[No. 152] Kazuyoshi Kuwada

I work as an administrative staff member at Hiroshima University, a national university corporation. I didn't know until I started job hunting that there were administrative positions for science and engineering graduates. These positions are divided into student-related and facilities-related roles based on job duties. I am involved in facilities-related work, where I handle electrical equipment design for building renovations and new constructions, as well as daily facility management. Incidentally, student-related roles seem to involve tasks like supporting experiments. Since it is a national university, it is also possible to work for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) if you wish.

I was involved in track and field during my high school and university years. Through the sport, I received a great deal of support from many people in my local community, including those at my alma mater, Konko Gakuen. For this reason, I wanted to give back, even in a small way, by finding a job near my hometown. I chose to work locally rather than seeking employment in the Kanto region.

In my fourth year of university, I belonged to Professor Takanori Uchiyama's laboratory. In collaboration with the Institute of Physical Education on the Hiyoshi Campus, I researched a system for objectively evaluating muscle stiffness by measuring the repulsive force when a muscle is pressed. The analysis software Professor Uchiyama gave me to use for my research was unfamiliar, and the language within the software was all in English. In addition, the programming language was different from what I had learned in class, so I struggled greatly with my research. I taught myself the programming language and attended training seminars at companies that used the same analysis software, and somehow managed to complete my thesis.

As you can see, my research was on a topic with little relation to my current profession. In fact, when I first entered university, I was interested in chemistry and enrolled in "Gakumon 3" (Cluster 3). However, I gradually found physics more interesting and chose the Department of Applied Physics and Physico-Informatics when selecting my department in my second year. I believe a strength of the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology is that it offers a wide range of career paths, even if you are unsure of what you want to study upon enrollment, and that you can succeed even if you find a job outside the specialized field you studied at university.

During my university years, I was a member of the Athletic Association's Track and Field Club, where I competed in the javelin throw. Now, more than 10 years after graduating, I am still involved in track and field as both an athlete and a coach. My activities with the Athletic Association's Track and Field Club were challenging at first due to the strict hierarchy and rules. However, by working hard and enjoying club activities with teammates who had high goals for the sport, we developed strong bonds of trust and camaraderie, which became an indispensable part of my university life. I wanted to continue my involvement in track and field as an athlete after graduation, so I looked for a work environment that would allow me to do so. At my current job, I can practice on the university grounds after work, and on my days off from training, I can also coach university students and local high school students. As a working athlete, I have successively broken my personal bests from my student days and have been able to compete nationally, participating in the National Sports Festival and placing in the All-Japan Corporate Championships. I also became a Japanese record holder in the Masters (age-group) competitions. Recently, I have received requests from a company to be a monitor for improving javelin shoes, and from NHK to be a model for the development of software that instantly displays data such as the trajectory and speed of a javelin throw for use in a program. On these occasions, I was able to leverage the experience I gained at the Faculty of Science and Technology to theoretically compile reports and make proposals, which were valuable experiences.

Although I took a job in a field with little relation to what I specialized in as a student, what I learned through the Faculty of Science and Technology and my club activities has been useful in every aspect of my life. What I realized after graduating from Keio University is that my student years were so enjoyable that I would want to enroll at Keio University all over again. Even now, I visit Keio University once a year to see the Track and Field Club, have drinks with my former lab mates, and compete in track and field meets held on Keio's grounds, such as the Waseda-Keio rivalry competition. I hope that those who read this installment of the Keio University alumni relay will enjoy their university life to the fullest, so that they, like me, will feel glad they came to Keio University.