Expectation: “I need to be fluent in Japanese to survive in the lab life.” Reality: Not at all! In our lab, the atmosphere is truly global. We have around 30 members, and it is a perfect 50/50 split between Japanese and international students. With people from 17 different countries, ranging from the US and Sweden […]
1. The AixSense Project: Why I Participated To realize transdisciplinary concepts, an effective translational system must be in place. I joined the AixSense team, a hybrid group of students from RWTH Aachen University and Science Tokyo, to participate in SensUs 2025, which focused on the critical challenge of continuous monitoring of creatinine for kidney failure. […]
As I spent more time at Ars Electronica Festival 2025, I began to feel that it was much bigger than the artworks themselves. The city, the venue, and the people around me all became part of the experience. 5. The Larger Setting Ars Electronica is called a center, not a museum, and that distinction felt […]
1. Why I Was There I came to Ars Electronica Festival 2025 through the lens of my research in translation studies. My interest in translation is not limited to language in the conventional sense, but extends to the movement of ideas across disciplines, cultures, and ways of knowing. In that sense, translation is not only […]
Centennial HallWhen you first arrive at Institute of Science Tokyo from Ookayama Station, it is impossible to miss the unique Centennial Hall building. The building itself is already such an attraction for visitors interested in architecture and campus history. This building was designed by Professor Kazuo Shinohara, the well-known architect and Institute alumnus, and is […]
I joined the Spring 2024 Cohort of the Japan Venture Academy (JVA), a student-run startup fellowship supported by Shibuya City that gives university students hands-on experience in entrepreneurship. Over the course of three months, we were challenged to do exactly what founders do: ideate, prototype, iterate, and pitch. Our goal was to build solutions to […]
If you’re coming from a Western background, or really anywhere outside of Asia, the social structure of a research group (研究室, kenkyūshitsu) might be a big surprise. It’s less like a loose collection of individual researchers and more like a tightly knit, highly structured mini-organization, often feeling like a small, specialized company. Before diving in, […]
Chapter 1: Finding My Bearings My first year as an engineering student here at Science Tokyo had me navigating through uncharted waters — waters that were at times sweet, almost delectable, as I settled into Japanese residential life, though I also faced a fair share of moments that made me feel on the verge of […]
As an international student in Japan, I’ve always believed that language is more than just grammar and vocabulary. It can also be a bridge to culture, connection, and mutual understanding. That belief guided me to take on the role of a Learning Assistant (LA) at Nihongo Space, a unique program where Japanese learners and speakers […]
Chapter 2: fib Symposium in New Zealand Due to our (alleged) hard work and perseverance in the lab, my lab mates and I were set to present our research work at the fib Symposium 2024, an international conference focusing on resilient concrete structures. This conference took place from November 11-13, 2024, in Christchurch, New Zealand. […]
