentEngineering Academy of Japan
- June 2017 - PresentRobotics Society of Japan
- May 2017 - PresentSociety of Pure and Applied Coordination Chemistry
- April 2014 - PresentJapanese Society of Biorheology
- January 2013 - PresentJapanese Society of Ophthalmological Optics
- June 2013 - PresentElectrochemical Society
- January 2012 - PresentJapanese Society of Tribologists
- August 2011 - PresentInternational Society for Optics and Photonics
- August 2010 - PresentAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers
- April 2010 - PresentSociety of Polymer Science, Research Group on Precisely Designed Network Polymer
- November 2009 - PresentSociety of Rubber Science and Technology, Japan
- May 2009 - PresentJapan Society of Mechanical Engineers
- February 2007 - PresentAmerican Chemical Society
- June 2003 - PresentSociety of Rheology
- 2002 - PresentChemical Society of Japan
- 2001 - presentCellulose Society of Japan
- 1999 - presentSociety of Polymer Science, Research Group on Basic Properties of Polymers
- 1999 - presentSociety of Polymer Science, Research Group on Polymer Gels
- 1996 - PresentSociety of Polymer Science
- 1993 - presentPhysical Society of Japan
Awards
- March 2022Designing the Future of Convenience Stores, Future Service Design Pitch Contest, 1st Place
- June 2016Japan-America Frontiers of Engineering Best Speakers Award 2016, Engineering Academy of Japan
- May 2016Division Award, Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Division of Machine Materials and Materials Processing, 2015
- December 2013Nice Step Researchers 2013, National Institute of Science and Technology Policy, MEXT
Topic: Cutting-edge Gel 3D Printer Development through Industry-Academia Collaboration - December 20102010 Society for the Advancement of Scientific Measurement Award
- September 20102010 M&M International Symposium for Young Researchers, Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers, Best Presentation Award
Key Papers
- Swelling-induced modulation of static and dynamic fluctuations in polyacrylamide gels observed by scanning microscopic light scattering
- Development of Optical 3D Gel Printer for Fabricating Free-Form Soft & Wet Industrial Materials and Evaluation of Printed Double-Network Gels*
- 4D Printing of Shape-Memory Hydrogels for Soft-Robotic Functions