Fascinated by the elusive nature of light, she pursued a path in science. Creating ecological devices that coexist with the natural environment.

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From Miyagi Prefecture, graduated from Miyagi Sendai Daini High School

In high school, she was a member of the physics club. She says her life then was not so different from her current life as a graduate student, as she was engaged in experiments using lasers. When she first entered Keio University, she wanted to explore the essence of light from a theoretical physics perspective. However, she encountered laser processing in the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering and became fascinated with processing materials using light. She now spends her days consistently exploring light, conducting research on power generation devices using "biodegradable plastics"—a first for her laboratory. We asked her about her undergraduate years, when the environment changed drastically due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and about her future career path, which is full of options precisely because of the breadth of her studies.

[*] Academic year at the time of the interview (August 2022).

My family ran a private medical practice, so things like microscopes and liquid nitrogen were familiar to me. Because of this, I had always been drawn to the sciences and joined the science circle in junior high. Following that path, I joined the physics club in high school with friends from the same junior high. In the club, I spent my days helping upperclassmen exhibit at the All Japan Senior High School Cultural Festival and conducting experiments with lasers. By my third year, I was already dabbling in graduate-level experiments, living a life much like a university student. I also served on the school festival executive committee for three years, so balancing that with entrance exam studies was tough, but I think it was a good opportunity to learn communication skills, like how to manage a large organization.

Initially, my first choice was a regional university, but upperclassmen from my high school and my parents advised me, "Keio University has strong alumni connections, and being in Tokyo could be a plus for finding a job."

Also, since high school, I had been interested in theoretical physics related to light and in mechanical engineering. While I wanted to one day uncover the unknown parts of the universe from an experimental standpoint, at the time of my entrance exams, I was torn between wanting to be on the side that builds experimental equipment or becoming a researcher in theoretical physics. That's when I was drawn to the "Gakumon" system[*], which would allow me to keep both paths open, and I decided to enroll in the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology. It turned out to be a good thing, as I had a one-year grace period to learn various things.

[*] The "Gakumon" System: A unique system at the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology where students choose one of five "Gakumon" (academic fields) at the time of admission. After enrolling, they gradually narrow down their field of study based on their interests and concerns, and decide on their department when they advance to their second year. Note that the "Gakumon" system was changed for students entering the Faculty of Science and Technology in the 2020 academic year, and some of the departments accessible from each "Gakumon" have been altered. For details on the "Gakumon" system, please refer to the link below.

I think its appeal is that you can study both hardware and software technologies in depth without either being half-hearted, as there are specialized academic advisors for each. In the third year of undergraduate studies, you can choose subjects like semiconductor physics for hardware or programming for software, and I believe knowing both is a strength when job hunting. Within the Faculty of Science and Technology, the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering has a particularly low number of female students, with a male-to-female ratio of 9:1. At first, I was a bit lost, wondering who to talk to, but that's precisely why a sense of solidarity formed among the female students, and we became good friends. Also, regardless of gender, there are many unique individuals with their own opinions, and everyone has a clear idea of what they want to do and what direction they want to go in. Being surrounded by people who are thinking about how to maximize their own options has been a great source of inspiration.

Currently, I am conducting research on the "Fabrication of Energy Devices Using Laser Processing." In my graduation thesis research, I had progressed to the point of creating carbon structures by irradiating plastic with a laser. Now, as a further step in my research, I am making "Triboelectric Nanogenerators (TENGs)," which are power generation devices, from biodegradable plastic that can return to the soil. Generally, TENGs use materials like metal and are not very environmentally friendly, but if we can generate electricity from plant-derived, degradable materials, nothing could be better. It would be interesting if, in the future, these could become power generation devices that coexist with the natural environment—used for things like lighting or temperature monitoring in the mountains and then simply discarded.

Because this is a new theme that the Terakawa Lab has not tackled before, the research is still challenging (laughs). We set a frequency and make contact repeatedly, but even the type of machine to use wasn't described in the papers, and we needed new measuring instruments and analysis equipment to measure the voltage. The lab purchased the equipment for me, but I had to connect it to a computer and create the program myself. The lack of prior research was a major challenge.

However, I had learned a little programming since my high school physics club days, so that experience and the classes in the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering were helpful. My peers helped me write programs, and I consulted with senior students about my research direction. I think everyone in the lab was a great support.

My grandmother was born in China, so I've long been curious about what kind of country it is. I found it interesting how the culture and atmosphere vary completely from region to region in such a large country. I took Chinese as a second foreign language in my first year of undergraduate studies, and I started learning it again on my own during the COVID-19 pandemic. I'm interested in the culture, so I watched content on Weibo (the Chinese version of Twitter) and Youku (the Chinese version of YouTube), and that in itself became my study method. When I communicated with a Chinese international student in my lab via a messaging app, they told me my Chinese was good, which made me feel that my learning was paying off. In the future, I'd like to test my language skills with the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi), a Chinese proficiency test recommended by my uncle, who is fluent in Chinese.

During the pandemic, campus access was restricted, so I made a conscious effort to use my time at the university effectively. On days I could go, I would conduct intensive experiments in the lab, and I would do desk work like literature searches and paper writing at home. In my third year of undergraduate studies, most of my experiments were online, where I would watch experiment videos and analyze the data. I found it more challenging because it lacked the hands-on feel of conducting experiments myself. However, there was also generous support unique to the online format, such as feedback on reports from various faculty members and one-on-one meetings set up via web conferencing tools. Working alone at home can be dispiriting, so I would connect online with friends from high school and my department to get through it.

I was able to learn not only about my studies but also about a wide range of life choices. When you first enroll, you start at the Hiyoshi Campus, and I think the environment where you can interact with people from various faculties with different backgrounds is a great appeal. There is a great deal of diversity.

Also, this April, I presented at an international conference held in Shimane Prefecture. I feel that being given many such opportunities is characteristic of the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology. I'm also scheduled to attend a conference in San Francisco next January or February. I don't have many opportunities to practice English conversation, so I'm getting help from senior students who are fluent in English and having them watch my rehearsals. Regarding employment, many senior students choose diverse paths, so I think being able to hear opinions from various perspectives is also a strength.

I'm still deciding whether to advance to the Doctoral Programs or to complete my master's degree and find a job. I chose the Terakawa Lab because I was fascinated by processing with light, an interest I've had since high school, but another major deciding factor was that there were students in the Doctoral Programs. I had originally been considering advancing to the Doctoral Programs with the thought that it might broaden my future path, so I also wanted to see up close what it was like for the senior students who were treading one of the less-common paths within the department. Whichever path I choose, my desire to contribute a breath of fresh air to Japan's currently sluggish industrial sector remains the same. Having many options is a result of having learned a wide variety of things, so I would be happy if I could utilize the skills I've cultivated at university in some way.