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'''KosukeKōsuke Morita''' (Japanese: 森田 浩介 Hepburn: ''Morita Kosuke,'' born January 23, 1957) is a Japanese Experimental Nuclear Physicist, know as the leader of the Japanese team that discovered element 113. He currently holds a joint appointment as a professor at Kyushu University’s Graduate School of Science and as Director of the Super Heavy Element Research Group at RIKEN's Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science.
Professional Life Kosuke Morita is a Japanese Physicist specializing in Experimental Nuclear Physics. He was born in 1957 in the city of Kitakyushu (北九州 – きたきゅしゅ), located in the prefecture of Fukuoka[1].
理化学研究所にてサイクロトロン研究室の研究員補、研究員、先任研究員を経て、仁科センターの森田超重元素研究室にて准主任研究員を務めた。
その後、九州大学に移り、大学院に設置された理学研究院にて教授に就任した。
なお、理化学研究所においては、仁科加速器研究センターの超重元素研究グループのディレクターを非常勤で兼任している。
113番元素「ニホニウム」[注 1]を発見した研究グループのリーダーである。113番元素の合成実験は2012年10月1日で終了し、現在は119番元素（仮称：ウンウンエンニウム）の発見を目指している[2][3]。
“After working as a researcher at the Cyclotron Laboratory, a researcher, and a senior researcher at the RIKEN, he served as an Associate Chief Scientist at the Morita Super Elementary Laboratory at the Nishina Center.
After that, he moved to Kyushu University and became a professor at the Institute of Science of Science established at the graduate school.
The RIKEN concurrently serves as a director of the super heavy element research group of the Nishina Center for Accelerator Research.
It is a leader of the research group who discovered 113 element "Nihonium" [Note 1]. The synthesis experiment of 113 element was completed on October 1, 2012, and now aims to discover the 119th element (provisional name: Ununen Enium) [2] [3].“
== Professional Life ==
KosukeKōsuke Morita is a Japanese Physicistphysicist specializing in Experimental Nuclear Physics. He was born in 1957 in the city of Kitakyushu (北九州), located in the prefecture of Fukuoka[1]. In 1979 he graduated from Kyushu University, where he would continue pursuing graduate studies. In 1984, he left Kyushu University after completing the doctoral program without receiving a degree. In an interview, Morita was asked why he left without finishing his PhD thesis, responding “The reason was simple: I did not have the talent to finish it.[ .[ <nowiki>https://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-kosuke-morita-element-113/ </nowiki>]. However, he wouldreturn completeto hisKyushu thesisUniversity atto thecomplete samehis universitythesis in 1993, 9 years after beginning graduate studies.[ .[ https://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-kosuke-morita-element-113/]. ▼(RIKEN - 理化学研究所 – りかがくけんきゅうしょ) (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator Research Super Hight Element Research Group Director).
He obtained his PhD in 1993 from Kyushu University (九州大学)
▲Kosuke Morita is a Japanese Physicist specializing in Experimental Nuclear Physics. He was born in 1957 in the city of Kitakyushu (北九州), located in the prefecture of Fukuoka[1]. In 1979 he graduated from Kyushu University, where he would continue pursuing graduate studies. In 1984, he left Kyushu University after completing the doctoral program without receiving a degree. In an interview, Morita was asked why he left without finishing his PhD thesis, responding “The reason was simple: I did not have the talent to finish it.[ .[ <nowiki>https://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-kosuke-morita-element-113/</nowiki>. However, he would complete his thesis at the same university in 1993, 9 years after beginning graduate studies.[ .[ https://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-kosuke-morita-element-113/].
After leaving Kyushu University in 1984 Morita joined RIKEN as a postdoctoral researcher, later on becoming a Junior Research Scientist at RIKEN’s Cyclotron Laboratory.[ .[ https://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-kosuke-morita-element-113/] .[https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/professor/morita.html]. In 1991, he is promoted to research scientist and in 1993 to senior research scientist[https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/professor/morita.html]. In 2006, he was appointed chief scientist of the Superheavy Element Laboratory at RIKEN’s Nishima Center.[ [ https://www.asianscientist.com/2016/01/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-kosuke-morita-element-113/].
Morita is currently professor in the Faculty of Science at Kyushu University, where he has remained since his appointment in 2013. HeAdditionally, additionallyhe holds a position as Director of the Superheavy Element Production Team at RIKEN [http://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/rnc/superhvy_elem/superhvy_elem_prod/]. Morita’s team successfully synthesized element 113 in three occasions: 2004, 2005, and 2012[https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/professor/morita.html]. This achievement has been officially recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), who granted Morita’s team the naming rights in 2015. The name ''Nihonium'' was submitted, making reference to Japan's name in Japanese (Japanese: 日本 Hepburn: ''Nihon'') and, after a five-month public comment period, IUPAC announced its formal approval on November 30, 2016[5] [[http://www.sci.kyushu-u.ac.jp/e/news/news_160620.html<nowiki>]. Nihonium is currently the only element to have been discovered by an Asian team.[</nowiki>http://www.riken.jp/en/research/labs/rnc/<nowiki>]. [[</nowiki>http://www.sci.kyushu-u.ac.jp/e/news/news_160620.html<nowiki>] </nowiki>
Morita’s team successfully synthesized element 113 in three occasions: 2004, 2005, and 2012[https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/professor/morita.html]. This achievement has been officially recognized by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), granting Morita’s team the naming rights in 2015 [https://www.kyushu-u.ac.jp/en/university/professor/morita.html. On November 30th 2016, IUPAC announced that Nihonium was officially approved as the new name for element 113 [[http://www.sci.kyushu-u.ac.jp/e/news/news_160620.html]. The name ''Nihonium'' was submitted, making reference to the name of Japan in Japanese (Japanese: 日本 Hepburn: ''Nihon'') and after a five-month public comment period, IUPAC announced its formal approval on November 30, 2016[5]. Nihonium is currently the only element to have been discovered by an Asian team.[Citation needed].
After a five-month public comment period, IUPAC announced that Nihonium and Nh were formally approved on November 30, 2016 [http://www.sci.kyushu-u.ac.jp/e/news/news_160620.html]
== Research Achievements ==
=== Synthesis of Element 113 ===
Element 113 was first synthesized in 2004 by the Superheavy Element Production Team at RIKEN [17 – Lit Rev], under direction of Kosuke Morita. The element was synthesized using a cold fusion approach, making it the heaviest element discovered using this production method[8 – LitRev]. Synthesis of element 113 was accomplished by bombardment of a <sup>209</sup>Bi target with <sup>70</sup>Zn projectiles using a beam energy of 352.6 MeV [17 – Lit Rev]. The experiment concluded with the synthesis of the <sup>278</sup>113 isotope of element 113 [17 – Lit Rev].
Two more synthetic runs were performed in 2005 and 2012 [4]. The team now aims to discover element 119, whose provisional name is Ununen Enium [2][3].
== Brief Personal Record ==
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