Otto Schott Research Award honors distinguished glass scientist

The Ernst Abbe Board of Trustees recognizes Prof. Tanabe as a “recognized leader in the international field of active doped optical materials.” He is also appreciated for his long-standing contributions to education and training in Japan and internationally. Endowed with a prize of €25,000, the award recognizes outstanding scientific and technological achievements in glass, glass-ceramic, and related advanced materials. The award has supported researchers from around the world since 1991.

Award winner Mr. Setsuhisa Tanabe is a professor of material chemistry at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies in Japan. He is also a Fellow of the Ceramic Society of Japan as well as of the American Ceramic Society’s Glass and Optical Materials Division. With an impactful body of literature, Prof. Tanabe is a prominent name in the fields of rare-earth doped glass, glass-ceramic, and optically active ceramic materials. In addition, he made important contributions to education and training at Kyoto University and in international glass and ceramic organizations as well.

Since 1991, the Otto Schott Research Award has been endowed biennially with 25,000 euros to recognize outstanding achievements in basic and applied research related to glass, glass-ceramics, and advanced materials. The award is granted by the Ernst Abbe Fund and managed by the Association for German Science (Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft). Previous winners of the prize include chemists and physicians from around the world.

The award is named after Otto Schott who developed ground-breaking glass solutions for optics, pharmaceuticals, and many other technical applications and is credited as the inventor of specialty glass. Together with Ernst Abbe and Carl Zeiss, Otto Schott founded the Schott & Associates Glass Technology and Laboratory in 1884, which has grown into SCHOTT AG, a global leader in specialty glass and materials today. The Carl Zeiss Foundation is the sole shareholder of SCHOTT AG and Carl Zeiss AG.

“We are honored to recognize Professor Tanabe’s long-standing and influential work through this year’s Otto Schott Research Award,” said Dr. Matthias Müller, Head of R&D at SCHOTT AG and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Erst Abbe Fund. “His contribution to advancing knowledge and education in the field is invaluable and he has also helped advance important product developments at SCHOTT.”

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