}} ▁▁ ▁is ▁a ▁Japanese ▁phys ic ist , ▁engineer ▁and ▁invent or ▁special izing ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁sem icon duct or ▁technology . ▁For ▁his ▁work ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁Nobel ▁Prize ▁in ▁Physics ▁together ▁with ▁Is am u ▁Ak as aki ▁and ▁Sh u ji ▁Nak am ura ▁for ▁" the ▁in vention ▁of ▁efficient ▁blue ▁light - em itting ▁di odes ▁which ▁has ▁enabled ▁bright ▁and ▁energy - s aving ▁white ▁light ▁sources ". ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁ ▁A man o ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ham am ats u , ▁Japan , ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁He ▁received ▁his ▁BE , ▁ME ▁and ▁DE ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁respectively , ▁from ▁N ago ya ▁University . ▁ ▁During ▁elementary ▁school ▁days , ▁he ▁played ▁s occer ▁as ▁a ▁goal keeper ▁and ▁soft ball ▁as ▁a ▁catch er . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁passion ate ▁about ▁amateur ▁radio ▁and ▁despite ▁h ating ▁studying , ▁he ▁was ▁good ▁at ▁mathematics . ▁Upon ▁entering ▁high ▁school , ▁he ▁began ▁taking ▁his ▁studies ▁seriously ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁top ▁student ▁by ▁studying ▁every ▁day ▁late ▁into ▁the ▁night . ▁ ▁Career ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁research ▁associate ▁at ▁N ago ya ▁University . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁he ▁moved ▁to