Professor Yutaka Amao received his doctorate in Engineering in 1997 from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. He worked as a researcher at the Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology from 1997 to 1998, as a researcher at the National Aerospace Laboratory from 1998 to 2001, and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry of Oita University from 2013 to 2021.
He also worked as a Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO) researcher at the Japan Science and Technology Agency from 2011 to 2016. From 2013 to 2020, he was a Full Professor at the National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Osaka Metropolitan University (formerly Osaka City University). During this time, he has served as Vice Director of the Research Centre for Artificial Photosynthesis from 2013-2015, and Director since 2015. In 2020, he was appointed Full Professor at the Research Centre for Artificial Photosynthesis, Osaka Metropolitan University.
He received the Catalysis Research Encouragement Award from the Catalysis Society of Japan in 2008 and was appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2018. His current research interests include photocatalyst, molecular catalyst, biocatalyst, and the development of carbon dioxide conversion to organic molecules with hybrid catalysis system. Professor Amao has published his work with the RSC throughout his career including in NJC, Analyst and Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics.