Takafumi Matsui

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Takafumi Matsui
松井孝典
Matsui in 2021
Born7 March 1946 (1946-03-07)
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[edit]

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[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "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". Jiji Press (in Japanese). 24 March 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "本学学長 松井孝典 逝去のお知らせ". it-chiba.ac.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b Schmadel, Lutz D. (2015). Dictionary of Minor Planet Names: Addendum to 6th Edition: 2012-2014. Springer. p. 76. ISBN 978-3-319-17677-2.