Prof. Dr. Hidemitsu Furukawa

Born in Tokyo in 1968. He received a doctorate in Physics at Tokyo Institute of Technology. After assistant professors at Tokyo Institute of Technology Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology and associate professor at Hokkaido University, he joined Yamagata University as associate professor in 2009, and launched the Soft & Wet Matter Engineering Laboratory (SWEL). He was promoted to full professor in 2012 and he is directing SWEL. In June 2013 he founded the Life-3D Printing Innovation Center (LPIC) and became the center chair and started developing 3D printer research. In January 2014 he joined the founder of the Yamagata Makers Network (YMN) and become the director. In February 2014 He started the “Yonezawa ITADAKIMAS (pray for food) Research Group” and became the representative. In August 2014, he set up the station fab named “EkiFab” at Yonezawa station 2F and became the management representative. In September 2015, he opened the Polymer Future School named “Mirai Juku” website from the Polymer Society of Japan and became the first president. Currently, with the aim of creating a new 3D printing industry, he co-founded D-Light Matter, Inc. in November 2016 and became a special technical advisor to strengthen 3D printing technology of polymer gels. In March 2017, he launched the Soft Matter Robotics Consortium, which aims to develop flexible material robot technology using 3D printers.