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The 12th Masataro Sawayanagi Memorial DEI Award ceremony was held at Katahira Campus on September 2. This award, named after Tohoku University's first president, honors those who have played an active role in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in their universities and broader communities.

In his congratulatory remarks, President Teiji Tominaga spoke of Tohoku University's long history of inclusion under its "open door" policy, and how it broke the gender barrier in 1913 by being the first university in Japan to accept female students.

"Historically, our university has flourished because we embraced diversity, not only in admitting women, but also international students," he said. "Last November, we were designated as the first University for International Research Excellence, and one of our goals is to create a 'Campus for Aspiring Minds', a dynamic academic environment that attracts the best researchers from around the world. Our university will continue to improve society and humanity by bringing together knowledge and expertise while embracing diversity, equity and inclusivity, to become a university that leads not only Japan but the world."

The award comprises two categories.

The main award (Category A) recognizes outstanding contributions to DEI through research and social activities. This year, it was awarded to AEGIS-Women (Association for Empowerment of Women Gastrointestinal Surgeons), represented at the ceremony by Assistant Professor Emiko Kono of Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University.

In her lecture, Kono emphasised the importance of creating an environment where everyone is treated fairly and allowed to demonstrate the best of their abilities.

"For a long time in the surgical field, there have been disparities in opportunities based on attributes such as gender. AEGIS-Women is working to eliminate these barriers and aims to create a society where those aspiring to become surgeons can continue to pursue their goals with confidence," she said.

Kono noted that as this is the 10th anniversary of AEGIS-Women, "this award feels like an acknowledgment that our journey so far has been meaningful and valued by society. Hopefully this will give us powerful momentum as we move into our next decade."

Category B, the Masataro Sawayanagi DEI Encouragement Award, celebrates young individuals or groups making significant strides in promoting DEI. This year's recipient was the Tohoku University gender studies circle AROW.

In his presentation, AROW leader and graduate student Hiroki Nemoto explained the group's origins and activities. "AROW goes beyond the framework of just a student club. We have worked to raise awareness of issues related to gender and sexuality in various ways, such as through research and academic contributions, and also building connections outside the university."

Nemoto added that raising DEI awareness is particularly important in regions like Tohoku. "Discussions of diversity and sexual minorities are often urban-centred, reinforcing a metronormative assumption that cities are the natural sites of diversity, while rural areas are imagined to be homogeneous," he said.

"But I'd like to emphasize that diversity is not absent here, and individuals with various backgrounds exist and contribute to these communities. In this sense, the award is not only recognition of past efforts but also a resource that will help ensure AROW's sustainability as an organization and expand its capacity to generate impact both within the university and in wider contexts."

The event ended with closing remarks from Professor Mami Tanaka, director of the Tohoku University DEI Centre.

For more information about the Masataro Sawayanagi Memorial DEI Award, the Sawayanagi Fellows, the Science Ambassadors and other programmes and events organised by the DEI Centre, please visit: https://dei.tohoku.ac.jp/en/