Seeing the unseen: Eiichi Nakamura on chemistry, life, and a new chapter in China

Walking into the meeting room for the interview with National Science Review (NSR), Prof. Eiichi Nakamura () first played us a documentary about himself that ran over 20 minutes. The footage was, of course, related to chemistry, but it was far more about art and life: his passion for the Baroque flute, his small concerts with his wife and friends, his travel footprints spanning the globe since the age of 20, and his friendships with numerous fellow scientists. Over the 2-hour interview that followed, the 75-year-old professor left a profound impression on us-romantic yet rigorous, restrained yet humorous. Prof. Nakamura is a world-renowned organic chemist and molecular imaging chemist. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to visualize real-time chemical reactions, he has pushed open the door to 'seeing is believing' at the single-molecule level in organic chemistry research. He proposed the 'Element Strategy', which received support from the Japanese and other governments, aiming to make the industrial chemistry greener, cleaner, and more sustainable. After 30 years at the University of Tokyo, Prof. Nakamura left Japan this March and joined full-time the Nankai University in Tianjin, China, where he is now embarking on brand new research topics. In this interview, you will read about Prof. Nakamura's experiences, achievements, and visions in chemical research-and, perhaps more importantly, you will discover a life philosophy of 'living in the present' and 'make the best of what comes' that permeates his rich life story.