[No. 174] Yusuke Yokoyama

I understand that this Keio University alumni Relay Column is a place where graduates of the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology who are active in various fields share what they have learned during and after their time at the university with current students. I was worried about whether a person like me had anything to contribute to such a venue, but Professor Nakano's reason for recommending me was that I have a "unique background," so I will write with confidence.

I can't say anything profound as someone who has been doing what I love for a long time with the support of many people, but I will say this: keep learning with curiosity.

Whether it's something new or something that has been around for a long time, I believe that as long as you maintain a curiosity to "know," "discover," "achieve," or "become better," you can enjoy any situation.

I grew up in a science-oriented family—my mother and grandfather were math teachers, and my father was a systems engineer—and having been familiar with math and computers from a young age, I chose the science track in high school without hesitation.

When I was entering university, I had a strong interest in information systems and had Division 5 as my first choice, but I had to give up because my grades weren't good enough for a recommendation. However, for someone like me who was indecisive but full of curiosity about everything, the Department of Electronic Engineering (now the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering), which covered a wide range of fields from basic physical properties to applications in information systems, seemed very appealing, and I decided to enroll.

During my university years, I spent most of my time playing the drums in band clubs and other activities.

I'm sure I spent overwhelmingly more time in the Student Union Building than in the classroom.

I was involved in several on-campus clubs like K.B.R. Modern Schacks, K.B.R. the Kalua, and the Crossover Study Group, where I met various people, talked only about our favorite music, drank until morning, and occasionally failed to earn my credits.

In my fourth year, I was assigned to Professor Masahiko Nakano's laboratory.

I remember being extremely anxious on the day of the welcome party, wondering if I, who had only had friends from the music scene until then, could fit into a place where music wasn't the topic of conversation.

However, this new community was, on the contrary, very fresh and full of things that piqued my interest. For the next three years until I completed my master's degree, the members of the laboratory supported me in many ways, and we shared our lives, hardships, and joys together.

In the laboratory, I initially belonged to a group researching substrate noise in CMOS circuits.

I spent my days testing various ideas through trial and error in simulations, but after advancing to graduate school, I moved into a new field.

This was the development of CMOS circuits for neural signal sensing, now known as biomedical LSI.

This research, which began as a joint project with the NTT Research Centers and Institutes, involved designing and developing low-noise amplifier circuits to extract the faint electrical signals emitted by nerve cells, and then actually using cultured nerve cells to confirm these signals.

It seemed like a huge challenge for me, as I still didn't fully understand circuit noise, but I was more excited about this challenge that went beyond the field of electronic engineering I had studied so far.

The joint experiments, where I visited the NTT Research Centers and Institutes with the chips we developed, were probably few in number, but I vividly remember the time we spent all night observing the activity of the nerve cells.

Another experience I remember as particularly special was participating in a poster session at the international conference SfN 2008, held in Washington, D.C.

I wasn't very good at English, to the point that I struggled with creating the abstract and poster, and I even have a memory of ultimately communicating with a questioner using notes.

While I was having these valuable experiences, I was also expanding my musical activities even more than before.

My off-campus activities increased as I participated in a dance and band club and a gospel choir at another university, and it was during this time that I met my current band members.

There is no doubt that the reason I, who dedicated a considerable amount of time to music, was able to have such special experiences was thanks to Professor Nakano, who engaged with my new ideas and questions with great curiosity, and the members of the laboratory who stayed up late with me designing chips and conducting experiments.

I would like to express my gratitude once again.

After graduation, I worked as a systems engineer at NTT Communications for two years before leaving the corporate world.

Currently, as the drummer for the band wacci, I am active in various fields, following my curiosity by getting involved in website development, video editing, and more, in addition to playing the drums.

It often seems like I'm doing something completely different from the field I studied, but it's surprisingly common for my knowledge of science and technology to be useful, such as in understanding frequencies and audio equipment.

Beyond these direct connections, even for things that made me wonder, "What's the point of studying this?" there will come a moment when it all suddenly connects if you continue to learn. For me, the Faculty of Science and Technology was a place where I "learned how to learn" so that I would never stop learning.

I hope that all of you who are about to enroll will also believe this and continue to learn.

Finally

As of this writing, the coronavirus is still raging around the world, making it difficult to deliver and receive both entertainment and education in their conventional forms.

I would like to express my gratitude to all the healthcare workers and those supporting our social infrastructure, and I sincerely hope that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible, so that a day will come when rich curiosity can be expressed in various fields and real-life communication can actively take place again.