Hiroshi Matsumoto (松本 紘, Matsumoto Hiroshi) (born November 17, 1942) is a Japanese engineer and atmospheric scientist. He was the president of Kyoto University until August 2014, and then served as the president of RIKEN until March 2022. He is a member of the Japanese government's committee on space policy. He has a Doctorate in Engineering (1973, Kyoto University). He was born in Zhangjiakou, China.[1]
His research has centered on plasma in the geomagnetosphere and cosmosphere. He developed the KEMPO (Kyoto university ElectroMagnetic Particle) code to reproduce the dynamics of the physical processes of space plasma.[2] He led the plasma wave Geotail observations,[3] and has helped elucidate mechanisms of excitation, such as electrostatic solitary waves. He has also worked on studies for the practical application of microwave power transmission in space.
Career
1967: Research assistant at Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University
1974: Assistant Professor of Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University
1981: Assistant Professor of Radio Atmospheric Science Center (RASC), Kyoto University
1987: Professor of RASC, Kyoto University
1992–1998: Director of RASC, Kyoto University
2000: Professor of Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere, Kyoto University
2002: Director of Radio Science Center for Space and Atmosphere, Kyoto University
2004: Professor of Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University
2005: Director of RISH, Kyoto University
2005: Executive Vice-President (Research and Finance), Kyoto University
1975 – "Study of Whistler mode wave particle interaction over the magnetosphere plasma" was awarded the Tanaka-kan Award by the Japan Society of Geomagnetism and Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences
2006 – Awarded the Yuri Gagarin Medal from the Russian Federation of Cosmonautics
2006 – Awarded the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Science and Technology Award
2007 – Awarded the Purple Ribbon Medal
2008 – Awarded the 2008 Booker Gold Medal from the International Radio Science Union