Gotoh lab at the University of Tokyo
by Alison Chan This summer, I spent ten weeks at the Gotoh lab at the University of Tokyo, conducting research focusing on neuronal migration. For my main research project, I focused on how the knockdown of certain genes might affect neuronal migration. Neurons are generated from neural progenitor cells and migrate from the ventricular zone, through the intermediate ventricular zone, to the cortical plate during brain development. For the first few weeks of my time at the Gotoh lab, I focused on learning in utero electroporation (IUE), a technique that allows researchers to study the function of a gene in a specific cortical area. I utilized IUE to study the function of two genes of interest, gene X and gene Y, electroporating a DNA construct into the neural progenitor cells of the ventricular zone of the embryonic brain on embryonic day 14, then allowing the neural progenitor cells to mature, migrate, and differentiate (Figure 1). On embryonic day 17, I dissected the brains from the embryos, later slicing the brains with the cryostat machine and conducting immunohistochemistry with green fluorescent protein (GFP) staining on the brain slices. Finally, I imaged these brain slices with the confocal microscope to visualize the migrating neurons (Figure 2). From this work, I found that the two vectors of gene X had likely little to no effect on neuronal migration, as the knockdowns showed little change in neuronal migration. For gene Y, however, the first vector showed possible neuronal migration defect, whereas the second vector showed minimal effect. Therefore, there may be an off-target gene of the first vector that caused this observed defect in neuronal migration, but there is not enough information to come to a conclusion, so a next step would be to increase n to better quantify results. I also completed an additional behavior experiment in the last few weeks, which focused on the brain lipidome, or the distribution of lipids during brain development. For this behavior experiment, I studied how the deletion of enzyme Z, involved in lipid synthesis, might impact neuronal maturation in the context of behavior. I conducted open-field behavior tests, which run for thirty minutes per mouse and can elucidate information on the activity, motor, and anxiety levels of mice based on various parameters, such as total distance traveled, moving duration and speed, and percentage of time spent in the center of the chamber (Figure 3). In the first trial with two mice, the wildtype mouse spent 34.17% of time in the center region whereas the enzyme knockdown mouse spent 87.19% of time in the center region, which was a surprisingly distinct result and may suggest that enzyme knockdown mice exhibit decreased anxiety levels (Figure 4). In my second trial with four mice, however, the exhibited behavior of the wildtype and knockdown mice were less distinct; the first enzyme knockdown mouse did not travel much and the second enzyme knockdown mouse only spent slightly more time (18.86%) in the center region as compared to the wildtype mice (16.83% and 13.36%, respectively) (Figure 5). Therefore, increasing n would be a next step to better quantify results. Outside of lab, I had a fruitful experience exploring the city and learning more about Japanese culture. I was able to try out many local delicacies, such as grilled eel, seabream chazuke, and tuna cutlet. On weekends, I went on day trips to nearby towns, such as Kawaguchiko, where I saw Mount Fuji (Figure 6), and Enoshima Island, a spot known for the Iwaya caves and sea views. One of the members of my lab also kindly organized a trip to Kamakura as well, where we visited popular spots, such as the Great Buddha statue (Figure 7) and Hachimangu Shrine, and ended the day with a fireworks show in Yokohama. I was also able to do some longer trips with friends from Harvard, such as a weekend trip to Osaka and Kyoto and one to Okinawa (Figure 8), which were wonderful experiences, as I was able to note regional differences in cuisine, character, and atmosphere. One of my favorite parts about this summer was meeting the Gotoh lab members, who were all incredibly welcoming, inviting me to daily lunches at the university cafeteria and events such as a farewell gathering at a barbeque beach in Toyosu (Figure 9). I also enjoyed getting to explore Tokyo together with the other Harvard students, from doing karaoke to going to summer street food festivals. Even though I traveled to Japan alone for the summer, I was lucky to meet many kind individuals who I hope to stay in touch with. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to spend ten weeks in Japan, and I not only learned a myriad of laboratory techniques and scientific concepts but also made lasting connections that made my time abroad truly memorable.
USEPT at Princeton University
by Weiguang Cao It is a great honor to attend the University-wide Student Exchange Program (USEPT) and study in Princeton University. Also, thanks to the financial support of ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A., Hsun Kwei & Aiko Takizawa Chou, and Friends of UTokyo, Inc. to make this trip possible. Study & Research: Princeton University is famous for its strong faculties and scholars on Physics. As a student in physics major, this exchange give me a great opportunity to have discussions with these profound professors and researchers. During my exchange in Princeton University, I am supervised by Professor Shinsei Ryu, a distinguished professor in theoretical physics and also an alumni of the University of Tokyo. With professor Ryu, I am investigating exotic phases of matter with newly established symmetries. Symmetry, often celebrated in art and design, holds a pivotal role in describing the fundamental laws governing our world, spanning from classical Newtonian mechanics to the Standard Model in quantum physics. However, recent developments have revealed that our universe possesses more profound symmetries than previously anticipated. The concept of global symmetry has undergone a remarkable generalization in various directions. My current research interest lies in the interface of non-invertible symmetry and exotic symmetry. Non-invertible symmetry extends the algebraic relations between symmetry operators from groups to categories. In this framework, symmetry operators are not required to have an inverse, meaning that symmetry transformations cannot always be undone. On the other hand, exotic symmetry permits the existence of quasi-particles with restricted mobility, unable to move freely due to the constraints of this symmetry. My primary objective is to establish the most comprehensive definition of global symmetry. To achieve this goal, I will explore new symmetries and expand the boundaries of generalization. Notably, I have introduced a novel concept known as subsystem non-invertible symmetry by constructing non-invertible symmetry with a unique exotic symmetry, subsystem symmetry. This new non-invertible symmetry exhibits a t’ Hooft anomaly, which provides information about the theory’s ground state without requiring additional calculations. My research includes exploring the duality with subsystem symmetry. Duality gives two (or more) different descriptions of the same theory and allows us to study the theory from multiple perspectives. Duality defect is one way to construct non-invertible symmetry. My work on subsystem Jordan-Wigner duality provides an explicit mapping from a bosonic theory to a fermionic theory, thereby leading to more examples of fermionic models with subsystem symmetry. My work on subsystem Kramers-Wannier duality, which relates high temperature (weak coupling) to low temperature (strong coupling) of the theory in classical (quantum) models, results in the new subsystem non-invertivle symmetry. As a continuation of my research, I will investigate more duality structures in conjunction with other exotic symmetries, such as fractal symmetry, where the symmetry transformation acts on fractal submanifold and the quasi-particles exhibit no mobility. This will lead to new exotic non-invertible symmetries, which will enrich our understanding of the web of generalization. Facilities & Activities: Princeton University is also near the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS), which is the dream place to conduct theoretical physics. I often attended the workshops and seminars in IAS. In July, I attended the summer school: Prospects in Theoretical Physics 2023, during which the Nobel laureate David Gross gave a public talk. In September, I also gave a seminar talk in the IAS CMT/QFT Group Meeting about my research. Princeton University has a a great campus with beautiful architecture and active student associations. As a exchange graduate student, I received invitations of student’s events every week. I also helped the staffs of the University of Tokyo in the Princeton Study Abroad Fair as a volunteer.
Interim report from Johns Hopkins
by Yurie Aiura My name is Yurie Aiura, a second-year graduate student at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, pursuing a master’s degree in public health. Prior to joining this program, I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Law from the University of Tokyo and gained four years of professional experience in both an investment bank and a digital healthcare company before relocating to the United States. Within the program, I am pursuing a Master’s of Science in Public Health (MSPH) with a concentration in sexual and reproductive health. My primary area of research interest centers around the prevention and intervention of gender-based violence (GBV) in low and middle-income countries. Since this is my first report, I would like to share why I chose this program and the overview of my program. Motivated by a commitment to gender equity/equality and women’s economic empowerment, I selected public health due to its evidence-centered approach and emphasis on understanding social and health issues through rigorous field research. My overarching goal is to comprehend the multifaceted factors contributing to violence against women and girls in low-resourced areas and translate this understanding into effective programs and policies aimed at protecting and improving the rights and health of vulnerable populations. The first year of the program was characterized by its intensity, driven by the quarter-term structure of my school. With terms lasting only eight weeks, the demanding schedule included assignments and exams almost every other week for an average of four or five courses for each term. Required courses covered fundamental elements of public health, such as biostatistics and epidemiology, as well as department-specific courses in population health, maternal and child health legislation, women’s health policy, and program planning and evaluations, and gender analysis. Moving into my second year, the curriculum mandates a 680-hour field placement (practicum) in the first half and the completion of a master’s thesis in the remaining academic year. The field placement aims to bridge formal classroom teaching with practical experience and can be undertaken domestically and/or internationally. I have chosen two field placements: an internship at an international NGO focusing on sexual and reproductive health and rights, and a research assistantship within my department, where I am involved in quantitative and qualitative analysis of a survey examining the impact of GBV on the youth population in Kenya. Beyond the field placement, I plan to continue focusing on intimate partner violence and economic constraints experienced by women for my thesis and complete my remaining required courses. I extend my gratitude for the opportunity to study a field I am passionate about, acknowledging the support of my family and friends in pursuing this path. I am also thankful for the inspiring cohort, dedicated to making positive changes in the world. Most importantly, I would like to express my gratitude to the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. and Friends of UTokyo, Inc. for their unwavering support in completing my program. Not only the financial support, I look forward to connecting with talented students and alumni in this network, spanning various fields globally. My hope is that my story and this report could be helpful for prospective students embarking on new challenges or considering a change in specialization.
A Summer of Adventure and Research
by Michelle Ai Under the gracious support of Friends of UTokyo, I spent 6 weeks at Professor Keisuke Goda’s lab at the University of Tokyo’s Hongo Campus working on developing an intelligent classification method for identifying agonist-induced platelet aggregation. The goal of the project was to take the developed intelligent classification method and apply it to the real world as a potential tool for patient diagnosis and treatment. My role in the project was analyzing platelet images taken from thrombosis patient blood samples in collaboration with the University of Tokyo Hospital so the data could eventually be used to train a convolutional neural network to be able to diagnose thrombosis patients by the images of their platelets. At the Goda lab, I had my coding skills put to the test as I had to teach myself new coding applications in a new language. I was given thousands of platelet images from different patients of platelet aggregates induced by different agonists to which I had to carry out image processing and statistical analysis to look for aggregation trends between agonists and patients. Fortunately, with the help of my mentor Nana-san and my background in C++, I was able to get on my feet and write code to statistically analyze quantitative aspects of the platelet images (something I had never done before) and present them as figures. Sometimes it was mindboggling trying to think of ways to organize the sheer number of images I was working with in a way that made the images easy to process in the code, and oftentimes I found myself having to hard-code for certain things and stare at my screen for periods of time trying to code-trace. By the end of my internship at the Goda Lab, however, I realized how in-demand coding skills were in research and that I was lucky to be able to hone my skills in data analysis in a research environment which I can apply to my future research endeavors. Outside of the lab, I was fortunate enough to make some lifelong friends with whom I was able to explore Japan. On my first weekend, I visited DisneySea with some people in my program and they soon became my travel companions for the trips to come. On the subsequent weekends, I visited Nagoya, Himeji, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Yokohama, Hakone, Kamakura, and Okinawa with my newfound friends! Some highlights of my trips include visiting Ghibli Park in Nagoya, exploring Himeji Castle in Himeji, visiting Dontonbori in Osaka, and feeding deer in Nara. In Kyoto, I wore a Yukata for the first time, saw the moving Gundam in Yokohama, and bussed for 3 hours to the northern part of Okinawa to visit the Churaumi Aquarium. Additionally, I was able to experience an onsen for the first time in Hakone and light fireworks in Kamakura at the beach. During the weekdays, my friends and I would try our best to explore Tokyo. We visited Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Akihabara, Odaiba Beach, Asakusa, Ueno, and the list goes on. I was truly blessed to have Tokyo as my “home base” because there was always something interesting or new to see a train ride away, and a large variety of food was always within arm’s reach. I tried soumen, hitsumabushi, and hamburg steak for the first time, and I got to try some cute desserts at the Kirby café! I was also able to try standing sushi (thanks to Professor Goda), shabu shabu, yakinuku, ramen, tonkatsu, gyukatsu, and a lot of other Japanese food. What made my experience in Japan so unforgettable was how efficient and fulfilling I spent each day with my new friends. I believe Japan possesses a duality of tranquility and peace as it embraces its historical and naturistic side while also valuing efficiency and innovation as demonstrated through its ground-breaking transportation system and the research I was fortunate enough to partake in at the University of Tokyo. Some of my fondest memories of Japan involved engaging with these characteristics of the country. We would run for the last trains after a packed day of exploring a nature-filled town away from Tokyo and set off for history-rich cities for the weekend after a long day’s work of research. I would love to come back to Japan in the future to continue exploring the country, as I know that there is a lot more to see and learn. I would like to thank Friends of UTokyo for supporting me during this research internship abroad as well as Professor Goda-san for welcoming me into his lab. I also want to give a shout-out to all the friends I made in this program and traveled around Japan with. Everyone I met in this program made this program unforgettable for me and it is truly a peak in my life.
東京大学地震研究所（ERI）
by Suvan Agarwal この夏、私は東京大学地震研究所（ERI）で、綿田辰吾准教授の指導の下、計９週間の研究を行った。うち6週間は、東京大学リサーチ・インターンシップ・プログラム（UTRIP）に参加した。 私は東京で生まれたが、赤ん坊の時に家族とアメリカに引っ越してからはずっとアメリカで過ごしてきた。 だから、２０２２年秋から半年の早稲田大学への留学は、私にとって２度目の東京での生活だった。 その間に東京での生活が楽しくなり、日本で研究インターンシップを参加したいと考えるようになった。UTRIPは日本で唯一、国外の大学生が応募できる研究インターンシップである上、競争率は厳しいと分かっていたがどうしても参加したいと思った。東京大学からプログラムへの合格を伝えるメールが来たときは驚きもあったけど、FUTIから奨学金も受給できることも分かり、すぐに大きな喜びと興奮に変わった。 ６月末早朝（午前４時４５分！）に日本に到着したとき、私は戻ってこられた嬉しさでいっぱいだった。騒々しいニューヨークから静かな東京に来たので、まるで別世界にいることのようだった。 私が今回東京大学綿田研究室で扱った研究テーマは、近年開発された津波干渉法を使用して太平洋の海流を検出するというものだった。この技術は、海底のセンサー間で仮想的な波をシミュレートするためにフーリエ変換と相互相関を使用する。これは信号処理では長い間存在しているが、津波センサーのデータへの相互相関の適用が少ない。ERIの南海トラフと日本の北東海岸に広がるセンサーネットワーク、そして数学と物理を専門とする多くの地球科学者の存在があってこそできるこのような難しい研究に携わることができ、とても光栄に思った。 私は幸い通う大学の秋学期が始まる前にまだ時間があったので、UTRIPのインターンシップを3週間延長することを申し込み、９週間まで延長させて頂くことができた。 研究の最初の短期目標は、津波センサー間で仮想の波をシミュレートし、波が進む速さである位相速度を計算することで海流を検出することだった。位相速度が片方の方向で他方よりも速い場合、媒体（海）が片方の方向に流れていると仮定するという手法を用いている。インターンシップ期間を延長した後、この目標は拡大された。今度は、単に2つの津波センサー間での海流を検出するだけでなく、多くのセンサー間での海流を検出し、海流の地図を作成することが目標となった。 このプログラムでは研究に関わったことだけではなく、日本国内を複数回探索したことからも学びを得た。 特に印象深い旅の一つは、岩手県と宮城県に一人旅をしたときだった。この旅では、三陸復興国立公園と岩手津波記念館を訪れ、唐桑（からくわ）半島の先端にある小さなキャンプ場で一晩キャンプした。この旅でいくつか驚くべきことがあった。一つは、この地域にはほとんど電車がないことだ。ほとんどの電車は2011年の津波で損傷または壊れ、それ以来、電車はほとんどバスに置き換えられている。また、若者がほとんどいないこともあった。唐桑半島では50歳未満の人を一人も見かけなかった。おそらく、2011年の地震の後、ほとんどの若者は日本の都市部に移動したのだろう。 もう一つの旅は、伊豆半島と伊豆大島への二日間かけたERIの研修旅行だった。初日には、大室山や根府川など、伊豆半島の様々な地質的な特徴がある場所を訪れた。2日目には丹那断層を観察してから、ジェット船をに乗船し、伊豆大島を訪れた。日本に存在するとは知らなかった地質的な特徴に触れることができたこと、また、東京という地球上で最も大きな都市の近くにこんなに自然が存在することにも驚いた。さらに、旅館での宿泊は初めての経験だった！ この夏の東京での経験は非常に充実したものだった。ERIでの経験が非常に良かったため、私は東京大学大学院に進学したいと考えるようになった。興味深い研究だけでなく、東京の生活も気に入っている。研究室で靴を脱ぐことや、食堂の美味しい食事、そして便利な公共交通機関を利用した都市での生活を楽しんでいた。一緒に研究していた教授たち（綿田辰吾さん、三反畑修さん ）の親切さと指導のおかげで、自分は科学者として成長してきた。以前研究インターンシップに参加した際は、場所や生活など様々なことを妥協しなければならなかった。しかし、ERIのインターンシップの間は何も妥協することがなかった。 この奨学金を提供してくれたFUTIにも非常に感謝している。前述すべての大切な経験はこの奨学金のおかげのものだ。FUTIのおかげで、人生の次のステップに向けた目標とビジョンを持つことができた。
UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
By Risa Tsuchiya こんにちは、東京大学法学政治学研究科3年の土谷里紗と申します。 私は2024年1月から5月までUC Berkeley Haas School of Businessに留学をしておりました。今回のレポートでは私の1セメスターのにおける学生活についてご報告させていただきます。 1、学校について UC Berkeleyはカリフォルニア州立大学の中では最古の歴史を持つ学校で非常にリベラルな校風で知られています。実際に学校の正門では毎日のように様々なデモが行われているのを目にしました。またアジア系学生の割合が比較的高く、アジアに関連した開講授業や図書館でもアジア関連の専門書の蔵書が非常に充実していました。 ここで私はHaas School of Businessに在籍していましたが、Haasでは将来の経営者を養成するというよりむしろシリコンバレーに近い場所柄も相まって社会にインパクトを与える起業家を育てるカリキュラムと感じました。そして授業についても交渉学やリーダーシップマネジメントというようないわゆるMBAの科目のみならず、EntrepreneurshipやAI Ethics、FinTechといったテック系の科目の選択肢が非常に豊富でした。 そして法学政治学研究科に所属する私がなぜビジネススクールを留学先として選んだかというと、留学を通して将来的に国際的かつより多角的なリーガルサービスの提供が可能になるのではないかと考えたからです。私は東京大学では会社法・国際私法を専門に学習し、将来的には渉外事務所にいて企業法務に携わることを希望しております。そして日本においては今後人口減少に伴い国内市場の縮小が予想され市場の国際化が必須の未来であること、更にAI技術の発展により従来の法務関係のみのアドバイスに留まらないリーガルサービスが必要になると考えております。そこでビジネススクールにて国際色豊かな学生たちと経営側の視点を学ぶことでより長期的かつ国際的な経営面の視点を踏まえたリーガルサービスの提供が可能になると考え、留学を決意しました。 2、学業面について 今年度私が履修した科目は以下の通りです。 ・Entrepreneurship ・Negotiation and Conflict Resolution ・Climate Change and Business Strategy ・AI Business ・Thriving Haas ・Modern Dance ・Voice Class この中でも特に面白かった授業はEntrepreneurshipとNegotiation and Conflict Resolutionです。EntrepreneurshipではSeries A段階にあるテックカンパニーを素材として毎回の授業がレクチャー、ディスカッションとゲストスピーカーの講義で構成されていました。そして学生の中にはすでに起業している人も複数名おりディスカッションが非常に白熱し、またゲストスピーカーも起業家に留まらず弁護士や投資家、銀行といった様々なアクターからの会社に対する見方を知ることが出来ました。またNegotiation and Conflict Resolutionは、ビジネスにおける様々な交渉局面を想定したロールプレイングを行い、事前準備から交渉過程、結果を集計・点数化して最後に教授がレクチャーを行うという形式です。想定される交渉場面としては1対1交渉やグループによる役割分担をする交渉、さらには交渉決裂の方が双方にとって良い結果を導き出す交渉などがありました。その中でも異なる文化圏同士の交渉という回があり、日本対アメリカという設定で行うものでした。用意された役割に基づく交渉が終わった後に教授が振り返りにて、「日本人の発するYesやInteresting」の本当の意味や「各文化圏の一回の交渉内におけるNoと言う回数」などの客観的データを紹介していました。ここでは日本国内では絶対に学ぶことの出来ない、外から見た日本人像や日本文化が語られており非常に面白かったです。 そしてビジネススクールは比較的年齢層が高く留学生の割合も高かったことから、私は現地アメリカ人の学部生との交流を持ちたいと考え、Modern DanceとVoice classを履修しました。BerkeleyではMusicやPerformance Artの科目が非常に充実しており、 特に Danceではただ踊るだけではなく、アメリカにおけるモダンダンスの歴史や即興舞踊の理論的な角度からの検討、ダンス中の空間把握のメカニズムなど座学的視点からの授業が非常に興味深かったです。 3、その他の学生生活について （1）寮について 私は留学生が多く住むUC Berkeley International House（以下、I Hous）に滞在しました。そしてI Houseは、「ただの住居ではなくmissionである。」という標語を掲げ、その言葉通り一般的な学生住居とは異なる特徴がいくつも存在します。 まず1点目は大きなダイニングホールです。I houseではダイニングホールにて3食が提供されますが、約10人がけの大きなテーブルで毎日食事をすることで新たな出会いや会話が生まれます。私も毎日毎食できる限り違う友人と食事をするように心がけ、お互いの国・文化の話や専攻、将来の話など表面的な会話に留まらない交流をすることができました。2点目はコミュニティの醸成です。I houseではほぼ毎日イベントが開催されており、自分の興味のあるものに無料で参加することができ、イベントを通して年齢や国籍、専攻も全く異なる学生同士で仲良くなることが出来ます。具体的な内容としては、キャンプやダンス教室、ゲーム大会に各国文化イベントなど多岐に渡りました。そして私は他の日本人留学生と一緒に日本文化紹介イベントを企画・運営し、着付けや伝統文化の体験、日本食の提供などを行い、約200人以上が来場し非常に盛り上がりました。 （2）課外活動について 留学生としての大学院生活はどうしても留学生同士で固まってしまいがちであるため、現地アメリカ人学生との深い交流を持ちたいと考えた私は競技社交ダンス部に入部しました。ここではUC Berkeleyのvarsityチームとして競技会に出場するため週4回練習があり、チーム内で留学生も私1人であったため時には孤独感や感じることもありました。しかしコンフォートゾーンに居てはいけないと自分を奮い立たせ、チームメイトと積極的に会話をしたり練習に真剣に取り組んだりしたことで最終的には仲間として受け入れてもらい、自分の居場所を自分の手で作ることが出来た充実感を感じました。 （3）休日の過ごし方について 留学前半はアメリカの大学の膨大な課題の量に圧倒され、予習に必要なリーディングやアサイメントに取り組んでいたら週末があっという間に過ぎていたというような日々が続きました。しかしセメスターの中盤からは要領を掴み、勉強の息抜きに校内で行われているBerkeleyのスポーツの試合を友人と見に行ったり、自国の料理をキッチンでふるまったりというような過ごし方をしていました。そして1週間の春休みにはワインで有名なナパ・バレーとヨセミテ国立公園まで車で足を伸ばすことが出来ました。 4、終わりに 今回の私の充実した留学生活は東大友の会のご支援無くしては決して実現し得なかったものでございます。末筆ではございますが、温かいご支援をくださりましたこと心より御礼申し上げます。そしてこれからはFUTI奨学金のアラムナイとして恥ずかしくないように、司法修習そしてその先のキャリアである弁護士として邁進して参ります。
Visiting student researcher at Stanford
by Ryohei Yoshimoto 2022 年度、FUTI 奨学金をいただき、8 月から 10 月にわたって３ヶ月ほど、スタンフォード大学睡眠研究所西野研究室に Visiting student researcher として留学させていただきました。 この場を借りて、改めて心から感謝を申し上げます。
A Summer to Remember
by Yip Ren Wei This past summer, as part of UTokyo’s GLP-GEfIL minor program, I was afforded the opportunity to attend a 3-week summer school session at Harvard University, where I was enrolled in the Strategic Management graduate course, living and learning alongside peers from all over the world. As part of the program, students were offered the chance to have the full residential experience, which in my case meant living in Dunster House, a recently renovated undergraduate house with in-house gyms, smart-technology rooms, dedicated library, and a student-run grill within a newly rebuilt structure which leverages energy-efficient technologies to facilitate sustainable living within a historic space (which counts amongst its alumni individuals as esteemed as Al Gore and Tommy Lee Jones) – an experience I’ll likely never forget! The educational experience proved equally impressive, as my course was rigorous, well-tailored to the needs of a diverse class, and maintained a consistent emphasis on experiential learning through frequent class discussions, virtual simulations, and presentations. My course employed Harvard Business School’s trademark case study approach, modelling, dissecting, and redefining real-life complexities and uncertainties within the classroom environment. Students were expected to put theory into practice, applying foundational strategic concepts in analysing historical HBS case studies and recommending courses of action, with the lecturer providing constant feedback on our performance throughout the duration of the course, thus allowing students to accurately gauge their progress and identify areas of improvement accordingly. Overall, I was extremely satisfied with my experience within the classroom, as I was able to reflect upon and integrate lessons learnt throughout the course into both my professional and personal life. Beyond campus life, summer session students were also encouraged to sign up for weekend excursions fully sponsored by the university. This meant visits to on- and off-campus attractions such as the Boston MFA, Harvard Art Museums, Freedom Trail, Fenway Park, and Martha’s Vineyard, where I was able to learn more about the rich history and thriving culture of Boston and its surrounding areas. I particularly enjoyed the limited-time Hokusai exhibit displayed at the Boston MFA, which notably featured one of the few surviving original prints of 神奈川沖浪裏, alongside works inspired by this tour-de-force; additionally, I was fortunate enough to secure a spot on the whale-watching experience at Boston Harbour, where I was introduced to the delicate aquatic ecosystems surrounding the harbour, the necessity of preserving similarly biodiverse sites globally, and – to my surprise and delight – I was even able to spot sperm whales right by the ship! This foundational experience would not have been possible without the generous grant provided by Friends of UTokyo Inc. (FUTI), and I would like to thank them for their support!
Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at the University of Chicago
by Risako Takashima This June, I finished my first year of my Master of Public Policy (MPP) program at the University of Chicago. As I look forward to my second and last year at Chicago, I cannot help but express my gratitude to the ITO FOUNDATION U.S.A. and Friends of UTokyo, Inc. for their unwavering support throughout my first year. Prior to coming to Chicago, I worked full-time for four years after graduating from college. Making the decision to leave the job was tough, as pursuing a graduate degree with work experience is not a very popular career choice in Japan, except for MBA or firm/government sponsored programs. Despite knowing that pursuing an MPP, even at the expense of my sougoushoku (総合職) position, would benefit my career in the long run, this unconventional choice did come with economic uncertainties. As far as I’m concerned, most study-abroad scholarship providers limit their support to current university students, which is understandable but disheartening for someone like myself, who is trying to make a career jump. I cannot thank the FUTI Scholarship enough for offering opportunities to UTokyo alumni, too. I hope that other UTokyo alumni aspiring to study abroad will consider applying for this scholarship and not give up on their dreams of studying in the US due to financial reasons. Taking time off from the bustling life in Tokyo and immersing myself in new academic subjects has been an invaluable opportunity to broaden my horizons. The core courses of my program I took in the first year, particularly Microeconomics and Econometrics, have allowed me to deepen my understanding of policy analysis. At the same time, I still strongly feel the need to learn more about the theoretical aspects of these fundamental subjects. In policy debates in Japan, one often encounters reports where superficial data analysis skills are employed. As my ultimate goal is to offer a more theory-based approach to the Japanese policy-making process, I feel that one year of learning is not enough to address the current situation. Looking ahead to my second year, I plan to take PhD-level courses to delve deeper into the theoretical aspects of Microeconomics and Econometrics so as to gain solid knowledge in quantitative and computational methods. Public policy schools often emphasize practical courses focused on real-life applications, and UChicago’s program certainly lives up to that reputation. Having begun my career in the public sector, however, I believe that enhancing my theoretical skills would be the most effective way to make the most of the program so that I could combine my experience with academic concepts. Regarding my life outside of academics, this was my first time living in the US. During the first year, I shared a flat with two American students and learned a lot of American political and non-political jokes from them. I regret a little bit for not being super active in exploring the city of Chicago, partly because I wasn’t fully aware of the climate in the subarctic zone. Perhaps the most important lesson I learned in Chicago is that you do miss sunshine and actually feel depressed when half of the year is winter. I look forward to exploring more of the third-largest city in the US during the next year. Overall, I am incredibly thankful for the support I’ve received and the enriching academic experience I’ve had so far. I look forward to the upcoming year with great enthusiasm, confident that the knowledge and skills I gain at UChicago will contribute significantly to my future endeavors in the field of public policy.
MIT Master’s Program
by Shotaro Beppu First and foremost, I express my deepest gratitude to Ito Foundation U.S.A and Friends of UTokyo, Inc. Without their support, I would not have been able to experience this surreal opportunity. As of writing at the end of June 2023, I am conducting my summer research to fulfil my requirements for MIT’s Master of Applied Science in Data, Economics, and Design of Policy (DEDP). For background, this master’s program is one semester and a summer program. I arrived in Boston in January 2023 and will leave for my next endeavour at the end of August 2023. Why so short? Because the first semester’s worth of coursework is done via an online platform which I did piece by piece from 2020. The courses are available to anyone, and only those who completed the online segment can apply to the residential program. The uniqueness of this program to allow doing coursework while we were doing something full-time made it possible for me to meet people from diverse backgrounds with the common aspiration to use data and policies to understand better and help solve the pressing issues in the world. Surrounded by inspirational classmates, I thoroughly enjoyed the coursework and interactions with professors whose papers inspired me to take the path of development economics. < Cohort > My cohort of 21 was nothing but diverse. My classmates were working in the public sector, international organisations, NGOs, development aids, research teams in platform and consulting companies, financial sectors, academic institutions etc. We also came from 15 countries, though, since people worked in so many other countries due to the international element of development policy, I somehow found people either visited or lived in every country imaginable. We had very different work experiences. From a freshly graduated undergrad to those who had already worked a couple of years in the field, who already had a PhD in social sciences, who were higher-ranked public servants, it seemed onset that we were very different people. Yet, what I found was a welcoming environment to understand each other’s interests that was always related to the desire to change the world through evidence and policymaking. We took most of the classes together and studied together in the same room for hours. We enjoyed our weekly brunches with dishes from one of our countries, where a couple of us presented what we were doing. We did many social/physical activities on and around campus together. Contrary to what I thought when I arrived, I strongly believe that the biggest benefit I got from this program is the relationships formed and the enjoyment I got from interacting with them. Development economics encompasses not just researchers but practitioners in many sectors. I am extremely fortunate to experience the potential and the vastness of this field in the early stages of my life. < Coursework > One of the things I initially looked forward to the most was the classes. As an engineering major focusing on data science with a strong interest in social sciences, I was in an ideal place where economics and data science are conducted with one of the highest standards. And I was never disappointed. The classes I took are below. Development economics and policy evaluation deal with the question of what-ifs. For example, what would happen to student performances if students received extra classes? A simple comparison between students who did the extra classes and students who didn’t is not enough to see the impact. Why? Probably because those who took the extra classes are more motivated compared to students who didn’t and would have a higher performance anyway. This question about causality is crucial to answering how certain policies or events led to changes. 6.S091, 14.320, 14.382 taught me the tools to help identify this causality. This is most certainly important in our world as we have more data for bringing “evidence-based policymaking.” I also took 6.S191 for the increasing usage of deep learning in our society in terms of data analysis and changes brought forth to the future of policies. Then what kind of policy is useful? For this, we need to understand how the individual as well as the society works. For this, 14.123/124 and 14.126 are helpful in modelling people’s interactions. As I am interested in trade and urbanisation (essentially, how can trade and cities be helpful in the development of societies?), 14.76 and 14.582 gave me a deeper insight into these areas as well as the tools to understand more. A topic I took a particular interest in is how people gather in cities and how this affects economic development. From the birth of civilisation, we gathered as a group to create innovations. Quantifying to what degree a group of people formed in cities multiples each person’s ability and what sort of policies can best harness this power is arguably crucial in this era as cities such as Boston and Tokyo continue to be the hub of innovation while cities such as those in Japan’s rural areas are diminishing. As climate change changes the geography of this world, where cities locate and are connected, as well as how to make cities more sustainable, are of first-order importance. I will continue working on this topic after September at UChicago Urban Labs. Lastly, I participated in several weekly seminars in the economics department, including 14.399, which was exclusively for our cohort. This helped me know more about what researchers in economics are trying to answer. One of the unexpected benefits was listening to questions from world-renowned professors, such as a couple of Nobel prize winners. Sometimes they asked questions I also had, which made me a little happy, and sometimes they gave crucial comments that could change the paper drastically. However, what made a lasting impression was how they truly wanted to know the background and the setting of this study. This impression inspires me to know better what I am doing research about and why I am using the tools I