There is a lot of pressure to work with people outside of the university on joint research, but if you work hard, I think you will gain confidence. It is different from doing it individually, and there is an atmosphere in which it is natural to announce your progress at each meeting. This is more serious than working alone, but I think it will motivate you.

I entered this department because I wanted to do programming, but I think it would be a good fit for people who like supercomputers and smartphones as well. However, even in a department like this, it is surprisingly rare to focus on the latest technologies, and you are more likely to be exposed to old theories and technologies. When I was in my first and second year, I thought, "Why are we doing this?" But as time goes by, you realize that knowledge of these areas is the foundation for new research. Outside of research, you have more and more opportunities to come into contact with the latest technology, and it helps you to understand the technology in such areas. You can learn from the basics, not just from the surface, and it gives you a fundamental strength in your research.

When I was a high school and undergraduate student, I had no concrete image of research life in graduate school. However, when I joined the lab, I found that everyone was going to international conferences, giving presentations in English, and conducting joint research with companies as a matter of course. Not all of us were able to do everything from the beginning. I have the impression that Dr. Higo is a researcher but also an educator. Through my research here, my English has improved and I am now able to formulate my thesis. I feel that I you are able to grow and be nurtured here. It is a good lab. I think that I made the right choice with Kusumoto Lab, and I hope that people who feel the same way will join me.