Professor Nobumitsu Kawakubo and Professor Osamu Doi of the Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences were awarded the Research Fellowship for Young Scientists Screening Committee Prize AY 2017 by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

The JSPS regularly examines research paper reviewing results produced by its screening committee members, and reflects them on the committee members' selection for the following year. This practice aims to carry out the Research Fellowship for Young Scientists programs to promote the growth and secure future researchers and scholars, and to implement international exchange activities for academic globalization and researchers' mobility.

From 2009, the JSPS awards the screening committee members for their exemplary evaluation of individual research work based on their accurate verification. In 2017, approximately 1,400 members conducted the screening work. Among them, 137 members out of 600 who are in their second term as the committee members, and are eligible for the prize, were awarded the Research Fellowship for Young Scientists Screening Prize AY 2017. Professor Kawakubo and Professor Doi are one of those who received the prize.

The Commendation Ceremony was held at the Office of President on September 10, 2018. After handing the certificate to the two professors, President Hisataka Moriwaki gave them a word of encouragement and praise their great achievements. "Screening and grading the research papers are quite challenging and I felt a strong sense of responsibilities as an examinee" said Professor Kawakubo. "I did my best to evaluate each paper trying to imagine the writer's aspirations and ambitions." said Professor Doi.

After the ceremony, President Moriwaki, Professor Kawakubo and Professor Doi talked about the current screening system and methods for some time.