Assist. Prof. Tomohiro Kato of the field of Environmental Infrastructure Engineering has been awarded the 2025 Maeda Engineering Award (Civil Engineering).
The Maeda Engineering Award (Civil Engineering) was established to recognize young researchers who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in academic research in the fields of civil engineering and architecture. Presented by the Maeda Memorial Foundation, the award honors doctoral dissertations that clearly demonstrate the author’s individual contributions, are compiled from a broad and comprehensive perspective, and are academically significant. Each year, one recipient is selected through a rigorous two-stage review process. Selection criteria include the clarity and relevance of the dissertation topic, the appropriateness of the research methodology, academic excellence, and societal impact.
The award ceremony took place on May 30, 2025, at the 2025 Maeda Engineering Award Ceremony.
■Name of the Award: The Maeda Engineering Foundation Awards
■ Award-winning achievements: Geoenvironmental Management of Excavated Earthen Materials with Geogenic Contamination
■Date of Award: May 30, 2025
■Comments from the winner： Civil engineering is a broad discipline that encompasses various fields, including bridges, rivers, geotechnical engineering, and urban planning. I am truly honored that my research, which focuses on geoenvironmental issues within geotechnical engineering, has been recognized in such a wide-ranging field.
This achievement is not mine alone – it reflects the cumulative efforts of my mentor, Professor Katsumi, and the many senior researchers who have guided me. I feel this award acknowledges the dedication of our entire research team.
When I began my doctoral program in 2020, the pandemic made it difficult to conduct experiments as planned. However, this situation gave me the opportunity to engage in in-depth discussions with my professor, who had previously been busy in business trips. Through many rounds of feedback and revisions, I learned how to turn research findings into a well-structured academic paper. I value the time I was able to spend under his guidance.
Moving forward, I am committed to developing my own research themes and furthering both my research and educational activities. I hope to pass on some of the knowledge and experience I’ve gained to the next generation.
■ Awarding Organization: The Maeda Engineering Foundation
■ Related website: The Maeda Engineering Foundation (only in Japanese)
