Hanae Inami, Hiroshima University

What is your current job and background?

I am an assistant professor at Hiroshima University’s Astrophysical Science Center and I study astronomy together with the students here. I am looking into how galaxies were born and evolved, mainly by observing galaxies which are bright in infrared light.
When I was an undergraduate student, I majored in physics, which is the closest field to astronomy, and then I started to study astronomy at graduate school. I was accepted as a visiting graduate student fellow of NASA’s Spitzer Infrared Space Telescope, which provided me a path to begin exploring infrared galaxies in the nearby universe at the California Institute of Technology. Then I moved to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Arizona, followed by the Centre de Recherche Astrophysique de Lyon in France to continue my research in galaxies. Finally, I am here now at Hiroshima University.

What do you value in terms of research environment?

Hiroshima University is one of Japan’s leading research institutes in astronomy. A big advantage here is that we have our own observatory and can observe whenever we wish. We also regularly hold stargazing parties with our telescope and give informal public talks such as science cafes to share astronomy with everyone. We try to connect with society and be open in our research, not just focus on our own goals.