We remember Yoko Ota (1928-2024)

Yoko Ota, distinguished chair professor of geosciences, passed away on March 30. She was 95 years old. Throughout her career, Ota sensei visited Taiwan many times to study active faults of Taiwan, collaborating with many professors in the Department of Geography and the Department of Geosciences. Since 2007, she was appointed as the distinguished chair professor in our department, focusing on studying active faults and marine terraces of Taiwan.

Since the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, Ota sensei has been actively working on the active fault study of Taiwan. Her footprint covers the entire island of Taiwan, even including the remote island offshore Taiwan’s eastern coast to study the tsunami rocks and the history of extreme wave events. She deeply influenced every Taiwanese student she worked with, not only because of her enthusiasm for research but also because of her determination and vision in research.

Ota sensei’s memorial service will be held on the morning of April 3^rd in Tokyo. We will all remember her contribution to the neotectonics research in Taiwan.