Editor's note：
He is a world-leading scientist in the field of soft matter and complex system research. He is Prof. Sano who is always full of enthusiasm in the eyes of his postdocs. He is a chair professor with scholar temperament in the mind of countless students. In May 2019, he joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University, established an interdisciplinary laboratory, and continued to contribute in the field of scientific research.
Masaki Sano
Chair Professor in Statistical Physics and Biophysics
Institute of Natural Sciences/School of Physics and Astronomy
Masaki Sano graduated from Tohoku University with a doctorate in engineering in 1986. He was a professor of the Department of Physics at the University of Tokyo, director of the Universal Biology Institute, head of the Department of Physics at the University of Tokyo, member of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Physical Society, International Union of Physics and Applied Physics C3 Commission member and other positions.
Deep research by theoretical and experimental approaches
Prof. Sano's research is mainly based on accurate and controllable experiments, supplemented by theoretical and numerical models. He has high academic reputation and has made breakthrough contributions in the fields of chaotic dynamics, turbulence, crack propagation, biophysics, statistical physics, and active matter.
For more than 40 years of scientific research, Prof. Sano has published more than 100 articles in authoritative SCI journals, such as Nature, PNAS, PRL, etc., published 6 professional books and took charge of a number of research projects of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) . He was invited to give more than 100 lectures and won the Fluid Science Award of Tohoku University in Japan.
His most significant research constributions includes: the development of an algorithm for extracting the Lyapunov exponents of dynamical systems from the time series; the first experiment to observe the general law in the turbulent directional percolation phase transition; the first design and realization of the Maxwell 's demon experiment , showing the process of converting information into free energy.
Establish interdisciplinary laboratory with shared research resources
In May 2019, Prof. Sano officially joined the Institute of Natural Sciences/School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University as a chair professor.
In order to better explore the universal law in non-equilibrium systems, Pro.Sano set up an interdisciplinary lab by collaborating and sharing equipment with other groups .
At present, Prof. Sano has set up a research team on soft matter and complex systems at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, focusing on statistical physics in active matter systems far from equilibrium and carrying out original research with international influence.
Pavlov said, "Science requires everyone to have extremely intense work and great enthusiasm." As a chair professor, how does Masaki Sano's schedule his daily work?
Daily Schedule
06:00 Wake up
8:20 Arrive at officeï¼›Check e-mail and reply
9:00-10:00 Zoom meeting with people at University of Tokyo
10:00-12:30 Reading and writing articles
13:30 Go to the labï¼›Discuss with postdocs and check the results of overnight experiments
15:00 Zoom meeting on Interdisciplinary Corona Forum with Japanese group
16:00-18:00 Zoom meeting with a French group on theory and simulations for biological pattern formation
18:30 Go home by school bus
19:30 Cook dinner; Drink beer
20:30 Check TV news etc.; Write or read
23:00 Zoom conference on the workshop at KITP