As part of Tohoku University’s Homecoming Day 2025, scheduled for Saturday, October 11 at the Tohoku University Centennial Hall (Kawauchi Hagi Hall), the university will host an award ceremony honoring recipients of the Tohoku University International Award and the Tohoku University International Alumni Association Award.
The Tohoku University International Award, established in 2022, recognizes individuals affiliated with Tohoku University who have significantly contributed to enhancing the university’s international visibility through their global efforts. The Tohoku University International Alumni Association Award is given to alumni associations overseas that have demonstrated particularly impactful and unique activities.
Starting in 2024, the International Award includes two subcategories: the Science and Technology Award and the Special Award. This year, five individuals and two organizations have been selected based on a rigorous review by the Executive Committee.

International Award – Individual Category

Prof. Heri Hermansyah, Indonesia

President, Universitas Indonesia (2024–)

Prof. Hermansyah began his term as President of Universitas Indonesia (UI) in 2024. Over his distinguished career, he has received numerous accolades from institutions such as the Islamic Development Bank (2017) and the Indonesian National Disaster Management Authority. His initiative Smart City UI, which places innovation and sustainability at the center of university management, received high praise and funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), recognizing the project’s advanced approach.

Prof. Nguyen Trung Viet, Vietnam 
President, Thuyloi University (2025–)
President, TUAAV (Tohoku University Alumni Association of Vietnam, 2019–present)

Prof. Nguyen obtained his Ph.D. in River and Coastal Engineering from the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University in 2007. As President of Thuyloi University, he has been a key figure in advancing education, research, and international collaboration. He founded the Tohoku University Alumni Association of Vietnam (TUAAV) in 2019 and has hosted numerous seminars and networking events. He also played a central role in organizing international conferences co-hosted with Tohoku University, and facilitated the enrollment of many Vietnamese researchers and students at Tohoku, actively mentoring the next generation through joint supervision and doctoral programs.

International Award – Science and Technology Award

Prof. Terasaki Osamu, Japan
Prof. and Director of the EM Centre, ShanghaiTech University (2015–)
Dr. Terasaki pioneered new methods for crystallographic analysis of microporous materials like zeolites using electron microscopy. These methods have enabled breakthroughs in structural determination that were previously unattainable with X-ray techniques. His research has received international acclaim, with results published in top journals such as Nature, Science, and PNAS. After being appointed as a professor at Stockholm University in 2003, he has built strong global research partnerships, especially with institutions in China and Korea. He continues to serve as a visiting professor at both Tohoku University and Waseda University, contributing to international research and mentoring.

Prof. Bassi Davide, Italy
Professor of Paleontology and Paleoecology, University of Ferrara (2022–)
Prof. Bassi has made substantial contributions to Tohoku University’s international reputation through academic collaborations, joint research, and cultural exchange. His achievements include publications in peer-reviewed journals, participation in international conferences, and the receipt of fellowships from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). He has fostered academic exchange between Tohoku University and the University of Ferrara in fields such as marine paleoecology and taxonomy of calcareous algae and large benthic foraminifera. He has co-authored 30 papers with Tohoku University's researchers indexed in the ISI Web of Science and played a key role in concluding a Memorandum of Understanding between both universities. His collaborative research has led to the discovery of four new species and has strengthened Tohoku University’s academic visibility abroad.

International Award – Special Award

Prof. Dietl Tomasz, Poland 

President of the Management Board and Group Leader at the Research Foundation MagTop (2012–) 
Prof. Dietl is a globally respected theoretical physicist known for his work in spintronics and topological materials. His 2000 paper published in Science, which proposed a theory for the ferromagnetism of diluted magnetic semiconductors, is the most cited paper ever published from Tohoku University (9,910 citations as of April 30, 2025). He has played a vital role in developing the university’s spintronics research. From 1999, he served as a professor at the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, and from 2012 to 2023, he was a Principal Investigator at AIMR. Currently, he leads the MagTop Center at the Polish Academy of Sciences. His lifetime citations exceed 35,000, with an h-index over 70. In education, he has also been deeply involved in the GP-Spin international graduate program at Tohoku, mentoring many doctoral students. His impact was visibly celebrated at the GP-Spin 10th Anniversary Event in February 2025.

International Alumni Association Award

Tohoku University Taiwan Alumni Association
The Taiwan Alumni Association actively organizes events to strengthen bonds among local alumni. On May 14, 2025, it received formal approval from Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior to begin preparations for legal incorporation. This marks the first time in Tohoku University's history that an overseas alumni association has taken steps toward becoming a legal entity.

Tohoku University Alumni Thailand (TUAT)
The members of TUAT are highly enthusiastic and maintain lively engagement through subgroups and collaborative activities beyond standard alumni events. They also contribute to public outreach initiatives, such as student fairs and conferences. Their efforts have been instrumental in raising Tohoku University’s profile and enriching the local community.

These awards aim to recognize the global achievements of those affiliated with Tohoku University while encouraging alumni worldwide to deepen their connections with the university, fostering stronger international partnerships moving forward.