Mareki Honma wins the FY2020 Hayashi Chushiro Prize

Mareki Honma, Professor and Director of Mizusawa VLBI Observatory at National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the Principal Investigator of the Japanese EHT group, has received the FY2020 (2021) Hayashi Chushiro Prize from the Astronomical Society of Japan (ASJ). The Prize recognizes his significant contributions to astronomy, through his leading work on observational studies of the Milky Way structure with the highest-angular-resolution astronomy using VERA and significant contributions to imaging the shadow of a supermassive black hole with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).

The ASJ Hayashi Chushiro Prize was established in 1955 via donations by Dr. Chushiro Hayashi based on the 11th Kyoto Prize awarded to Dr. Hayashi. The Prize annually recognizes only a single scientist who has made outstanding contributions to astronomy. This year, Honma will receive the prize. "I am very pleased to receive the Hayashi Chushiro Prize of the Astronomical Society of Japan for the research accomplishments that have been done by VERA and EHT. All the research achievements that brought me the prize are collaborative ones using VLBI, and thus they should not have been achieved without support from my collaborators. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all my collaborators and those who supported our works." Honma says. " I would like to continue our research to produce better research results in the future, and I would appreciate your continued support."

This news has triggered many warm messages from Honma's collaborators inside and outside of the EHT collaborations across the globe. "I am very pleased but not at all surprised to see my friend and colleague Honma-san recognized for this distinguished award. He is an international leader in not one but many areas of radio astronomy. In our project to provide the first image of a black hole, he has been an inspirational and thoughtful leader in science, technology, and project management, providing many insights and wise counsel. Honma-san was also a very generous host during my visit to Mizusawa Observatory, where he introduced me to his vibrant research group and gave me a guided tour of the local temples." Geoffery C. Bower, Chief Scientist of Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica and Project Scientist of EHT, says. Other messages are quoted here.

Mareki Honma wins the FY2020 Hayashi Chushiro Prize

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