Michael Stopa
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
Looking older than in my RIKEN days!
Michael Stopa writes to Koji Ishibashi of the Advanced Device Laboratory, RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
Dear Dr Ishibashi,
It’s with great pleasure that I send you a ‘postcard’ from my latest location, the Center for Nanoscale Systems at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts! I have many fond memories of my days at RIKEN and I recently had the opportunity to relive some of those memories when I visited RIKEN last August. Indeed, along with my friend Toshi Iitaka and other RIKEN dignitaries such as Franco Nori and Koji Kaya, we are attempting to build a bridge of collaboration between RIKEN and Harvard University in computation and nanoscience.
When I started at RIKEN in 1992, the Wako campus and Wako itself were dramatically different than they are now. There was no Brain Science Institute and the (new) Frontier Research Institute, which is now part of the Advanced Science Institute, was located in two buildings. Most of our group, the nanoelectronics research group, was involved in research that complemented the Solid State Group headed by my friend: Yoshinobu Aoyagi. Jon Bird and I were the spearhead in the study of a new class of devices falling in the category of 'single electronics'. Our research efforts have now metamorphosed into your laboratory. Congratulations Ishibashi-san!
During my time at RIKEN, I lived nearby and was able to ride my 50 cc bike to work every day in just five minutes. Given that I now drive for almost an hour to work every day, I really miss that bike! I also recall running in a loop around the RIKEN campus just about every night. I hated the bats and I am not surprised to find that they are still haunting the campus!
My new home, the LISE building, home of the Center for Nanoscale Systems.
Currently I am working on problems in computational nanoscience. In particular I retain an interest in nanoelectronics and quantum dots, but I have branched out a bit into areas like photosynthesis and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy—all with a theoretical approach. In my recent visit to RIKEN, I had the opportunity to begin some collaborative efforts with RIKEN chemist Toshi Takada, who is a specialist on photosynthesis. I have also had the privilege of being a member of the RIKEN Supercomputer Center. At Harvard we are very interested in establishing further relations with RIKEN’s computer experts.
I always look forward to coming back to RIKEN, seeing the above-mentioned friends and others like Megumi Kobayashi and remembering the old days.
All the best,
Michael Stopa
Center for Nanoscale Systems, Harvard University
Cambridge, MA, USA
