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In April 2025, Dr. Yuta Ito joined KEK Wako Nuclear Science Center as an assistant professor.

We interviewed him about what sparked his interest in the world of particle physics, the research he has conducted, and how he refreshes his mind when faced with challenges in his work.

What I remember most clearly is a lab class in my third year of undergrad, where we used a position-sensitive detector. It looked very homemade, but I was really moved when it actually detected the position of invisible radiation.

I started out working on the development of ion source and mass spectrometer during my undergrad and master’s course. Then, in my PhD and postdoc (RIKEN, McGill university) years, I focused on the development of ion traps and high-precision mass spectrometers, which I used to measure the masses of unstable nuclei and study their nuclear structure. After becoming a researcher at JAEA, I’ve been developing low-energy radioactive ion beams, aiming to apply them to precise nuclear/atomic spectroscopy and nuclear chemistry experiments, particularly for transuranium nuclei.

I’m excited to be part of the KISS-1.5 project, which started last year by Wako Nuclear Science Center, and I hope to deepen our understanding of the nuclear structure of unexplored transuranium nuclei and how elements are formed in the universe.

I like checking out breakdancing videos I used to love during my university years. It’s super cool to see how much the moves and styles have evolved – so creative and exciting. At the same time, however, I also feel a bit of frustration, realizing that my body can no longer keep up like it used to…

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We look forward to your future activities at the IPNS!