At the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU) Meeting 2026, held in May 2026, Prof. Kiwamu Yoshino, Director of the Institute for Planetary Materials, was honored as a 2026 JpGU Fellow and attended the award ceremony. The JpGU Fellow program is a prestigious distinction awarded to researchers who have made outstanding achievements in the field of Earth and planetary sciences or have contributed significantly to its advancement.

Reason for the Award and Major Achievements
“Clarification of Electrical Conductivity and Material Transport Processes in Planetary Interior Materials Based on High-Temperature and High-Pressure Experiments”
Prof. Yoshino has elucidated the electrical properties of minerals and melts under ultrahigh-pressure conditions using precise experimental techniques he independently developed. These achievements provide a crucial link between observational data and physical experimental results, offering key insights into Earth’s internal processes, such as geomagnetic variations and mantle convection. His work has made significant contributions to the advancement of Earth and planetary sciences.
This selection as a JpGU Fellow recognizes not only his pioneering research activities but also his long-standing international and academic contributions, including being named a Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of America (MSA) and receiving the Award of the Japan Association of Mineralogical Sciences.

Comment from Prof. Yoshino
“I am deeply honored to receive the prestigious title of Fellow of the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU). I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my collaborators, as well as to the staff and students of the Institute for Planetary Materials, whose support has enabled me to continue my experimental research over many years.
The interiors of the Earth and planets, which we study, still remain full of mysteries. Encouraged by this recognition, I will continue to contribute to the further development of Earth and planetary sciences through high-temperature and high-pressure experiments, while also dedicating efforts to the training of the next generation of researchers.”

【JpGU】https://www.jpgu.org/en/
【JpGU Fellows】https://www.jpgu.org/en/jpgufellow/#2026
【You Tube：Award Commemorative Interview with Professor Yoshino】https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMOaXZAKMbI