Dr. Shinsuke Tanabe, Professor, Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University was awarded the “SETAC*/Menzie-Cura Environmental Educational Award”, and his exploits were recognized in the annual meeting of SETAC at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, on 11 November, 2007.

Since 1988, Prof. Tanabe plays a significant role as a major- or a vice-supervisor for many students of the United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, the Graduate School of Engineering and Science and the Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences.  He has contributed to educate 27 post-doctoral fellows and guided 52 doctoral degrees and 113 master degrees for students in the above Graduate Schools. Among these young researchers and students, 8 overseas post-doctoral fellows from developing countries were trained by Prof. Tanabe.  Twenty-one doctoral and 11 master students from overseas graduated under his supervision.  Many of the research fellows and students trained by Prof. Tanabe in the past 20 years now occupy key positions in universities (18 persons) and government institutions (17 persons) over the world, in which some of them are in highly reputed top-ranking environmental scientist positions like Professor in the State University of New York.  The award recognizes the above contributions, particularly strong encouragement provided by Prof. Tanabe to overseas students and young researchers from developing countries.

The SETAC/Menzie-Cura Environmental Educational Award is one of the internationally recognized awards which annually nominates a single recipient since 1991.  Prof. Tanabe is the first recipient from the Asian region.  He has also been bestowed the “SETAC Founders Award” in 2005 for his excellent research activities.  Thus these two awards were granted to Prof. Tanabe as a double crown for both of his achievements in research and education.  The double-crowned award recipients are only 3 scientists including Prof. Tanabe since 1980 when the SETAC was established.

*  SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry) is a not-for-profit worldwide professional society of individuals and institutions dedicated to the study, analysis, and solution of environmental problems, the management and regulation of natural resources, environmental education, and research and development.  Its membership numbers more than 5000 from 92 countries.