[No. 44] Mikiko Fukatani

I was admitted to Stream III (Chemistry) through designated school recommendation (Editor's note: At the time, admission was by stream, not by school). After reading the passage in "Fukuō Jiden" (The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa) where Yukichi Fukuzawa conducted chemistry experiments while going up and down a river, I moved to Tokyo with high hopes for an exciting university life, even though the Faculty of Science and Technology was a new faculty for Keio University.

Since I hadn't studied for entrance exams, I was initially nervous about whether I could keep up with the classes. However, the first-year classes were organized based on language course selections. A student from Keio Senior High School, whom we'll call H, became the class president and brought everyone together. Thanks to him, we managed to keep up without falling behind by organizing everything from social gatherings and collecting past exam papers to even arranging our seating order when we hadn't done our homework. In the first year, students from all departments of the Faculty of Science and Technology were together, so I was blessed with classmates full of personality. We still get together about twice a year to catch up, which is always inspiring. The photo below was taken after graduation when three of my female classmates and I visited the Tanegashima Space Center to see a classmate who was working on rocket launches for the National Space Development Agency of Japan (at the time).

Compulsory language classes are only for first- and second-year students. When I moved to the Yagami Campus in my third year, I was surprised to find many short-term international students, and I realized I had to speak English to communicate with them. So, I enrolled in Keio Gaigo at the Mita Campus and attended a class taught by American and Irish instructors twice a week. Although Yagami also has intensive classes, so you don't have to go all the way to Mita, I recommend experiencing the atmosphere of the Maboroshi no Mon since you've gone to the trouble of enrolling at Keio University.

In my first year of the master's program, I participated in the ECN (France) exchange program, where I did a research internship at the University of Nantes while living with a host family for about six weeks. My days were spent doing research in English and speaking French at home. While the research itself was important, the program emphasized experiencing a different culture and way of life. I was deeply moved by the opportunity to engage with French culture, such as learning about the history of printing technology and mathematics at the home of a professor who had converted a bourgeois residence into his house. The exchange program with ECN (École Centrale de Nantes) has now evolved into a double degree program.

In my fourth year, I joined the Chemical Engineering Laboratory. My research theme was the crystallization of nickel hydroxide in a joint project with a company. There were monthly presentations to report on research progress, and I received a great deal of guidance from my professor. This was also a time when I built connections with senior and junior students, as we played softball and soccer on the grounds at Yagami between research and classes. Regarding my career, I was able to hear firsthand from senior students who were getting jobs at companies where they could use their specialized knowledge. We also stayed at corporate training centers during our summer camp and were given company tours, which gradually helped me form a concrete image of life as a working professional.

Wanting a job where I could "build factories," I joined Chiyoda Corporation. At a time when the company focused mainly on petroleum plants, I requested to be assigned to the department that designed pharmaceutical plants, a new field for them. I participated in four projects over six years. I was responsible for everything from conceptual design, detailed design, procurement, and construction to commissioning, validation, and handover.

I still practice classical ballet, which I started in college. I go to a ballet studio in Hiyoshi two or three times a week, working hard in my lessons with the goal of performing in the recital held every two years. The reason I've been able to continue is that I found a wonderful instructor. No matter how busy I get with work, I can't give up ballet for the sake of my physical and mental health.

The curriculum at the Faculty of Science and Technology has many required courses and experiments, so you don't have as much free time as students in the humanities. However, because you spend so much time with your peers, you are blessed with friends for life. Don't limit yourself to your specialized field; follow your interests and study liberal arts and languages to lead a fulfilling life as Keio students.