22 research proposals from OU selected for the FOREST Program

The Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) has selected proposals for the FY2023 Fusion Oriented Research for Disruptive Science and Technology (FOREST) Program^*1.

(Reference: JST website) (link in Japanese)

243 projects were selected from a total of 2,644 proposals, with 22^*2 proposals selected from Osaka University. This marks the most proposals selected from OU since the program began in FY 2020, bringing the total number of its researchers selected for this program to 72^*2.

Osaka University has proactively supported researchers in getting fund from the FOREST program by providing a place for outstanding early-career researchers to gather (SAKIGAKE Club^*3), conducting mock interviews, and providing advice for proposals.

The university has also provided support for research expenses for joint research by outstanding early-career researchers, which has led to joint research projects between researchers selected for the FOREST program in previous years.

Moving forward, the university will continue to provide strong support through discussions with researchers in order to create an environment for early-career researchers to focus on their research. These outstanding early-career researchers will open diverse interdisciplinary areas through integration of different areas and give innovative results back to society.

*1 The FOREST program provides long-term support for out-of-the-box, challenging and fusion-oriented diverse research while securing an environment in which researchers can focus on their research in order to create seeds that will lead to destructive innovation through diversity and fusion without setting specific issues and short-term goals.

*2 Of researchers whose proposals were selected for the FOREST program, those who belong to OU as of June 2024

*3 For more information on SAKIGAKE Club, click here. (link in Japanese)