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How are the elements around us created in our Universe? How can we observe the sites where they are generated? Indeed, atomic nuclei produced in various astronomical phenomena sometimes emit light with specific high energies. The so-called nuclear gamma rays are powerful observational tools that can investigate where and how much of each element is produced in our Universe. Technical development of nuclear gamma-ray observation is still ongoing, and the sensitivity for astronomical observations remains low. I have been interested in astronomical observations of these nuclear gamma rays, including the development of observational technologies.

Currently, my main project is the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI), which is a MeV gamma-ray satellite planned for launch by NASA in 2027 with sensitivity ten times higher than previous missions. We will observe nuclear gamma rays from our Galaxy to reveal the distribution and origin of heavy elements (such as aluminum and iron) and positrons, which are the antimatter counterparts of electrons. With IPMU members, we will also search for gamma-ray signals from dark matter. Additionally, I am working on new technologies to achieve even higher sensitivity in future gamma-ray observations.