Biography:Takafumi Matsui

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Short description: Japanese planetary scientist and geophysicist (1946–2023)
Takafumi Matsui
松井孝典
Takafumi Matsui (December 2021).jpg
Matsui in 2021
Born7 March 1946 (1946-03-07)
Shizuoka, Japan
Died22 March 2023 (2023-03-23) (aged 77)
Other namesTakanori Matsui
OccupationScientist

Takafumi Matsui (Japanese: 松井孝典, 7 March 1946 – 22 March 2023) was a Japanese planetary scientist, geophysicist, science communicator and academic. He was professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo.

Life and career

Born in Shizuoka, Matsui graduated from the Faculty of Science of the University of Tokyo, and after a stage as a visiting researcher at NASA he became professor at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences of his alma mater.[1][2] He was specialized in astrobiology and comparative planetary science.[3] He served as president of the Chiba Institute of Technology from June 2020 till his death.[2] He authored numerous scientific articles and books.[1]

Matsui died of prostate cancer on 22 March 2023, at the age of 77.[1][2] The planet 7301 Matsuitakafumi, discovered in 1993, was named after him.[3]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "松井孝典氏死去 惑星科学者、千葉工大学長:時事ドットコム" (in ja). Jiji Press. 24 March 2023. https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2023032401156&g=soc. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "本学学長 松井孝典 逝去のお知らせ" (in ja). https://www.it-chiba.ac.jp/emergency/20230325/. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Schmadel, Lutz D. (2015) (in en). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names: Addendum to 6th Edition: 2012-2014. Springer. p. 76. ISBN 978-3-319-17677-2.