[No. 220] Masahiro Suzuki

I have been good at mathematics and physics since high school. When a high school classmate told me that I could make a living by researching math and physics if I became a university professor, I naively decided on my career path. I chose mathematics over physics because I felt I was better at it. For someone who grew up in the countryside before the internet became widespread, this is how career choices were made.

When I entered Gakumon 2 of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University and began studying mathematics, I was surprised by the difference from high school math. I had naively assumed it would be an extension of what I learned in high school. To be honest, I didn't grasp the fun of university-level mathematics in my first-year lectures. However, since I had enrolled with the intention of studying math, I decided to see it through and advanced to the Department of Mathematics. In my second year, exercise sessions were offered alongside lectures, and as I worked through the problems, I began to appreciate the fun and depth of university mathematics. In particular, Professor Masahiro Takayama's exercise sessions were very educational; he would carefully correct our submitted answers with a red pen. Around this time, I learned about a club called the Mathematics Study Group and decided to join. It was in this club that I became good friends with my classmate, Mr. Yamada, who wrote the 142nd installment of the Keio University alumni Relay. I have fond memories of holding seminars late into the night with fellow club members in empty classrooms. In my third year, the lectures became more specialized. In the "Introduction to Functional Equations" course taught by my mentor, Professor Atsuyuki Tani, we discussed not only mathematical theorems but also the underlying physical phenomena. For my laboratory assignment, I wanted to research mathematics focused on physical phenomena, so I chose the Tani Laboratory. Professor Tani's first question to me was, "What phenomenon are you interested in?" I still remember how excited I was to hear that my seniors were mathematically analyzing earthquakes, water waves, supernovae, typhoons, and bubbles. Later, I told Professor Tani that I was interested in lightning. Looking back, I think I was a bit of a dreamer, but that choice became a major turning point (as I will detail later).

Besides mathematics, I also joined a competitive karuta club called the Keio Karuta-kai. This was long before the manga "Chihayafuru" became popular, so we had few members, but that made us all very close. My seniors and alumni would treat me, a poor student, to dinner. In return, I would let members who missed the last train stay over at my shabby rented apartment. The Shokuiki (a competitive karuta team tournament) that we all participated in is also a fond memory. I was also blessed with fun classmates in the Department of Mathematics. At the time, the only places to have lunch on the Yagami Campus were the co-op or the cafeteria, which was hardly an ideal environment, but having lunch with my classmates was one of the joys of my university life. For our graduation trip, my classmates and I used the Seishun 18 Ticket to travel around Japan, enjoying local delicacies and visiting the Three Views of Japan. We stayed at manga cafes (1,500–2,000 yen per night, with showers available) and allocated our entire budget to food. I still remember how delicious the fugu (pufferfish) in Shimonoseki and the Kobe beef in Kobe were.

After graduating from Keio University, I went on to graduate school at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Of course, I wanted to continue studying under Professor Tani, but I chose Tokyo Tech because the tuition was cheaper and I wanted to experience the outside world. However, since Tokyo Tech and Keio are just a stone's throw away from each other, I often visited Keio. I feel like I got the best of both worlds. After obtaining my doctorate at Tokyo Tech, I worked as a JSPS Research Fellow, a research assistant at Waseda University (please don't call me a traitor), and an assistant professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, before assuming my current position as an associate professor at the Nagoya Institute of Technology. For about 20 years, I have been mathematically analyzing various phenomena related to plasma, particularly electrical discharges. However, my analysis has only extended to discharges that occur in a laboratory, and I have yet to reach the point of analyzing lightning in the natural world. (If you are interested in my research, please visit http://suzuki.web.nitech.ac.jp/summary.html .) I am surprised myself at how much the interests I developed as an undergraduate have influenced my life as a researcher. Of course, many things have happened during this time. One notable event was being selected for the Nagoya Institute of Technology's overseas researcher program, which allowed me to stay at Brown University in the United States for about a year. I immersed myself in research on weekdays and experienced American culture on weekends, which was an invaluable experience. I also made many new friends. If I only mention these positive aspects, it might create the illusion that the proposition I mentioned at the beginning—"you can make a living by researching math and physics if you become a university professor"—is true, but reality is not so simple. At most national universities, administrative and miscellaneous tasks related to university management, aside from teaching and research, are increasing, and faculty members must find ways to secure time for their research. While I sometimes feel frustrated by this situation, the sense of accomplishment when I complete a research project I am passionate about is immeasurable and makes the effort worthwhile. I conduct joint research with Professor Tani and Professor Takayama, whom I mentioned earlier, and we are in frequent contact. Once a year, I visit Professor Tani's home for a seminar. Each time, our discussions continue after dinner, and the conversation never ends, so we usually break up around 2:00 a.m. I also visit the Yagami Campus about once a year to see Professor Takayama. Yagami has become more convenient with the addition of a 7-Eleven. When I participate in research conferences, I sometimes meet alumni from the Tani Laboratory. None of us are young anymore, but it's not uncommon for our research discussions to get heated late into the night. I also still go out for dinner and travel with members of the karuta club and my classmates from the Department of Mathematics.

Looking back, I realize how fortunate I was to have met so many lifelong mentors and friends during my time at Keio University, and I feel truly glad that I enrolled. I am grateful to Keio University for giving me these irreplaceable encounters. Finally, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Mathematics, counting from its predecessor, the Department of Mathematical Engineering. I pray for its continued and even greater success in the future.