The Saruhashi Prize (猿橋賞) is an annual prize awarded to a Japanese woman researcher in the natural sciences. The prize recognises accomplishments in research as well as the mentoring of other women scientists.
Japanese geochemist Katsuko Saruhashi retired from her position as the director of the Geochemical Research Laboratory in 1980. Her co-workers gifted her ¥5 million[1] and she used the money to establish the Association for the Bright Future of Women Scientists in 1980.[2] The association distributes an annual ¥300,000 prize. It is only available to scientists who are under the age of 50.
The book My Life: Twenty Japanese Women Scientists, edited by Yoshihide Kozai, includes essays by twenty of the Saruhashi Prize winners.
| Name | Institution | Year | Research area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tomoko Ohta | National Institute of Genetics | 1981 | Theoretical study of population genetics at the molecular level[3] |
| 2 | Haruka Yamada (ja) | Kwansei Gakuin University | 1982 | Laser Raman spectroscopy to study surface phenomena[3] |
| 3 | Masako Osumi | Japan Women's University | 1983 | Microstructure and function of yeast cells[3] |
| 4 | Fumiko Yonezawa | Keio University | 1984 | Theoretical study of physical properties of non-crystalline materials[3] |
| 5 | Mariko Yasugi | University of Tsukuba | 1985 | Methodology for elucidating the logical structure of analysis[3][4] |
| 6 | Yoshie Souma | National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology | 1986 | New organic synthesis catalysts. |
| 7 | Izumi Oono | Tokyo Institute of Technology | 1987 | Fundamental research on electrochemical formation of thin films |
| 8 | Chikako Sato | Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute | 1988 | The study of mitotic cell death caused by radiation[3][5] |
| 9 | Mizuho Ishida | Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology | 1989 | Microearthquakes as earthquake precursors and a probe of tectonic plate structure |
| 10 | Mihoko Takahashi | University of Tsukuba | 1990 | Genetic studies of protozoan behaviour |
| 11 | Miwako Mori | Hokkaido University | 1991 | Development of new reactions for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals |
| 12 | Takako Kato (ja) | National Institute for Fusion Science | 1992 | Atomic processes in high-temperature plasma |
| 13 | Reiko Kuroda | University of Tokyo | 1993 | Mechanism to discriminate the handedness of chiral molecules and DNA base pairs |
| 14 | Hiroko Shirai | Okayama University | 1994 | Research of the mechanism of starfish ovulation and egg maturation |
| 15 | Shihoko Ishii | Tokyo Institute of Technology | 1995 | Research of singularities in algebraic geometry |
| 16 | Maki Kawai | RIKEN | 1996 | Basic research of chemical reactions taking place on solid-state surfaces |
| 17 | Tetsuko Takabe (ja) | Nagoya University | 1997 | The molecular mechanism of salt-tolerance in plants |
| 18 | Keiko Nishikawa | Chiba University | 1998 | Study of supercritical fluid |
| 19 | Sumiko Mochida | Tokyo Medical University | 1999 | Research of the release mechanism of the neurotransmitter |
| 20 | Tomoko Nakanishi | University of Tokyo | 2000 | Behavior of water and trace elements in plants |
| 21 | Hiroko Nagahara | University of Tokyo | 2001 | The formation and evolution of meteorites and planetary materials |
| 22 | Chikako Shingyoji | University of Tokyo | 2002 | A study on flagellar movement |
| 23 | Kiyoko Fukami | Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences | 2003 | The role of phospholipid metabolism in life phenomena |
| 24 | Haruyo Koiso | KEK | 2004 | Contribution to the world's highest brightness achieved in the collider KEKB |
| 25 | Motoko Kotani | Tohoku University | 2005 | Research of discrete geometric analysis due to the crystal lattice |
| 26 | Ikue Mori | Nagoya University | 2006 | Genetic studies of sensory and learning behaviour |
| 27 | Yukari Takayabu | University of Tokyo | 2007 | Observational study on the dynamics of cloud distribution in the tropics |
| 28 | Kyoko Nozaki | University of Tokyo | 2008 | Study of the precision polymerization of a polar monomer using a metal complex catalyst |
| 29 | Mikiko C. Siomi (ja) | Keio University | 2009 | Mechanism of actionofRNA silencing |
| 30 | Yoshiko Takahashi | Nara Institute of Science and Technology | 2010 | The morphogenesis of animals during embryonic development[6] |
| 31 | Noriko Mizoguchi | Tokyo Gakugei University | 2011 | Asymptotic analysis of blow-up phenomena |
| 32 | Ayako Abe | University of Tokyo Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute | 2012 | The mechanism of ice sheet fluctuation and the past-to-future climate |
| 33 | Emiko Hiyama | RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science | 2013 | The establishment of precise calculation algorithms for quantum few-body physics and development thereof |
| 34 | Emi Hifumi | 2014 | Functional proteins, coined "super catalytic antibodies" (antigenase)[7] | |
| 35 | Keiko Torii | Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University | 2015 | Research of mechanism of cell-cell communication and stomatal development in plants[8] |
| 36 | Tamaki Sato (ja) | Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Tokyo Gakugei University | 2016 | Description and Systematics of the Mesozoic Reptiles[9] |
| 37 | Aya Ishihara | Hadron Space Science, Chiba University | 2017 | Research of ultra-high-energy cosmic neutrinos[3] |
| 38 | Toshiko Terakawa (ja) | Earthquake and Volcano Research Center, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University | 2018 | Study on crustal stress and pore fluid pressure governing seismicity[10][11] |
| 39 | Rie Umetsu (ja) | Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University | 2019 | The physical properties of the Heusler-type functional magnetic materials including the half-metal-type magnets[12] |
| 40 | Atsuko Ichikawa (ja) | Department of Physics, Kyoto University | 2020 | Unraveling the nature of neutrino by accelerator-based long baseline neutrino experiment |
| 41 | Mikiko Tanaka (ja) | Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology | 2021 | Research on the development and evolution of vertebrate limbs[3] |
| 42 | Kimiko Sekiguchi | Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology | 2022 | Experimental study of three-body nuclear force in nuclear physics |
| 43 | Hiroko Miyahara | Musashino Art University | 2023 | Mechanisms of solar activity variations and their impacts on climate[13] |
| 44 | Yoshiko Ogata | Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University | 2024 | Mathematical Studies of Quantum Many-Body Systems[14] |
