Toshinori Kuwahara
Executive Vice Provost, Professor of Computer Science, Purdue University
Toshinori Kuwahara received the Dr.-Ing. degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, in 2009, where he subsequently worked as an Academic Researcher from 2009 to 2010. He then joined the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan, serving as an Assistant Professor from 2010 to 2015 and as an Associate Professor from 2015 to 2024. Since 2025, he has been a Professor with the Research Center for Green X-Tech, Green Goals Initiative at Tohoku University, where he leads the Space Infrastructure Engineering Laboratory, and in 2026, he was appointed Director of the Research Center for Space Cross-Tech.
A Full Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). His research interests encompass the development and on-orbit demonstration of onboard instruments for small satellites, spacecraft attitude determination and control, scientific Earth and planetary observations, optical and radio satellite communications, deorbiting and post-mission disposal, space robotics, and lunar and planetary exploration. To date, he has led the development, launch, and space operation of more than 15 small satellites through international collaborative projects, earning several awards for his contributions to advanced space technology, satellite applications, and international space education across countries. In addition to his academic research, he actively engages with industrial partners as a technical consultant.
