Visiting Scholars and In Residence

Dr. Kiyotaka Oyama studied chemistry and chemical engineering for his B. Eng. and M. Eng. at Kyusyu Univ., and then physical organic chemistry for his Ph.D. at UBC. After completing research as a post-doctoral fellow at Toronto Univ., he returned to Japan and joined Tosoh Corp. as a researcher. He discovered a novel biocatalytic reaction, which ultimately realized as a commercial plant in the Netherlands. He is the author of many papers and books in the field of bio-organic chemistry. In 1991, he received his D. Eng. from Kyusyu Univ. for his dissertation Study on Peptide Synthesis by Proteolytic Enzyme. His career at Tosoh includes directing the Exploratory Research Center, Legal and Patent Department, and Marketing of Functional Chemicals. After Tosoh, he served for the Japanese Chemical Industry Association as the director of international affairs; his responsibilities included trade issues, global harmonization of chemicals safety standards, and management. He was appointed a member of many committees and delegations, which included WTO, OECD’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee (OECD BIAC), Ministry of Economy and Industry’s Advisory Committee on Trade Policy, Japan Business Federation’s (Keidanren) Trade and Investment Committee, Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) Sub-Committee on Chemical Industry, Japan-China Government/Private Sector Dialogue on Chemical Industry, as well as UN task forces of global harmonization of chemical safety management systems including ILO, IMO, and ECOSOC. He was also appointed a chairperson of the technical committee 47 (chemistry) of ISO.

Dr. Oyama's services as a deacon and a moderator of the Sunday school at Mejiroga-oka Baptist Church for years as well as his study at Tokyo Baptist Theological Seminary stimulated his research interest in theology, especially in the field of science and theology. He translated Denis Alexander’s book Creation or Evolution: Do We Have to Choose? (2014, Lion Hudson) into Japanese (to be published in 2019 by Yobel Inc.). During his stay at Regent, he wishes to think over, from a science theology perspective, the scientist’s ethical responsibilities, especially in energy (atomic), gene manipulation, global warming/pollution, biological diversity, natural resources, etc. His hobbies include writing novels (so far one publication), essays, poems, as well as listening to classical music and watching sports (soccer, baseball, basketball, etc.).