[No. 69] Tatsuya Nagao

After graduating from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, I took a position as a research and education staff member in theoretical physics at a local national university. Compared to the experiences of previous contributors to "Keio University Alumni Coming and Going," my story is plain and completely lacks drama. Although I was aware of this, I will explain later why I accepted the offer to write this article. For now, I will describe my feelings that, for someone like me who had no plans for either Keio University or physics in high school to have transformed into a physics researcher after graduation, it must be a testament to the "educational power" of this university for its new students.

Although I chose the science track in high school, I actually admired my world history teacher and was not good at physics. In fact, I got the lowest score in my class on my first physics exam (in my second year of high school)—a true story—but that didn't inspire me to suddenly become good at it! In the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League, my favorite team was Keio (I was a fan of Manager Fukushima), and my university preference was vaguely "a local national university or one in Tokyo." The impetus for such a high school student (likely not the kind universities would welcome) to choose Keio University and major in physics came from two mysterious oracles.

Oracle No. 1: "Don't go to XX University, choose Keio."

The speaker was a professor at XX University, an acquaintance of my father. When I met him for advice on whether to enroll at Keio University or XX University after high school graduation, these were the very first words he said to me, a complete stranger. After that, I read "Fukuō Jiden" and decided to enter Keio University.

Oracle No. 2: "Since you're so bad at high school physics, you might end up loving university physics."

These were the words of my second-year high school homeroom teacher (who specialized in physics) during a meeting. I felt the mystery was solved when I took a mechanics lecture in my first year at the Faculty of Science and Technology. It was as if I had realized the difference between learning a subject and competing on whether you can solve problems. The lecturer was Professor Hiroyuki Hyuga of the Department of Physics. Three years later, when deciding on a lab for my senior thesis in the theoretical research group, I chose Professor Hyuga's group without hesitation.

The lesson from these oracles, I'd say, is that the words of someone you trust are worth considering.

Learning that wasn't for entrance exams was truly fascinating, and during my first two years of general education, I actively took elective courses in the humanities and engineering. Having dabbled in the academic content of various engineering fields at that time has been very helpful in my current job, where I teach physics as a foundation of engineering to students in the Faculty of Engineering. I believe the fact that the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University has a curriculum that is well-balanced between science and engineering is a particularly valuable asset after graduation.

In graduate school, I was a member of Professor Fumiko Yonezawa's group within the theoretical research lab. Amid her tight schedule, she patiently guided me as I pursued the then-popular topics of quasicrystals and high-temperature superconductivity. When it came time to write my master's thesis, she suggested, "Combine the results from both topics in your thesis," and so I had the pleasure of enduring a double ordeal. It was also a challenge to write two titles in small letters on the spine of the submitted thesis file. Behind the scenes, it seems my having two thesis topics caused a stir, being seen as unprecedented (or perhaps absurd?).

When you hear "theoretical physics," you might imagine a solitary, individual endeavor, but one of the characteristics of the theory lab at Keio University is a strong sense of unity that transcends academic years and group affiliations. It was natural for us to hold voluntary reading groups and seminars, and to help each other out during the deadlines for senior and master's theses. There was an environment where you could discuss anything with anyone, regardless of the topic's importance. Topics ranged from the content of physics research to miscellaneous things like "the global environment and the pros and cons of using disposable chopsticks." I can say that the intellectual excitement I felt at that time, through interactions with graduate students from all over the country with diverse values, determined my future. Also, the closeness to the professors, regardless of whether they were your direct academic advisor, is worth noting. Furthermore, perhaps due to my immaturity, professors like Hiroshi Takano and Hideki Miyajima have continued to look out for me even after I started working, and I have benefited from their after-care.

Looking back, I truly feel that the reason I am where I am today, despite having no vision of becoming a science researcher in high school, is because my starting point was the support from both the "hardware" of the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University and the "software" of good teachers and friends. While it's probably better to have strong motivation when entering university, I can assure you that even if you take a bit of a leap of faith, you are guaranteed to "find something if you look" at the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University.

After withdrawing from the Doctoral Programs, I was appointed as an assistant in the common courses at the Faculty of Engineering, Gunma University. I remember being nervous when I learned that I was the first Keio University alumni to be hired by that faculty. Since taking the position, I have been steadily conducting research in theoretical fields such as magnetism and light (X-ray) scattering. On the educational front, I had always felt a little disappointed that I hadn't had the opportunity to teach students aspiring to study physics (science). Then, through an introduction from Professor Miyajima, I was given the chance to teach a half-year course (in the spring semester of 2009) to graduate students from the Faculty of Science and Technology. The feeling of standing on the podium in front of students from my alma mater was exceptional. Furthermore, the current staff of the Department of Physics includes not only my former teachers but also familiar faces like Mr. Ohashi, an alumnus of the Yonezawa group, and Mr. Eto, who was one year my senior in high school. I was able to renew old friendships, and on top of that, I received the request to write this article...