Shin-ya Narusawa (born 1965) is a Japanese astronomer and lecturer at the University of Hyogo’s Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences. Born in Nagano Prefecture, he specializes in astrophysics and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Alongside research on binary and variable stars, he searches for radio and optical signals that might originate from extraterrestrial civilizations and has led coordinated SETI observations in Japan and internationally. His book “Uchujin no Sagashikata: Chikyugai Chiteki Seimei Tansa no Kagaku to Roman” explains the history and practice of SETI, including how researchers investigate possible signals from other civilizations. In “Boku ga Uchujin o Sagasu Riyu,” an autobiographical account of why he searches for extraterrestrial intelligence, he recounts his path into astronomy and a collaborative observing project involving scientists from 15 countries.
