Penn State Intercom......January
23, 2003
Biology prize includes meeting
with emperor 
When Masatoshi Nei, Evan Pugh professor of biology and director of the Center for Molecular Evolutionary Genetics, was honored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science with its International Prize for Biology, he also got another honor -- meeting the emperor of Japan.
The award, which consists of a medal and a monetary grant, was presented to Nei in the presence of the emperor and empress during a formal December ceremony in Tokyo.
In addition, Nei and his wife were invited to have dinner with the emperor and his family in their palace.
"The dinner with the emperor family was one of the most memorable events in my life," Nei said. "Before World War II ended in 1945, the emperor was treated just like a god in Japan, and we were not allowed to see him directly even from a distant place. All this has changed after the war, and the Emperor Showa (Hirohito) renounced his godlike status. The current Emperor Akihito, the first son of Emperor Showa, was educated in the post-war environment of democracy and is regarded as a symbolic head of Japan. He appears to be respected by most Japanese. After knowing him personally, I have come to understand why he is popular among Japanese."
Nei was chosen to receive the award in recognition of his research achievements, which are the foundation of the theoretical framework of the field of molecular evolutionary biology. Among his many achievements, Nei has constructed a mathematical theory of the relationships between species using molecular data obtained from their genes. With one of his graduate students, he developed the neighbor-joining method of inferring these relationships, known as molecular phylogenies. This method has become the most widely used worldwide for constructing phylogenetic trees.
"It was a particularly charming moment when Emperor Akihito of Japan, who has studied the taxonomy and evolution of gobioid fishes, mentioned in his congratulatory address during the award ceremony that he has used the neighbor-joining method to construct phylogenetic trees during his studies of these fishes," Nei said.
Nei received his award in a elaborate ceremony that included congratulatory messages from the emperor and various governmental and educational dignitaries. Part of Nei's preparation for the ceremony included coaching on the proper way to make a formal bow.