Profile

Kenji Itao is an Assistant Professor at the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, where he leads his own laboratory. Born in 1996, he received a Ph.D. in Arts and Sciences from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the University of Tokyo, in 2024. He received the President’s Award of the University of Tokyo in 2021 and the JSPS Ikushi Prize in 2024.

He specializes in statistical physics, complex systems theory, and evolutionary anthropology, and studies the mechanisms through which human social structures evolve. In particular, he asks why similar cultural patterns and social structures repeatedly appear across societies separated by time and region, and approaches phenomena described in anthropology and history from a theoretical perspective.

He argues that recurrent patterns in human history reflect underlying mechanisms that generate culture wherever humans form societies, and he seeks to build "Universal Anthropology" that explains these shared structures through mathematical modeling.

Employment

Associated Researcher, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

2025.05 – 2026.03

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, NIHU / PI: Dr. Ryosuke Nakadai

Joined the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature as an associated researcher and contributes to interdisciplinary research across religious studies, anthropology, ecology, and cognitive science.

Special Postdoctoral Researcher, RIKEN Center for Brain Science

2024.04 – 2026.03

RIKEN Center for Brain Science / PI: Dr. Wataru Toyokawa

At the RIKEN Center for Brain Science, I study human social structure using statistical physics, complex systems theory, and cultural evolution.

Visiting Researcher, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

2022.04 – 2024.03

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany / PI: Dr. Heidi Colleran

Joined Dr. Heidi Colleran’s group as a visiting researcher and worked on interdisciplinary research spanning anthropology, evolutionary anthropology, and demography.

JSPS Research Fellowship for Young Scientists (DC1)

2021.04 – 2024.03

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Conducted doctoral research as a JSPS Research Fellow (DC1).

Research Assistant, WINGS-ABC, The University of Tokyo

2019.06 – 2024.03

World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program of Advanced Basic Science, The University of Tokyo

Served as a research assistant in the University of Tokyo’s advanced basic science graduate program.

Education

Ph.D. in Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

2021.01 – 2024.12

The University of Tokyo / Ph.D. in Arts and Sciences / Supervisor: Prof. Koji Hukushima

In the doctoral program at the University of Tokyo, I studied the emergence of human social structure through statistical physics, complex systems theory, and cultural evolution at Koji Hukushima's laboratory.

M.A. in Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

2019.01 – 2021.12

The University of Tokyo / M.A. in Arts and Sciences / Supervisor: Prof. Kunihiko Kaneko

In the master’s program at the University of Tokyo, I worked on theoretical studies of social structure using multilevel evolutionary models at Kunihiko Kaneko's laboratory.

B.A. in Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

2015.04 – 2019.03

The University of Tokyo / B.A. in Arts and Sciences / Supervisor: Prof. Kunihiko Kaneko

Received a B.A. in Arts and Sciences from the University of Tokyo.

Awards

  • 2025-08-22
    Research Encouragement Award, Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan
    Received the Research Encouragement Award from the Society of Evolutionary Studies, Japan.
  • 2025-03-20
    Young Scientist Award, The Physical Society of Japan
    Received the Young Scientist Award from the Physical Society of Japan.
  • 2025-02-05
    Inoue Research Award
    Received the Inoue Research Award from the Inoue Foundation for Science.
  • 2024-12-09
    Young Presentation Award, Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan
    Received the Young Presentation Award from the Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan.
  • 2024-03-21
    Ichiko Memorial Award (Doctoral), The University of Tokyo
    Received the Ichiko Memorial Award (Doctoral) from the University of Tokyo.
  • 2024-01-18
    JSPS Ikushi Prize
    Received the JSPS Ikushi Prize.
  • 2022-03-17
    Student Presentation Award, The Physical Society of Japan
    Received the Student Presentation Award from the Physical Society of Japan.
  • 2021-10-10
    Young Member Presentation Award, Anthropological Society of Nippon
    Received the Young Member Presentation Award from the Anthropological Society of Nippon.
  • 2021-06-11
    Cultural Evolution Society Local Student Presenter Award
    Received the Local Student Presenter Award from the Cultural Evolution Society.
  • 2021-03-19
    Ichiko Memorial Award (Master’s), The University of Tokyo
    Received the Ichiko Memorial Award (Master’s) from the University of Tokyo.
  • 2021-03-19
    President’s Award, The University of Tokyo
    Received the President’s Award from the University of Tokyo.
  • 2020-12-13
    Young Presentation Award, Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan
    Received the Young Presentation Award from the Human Behavior and Evolution Society of Japan.