15 people awarded grants from the Watanabe Trust Fund

15 students and academics from the University of Iceland and Japanese universities have been awarded grants for the academic year 2022-2023 from the Watanabe Trust Fund at the University of Iceland.  The total funding allocated this year is almost ISK 11 million.

The grants will fund either study or research exchanges in line with the mission of the Watanabe Trust Fund, which has been fostering academic ties between Iceland and Japan since 2011. 

A total of 22 applications were submitted and the following people were selected to receive a grant for the academic year 2022-2023:

University of Iceland students awarded a scholarship to study in Japan

• Anna Ingolfovna Skúlason, BA student in Japanese language and culture, to study at Waseda University
• Eva Bryndís Ágústsdóttir, BA student in archaeology, to study at Kyoto University
• Glúmur Björnsson, MS student in geology, to study at Kochi University
• Jake Markert, BA student in Japanese language and culture, to study at Iwate University 
• Mika Portugaise, MS student in environment and natural resources, to study at the University of Tokyo
• Páll Steinar Sigurðsson, BA student in Japanese language and culture, to study at Iwate University
• Rebekka Hlín Rúnarsdóttir, BA student in Japanese language and culture, to study at Kochi University
• Vivien Nagy, PhD student in pharmaceutical sciences, to conduct research at the Innovation Center of Nanomedicine (iCONM) in Kawasaki 
• Ingibjörg Björgvinsdóttir to do a PhD at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology

Japanese students awarded a scholarship to study at the University of Iceland

• Anna Kodama, BA student in political science at Gakushuin University
• Asuka Nakashizu, BA student in history at ICU
• Malina Ueda, MA student in Viking and medieval Norse studies at the University of Iceland

Icelandic academics awarded a grant to conduct research in Japan

• Freysteinn Sigmundsson, research scientist at the Institute of Earth Sciences, to conduct research at Kyoto University and AIST.
• Már Másson, professor of pharmaceutical sciences, to conduct research at the Innovation Center of Nanomedicine (iCONM) in Kawasaki

Japanese academic awarded a grant to conduct research at the University of Iceland

• Katsumi Doi, professor of molecular biology at Kyushu University

In addition, several people awarded grants for the academic year 2021-2022, have been in Japan or at the University of Iceland this winter, since the COVID-19 pandemic prevented them from using their grants the previous year. 

The board of the Watanabe Trust Fund is Kristín Ingvarsdóttir, lecturer at the Faculty of Languages and Cultures and chair of the board, Toshizo "Tom" Watanabe, founder of the fund, and Geir H. Haarde, former prime minister and ambassador.