At GRIPS Forum on November 22, 2021, Professor Toru H. Okabe, Director General, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, gave a lecture titled “Rare Metals: Light and Shadow”.

Abstract:

In the presentation, the current status of rare metals (or critical metals) will be reviewed, and the importance of the recycling of rare metals will be introduced. Specifically, recent dramatic changes in demand for rare metals and related environmental problems will be presented. The importance of the recycling of rare metals will also be discussed from multiple perspectives. If time permits, future trends of applications and demand for rare metals in practical industrial sectors will also be discussed.

Speaker: Professor Toru H. Okabe, 

Director General, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

Speaker’s Profile:

In 2001, Dr. Toru H. Okabe became an associate professor at the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo. After his associate professorship at the same institute, he was appointed as a professor in 2009. From 2019 to 2021, he served as the Vice President of the University of Tokyo. Since 2021, he has been the Director General of the Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo.

He currently specializes in materials science, environmental science, resource circulation engineering, and rare metal process engineering. For over 30 years, he has consistently pursued research on the smelting/recycling of “rare metals,” “specialty metals” or “less-common metals.”