By Joyce Goh
Over this past summer, I had the honor of being a summer research intern under Dr. Yosuke Aoki’s mentorship at the Earthquake Research Institute. This experience was one of the most enriching undergraduate experiences I’ve had, not just because of the knowledge and technical skills I gained, but also the cultural exchange and all the experiences I had in Japan itself.
During my time in the lab, I focused on analyzing slip partitioned regions in South America and Hokkaido to understand the underlying focal mechanisms of these under-studied earthquakes. Slip partitioning occurs when two plates converge obliquely, leading to shear stress both parallel and perpendicular to the trench axis. This leads to various fault movements along the fault, often that of thrust faulting closer to the trench and strike-slip faulting further inland. This brings with it high magnitude earthquakes, thus making them important to understand and predict. On top of looking at their focal mechanisms, I also analyzed GPS velocities to understand how these regions manifest in satellite imagery and data. This enabled me to better understand the spatial distributions and obliquity trends of slip partitioning in South America and Hokkaido, thus subsequently being able to improve modeling and prediction.
I truly valued the structure of the program, providing me with just the right balance of support and space to experiment on my own. I appreciated having the freedom to develop my own approach to analyzing the data and writing code, providing me with the opportunity to improve my coding and analytical skills. At the same time, whenever I encountered challenges, Dr. Aoki was always available to provide support. He spent considerable time helping us navigate complex concepts and coding issues, making the process both educational and fulfilling. While research is never easy, the support of Dr. Aoki and his lab made the experience an educational and memorable journey.
Outside of the lab, learning did not stop. I spent the weekends traveling with my friends to explore what Japan has to offer, learning more about day-to-day Japanese life and immersing myself in its culture. Despite visiting Japan before, I was never given the opportunity to live in Japan like a local, and truly enjoyed the slower pace of life I got to experience living in Tokiwadai, just outside Ikebukuro. Having the time to visit small towns such as Chichibu and Nikko were also the highlights of my trip! They allowed me to get a glimpse into life in Japan outside the big cities and interact with the locals who were living there (to the best of my ability). As an avid hiker, I was also captivated by Japan’s natural beauty, with memorable hikes up mountains such as Mount Fuji and Mount Buko. The experiences and friendships I have made over the six weeks will truly remain cherished memories of mine.
I am deeply grateful to the University of Tokyo and the FUTI Scholarship for their support throughout this program, and for providing me with the opportunity to not only work alongside professionals in the field, but also experience and learn more about Japanese culture. I would love for the opportunity to return to UTokyo and Japan in the future:)
