Suzuki Foundation’s latest scientific research funding highlights green commitment

(1) Fiscal-2008 financial assistance for scientific research

On 20 February 2009, the Suzuki Foundation selected 33 original, advanced scientific research projects to receive fiscal-2008 financial assistance worth a total of ¥40.3 million. The projects (all under way at universities and other research institutes in Japan) are as follows:

• 10 projects on environmental and energy-saving technologies
• 8 projects on measurement-, control-, and analysis-related technologies
• 5 projects on production-engineering technologies
• 5 projects on material-related technologies
• 3 projects on electronics- and information-related technologies
• 2 project on human engineering and medical technologies

Suzuki Motor Corporation established the Suzuki Foundation in March 1980 to mark its 60th anniversary. The latest round of financial assistance for scientific research is the 29th to be announced by the foundation. The fact that environmental and energy-saving technologies represent the biggest category of projects selected for funding reflects Suzuki Motor Corporation’s firm commitment to working in ways that are friendly to the natural environment.

(2) Other financial assistance and activities

The Suzuki Foundation also selects contemporary problems that it believes need to be resolved, invites proposals for research projects to address them, and selects the most outstanding proposals for funding. It funds each selected project for two years and has selected seven projects in the last five years. For fiscal 2008, the foundation has decided on a total of ¥15.8 million in funding for two engineering research projects related to automotive safety and environmental compatibility. One of the projects is aimed at realizing a system to help people drive compact electric cars safely. The other is aimed at realizing a system for evaluating and controlling the thermal environment inside next-generation vehicles.

In addition, the Suzuki Foundation conducts a wide range of other activities. Notably, it promotes awareness of research results and further development of research projects by funding symposiums, subsidizing transportation and accommodation for Japanese researchers attending overseas academic meetings, subsidizing programs in Japan for researchers from Budapest University of Technology and Economics, and publishing a foundation newsletter.

Since its establishment, the Suzuki Foundation has supported 1,015 projects with financial assistance worth a total of ¥1.2 billion.

Overview of the Suzuki Foundation