UCL academic recognised as future leader of Japanese research

Kazuya Saito (Ioe, UCL's Faculty of Education & Society) - Kazuya Saito (Ioe, UCL's Faculty of Education & Society) Professor Kazuya Saito (Ioe, UCL's Faculty of Education & Society) has been announced as one of 25 young academics to receive the 20th Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Prize, recognising him as a future leader of scientific research in Japan. The JSPS Prize supports Japanese academics in various fields of natural sciences, humanities and social sciences who are under the age of 45, providing a platform for enhanced research abilities at an earlier stage in their careers. First established in 2004, the award consists of a certificate of merit, a medal, and a purse of JPY 1.1 million (approximately £6,000). Upon receiving his award, Professor Saito will also have the honour of meeting Fumihito, the Crown Prince of Japan, at a ceremony in Tokyo in March 2024. Professor Saito's research is focused on second language (L2) learning and its positive impact on job prospects, cultural understanding and overall well-being in today's interconnected world. Findings show that individuals with high proficiency in L2 speech generally have very accurate auditory processing skills, and that a lack of such precision in auditory processing can impede the speed of learning. Furthermore, evidence suggests that combining training in both auditory and language skills can enhance L2 learning, particularly for those with weaker auditory processing abilities, a group often overlooked in both research and teaching methodologies.