Student Voices
Diversifying and Refining My Sensitivity
Manabu Fujita
Master's Course Student of Department of Environment Systems
When I was in the second year of undergraduate school and was starting to think about which academic field I would go to, I got to know my current supervisor, so I chose to come to the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences (GSFS).
Reducing the weight of cars can be a solution to climate change problems, and virgin aluminum ingot is now demanded more than before for that purpose. However, refining virgin aluminum ingot requires a large amount of electricity. Therefore, recycling is now gathering attention.
Meanwhile, excluding impurities from aluminum is not easy. Tackling this problem, we are evaluating and researching whether new developing technologies can be satisfactory as a climate change solution.
To deepen your field, being aware of how people outside your field take your research is necessary, not only expanding your knowledge of your field. In the GSFS are people with diverse backgrounds, including students who graduated from different undergraduate schools, international students, and working students, so I have many chances to learn various knowledge and sensibility and get inspired every day. Besides, the school offers opportunities to connect with students and professors from different schools to participate in research projects and classes beyond the boundaries of schools. I am eager to take this advantage to refine my sensitivity and diversify it through various communications.
The GSFS has a lot more fascinating aspects and advantages than I can tell. If you are interested, make an appointment with professors or students at the GSFS and ask them questions! Do not hesitate!
My favorite places at the GSFS sites:
-The whole campus at night (You can see fantastic scenery as if fireflies are flying.
-The landing of the Environmental Studies Building (You can see the whole town view of Kashiwa-no-ha. It is a good place to take a break.)
My Transdisciplinary Exploration
Shi Haijie
Master's Course Student at Department of Integrated Biosciences
I graduated from the School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University. Though I majored in Liberal Arts, taking advantage of the opportunity to take a variety of subjects, including science, I explored different fields, such as psychology, sociology, international relations, and so on.
I have always been interested in life sciences since I was in high school. Getting a chance to enter a neuroscience lab and participate in research when I was a freshman inspired me to study further in this area. Then I realized that working with professional experts on cutting-edge projects at GSFS is what I want. Now I'm still exploring different topics for my research. Researching on hippocampal newborn neurons and combining them with AI to explore a standard for clinical diagnosis of cognitive impairment may be my prospective project.
I think the GSFS has a very advanced concept of disciplinary integration and cutting-edge research directions, where students with different backgrounds can start new research together. And professors and senior students are very kind and willing to offer us much support. In addition, the GSFS works with many universities and institutes, which provides us with various opportunities.
My favorite spot on the campus:
I play tennis in my spare at the tennis court in front of the environment building.
Message for those who are interested in the GSFS:
Once you make up your mind about what you want to do, then just do it.
My Dream Is To Understand the World One Hundred Million Years Ago
What I am holding is a specimen of Alligator mississippiensis. Studying these extant animals is important for understanding fossil animals.
Kodai Usami
Master's Course Student of Department of Natural Environmental Studies
As an undergraduate, I studied ｇeology and paleontology in the Department of Earth Science at Chiba University. It was good for me to be able to participate in fieldwork and acquire a wide range of earth science knowledge during my four years. After studying various research fields, I realized that I wanted to restore the ancient environment through the study of dinosaurs and other paleo-vertebrates, which had interested me since I was a child, and that I wanted to actively conduct research in a cutting-edge environment. So I visited many laboratories and finally met my current supervisor, Professor Mugino Kubo.
The research method at our laboratory is quite unique: we try to reconstruct the diet of extinct animals by analyzing microwear, which are microscopic scratches formed on the tooth surface when food and teeth come into contact. Currently, I am working on finding out what alligators that existed approximately one hundred million years ago were eating. It helps understand the relationship between the environment and the alligator at that period. Besides, I have opportunities to go abroad for research and to make presentations at international conferences. I really enjoy my research life.
The good points of the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences are that you can go to the next room and be exposed to completely different research. Viewpoints and opinions from people in different fields inspire you a lot. I strongly advise you to meet many faculty members and students to find what you are really interested in. The GSFS is a perfectly interesting place for those curious about various things.
For Making My Own Fascinating Discovery
Nagi Mizutani
Doctoral Course Student at Department of Advanced Materials Science
When I learned about simple but innovative polymeric research at Professor Takashi Uemura's laboratory of the Faculty of Engineering, I became interested in making a fascinating discovery on my own. Believing that creative ideas come from combinations of already acquired vast knowledge, I decided to research at the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, which offers interdisciplinary education programs.
Currently, I am designing a material called metal-organic frameworks (MOF) and developing an unprecedented separation technology of polymer. The uniqueness of this research is that the objective is to create a novel functionality of the material by designing a "space" instead of "matters" such as molecules and atoms.
The GSFS is a good environment to stimulate students' imagination because you can get many discussion opportunities with unique staff members and students. My secret dream is to change the world so we can use polymer with its characteristics clearly understood like low molecule compounds by the separation technology I will develop.
START NOW, IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING
Yoichi Suenaga
Doctoral Course Student at Suzuki Lab., Department of Advanced Energy
After I graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, I started working, but I became wanting to study more about aerodynamic simulation, so I entered the Graduate School of Frontier Sciences (GSFS). The GSFS has laboratories in broad fields, such as aviation, electricity, plasma, environment, etc. gathered closely on the same campus. And it has an open atmosphere with international students, working people, and students who graduated from different universities.
Now as a doctoral course student, I research simulations of new styles of aircraft with multiple small aircraft joined onto wingtips. My plan is to improve this research to perform wind tunnel experiments and actual flight experiments, not only simulations. Besides, I am participating in joint research projects of research on home appliances based on hydromechanics and small artificial satellites. I am satisfied with my life at the GSFS.
There are no restrictions of ages or backgrounds on study and research. When you feel like doing something, it is time for you to start it. If you are interested, visit our laboratory.
My Favorite Place on Kashiwa Campus:
Sushi Bar O-sakana Club Hama
Developing medical devices to restore nerve function.
Wang Yen Po
Doctoral Course Student at Laboratory of Human and Environment Informatics, Department of Human and Engineered Environmental Studies
When I was an undergraduate student, I participated in the University of Tokyo Summer Internship Program (UTSIP) with Frontier Sciences, and I found the professors to be very passionate, kind, and supportive of international students, so I enrolled in Frontier Sciences and am now studying in the PhD program.
At Frontier Sciences, I am doing research to develop new medical devices to treat patients with neurological diseases and restore their neurological functions. The lab is clean, spacious, and has a lot of new equipment. I feel that it is a very high quality laboratory.
I established a medical device company in Japan with colleagues based on my research at the university. I am also a lecturer of medical device development at the University of Tokyo Hospital and an external consultant for a medical device company in Taiwan. I will continue my research on restoring nerve function using implantable neurostimulators.
The University of Tokyo is a world leader in medical device development, and our professors have strong connections in industry and overseas universities. If you are looking for an exciting life career, please come to Frontier Sciences.