[No. 31] Tomohiko Tanaka

When I look back on my student life at Keio University, I think it can be broadly divided into two parts: the three years of freedom I enjoyed until my third year, and the intense three and a half years I spent in the laboratory from my fourth year until I graduated with my master's degree.

My impression of university life is that it's a place where you can do anything you want. There were all sorts of people: those who devoted themselves to clubs, those who were absorbed in their studies, and those who put their energy into off-campus activities.

I have many memories, but if I had to pick one, it would be my involvement in lifesaving, a rescue activity on the coast. The NPO Kujukuri Lifesaving Club, to which I belonged, conducted activities that transcended university boundaries, involving everyone from students to working adults, so I was able to meet many people and learn a great deal. The experience of sharing joys and sorrows with fellow members under the common goal of "zero accidents" at the beach during the approximately 40 days it was open is a precious experience and a fond memory that remains fresh in my mind even today.

In addition, I was also able to travel abroad frequently during my university years, and I feel that my life was so fulfilling that I have no regrets.

Perhaps because of this, I had decided to immerse myself in research starting from my laboratory assignment at the end of my third year. Wanting to conduct energy-related research, I knocked on the door of Professor Koichi Hishida's laboratory and studied thermo-fluid dynamics, specifically complex flow fields involving what is known as two-phase flow. Simple examples of two-phase flow include the mixture of air and gasoline in an engine, the flow of air mixed with finely crushed coal seen in thermal power generation, and sandstorms in nature. These flow fields are extremely complex, and numerical simulations are still far from accurate. A detailed understanding of such flows is essential when aiming for higher efficiency in power generation and engines. The research was conducted as a joint project with Dr. Yohei Sato, an alumnus who was at a national research institute at the time (now an associate professor at Keio University). I am certain that Dr. Sato's drilling of me in research and the "spirit of perseverance" has had a major impact on my outlook on life today.

Another major event during my time in the laboratory was my exchange study at Stanford University. My long-held desire to study abroad was realized in the form of the "Student Exchange Support Program (Cutting-edge Fields)" sponsored by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), which allowed me to conduct research for about 10 months from June to March of my second year in the master's program. My host institution was the laboratory of Professor Eaton at Stanford University, who is a close acquaintance of Professor Hishida. Although I was a little bewildered by the cultural background in the United States, my research life went very smoothly. I remember that I could directly apply what I had accumulated in the laboratory, and I didn't feel inferior in terms of research compared to the master's students at Stanford. I am truly grateful to Professor Hishida and Dr. Sato for teaching me the ABCs of research. Later, my research results during the exchange program were recognized by Professor Eaton, and I was admitted to the Doctoral Programs at Stanford University, where I am today.

Finally, on this occasion of "Jukuin Raiou" (Alumni Connections), I would like to write a little about the coming and going of Keio University alumni—that is, reunions and new encounters. I believe it is well known that many graduates of Keio University enter society each year and are active not only in Japan but all over the world. Here in Silicon Valley, where I now live, I have personally experienced the wonder of these alumni connections.

I had a premonition of my first "connection" a few months before coming to the US. Shintaro Moroi, a contemporary from my student club, had his assignment in Silicon Valley decided ahead of me. Reuniting in America with a friend I had spent time with in Japan was a deeply moving experience. A little while later, Ryo Kurosawa, a contemporary from the Hishida Lab with whom I shared the trials and tribulations of laboratory life, moved into a company dormitory as a pilot trainee, located about an hour's drive north of Stanford. He and I both enjoy surfing as a hobby, so we often see each other at the beach. We frequently run into each other even without making plans. The third person is Mochio Umeda, the author of the 30th "Jukuin Raiou" article. I had the chance to meet Mr. Umeda by a strange coincidence in Silicon Valley, and we were connected again by the keyword "Jukuin Raiou." I never imagined he was the author.

As you can see, even in the foreign land of Silicon Valley, I have had reunions with friends from my university days. Wherever you go, there will be connections among Keio University alumni. I feel that each time this happens, I will fondly remember my university life and be inspired to continue striving for excellence.