Shuji Nakamura: What I’m Thankful For

I am thankful to Nichia Chemical Corporation and its founder Nobu Ogawa, who gave me the research opportunity to create a blue LED. I want to thank the Chancellor of UC Santa Barbara, Henry Yang; the Dean of the College of Engineering, Rod Alferness; and all of my colleagues at the University of California, Santa Barbara for their steadfast support for my research since I came to Santa Barbara in 1999. Especially, I like to thank Professor Steven DenBaars as my colleague, business partner, and best friend. Also I’d like to give thanks to Professors Umesh Mishra and James Speck for support of my research at the University. I have been very fortunate to be supported by many people in my career. I also appreciate my personal friends, business friends, and my family who have been patient and understanding of my long working hours.

I’m also thankful for the impact that LED Lighting has on the world – energy efficient, high quality, yet low-cost lighting can positively impact many people in need around the globe. After the breakthrough in making the bright blue LED, an explosion of research activity occurred. The blue light emitting diode (LED) takes electrical energy and converts it to bright blue and even white light. The LED Lightbulb is more than ten times the efficiency of regular incandescent lighting, so it can save the world hundreds of billions of dollars in electricity costs. Many researchers have joined the field and applied the LED to many new markets such as mobile phone screens, LED TV, and LED Lighting. Today, I hope that everyone can use efficient and sustainable LED Lighting to save energy!

Shuji Nakamura is the winner of the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics.