Sharing my research findings overseas. That experience helped me grow significantly.

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From Chiba Prefectural Chiba High School, Chiba Prefecture

As an elementary school student, I was the kind of kid who disliked summer vacation research projects. On the one hand, I struggled with "thinking from scratch (zero)," but on the other, once a theme was set, I would dive deep into the research, ideas would flow one after another, and I would find it enjoyable! I have a side that pushes forward in fields that interest me. When it came time to choose my department, I experienced a "Gakumon transfer," which is very rare within the Faculty of Science and Technology, and advanced to the Department of Physics. Now, as a master's student, I lead a busy life, working hard on presentations at international conferences and writing papers. What were the thoughts and feelings that drew him to research in physics?

[*] Year of enrollment at the time of the interview (July 2019).

In high school, I was on the baseball team and spent almost every day immersed in club activities. On weekdays, I would get home from club activities around 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. Weekends were also filled with practices and games, so the time I could spend studying was quite limited. That's why I made a conscious effort to study efficiently in the short time I had. I would get sleepy from the fatigue of club activities, so I'd take 10-minute naps during breaks to boost my concentration, and I also studied on the train during my commute... Additionally, I studied math, physics, and chemistry—subjects required for the entrance exams—thoroughly at a Juku, and prepared for school tests during class, finding my own study methods. I was naturally proactive about learning, so even for subjects not required for the science and math exams, like social studies, I found the classes interesting as general knowledge and took them seriously.

I had liked math and science since junior high school, so I had no hesitation about pursuing a path in science and technology. However, as a high school student, I hadn't been able to decide specifically whether I wanted to go into science or engineering, or which department to choose within those fields. That's why I was attracted to Keio University, which has a "Gakumon System" [*1]. At the time, without much research and based on a preconception that "engineering fields, like mechanical or system design, might be interesting," I enrolled in "Gakumon 4" [*2]. But during my first year, I became more interested in physics, which seeks to explain physical phenomena, than in engineering. I wanted to seriously study modern physics like quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and the theory of relativity, so I made a "Gakumon transfer" [*3] and, from my second year, advanced to the Department of Physics, a department not normally accessible from "Gakumon 4." It was a bold decision, but being able to think carefully about my future path during my first year was very good for me.

[*1] Gakumon System: A unique system at the Keio University Faculty of Science and Technology where students choose one of five "Gakumon" (academic fields) upon admission, gradually narrow down their field of interest according to their curiosities, and decide on their department when advancing to their second year.

[*2] Gakumon 4: The "Gakumon" that, for students entering in fiscal year 2015, allowed advancement to one of four departments: the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of System Design Engineering, Department of Applied Chemistry, or Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. The names and composition of each Gakumon will change for students entering in fiscal year 2020.

[*3] Gakumon transfer: Departmental assignment that crosses "Gakumon" boundaries. While exceptionally permitted for a very small number of students up to the fiscal year 2019 intake, from the fiscal year 2020 intake, up to about five students per department are now allowed to make a "Gakumon transfer."

In physics research, there's a process of forming a hypothesis, conducting an experiment, and then making physical considerations about the results. The joy when you formulate a theoretical equation for your own hypothesis, experiment and measure, and the results fit perfectly—that's a fun aspect unique to physics, I think. In my current department, I can learn many things, from physics theory and skills like designing experimental apparatus and measurement circuits, to studying numerical simulations. A "Gakumon transfer" from mechanical or engineering fields to physics like mine is rare, and people around me were quite surprised at the time (laughs), but I have no regrets.

The Department of Physics has only about 40 to 50 students per year, which is small compared to other departments, so I think a key feature is that everyone in the department gets along well. The low student-to-faculty ratio, which allows for attentive guidance, is also an attraction. Also, having assistant professors in the labs creates a great environment where we can casually discuss our research. In classes and research, we are required to provide "physical meaning and analysis of the results" and conduct "physically interesting research," so there are many people who can think one step deeper, rather than just stopping at getting a result.

The Department of Physics might have an image of theoretical physics, but I wanted a lab where I could not only learn theory but also get hands-on experience with experiments. I was also impressed when my current supervisor, Professor Nozaki, said during the lab introductions, "If you work hard, you can go to international conferences." With the thought, "I want people overseas to know about my research findings," I also had an aspiration for international conferences. Another reason I chose it was that when I visited the lab, I felt that "everyone in the lab gets along well in a fun atmosphere, and it seems like a good fit for me." In a lab, compatibility with the professor is of course important, but since you also learn a lot from senior students, I think the lab's atmosphere is extremely important.

My research field is called "spintronics." In addition to the property of electric charge, electrons also have a property called spin, which corresponds to rotation. I am conducting fundamental and applied research with the aim of applying this spin to devices. As a familiar application example, the hard disk inside a computer might be easy to understand. A hard disk records information based on the N-pole/S-pole orientation of microscopic magnetic particles. Conventionally, electric current (the flow of charge) was used to control the orientation of these magnets. If a technology can be established to control these micro-magnets using spin current (the flow of spin) instead of electric current, it is expected to lead to technological innovations in low-power devices, such as faster reading and writing on hard disks. My research theme is to generate spin current within an object by rotating it at high speed.

Going to Washington, D.C., in the United States to participate in an international conference. Professor Nozaki actively encourages us to present at conferences if we produce even slightly interesting research results. In my case, I started my experiments around April of my fourth year, and the timing when results started to appear coincided with the application deadline for an international conference, so the first conference I ever attended was an international one. As the name suggests, an international conference is a gathering where researchers from all over the world present their findings and freely discuss the presentations. There were many hardships in preparing for the presentation, including experiments and analysis, but because of that, when it was over, I felt a sense of joy and accomplishment, thinking, "I can communicate my research to people overseas!" I presented in English, but I didn't do any special English study for it. The technical terms use similar English words, so I think if you can thoroughly read one thin English paper, you'll be able to read others as well. I was fine with the English used at the conference because I had prepared for it, but I struggled more with everyday conversation on the local trains and in restaurants (laughs).

Also, outside of research and studies, I continued from my high school days to be a member of the "Faculty of Science and Technology Athletic Association [*4] Hardball Baseball Club." One of the activities, playing a game at the Tokyo Dome, was also memorable. When I stood on that coveted pitcher's mound, I was deeply moved and felt glad that I had continued playing baseball through university. We had club activities about two to three times a week. University students can easily become sedentary, so I recommend joining a club for a change of pace and to refresh yourself.

[*4] Faculty of Science and Technology Athletic Association: The Faculty of Science and Technology Athletic Association is an organization commonly known as "Rikotai." It's an organization with characteristics between an official Athletic Association and a student circle, aiming to balance academics and sports. Although it has "Faculty of Science and Technology" in its name, Keio students from other faculties can also join, crossing faculty boundaries.

I am writing an international paper based on my presentation at the international conference. This is my first time writing a paper, and what I find particularly interesting in the process is figuring out "how to present the experimental results in a way that conveys the most impact." I have been discussing with my professor for over two months about what added value to give the experimental results and how to communicate them for publication. Even with the same results, the journal it gets published in can change depending on how it's presented, so this work is very interesting. Of course, it's important to discover new physical phenomena by formulating new theories or establishing groundbreaking experimental methods, but I also learned through my research life that it's extremely important to communicate the obtained results as something meaningful. In the lab, I can acquire many skills, such as the study of physics, experimental skills, analytical skills, and presentation abilities, so I am spending my time meaningfully.

In physics research, publishing a paper is the most highly valued achievement, so my primary goal is to properly complete my paper. I went to graduate school because I wanted to leave behind something tangible, so I really want to consolidate my results. After that, I'm torn between two options: either advancing to the Ph.D. program to become a researcher or getting a research position at a company... If I can produce results during my master's program that give me enough confidence to make it as a researcher, I'm considering continuing my studies. At the same time, I am also looking into research positions at companies. It would be great to find a place where I can utilize the skills and knowledge I've gained in the lab. Among manufacturers, companies that handle electrical components or memory, for example. Depending on the company, I think there are various job types besides research, such as quality control, so I'm thinking of starting by experiencing what kind of work is available through corporate internships.