Ken Shibata 柴田賢 (Trinity 1960) in memory

Very sad to let you know that our founding member and steering committee member Ken Shibata (Trinity 1960) passed away on 28 February 2020.

Ken Shibata graduated 1955 from Nagoya University’s Department of Earth Science, and in November 1956 he joined the Geological Survey of Japan. In 1993 he joined the Faculty of Science of Nagoya University as Professor, and retired in 1996. 1996-1999 he was Professor at Nagoya Bunri Junior College, and subsequently 1999-2003 at Nagoya Bunri University.

Ken Shibata was one of Japan’s leading geologists, among other results he identified and studied the oldest known rock of Japan.

Among other important distinctions, Ken was awarded the Japan Geological Society Prize 1983 for his work on radiation dating. In 2008 Ken was elected as Honorary Member of the Geological Society of Japan, as documented here:

http://www.geosociety.jp/outline/content0119.html#06

Ken played a pioneering and leading role in establishing the field of chronology, and systematically dated a large number of rock samples covering the Japanese archipelago, also identifying and studying the oldest known rock of Japan.

Ken’s work has greatly advanced the understanding of the geological history of Japan’s archipelago.

Ken Shibata authored a very long list of scientific articles spanning the years 1958-2016, which can be found here in Japanese language, and with English article titles:

https://staff.aist.go.jp/miyagi.iso14000/nkysdb/f8/4f/c2759be40195146bc9aa6e57f487587ee2dc.html

A partial list in English language of Ken’s publications can be also found by searching on the website of the Geological Survey of Japan, where Ken worked from 1956-1993:

https://www.gsj.jp/sitesearch_en.html?q=ken%20shibata

Ken Shibata: “The College System of the University of Cambridge – The Glories of Trinity College” 「ケンブリッジ大学のカレッジ制度ートリニティ・カレッジの栄光」

Ken Shibata also wrote a delightful article in Japanese language “The College System of the University of Cambridge – The Glories of Trinity College” 「ケンブリッジ大学のカレッジ制度ートリニティ・カレッジの栄光」which you can download in pdf format here:

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/nbukiyou/1/0/1_KJ00004290121/_pdf/-char/ja

Reference: https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110004707817

doi: 10.24609/nbukiyou.1.0_167

Ken joined many of our meetings, always traveling specially all the way from Nagoya.

Ken Shibata at Lord Martin Rees’ lecture at Japan’s Academy of Science

Ken came specially from Nagoya to attend Lord Martin Rees’ lecture at Japan’s Academy of Science “The world in 2050 – and beyond”, see:

Lord Martin Rees, former Master of Trinity College, Lecture “The world in 2050 – and beyond”

Here are some photographs with Ken: