[No. 143] Maho Morita

Thank you for inviting me to this Keio University alumni column. I am currently working as a postdoctoral fellow in the United States. I imagine that the prospective students reading this column are highly conscious of their future paths and careers. When I was in high school, I never imagined that I would one day be involved in research. While my career path is by no means something to boast about, I hope it can be of some help to you all.

I entered the Faculty of Science and Technology through School 3. Since I enjoyed physics in high school, I had simply thought I wanted to enter School 1, which is physics-oriented. However, my father's declaration that "You don't have the brains to make a living in physics" brought me back to my senses (laughs), and I ultimately chose School 3. The reason was a bit of a moratorium—I figured that with School 3, I would have a wide range of choices from chemistry, biology, and physics when selecting my department in my second year. Of course, this was not a choice of path I can be proud of. Nevertheless, for someone like me who lacked a firm goal, the "Gakumon" (school) system of the Faculty of Science and Technology was an attractive one. After enrolling, I advanced to the Department of Chemistry in my second year. I was drawn to its small-class education system. In high school, I didn't like chemistry or chemistry experiments. However, I had the opportunity to visit a laboratory in experimental chemistry, and I was impressed by how the senior students were proactively conducting experiments on their own research themes. I felt it was different from the middle and high school classes where we just performed set experiments, and I remember feeling excited, thinking, "An experimental field of study seems interesting too." And strangely enough, I am now a researcher in an experimental field. This may sound like a haphazard excuse, but I believe that whatever you choose, by dedicating your energy to it after the choice is made, you can enjoy a surprisingly interesting life.

Until my third year of university, I was absorbed in club activities. Having studied classical ballet since I was little, I joined a competitive dance (ballroom dancing that competes on technique) club. It was a demanding club that produced all-Japan champions, but I spent a truly enjoyable time living and breathing dance with my reliable senior members and close-knit peers. In competitive dance, in addition to training camps and group practices, we received private lessons from professional dancers. Often, after my late-night private lessons, there would be no train back to my family's home in Kamakura. On those occasions, I would finish my lab reports at an all-night manga cafe and then head straight to the Yagami Campus the next morning. Before long, my manga cafe lifestyle reached its limit, and as a result of neglecting my lab reports to immerse myself in dance practice, I had to repeat my third year of university. I am very grateful to the professors in the Department of Chemistry and my friends who, despite my troubles being my own fault, showed me genuine concern. And my experience in the dance club is still useful today, on occasions such as research presentations. From dance, I learned to think 100% about the audience (not myself) when standing in front of people, and to express myself without hesitation.

In my third year of university, I joined Professor Kiyotake Suenaga's laboratory. At the time, it had only been three years since Professor Suenaga had been appointed. I could feel the passionate atmosphere of its early days everywhere in the lab. I still vividly remember the excitement I felt when I heard about the Suenaga Lab's theme: "To discover substances from marine organisms that can become the basis for pharmaceuticals and create them through chemical reactions." I spent my early childhood along the Shonan coast. Whenever I had free time, I would go to the sea, catching small fish, searching for seaweed and shells, and observing Portuguese man o' war washed up on the beach—I was fascinated by marine creatures. Even now, more than the beautiful fish and magnificent ocean views you see while diving, I love the humble rocky shores and the creatures that live there. And the research target of the Suenaga Lab was the substances possessed by these creatures of the rocky shores. These creatures, so familiar to me, possessed substances beyond human imagination, which could potentially become new medicines. The field of chemistry, which I had chosen by just going with the flow, coincidentally connected to my love for marine life, and through that connection, I became a researcher. It was a profession I had never imagined for myself when I was in high school. I am filled with gratitude for the Faculty of Science and Technology, the Department of Chemistry, and the Suenaga Lab for giving me such a place and opportunity.

I am currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah in the United States. Influenced by my parents who lived abroad in their youth, I had a vague desire to study abroad, but I didn't know the specific steps to take. After obtaining my doctorate, I spent about a year searching for a position abroad, talking to people with experience studying overseas and writing postdoctoral application letters in my clumsy English. If my research during the Doctoral Programs was a "treasure hunt in the sea," then my theme at the University of Utah could be described as a "search for the treasure's blueprint." My current work is to find the genetic information (the blueprint) for producing substances found in marine organisms and to clarify what chemical reactions are actually used. In the Department of Medicinal Chemistry where I work, students and researchers not only from the United States but from all over the world conduct their research in a large, open-floor space. Although it is a multinational environment, I have strangely not suffered from culture shock and am able to work freely. I believe this is because I had many opportunities to interact with people from different backgrounds, having experienced domestic study programs and short-term study abroad during my Doctoral Programs. I am still a fledgling researcher, but I will continue to do my best to be an inspiration to younger people.

Looking back, I am reminded of how precious my ten years at the Faculty of Science and Technology were. For all of you thinking of enrolling, I believe you will also encounter unexpected meetings and opportunities. Even if you experience painful failures, don't let them dim your curiosity, and please enjoy a fulfilling and fun student life at the Faculty of Science and Technology.