Nobel Laureate Professor Takaaki Kajita Delivers Inspiring Lecture at Queen Mary
Queen Mary’s School of Physical and Chemical Sciences recently had the honour of hosting Nobel Prize-winning physicist Professor Takaaki Kajita as part of the Sir Peter Mansfield Lecture Series.
The event brought together students and staff to hear directly from one of the world’s leading scientists about his groundbreaking research and discovery.
Professor Kajita, a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Tokyo and a key figure at its Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR), shared insights into his pioneering work on neutrino oscillations, a discovery that transformed our understanding of fundamental physics. His research showed that neutrinos, once thought to be massless, can change from one type to another as they travel through space. This phenomenon, known as atmospheric neutrino oscillation, provided the first evidence that neutrinos have mass and led to a revision of the Standard Model of particle physics.
For this achievement, Professor Kajita was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics, which he shared with Professor Arthur B. McDonald, “for the discovery of neutrino oscillations, which shows that neutrinos have mass” (NobelPrize.org, 2015). During his lecture, he discussed the scientific journey that led to this discovery and his ongoing work leading the KAGRA project, Japan’s large-scale underground observatory for gravitational wave detection.
The Sir Peter Mansfield Lecture Series celebrates Queen Mary’s proud tradition of excellence and innovation in science. It is named in honour of Sir Peter Mansfield, a Queen Mary Physics alumnus who was awarded the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (shared with Paul Lauterbur) for his pioneering contributions to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Mansfield’s journey, from studying for his A-levels at night school to achieving a Nobel Prize, stands as an enduring inspiration for Queen Mary students and alumni alike.
Professor Kajita’s visit reflected Queen Mary’s commitment to connecting students with leading researchers and world-changing ideas. By bringing Nobel Prize-winning scientists to campus, the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences continues to inspire curiosity, ambition, and excellence among the next generation of scientists.