Self-evaluations, external evaluations, Project achievement report

This project is aimed at increasing our brand value through branding strategies such as creating and developing new nanomaterials, recruiting highly motivated candidates with a broad perspective, and bringing our traditional nanomaterials research up to the world's highest level in order to establish a global research base. Also, with our university's vision for the future of "Creating a Learning Community", our goal is to return the fruits of academic inquiry and the application of theory to education and society. Furthermore, we will promote collaborative branding with the selected project from FY 2016 ("Meijo university's brand building program by developing new optical devices based on blue LED") to build a brand image as "Global Meijo University."

Continuing from the previous year, we will create and develop new nanomaterials as well as developing new research such as the fabrication of oxide nanotubes and the control of composition in the mixed oxide nanosheets. Specifically, we aim to realize nitrogen atom doping in graphene and develop structural control technology for iron oxide and titanium dioxide nanotubes. Our activiy will result in 22 nanomaterials academic paper presentations, 59 conference presentations, and 3 more commissioned/joint research projects. For this purpose, we will work on the use of research equipment from other institutions such as the Institute for Molecular Science, the continued employment of postdoctoral researchers, and the promotion of international joint research. In terms of branding, we will strategically improve our brand strength through collaboration with the Optoelectronic Device Research Center, while continuing our activities.

In our research on nanocarbons, we developed a high-speed “in-situ” measurement method of carbon nanotube growth process by using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) method. Research on diameter control and enlargement of small-diameter single-walled carbon nanotube films also showed some positive results.
In our research on oxide nanotubes, we succeeded in synthesizing iron oxide and titanium oxide nanotubes, doping Li on iron oxide nanotubes, and forming mixed crystals of titanium oxide nanotubes. In addition to this, we synthesized hexagonal boron nitride and succeeded in making a sample with a large domain size of several tens of micrometers.
These results are shown in 60 conferences, 8 keynote/invited presentations, 13 full papers, and 2 patent applications. In terms of branding, a university-sponsored public symposium was canceled due to the spread of coronavirus, but the Nanomaterials Research Center holds the “International Symposium on Advanced Nanocarbon Materials” and the “Nanomaterials Seminar” on an ongoing basis to disseminate research results to researchers both in Japan and abroad. We sent DMs to high school students who are interested in studying science across the country to raise awareness of the project. In addition, Meijo University hosted the Meijo University Techno Fair 2019, which welcomed 800 visitors to spread the seeds of our research to a wider audience.
In 2019, we worked on the promotion of international joint research with universities and research institutes overseas, including joint research with Shanghai University (China) and others, and concluding inter-undergraduate agreements with Dhempe college of Arts and Science (India) and others.

For our self-assessment and evaluation, we have conducted written and interview evaluations. However, due to the spread of coronavirus, the Research Branding Project Committee discussed and decided that only written evaluations should be conducted for FY2019. The progress report and other evaluation materials were delivered to the Research Branding Project Committee, and written evaluation was conducted between May 20 and May 29, 2020. The written evaluation received a score of 817 points (86.5%) out of 945 total points (63 total points x 15 people) from the 15 committee members, and was judged excellent.

The external evaluation has been conducted in both written and interview evaluation by a committee made up of members selected from university researchers, corporate engineers, and those engaged in national and prefectural industry development. However, due to the spread of coronavirus, the Research Branding Project Committee discussed and decided that only written evaluations should be conducted for FY2019. The progress report and other evaluation materials were delivered to eight members of the external evaluation committee. The written evaluation has been conducted between May 26 and June 8, 2020, we received 403 points out of 504 total points (80.0% ) and were judged as excellent. According to the opinions of the committee members in written evaluation, it was recognized that there were presentations and international symposiums held based on our research results as well as our own seminars. Also, the increased number of joint or funded research with companies deserves evaluation. The efforts have been made to effectively appeal these activities on the web, and these results have certainly led to the improvement of university rankings, so branding strategies have been successful. On the contrary, it was suggested that knowledge of nanomaterials should be more easily and widely known to the general public even though nanomaterials are still at a fundamental research stage. In order to do so, the committee members expressed that nanomaterials should be recognized more by global companies that promote the social implementation of nanomaterials. These issues need to be addressed by the Research Branding Program Committee in line with the project development in FY2020, and decided to further improve the project in the future.

Total funds for FY2019 were 26,800,000 yen and actual expenditure was 25,258,000 yen. The percentage of budget implementation was 94.2% (including the budget expenditure for 1 case of derivation research). The major uses are as follows:
(1) Research expenses: 18,643,000 yen (STJ 1000 degree heating chamber: 3,024,000 yen/electrochemical measurement system: 1,210,000 yen/overseas travel expenses (Nepal, USA, Germany, Croatia): 1,688,000 yen, etc.)
(2) Personnel expenses: 3,582,000 yen (one PD salary)
(3) PR expenses: 3,033,000 yen (branding project DM: 2,350,000 yen/overseas publication fee: 261,000 yen, etc.)