Miscellaneous Impressions of Dr. Spencer Silver and Memories of Post-it

Dr. Spencer Silver, a research chemist at 3M who created Post-it Notes, had passed away at the age of 80 on 8th May 2021.

Post-it Notes, the not-too-sticky adhesive to be removed from surfaces as easily as they adhere to them, is one of symbolic products which represents 3M’s motto “Innovative technology for a changing world” was created in 1980 and “took off so rapidly”[1].

It is so agreeable story, because people in Japan like me could use Post-it Notes, little canary-yellow pads, since the early 1980s.

In my case, since my father was an employee of the Sumitomo 3M my family has been familiar with products of 3M including Scotch Tape, cassette tape and floppy disk.

Of course, Post-it Notes was such product—even still now I use Post-it Flags and other latest series.

However why do I not other similar products but Post-it? The answer is so simple: it is easy to use, as I mention above, the not-too-sticky adhesive to be removed from surfaces as easily as they adhere to them.

In other words, Post-it series is an essential tool for me to read a book, search documents, write a text and tell a message.

Post-it Notes and its series are a kind of good fellow of mine and in this opportunity I express my deepest gratitude for Dr. Silver for his life-long remarkable and great efforts.

[1] Spencer Silver, an Inventor of Post-it Notes, Is Dead at 80。The New York Times, 13th May 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/13/business/spencer-silver-dead.html (accessed on 14th May 2021).

＜要旨＞
【追悼文】スペンサー・シルバー博士の訃報で思い出したポスト・イットを巡るいくつかのこと

去る5月8日（土）、3Mの研究者でポスト・イットを開発したスペンサー・シルバー博士が逝去した。享年80歳であった。シルバー博士の訃報に接し、ポスト・イットとの関わりを紹介した。