Professor Emeritus Ken-ichi Aika received his Ph.D. from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) in 1969. He started his research career there in the group headed by the late Professor Atsumu Ozaki. He spent 3 years in the United State (Princeton University and Texas A&M University, from 1974 to 1977) and later was a professor at Tokyo Tech from 1981 to 2005. He worked as a professor from 2007 to 2012 for the Open University of Japan, where he devoted himself to science communication. Finally, he was involved in the energy carrier research program from 2013 to 2019 for his first year as the program officer of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and for the following 5 years as the deputy program director of the Energy Carrier Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP). He has published approximately 300 articles and contributed to some 10 books. His research covers catalysis, reaction engineering, and the environmental chemical process, with the largest number of his works being related to ammonia synthesis catalysis. He invented many effective ruthenium catalysts. Professor Hideaki Kobayashi received his Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, in 1991. He is currently a professor at the Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University. He started his research career at the School of Engineering, Tohoku University, as a research associate in 1984 before moving to the Institute of Fluid Science at Tohoku University. His research focuses on combustion science and technology, covering laminar flame, turbulent flame, microgravity combustion, high-speed combustion for propulsion, and gas turbine combustion. He has published over 220 articles and contributed to 4 books. He served as a team leader in ammonia direct combustion in the Energy Carrier Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) from 2014 to 2019. He is a fellow of the Combustion Institute.