Rate My Professor Hirotaka Sato

Hirotaka Sato is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at Hokkaido University. He earned his bachelor's degree in 2006, master's degree in 2008, and Ph.D. in 2011, all from Hokkaido University in the Division of Quantum Science and Engineering. His career at the university includes serving as Assistant Professor from 2012 to 2020 before his promotion to Associate Professor in November 2020. He has held concurrent appointments in several centers, including the Semiconductor Frontier Education and Research Organization, the Green Transformation Leading Research Center, and the Nuclear Safety Advanced Research and Education Center, as well as earlier roles such as Postdoctoral Fellow at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency J-PARC Center from 2011 to 2012 and JSPS Research Fellow from 2008 to 2011.

Sato's research focuses on neutron engineering, quantum beam science, accelerator applications, radiation, cosmic rays, and imaging techniques including CT, Bragg edge, and Bragg dip methods for crystal structure and microstructure analysis, with applications to soft errors in semiconductors. He has received the 2022 MEXT Young Scientist Award for his work on multi-hierarchical research of material systems using wide-energy neutron application engineering and was named a Hokkaido University Distinguished Researcher for 2023–2025. He maintains active involvement in numerous professional societies and committees, including roles in the Japan Atomic Energy Society, Japan Neutron Science Society, and J-PARC MLF neutron utilization review committees. Sato contributes to education through lectures on quantum beams, radiation applications, and related topics in the School of Engineering and Graduate School of Engineering.