Learn, think, and build upon new attempts. The fun of research lies in that very process.
Profile
Department of System Design Engineering (1st year, Master's Program, School of Science for Open and Environmental Systems [*])
Alumna of The International School of Brussels, Belgium
Having jumped from an overseas high school into the new world of learning at the Department of System Design Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, she leverages her language and academic writing skills honed at an international school to devote her days to demonstration experiments on housing performance. Her research style is to proactively try and incorporate new ideas and methods to achieve results. "I'm really enjoying my research right now, and I want to continue doing it in the future," she says. Where does such a motivated attitude toward learning come from? And what are her goals...?
[*] Her academic year at the time of the interview (September 2018).
From life abroad to Japan.A desire to focus seriously on research.A place that makes such wishes come true.
I hear you spent your high school years abroad. What was student life like?
Due to my family's work, I studied at an international school in Belgium from my third year of junior high until high school graduation. It was quite different from classes in Japan. There were many report and presentation assignments, and we had to write reports for every subject. There were presentations for every report submission, and we had mid-term exams as well. The program was designed so that you couldn't graduate without also completing a set number of volunteer hours and engaging in activities outside of studying. The schoolwork was tough, but until my third year of high school, when exam prep and graduation exams got serious, I also spent time on my hobbies, taking private violin lessons and participating in the concert band.
How did those experiences benefit your university studies?
When I do research for university, I often read various papers from fields like information science, environmental science, and even IEEE [*], and most of them are in English, so the English I learned living abroad has been very helpful. Also, it's not just about reading; I think writing papers and giving research presentations have also become my strengths. Presenting and speaking in front of others are highly valued in international school classes, so I was well-trained in that.
[*] Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. A professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering headquartered in the United States.
Why did you choose a university in Japan instead of one abroad?
In my case, I was in Japan until my second year of junior high, and I've lived in Japan longer, so I wanted to study properly in Japanese. My family is still in Belgium, but I came back to Japan by myself.
I researched universities using their websites. I also got a lot of information and advice from senior Japanese students and teachers. My teachers and parents gave me some valuable advice: "As a returnee student, choosing a faculty with a fancy name like 'International Something Course' is one option, but if you want to study science and technology, you should choose an environment where you can do proper research" (laughs).
What was the reason you decided on the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University?
The "Gakumon" system was the deciding factor. The main reason I chose the Faculty of Science and Technology was that I was better at science subjects. I lacked specialized knowledge and didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to study specifically. At the Faculty of Science and Technology at Keio University, you can choose your specialized field and department after taking classes upon enrollment. Besides, Keio University is a famous university, and talented people gather there from all over the country. I was also attracted to the idea of studying with such people.
A variety of motivations.Learning while being inspiredin an environment where diverse talents gather.
What were your impressions of the school and the students after you actually enrolled?
People who get in through AO admissions, designated school recommendations, general entrance exams, and returnee students like me... a variety of people with different backgrounds gather at Keio University. I realized that everyone has different motivations and diverse approaches to their studies and research. Also, many people have high communication skills. Even if their specialty is different, they listen eagerly to my research talk and give me advice. I've met many different people since enrolling, but the one who inspired me the most was a classic "mechanics guy" who had competed in the Robocon [*] in high school. He had a wealth of practical experience and knowledge, and I realized it was completely different from what I had learned. I was envious that he could take the control systems class from a different perspective.
[*] "Idea Showdown - National Institute of Technology Robot Contest"
What has been the most memorable class for you so far?
That would be the "Fundamental Exercises in System Design Engineering" class. Our team created a game that represented the movement of a mechanism in a virtual space. By creating the mechanism, circuits, and program to build a robot, I truly felt the fun of understanding and applying the theories I had learned. It was also great to be able to actually write the program myself and make the mechanism move. It gave me confidence and became the reason I chose an information systems-related laboratory.
Why did you decide to advance to the Department of System Design Engineering?
I chose it because the Department of System Design Engineering is the only department in the Faculty of Science and Technology where you can study architecture. I had originally wanted to study architecture. Since I had lived in various houses while abroad, architecture was a familiar theme for me, and I thought it would surely be interesting to study. I think another appeal of this department is that you can study a wide range of subjects besides architecture, such as control systems, electricity, mechanics, heat, and fluids. I also had expectations of being able to do research that was different from a typical architecture department.
Wanting to try new things one after another.Wanting to create something new.That desire is what makes research interesting.
What are you currently focused on?
I belong to the Nishi Hiroaki Lab in the information systems field, and I'm conducting a demonstration experiment for a smart community. A smart community is an initiative to "make a town or city's infrastructure smart and provide integrated services tailored to that region." In this experiment, I am mainly in charge of data analysis. There are many opportunities to present research results, and I also submit to academic conferences and journals.
A demonstration experiment? What exactly are you doing?
The demonstration experiment is being conducted in Saitama City. Currently, Saitama City is working on the "Green New Deal Project" aimed at promoting energy-saving renovations. The participants cooperating in the experiment are households in eco-homes within the city that have a HEMS (Home Energy Management System) [*] installed. We have a cooperating company install and configure sensors to acquire data such as power consumption, temperature, humidity, illuminance, CO2, and PM2.5, and then we analyze the accumulated data. Through data analysis, we can conduct "estimation research" on various themes. For example, we can infer what kind of people live there or what kind of appliances they use from their electricity consumption. In my case, the theme is estimating housing performance. Specifically, I'm working on estimating the performance value of insulation. At this stage, the focus is on data analysis, but the purpose of this research is to "propose methods for improving the energy efficiency of homes."
[*] HEMS (Home Energy Management System). A management system for conserving energy used in the home.
When do you feel the fun and enjoyment of that research?
It's when I'm trying new things. For example, when I'm about to do data analysis, it's fun to try new analysis methods or to think up and build a new algorithm. The data we're actually measuring has a lot of noise, so even if you build a clean algorithm, you won't get good results unless you devise a good model. What's important is "how to create a superior model to represent the phenomenon." The process of studying, thinking, and trying new things to solve that challenge is really fun, and it's rewarding when it leads to good results. Right now, research is so much fun, and that fun is my motivation to do more. In the future, I hope to find a job where I can continue to research while enjoying this kind of trial and error.
I hear you'll be participating in an internship. What led to that?
In September, I'm scheduled to go to a research institution in France, a joint research partner, for a three-month internship. Several people from my lab participate every year, so I was introduced to the opportunity. I think this internship will be a good opportunity to strengthen my English. The English skills I developed living abroad are a strength of mine, but I feel they are still not enough for my future research. I think it will be good training to conduct research and draw conclusions on my own in an English-only environment.
The Faculty of Science and Technology has many labs that conduct joint research with external Research Centers and Institutes or companies, so many students participate in internships. There are also opportunities for off-campus presentations, so having a lot of interaction with the outside world is a benefit. After all, it's important to show your research to others. You won't create something good without getting feedback and evaluation. Otherwise, it just stays within your own world.
What is your vision for the future? What kind of job do you want?
As an engineer, I want to be involved in developing new products and services. It seems I have a strong desire to create new things rather than just utilizing existing ones. I'm studying data analysis now, and the development of AI and IoT is remarkable. I expect them to be mainstream for the next 10 years or so. It would be great if I could create something new in the AI or IoT fields. To do that, I believe I need to deepen my knowledge of data analysis and modeling and improve my implementation skills. I want to continue making effective use of opportunities like discussions with people both inside and outside the lab, research presentations, seminars, and academic conferences to acquire new knowledge and skills.