Sapporo Campus—On August 6, 2026, Hokkaido University commemorated the countdown to its 150th anniversary with a special joint lecture featuring Professor Benjamin List, Nobel Laureate and Specially Appointed Professor at Hokkaido University’s Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), and MIT Media Lab’s Professor Hiroshi Ishii, who is also an alumnus of Hokkaido University. Though from different fields—chemistry and human-computer interaction—both speakers shared a central message: groundbreaking innovation requires passion, bold ideas, and deep human connection. The event brought together a diverse audience of students, researchers, university staff, and community members.

Opening the lecture, Professor List described catalysis as “the single most important technology for our life.” Reflecting on his Nobel Prize-winning work in organocatalysis, he emphasized the critical role of green chemistry in addressing global challenges like ocean waste and climate change.

Highlighting ongoing collaborations with Hokkaido University’s WPI-ICReDD team—including recent research on confined acid catalysts—Professor List shared his ambitious vision for “ultimate photosynthesis,” a process aimed at dissociating carbon dioxide using light. Quoting Steve Jobs, Professor List encouraged the next generation of researchers to think big:

Without crazy ideas, there cannot be a
revolutionary discovery…

Following the first lecture, Professor Ishii challenged the audience to design with empathy at the forefront. Guided by three core principles: Stand Out, Blaze the Trail, and Build the Mountain, he introduced his EEEI Framework: Envision, Embody, Engage, and Inspire.

Professor Ishii also showcased Teleabsence, an innovative project designed to combat global loneliness by helping people reconnect with lost loved ones. Channeling James Joyce’s famed words that “absence is the highest form of presence,” he reminded attendees that technology derives its value from human resonance:

Success only happens when your actions
resonate with the people around you.

During the interactive Q&A session, a student asked Professor List what led him to specialize in catalysis. Reflecting on his career, Professor List shared that catalysis naturally resonated with him and fueled his genuine passion, while offering a piece of advice to the young researchers in the audience: “Follow your own enthusiasm.”

^{Left: Q&A session with Professor List (Photo: Ken, Public Relations Intern)
Right: The joint Q&A session (Photo: Ayumi Hasegawa)}

Closing the commemorative event, both speakers left the audience with a powerful takeaway: transformative progress occurs when technical brilliance is fueled by enthusiasm and driven by empathy. 

After the lecture ended, international master’s students from the Department of Chemistry reflected on the valuable lessons gained from the event:

I was really inspired by what Professor List said about following your passion—if you love it, you’ll find that the work is worth it in the end.

To be a great scientist, it’s not just about gaining more and more knowledge. It’s also about how you present your thoughts to the audience.

As Hokkaido University looks toward its 150th anniversary, the insights from Professor List and Professor Ishii serve as an inspiring roadmap for students, researchers, and innovators alike.