Selection Committee for the 2016 Academic Awards and Other Honors (Held on May 21, 2016)
Koji Akasaka, Takahiro Asami, Hiroshi Iida, Yasuizumi Iguchi, Shigeru Kuratani, Kenji Tomioka, Toshiya Matsushima
Chairman Taisen Iguchi

 2016 Education Award of the Zoological Society of Japan
2 applications 

Reasons for recommendation to the board of directors

Both of the two individuals nominated for this award meet the criteria specified in the selection regulations as "individuals who have made a remarkable contribution to the dissemination of zoology to society," but one of them does not meet the requirement that "candidates for this award must be nominated by a member of this society." For the following reasons, we have decided to recommend member Junichi Saito to the Board of Directors as a candidate. 

Junichi Saito, Teacher at Tokyo Gakugei University International Secondary School
Introduction of Recombinant DNA Experiments to Educational Settings to Bring Japanese High School Biology Education Close to Global Standards, and Long-standing Contributions to Japan's Participation in the International Biology Olympiad
 Since 2001, member Junichi Saito has planned and conducted training workshops on recombinant DNA experiments for educational purposes targeting middle and high school teachers at institutions such as the Gene Research Center at the University of Tsukuba and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Chiba University, Tokyo Gakugei University, and the Kyoto Education Center. In addition to instructing them in the basics and practical techniques of simple molecular biology experiments that can be implemented in educational settings, he has supported class implementation in classrooms. Furthermore, since 2004, as a management committee member of the Japan Committee for the International Biology Olympiad, he has devoted his passion to selecting Japanese student representatives, providing special education, escorting them to competitions, reviewing and translating molecular and cell biological problems for animals, thereby contributing to the development of high school biology education in Japan. He also worked hard to bring the 2009 International Biology Olympiad to Tsukuba, Japan. As described above, member Junichi Saito has made significant contributions to the modernization of high school biology education in Japan and to the International Biology Olympiad.