After a rigorous screening process, a total of three awards, one main award and two incentive awards, were selected for the Ikeda Rika Award for Science Castle Research Fund, which is administered jointly by Ikeda Rika Corporation and RIVANES Corporation.

this prize
Improving the carbon fixation function of forest ecosystems using biochar."
Asano Junior & Senior High School, 1st year high school student, Jiale Song
Grant details: 50,000 yen for research, research mentoring by Ikeda Rika Bridge Fellows
Ikeda Rika Bridge Fellow: Makoto Yamazaki, Yokohama National University (2nd year, Master's course)

honorable mention (award)
"Method construction for sensitive detection of viral genes in the environment."
Koshiro Yoshioka, 2nd year high school student, Kinran Senri High School
Grant details: 50,000 yen for research

'Audio analysis of liw sway behavior of snapping lampreys in mud.'
Rika Sakamoto, High School Sophomore, Tottori Nishi Senior High School
Grant details: 50,000 yen for research

This year, we invited a wide range of applications from all fields of natural sciences (physics, chemistry, biology, geology, etc.) and received 28 applications as a result. Thank you very much for the many applications.

In addition to research funding, mentoring by Ikeda Rika Bridge Fellows will be provided for this award. Bridge Fellows are young researchers selected through Ikeda Rika's Bridge Fellowship System, and while receiving research grants from Ikeda Rika, they will work on collaborative projects with Ikeda Rika in parallel. For the first time in Japan, Makoto Yamazaki of Yokohama National University (2nd year of master's course at the time of adoption) has been selected as a Bridge Fellow, and as part of the collaborative project, he will provide mentoring for about six months to the adopted fellow in this case (Mr. Song Jia Le).

Through this initiative, Ikeda Rika Corporation and LIVANES Corporation will promote this activity not only to promote research activities of junior and senior high school students, but also to promote research by doctoral candidates and to provide them with an opportunity to further develop their new careers.

(Reference)
What is the Bridge Fellowship Program?
Non-Research and Development Companies Start with Young Researchers to Create Value for Themselves -The Challenge of Ikeda Rika Corporation's Ikeda Rika Bridge Fellowship Program - Ikeda Rika Co.

Inquiries about this matter
Liverness Corporation Human Resource Development Division/Career Design Research Center Tachibana ([email protected])