FUTI‘s Awards for MIT Students’ Internship at UTokyo Labs

FUTI granted “International Leadership Awards” to three MIT students who participated in science internship programs at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) under the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) program.
The summer internship at UTokyo provides participating students with an exciting learning experience that connects them with its outstanding faculty members and research environment. The interns are exposed to cutting edge research at UTokyo laboratories, which broadens their technical knowledge as well as helps them appreciate the scientific programs in Japan. The FUTI Board believes that by providing this type of opportunity it can contribute to “cooperation on joint projects and exchange of ideas among the worldwide community of UTokyo.”
The FUTI awards were granted to the following three MIT students.

  • Mr. Jose M. Lobez, a Ph.D. candidate in chemistry, conducted research at Prof. Takuzo Aida’s laboratory, the School of Engineering, which explores all aspects of supramolecular chemistry and material sciences.
  • Mr. Michael C. Kotson, a junior, worked as an intern under the guidance of Prof. Yasushi Suto of the Physics Department, the Graduate School of Sciences, whose research is focused on cosmology and astrophysics.
  • Ms. Shion An, a junior, worked as a student researcher in Prof. Takuzo Ozawa’s laboratory, the Department of Chemistry, studying various biological processes using fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging.

Michael Kotson at the top of Mt. Fuji.


The participating students praise the enormous value of their research experiences at UTokyo. For example, Michael C. Kotson comments:

While my work this summer was entirely on cosmology and I plan to pursue a career in astronomy, the research experience and programming knowledge I gained will prove invaluable in my near future. The classes I have taken as an undergraduate have taught me the principles and facts I need for a life of science, but the skills required to deconstruct a complex physical situation and rebuild it into a simple, quick-running computer model are best gained through first hand research experience.
I extend my greatest thanks to Friends of UTokyo, as your support has blessed me with one of the richest experiences in my life. The memories of Japan and all that I encountered will stay with me forever, and the research skills I have honed will surely benefit me as I begin my career in science. I hope, in some shape or form, that someday I can return the favor.

Prof. Hisashi Kobayashi, President of FUTI, remarks, “We are pleased to report that promising American students, future leaders in their respective fields, have experienced valuable internships at UTokyo’s laboratories, reinforcing their appreciation of the quality of research and education at UTokyo.”


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