Takuya Kurihana
University of Tskuba, Atmospheric Science 
Bachelor's Degree Awarded: March 2017
Current Position: Ph.D., Computer Science, University of Chicago, Commencing Fall 2018 

Graduate School: In Fall 2018, Takuya will being his Ph.D. studies and research in the Dept. of Computer Science at the University of Chicago under the supervision of Prof. Ian Foster in the Globus Lab.  In his research group, Takuya will participate in a new project, which targets the interdisciplinary area between Computer Science and Atmospheric Science. He was was selected as a fellow of Heiwa Nakajima Scholarship Foundation which provide funding for Japanese students who will pursue degrees abroad. Congratulations Takuya! We wish you the best of luck with your doctoral studies and research at the University of Chicago! 

Domestic Research Experience: In the summer of 2017, Takuya participated in a research internship at the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Sciences (AICS).  This is the most prestigious computational sciences research institute in Japan, and he worked under the supervision of Dr. Takemasa Miyoshi. Takuya participated in research which aims to improve the micro cloud physics processes in the Nonhydrostatic ICosahedral Atmospheric Model (NICAM) by adopting dense meteorological satellite data. Within this project, he proposed a new algorithm which could deal with a massive amount of satellite big data efficiently and speedily within NICAM. Takuya's algorithm was able to increase the utilization ratio of satellite data, a large proportion of which was previously left out to reduce the computational cost and is expected to improve predictability. Congratulations on your successful research experience at RIKEN AICS Takuya! 

Hiromi Miwa
Keio University, Applied Chemistry
Bachelor's Degree Awarded: March 2017
Current Position: Ph.D., Bioengineering, University of California, Los Angeles, In Progress

Graduate School: In September 2017, Hiromi will begin a Ph.D. program in Bioengineering at the University of California, Los Angeles.  Congratulations and best of luck with your graduate studies Hiromi!

Soya Miyoshi
Tohoku University, Electrical, Information and Physics Engineering
Expected Graduation Date: March 2019

Other International Experience: Soya will spend eight months at the National University of Singapore as part of Tohoku University's Study Abroad Exchange Program with funding from  業務スーパージャパンドリーム財団. He will be in Singapore from August 2017 to mid-May 2018. Congratulations Soya – we hope you have a wonderful experience studying in Singapore! 

Toshihiro Takada
Ristumeikan University, Environmental Systems Engineering
Bachelor's Degree Awarded: March 2017
Current Position: MSc., Environmental Sciences, Wagenigen University, In Progress

Graduate School: In October 2017, Toshihiro will begin his graduate studies at Wagenigen University in the Netherlands where he will be pursuing an MSc in Environmental Sciences. Congratulations and best of luck with your graduate studies Toshihiro!

Tatsuya Tanaka
Waseda University
Mechanical Engineering
Bachelor's Degree Awarded: March 2017
Current Position: M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Waseda University, In Progress

Further International Experience: Tatsuya will return to Rice University from May 2017 – February 2018 to conduct research in Prof. Tayfun Tezduyar's lab as a visiting scholar with financial support form Tobitate Japan Scholarship Program founded by the Ministry of Education Japan and corporate sponsors. He is also looking forward to the opportunity to meet and serve as a mentor for the 2017 Japanese Fellows when they arrive at Rice in August.  Welcome back to Rice Tatsuya!  

2016 Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium 
Alumni Presenters: Haihao Liu, Youssef Tobah, and Chandni Rana 

The weekend of October 22, 2016, Rice University hosted the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium.  Three of our 2016 U.S. Fellows gave oral presentations on their summer research at this event. Prof. Kono got to attend Haihao Liu's (Rice), Youssef Tobah (UT Austin), and Chandni Rana's (U of FL) talks. What a great way to not only share the cutting-edge research these students did while in Japan this summer but also network with other student participants from universities throughout the Gulf Coast too! 

Ronald (Rony) Ballouz
University of Texas, Austin, B.S. Electrical Engineering, May 2018
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Electrical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Started Fall 2018
Research Group: Palstrom Research Group, California NanoSystems Institute 

Further International Research Experience: During the summer of 2017, Rony will participate in TU Munich's Practical Research Experience Program in Germany where his research project will focus on a statistical optimization problem in circuit testing. Gute Reise Rony!

Daniel Gilmore
Purdue University, Computer Engineering & Mathematics
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2019

Video on Impact of Study Abroad Experiences (Click Link to Watch): Check out this great video Daniel made highlighting the impact of his international experiences. "I was recently asked [by Purdue] to create a video that summarizes my experience in Purdue's global engineering program. I had a great time going through these memories, and I thought it would be good to share the final result so others can see them too… I hope all is going well for everybody in the U.S., Japan, France, and Spain! I'm close to the end of the semester now and then I have one more year of classes before I graduate. I'm really grateful to have seen and learned all I did in so many places, and with such great people!" ~ Daniel Gilmore

Further Study Abroad & International Internship Experience: During the 2017 spring semester, Daniel studied abroad in Spain at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Following the completion of his semester study abroad program, Daniel began a 6-month internship with HP at their large-format printing site in Barcelona. Congratulations on your study and internship experiences in Spain Daniel! 

Mayssa Gregoire
Fall 2017: Transferred to the University of Pittsburgh, Chemistry 
Fall 2015 – Spring 2017: St. Joseph’s College, New York, Chemistry
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2019

Further Domestic Research Experience: During the summer of 2017, Mayssa will be participating in the Renewable Energy Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (REMRSEC) Research Experience for Undergraduates program at the Colorado School of Mines.  Her project will focus on synthesizing and characterizing ternary compounds for thermoelectric applications. She shared with us "I am excited about the project and it's also been nice to compare research environments between the U.S and Japan. I think I am in for another great summer." Congratulations Mayssa and enjoy Colorado! 

Benjamin Kaiser
B.S., Physics, Bethel University, May 2019 
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Commencing Fall 2019 

Graduate School: In Fall 2019, Benjamin will commence his Ph.D. studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in the Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science.  Congratulations on your admission to the U of MN Ben and good luck with your graduate studies and research! 

Further Research Experience: During the summer or 2018, Ben will be participating in the Material Research Science and Engineering Center's REU program at Northwestern University.  He will be working with Prof. Vinayak P. Dravid researching surface energies of 2D materials.  During the summer of 2017, he also participated in NASA summer internship program. Congratulations Ben! 

Erica Lin
Brown University, Applied Mathematics – Biology and East Asian Studies
Expected Graduation: May 2019

Further International Research Experience: During the summer of 2017, Erica will be returning to Japan to conduct a research internship at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine from June to August. Congratulations Erica! 頑張ってください !

Haihao Liu

Rice University, B.S. Materials Science & NanoEngineering and Mathematics, May 2018
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Started Fall 2018 

Scholarships and Fellowships

• Haihao has been awarded a 2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship! The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. Congratulations Haihao!
• Haihao was selected as a recipient of the 2017-2018 Tau Beta Pi Scholarship. Tau Beta Pi is the oldest engineering honor society in the US (2nd oldest honor society in general). Each year they award about 200 scholarships ($2000 for full-year, $1000 per semester) to rising seniors. Congratulations on this honor Haihao! 

Further International Research Experience: During the summer of 2017, Haihao conducted experimental research creating a graphene-based gas sensor device at Shandong University in China, under a joint program with Rice University's Materials Science & NanoEngineering Department's Summer International Research Experience Program.  This program was developed through the establishment of the Joint Center for Carbon Nanomaterials between Rice and Shandong. "This was a particularly serendipitous opportunity for me, because Shandong is actually my dad’s home province, where half my relatives still live!" Congratulations Haihao and we hope you have another great summer of research abroad!  

Further Study Abroad Experience: During the spring 2017 semester, Haihao studied abroad in France through the Rice University Exchange Program at the École centrale Paris. While studying abroad, Haihao will also had the opportunity to conduct research for a project-based class. He worked in the Structures, Properties and Modeling of Solids (SPMS) Lab investigating the electrocaloric effect in multiferroic materials for solid-state cooling device applications, doing both experimental (synthesis, measurement) and computer modeling work. Bon Voyage Haihao!

Brinda Malhotra
Carnegie Mellon University, Mechanical Engineering
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2018

Scholarships & Fellowships: Brinda was awarded a 2017 SMART: Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation Scholarship. The SMART Scholarship has been established by the Department of Defense (DoD) to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DoD laboratories. Recipients of this prestigious award receive support for full tuition and fees, an annual stipend, opportunities for summer research internships, mentoring, and employment placement after graduation.  Congratulations Brinda and best of luck with your future academic and research pursuits! 

Chandni Rana
University of Florida, Biomedical Engineering
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2019

Further Experience in Japan (in Japanese):  Click here to read more about Chandni's return to Japan (in Japanese) on the Nakatani Foundation's website! 

Further Experience in Japan: In the summer of 2018, Chandni will return to Japan to participate in the RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI) program. The BSI was established in 1997 as part of RIKEN, located outside of Tokyo in Wakō, Saitama Prefecture, is an independent research institution supported by the Japanese government. BSI has a mission to produce innovative research and technology leading to scientific discoveries of the brain. In addition, BSI aims to develop domestic and international brain researchers by creating an environment that will integrate various intellectual disciplines and from that convergence find solutions that will ultimately benefit society in the realms of medicine, engineering, business, and education. In striving toward this goal, BSI has become a leading international center for brain research with a reputation for discovery, innovation, training, and globalization of the scientific enterprise. Chandni will be in Japan from June – August 2018 working under Prof. Keiichi Kitajo. Her project involves analyzing transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induced changes to neural activity by applying support vector machine and other machine learning classifiers to EEG data. This relates closely to her current research at the University of Florida where Chandni looks at the effects of electrical stimulation (specifically tACS) on cognitive performance.  She is looking forward to learning more about TMS through the RIKEN BSI this summer! Congratulations Chandni! We look forward to seeing you again in Japan. 頑張ってください !

Donald Swen
Columbia University, Materials Science & Nanoengineering, Second Bachelor's Degree, Commencing Fall 2017
Willamette University, B.S., Physics, Received Spring 2017 

2018 Critical Language Scholarship to Study Abroad in India:  In the summer of 2018, Donald will travel to Jaipur, India to study Hindi through the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) program. CLS is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. CLS is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century's globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness. The Critical Language Scholarship Program is a program of the United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is supported in its implementation by American Councils for International Education.  Congratulations Donald! बधाई हो!

2017 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2017, Donald was one of just 240 sophomore and junior students selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from a application pool of 1,286 natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering students from universities nationwide. Of those reporting, 133 of Goldwater Scholars are men, 103 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Twenty-two Goldwater Scholars are mathematics majors, 153 are science and related majors, 51 are majoring in engineering, and 14 are computer science majors. Many of Goldwater Scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Donald on this highly prestigious award! 

Further International Research Experience: Donald will spend the summer of 2017 participating in the ISTernships program at the Institute of Technology in Austria. His research will be focused on Quantum Integrated Devices with under the advisement of Prof. Johannes Fink. He's even keep a weekly blog of his summer in Vienna, modeled off of the weekly reports he did in the Nakatnai RIES program. Congratulations Donald – we hope you have another great summer conducting research abroad! 

Youssef Tobah
University of Texas, Austin, B.S., Electrical & Computer Engineering, May 2018 
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Computer Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Starting Fall 2018 
Research Group: Real-Time Computing Lab, Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

Graduate Degree: In the Fall of 2018, Youssef will commence his Ph.D. studies in Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where his research will focus on embedded systems and he plans to join Prof. Kang Shin's Real Time Computing Laboratory. Congratulations Youssef and best of luck with your graduate studies and research! 

Further International Research Experience: In the summer of 2018, Youssef will participate in the Tokyo Institute of Technology's Summer Research Program.  He will work under Dr. Yuko Hara on an embedded systems research project, which is directly related to what I plan to pursue for my PhD. "I am very excited both for this project as well as the opportunity to explore Japan once again and visit old friends." Congratulations Youssef!  We look forward to seeing you again this summer in Japan! 

Further Domestic Research Experience: In the Summer of 2017, Youssef participated in a summer internship program with NASA. He worked on an ongoing project that seeks to build a system that can enter the Earth's orbit and autonomously refuel a satellite used for taking photos of the Earth, as that satellite is currently running low on fuel. Congratulations Youssef! 

Nickolas Walling
Rice University, Mechanical Engineering and Computational & Applied Math
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2018

Further International Research Experience:  After graduating from Rice University, Nickolas will return to Japan in September 2018 to conduct research at Kyoto University with funding from the Rice University Wagoner Foreign Study Scholarship.  This scholarship provides up to $15,000 in funding to allow students to conduct research abroad for up to one year. Nickolas will be conducting research in the Matsuno Lab under the advisement of Dr. Hemma Philamore.  Nickolas' project will focus on further developing the "robot stomach" and to create a soft, bio-inspired marine robot that can essentially eat and autonomously generate its own energy. This robot will draw inspiration from the Portuguese Man of War and the sea salp for its locomotive and feeding mechanisms. This technology will have applications in long-term marine sensing and ocean clean-up efforts. おめでとうございます!

Further Study Abroad Experience: In the Summer of 2017 Nickolas will participate in the Rice in Japan language study abroad program. This is an innovative 6-week intensive Japanese language and intercultural communication summer program. It maximizes students’ opportunities to interact with local people through home-stays, community engagement, language partners, and cultural excursions. Nickolas will be in the Tokyo area from May 17 – June 25 and will be traveling in Japan until July 5, 2017.  Congratulations Nickolas! 頑張ってください !

Sasha Yamada
B.S., University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa, Electrical Engineering
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship:  Sasha has been awarded a 2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship! The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. Congratulations Sasha!

Domestic Internship: In the summer of 2018, Sasha will be participating in an antennas internship at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, CA.  We hope you enjoy California Sasha! 

Further International Experience: In the summer of 2017, Sasha will return to Japan to participate in a one-month study abroad program at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. Congratulations Sasha! 頑張ってください !

Ayaka Hatano
Tokyo Institute of Technology, Applied Chemistry
Expected Graduation: March 2019

Further Experience in the U.S.:  In Spring 2018, Ayaka returned to the U.S. to conduct research in the lab of Prof. Charles Schmuttenmaer at Yale University as a participate in the Nakatani Foundation's Advanced Research Internship Program (ARIP).  Click here to read more about Ayaka's experience at Yale (in Japanese).  

Etsuko Ishii
B.S., University of Tokyo, Applied Mathematics, March 2019
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Electronic & Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Commencing Fall 2019  

Graduate School Abroad: Etsuko will begin her Ph.D. studies in the Dept. of Electronic and Computer Science at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology in fall 2019.  She will be returning to Prof. Pascale Fung's research lab to continue her research on  Natural Language Processing. Etsuko has also been awarded a Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship that provides three years of funding and travel support for conferences. Congratulations Etsuko and best of luck with your graduate studies and research in Hong Kong! 

Other International Experience: From January 29 – April 1, 2018, Etsuko will be an Undergraduate Visiting Internship Students at   the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology through their International Visiting Internship Student Program (IVISP). She will be working in Prof. Pascale Fung's lab in the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering to help build a machine that can recognize emotion.   Best of luck with your internship in Hong Kong Etsuko!  

Tomo Kinoshita
Nagoya University, Medicine

Tomo will be participating in the 2018 Japan-America Student Conference in August 2018! The Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) is a student-led exchange program, initiated in 1934 by university students concerned by the breakdown of bilateral relations prior to the Second World War. Today, an equal number of students from the U.S. and Japan are competitively selected each year to spend one summer month together, studying and analyzing Japan-U.S. relations while visiting four diverse regions in the host country. JASC alternates its host country every year, emphasizing the personal connections between two distinct cultures gathered together in one place. From August 3-27, 2018, the 70th Japan-America Student Conference (JASC) will bring together 72 Japanese and U.S. students of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. The two delegations will study, work, live, and travel together as a group, visiting four regions in the United States. Congratulations Tomo! Enjoy your time in the U.S.! 

Miki Matsumoto
The University of Tokyo, Applied Biological Chemistry and Biotechnology
Expected Graduation: March 2019

Further Experience in the U.S.:  In Spring 2018, Miki returned to the U.S. to conduct research in the lab of Prof. Soichiro Yamada at the University of California, Davis as a participate in the Nakatani Foundation's Advanced Research Internship Program (ARIP).  Click here to read more about Miki's experience at UC Davis (in Japanese).

Ryota Sasaki 
Tohoku University, Electrical, Information and Physics Engineering
Expected Graduation: March 2019

International Scholarship: In June of 2018, Ryota was selected as a recipient of the トビタテ！留学JAPAN! (Tobitate Japan!) Scholarship for his upcoming study abroad program.  This is a public-private initiative that provides funding to  encourage Japanese students to pursue international study and related opportunities. Ryota shared, "What is attractive for me the most is that I would have chance to interact with students from diverse backgrounds." Congratulations Ryota and best of luck as you prepare to study abroad in Sweden! 

Other International Study and Research: In September 2018, Ryota will begin a one-year study abroad exchange program at Uppsala, Sweden through the Tohoku University Overseas Study Program.  While in Sweden, he will study biology and bioengineering.  He hopes this experience will help prepare him for future graduate study and research.  Following the completion of his program in Sweden, Ryota will travel to France to conduct biomedical research at the University of Paris-Est in the lab of Prof. Vu Hieu Nguyen, an active collaborator of his lab at Tohoku University. Congratulations Ryota!  We hope you enjoy your study and research experiences in Europe! 

Other International Conference: From November 24th – 27th, 2017, Ryota participated in the International Contest of innovAtioN (iCAN) Global Conference 2017 in Beijing, China where his team received the 3rd Place Award for the device they designed! iCAN intends to create new applications for nano-micro technologies and experts from industry and academia serve as judges for the student-team designed devices based on their innovation, completeness, teamwork, and related criteria.  Ryota's team from Tohoku University worked together to build a rehabilitation Kendama, a traditional Japanese toy, to be used to strengthen the non-dominant hand of patients with hemiplegia.  Through this device, patients are able to participate in a fun and engaging rehabilitation regimen. Since most rehabilitation regimens are boring, simple, or to difficulty, the introduction of a game-based regimen through the use of the Kendama can increase patient persistence and results over the long-term. By attaching two sensors to test the acceleration and a gyro sensor to the Kendama, his team evaluated how patients use their hands and what their ability is when using their non-dominant hand. Moreover, his team's project provided both patients and doctors a radar chart with a graphical user interface (GUI) where they can get immediate results and information on the patient's progress. Ryota shared, "It was a meaningful time for me to gain experience introducing our project in a global contest and interacting with students from diverse countries." Congratulations to you and your team Ryota on your participation in iCAN! 

Nina Yoshitake 
University of Tokyo, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
Expected Graduation: March 2019

Further Experience in the U.S.:  In Spring 2018, Nina returned to the U.S. to conduct research in the lab of Prof. Shuichi Takayama at Georgia Institute of Technology as a participate in the Nakatani Foundation's Advanced Research Internship Program (ARIP).  Click here to read more about Nina's experience at Georgia Tech (in Japanese).  

2017 Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium 
Alumni Presenters: Savannah Cofer, William Fukenbusch, Katelyn Miyasaki, Emily Nishiwaki, Shivani Shukla, Kaylene Stocking, Joshua Yang

On Saturday, November 4, 2017, Rice University hosted the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium.  Seven of our 2017 U.S. Fellows were invited to return to Rice give oral presentations on their summer research at this event. Prof. Kono got to attend most of the student's talks and met up with everyone for dinner.  Two other Rice alumni, Jakob Gresik and Alex Hwang, also joined for dinner meaning that nine (!) of our alumni were back together again in Houston. What a great way to not only share the cutting-edge research these students did while in Japan this summer but also network with other student participants from universities throughout the Gulf Coast too! Congratulations to all of our 2017 GCURS presenters: 

Bioengineering Division

• Kaylene Stocking, University of Pittsburgh
  • Outstanding Presenter Award in the Bioengineering Division 

Chemistry Division 

• Emily Nishiwaki, Cornell University

Physics Division

• Katelyn Miyasaki, Washington University in St. Louis

Materials Science & NanoEngineering

• Savannah Cofer, Rice University
• William Fukenbusch, University of Rochester 
• Shivani Shukla, Carnegie Mellon University
• Joshua Yang, University of Texas, Austin
  • Best Presentation Award for MSNE Division

Aaron Coe (formerly Ludvigsen)
Bethel University, Physics and Computer Science; Minor in Mathematics
Expected Graduation Date: May 2019 

Summer 2018 Domestic Research Experience:  Aaron has been accepted into the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR) REU Program this summer. He will be working with Prof. Dan Ralph in the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics on a project titled Spintronics and Magnetic Manipulation. This project will focus on finding the most efficient way to reorient the magnetic moment direction in nanoscale magnetic devices. Prof. Ralph’s group works with utilizing spin-polarized electrical currents and spin-orbit interactions. Aaron will work to assist in the fabrication of devices in which atomic-layer materials are integrated with ultra-thin magnetic layers. Then, using electrical measurements, optical experiments, and computer modeling he will work to better understand current-induced torques and magnetic switching. The program runs from June 4th to August 10th, 2018.  Congratulations Aaron and best of luck with your research at Cornell! 

Savannah Cofer
Rice University, Computational & Applied Mathematics, and Japanese
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020

Other Scholarships & Awards:  Savannah has been awarded a 2019 AIAA Space Technology Scholarship. This award provides $10,000 to support future aerospace professionals. Congratulations Savannah!

Other Domestic Research: In the summer of 2018, Savannah will participate in the California Institute of Technology's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF).  She will be conducting research with Dr. Adrian Stoica at the Jet Propulsion Lab where her project will focus on creating a telescoping multi-legged Giacometti robot for planetary exploration. You can imagine this as a tall, spindly daddy-long-legs spider that can navigate large obstacles but have a compact stowed size. Congratulations Savannah!  We hope you enjoy your summer research at JPL! 

Savanah Cofer Profiled on Rice School of Engineering Website: The Rice University George R. Brown School of Engineering profiled 2017 Nakatani RIES U.S. Fellow Savannah Cofer on their website.    She said of her experience in Japan, “Nakatani was my first experience doing nanoengineering research abroad and I hope to continue to pursue interdisciplinary research in the future.” Congratulations on all you have accomplished already Savannah – we look forward to seeing where your research career will take you in the future! 

2018 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2018, Savannah was one of just 211 sophomore and junior students (and one of three Rice University students) selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from a application pool of 1,288 natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering students from over 2,000 universities nationwide .Of those reporting, 110 of the Scholars are men, 99 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Twenty-nine Scholars are mathematics and computer science majors, 142 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 40 are majoring in engineering. Many of the Scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Savannah on this highly prestigious award!

Click here to read an article profiling the three 2018 Goldwater Recipients from Rice that highlights how their research experience in Japan impacted their research interests and future goals.  

William Fukenbusch
University of Rochester, Chemical Engineering and Japanese
Expected Graduation Date: May 2019 

Further International Experience: William will spend the summer of 2018 in Germany, where he will be doing research at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He will be working under the advisement of Sebastian Mühlbauer in Prof. Thorsten Pöschel's group in the Institute for Multiscale Simulation.  His research this summer will focus on attempting to use Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) to model heterogeneous catalysts with bimodal pore distributions. Congratulations and best of luck with your research in Germany William!

Jakob (Yakub) Grzesik
Rice University, Electrical Engineering and Mathematics
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020 

Further Research Experiences: In the summer of 2018, Yakub will be participating in the Columbia University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. He is working on a collaboration between Professor James Hone from Columbia University and Professor Vinod Menon from The City College of New York. His project focuses on studying the optical properties of 2D TMD heterostructures manufactured with a twist angle between each layer. In particular, the project is about producing chirality and detecting it through phenomena like optical rotation and circular dichroism. The results of this project may lead to more developments in optical broadband components and methods to encode and carry quantum information.

2018 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2018, Yakub was one of just 211 sophomore and junior students (and one of three Rice University students) selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from a application pool of 1,288 natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering students from over 2,000 universities nationwide .Of those reporting, 110 of the Scholars are men, 99 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Twenty-nine Scholars are mathematics and computer science majors, 142 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 40 are majoring in engineering. Many of the Scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Jakob on this highly prestigious award! 

Click here to read an article profiling the three 2018 Goldwater Recipients from Rice that highlights how their research experience in Japan impacted their research interests and future goals.  

Alex Hwang 
B.S., Rice University, Physics and Electrical & Computer Engineering, 2019
Current Position: Churchill Scholar, M.Phil, Physics, Commencing Fall 2019
Future Position: Ph.D. Student, Applied Physics, Stanford University, Commencing Fall 2020 

2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship: Alex has been awarded a 2019 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship! The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based Master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. Congratulations Alex!

2019 Churchill Scholarship:  Alex Hwang is one of 15 Americans to win the 2019 Churchill Scholarship, which provides one year of graduate study at the University of Cambridge, based at Churchill College. He is the first Rice University student to be a recipient of this prestigious award in the past 25 years.  For his research career, Hwang plans to continue working in nanophotonics, the study of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale. “I’m interested in both the unique physics and exciting applications that apply to this area,” he said. In the meantime, Hwang will pursue a master’s degree in physics at Cambridge that requires a year of research without classes or traditional coursework. And he has already applied to several U.S. Ph.D. programs in applied physics and electrical engineering that he plans to begin after he completes his year at Cambridge. Congratulations Alex and best of luck with research abroad next year! 

2018 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2018, Alex was one of just 211 sophomore and junior students (and one of three Rice University students) selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from a application pool of 1,288 natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering students from over 2,000 universities nationwide .Of those reporting, 110 of the Scholars are men, 99 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Twenty-nine Scholars are mathematics and computer science majors, 142 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 40 are majoring in engineering. Many of the Scholars have dual majors in a variety of mathematics, science, engineering, and computer science. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Alex on this highly prestigious award! 

Click here to read an article profiling the three 2018 Goldwater Recipients from Rice that highlights how their research experience in Japan impacted their research interests and future goals.  

Summer 2018 Domestic Research: Alex will travel to the University of California, Berkeley for a research internship through the Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science (E³S) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program.  Alex will be working in Prof. Ming Wu's lab where his research will focus on the design of optical antenna nanoLEDs.  Congratulations Alex!  We wish you the best of luck with your research this summer! 

Spring 2018 Academic Conference: Alex will be giving an oral presentation at the 2018 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting in Phoenix, AZ this April.   This presentation will focus on "Passive PT-Symmetry in Semiconductor-Metal Hybrid Nanoantenna Dimers" and is based off of the research he has been doing in Prof. Gururaj Naik's lab in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Rice University.  

Katelyn Miysaki
Current University:Washington University in St. Louis
Field of Study: Biomedical Engineering and Minor in Design
Expected Graduation Date: May 2019

2018 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention:  In 2018, Katelyn was one of just 281 students selected for an Honorable Mention for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship out of an application pool of 1,288 natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering students from over 2,000 universities nationwide. Congratulations Katelyn on this highly prestigious honor!  

Further International Research Experience:  In the summer of 2018, Katelyn will travel to Germany to do research through UROP International at RWTH Aachen. She'll be working on developing a mathematical model for hepatic radiofrequency ablation to help less-experienced clinicians be able to use this technique and to improve predictions of treatment outcomes. Katelyn shared, "I'm very excited about this opportunity to continue developing my international communication skills and to explore the world, and I feel much better prepared for this program thanks to my experience with Nakatani last summer. Thank you so much, I don't think I would have had this opportunity without Nakatani." Congratulations Katelyn and best of luck with your summer research in Germany!  

Emily Nishiwaki
Current University: Cornell University, Chemistry 
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020
Prior University: Case Western Reserve University, Materials Science & Engineering and Japanese 

Further Experience in Japan (in Japanese): Click here to read more about Emily's return to Japan (in Japanese) on the Nakatani Foundation's website.  

Further Experience in Japan: In the summer of 2018, Emily will return to Japan to participate in the Amgen Scholars Program at Kyoto University where she will be conducting research in Prof. Sagawa's Quantum Energy Processes Lab in Department of Fundamental Energy Science. Congratulations Emily!  We look forward to seeing you in Japan again this summer! 

Fall 2017: Emily transferred to Cornell University to pursue a B.A. in Chemistry.  Best of luck at your new university Emily! 

Trevor Shimokusu
B.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of Hawai 'i, Manoa, 2019
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Mechanical Engineering, Rice University (Commencing Fall 2019)

In the Fall of 2019, Trevor will return to Rice University as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering!  We are looking forward to seeing you back in Houston again Trevor! 

Shivani Shukla
Current University:Carnegie Mellon University, Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Engineering
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020

Peer-Review Journal Publication:  "I wanted to share that after nearly two years, the work I did at Shinohara lab as a Nakatani-RIES Fellow, "Isolation of Single-Wired Transition-Metal Monochalcogenides by Carbon Nanotubes", has been published online in ACS Nanoletters. In a few months it will be published in print, with our nanowires depicted on the cover. Relating to this research project, I've gained important research skills, as well as a close friend and mentor in Nakanishi-sensei. On a broader scale, Nakatani-RIES changed my life, and not one day passes where I don't think about one of the many life lessons I learned in Japan." ~ March 2019 

Summer 2018 International Research Experience: In the summer of 2018, Shivani will travel to Israel to conduct research in Haifa at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in the Department of Chemical Engineering. Her project will focus on artificial cells, in Prof. Avi Schroeder's Lab for Targeted Drug Delivery and Personalized Medicine Technologies.  This summer project is funded by the CMU International Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, the Carnegie Institute of Technology Travel Grant, and the Tartans Abroad Scholarship. You can follow-along with Shiavani's experience doing research in Israel at her blog, which can be found here. Congratulations Shivani! 

Kaylene Stocking
University of Pittsburgh, Computer Engineering and Bioengineering 
Expected Graduation: May 2019 

2018 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Honorable Mention:  In 2018, Kaylene was one of just 281 students selected for an Honorable Mention for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship out of an application pool of 1,288 natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering students from over 2,000 universities nationwide. Congratulations Kaylene on this highly prestigious honor!

Summer 2018 Domestic Research Experience: In the summer of 2018, Kaylene will be  I will be doing an internship at Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute. She will also be working on finishing an ongoing project to compete in the International Robotic Sailing Competition.  Best of luck with your summer internship Kaylene! 

Joshua Yang
University of Texas, Austin, B.S., Electrical & Computer Engineering and Mathematics, May 2019
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Beginning Fall 2019 

Graduate School: In the fall of 2019, Joshua will start his graduate studies as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University in their Photonics, Nanoscience, and Quantum Technology specialization. He will begin his research career at Stanford with a rotation in Professor Vuckovic's group, working on SiC quantum photonicsCongratulations Josh and best of luck with your graduate research! 

Summer 2018 Domestic Research:  In the summer of 2018, Joshua participated in the Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship and was co-mentored by Professor Oskar Painter and Dr. Matthew Hunt of the Kavli Nanoscience Institute.  He worked in the KNI cleanroom on fabrication and testing of novel superconducting quantum circuit components with application to quantum information processing. Of his CalTech experience he said, "I optimized a hard mask lithography process that used neon focused ion beam etching and reactive ion etching to pattern aluminum for use in a variety of applications, including small-pitch inductors, nanowires, and other fine structural features. It was great getting lots of exposure to tools like the He-Ne FIB and SEM, as well as learning a lot more about designing experiments with research literature in mind and utilizing tools like Adobe Illustrator for graphic creation."  Congratulations Joshua and great job on your summer research at CalTech! 

Katsuya Shiratori
B.S., Physical Science, Ritsumeikan University, March 2019
Current Position: Ph.D. Student, Applied Physics, Rice University, Commencing Fall 2019

In Fall 2019, Katsuya will return to Rice University as an Ph.D. student in the Department of Applied Physics.  Congratulations on your admission to Rice Katsuya and we look forward to seeing you back in Houston! 

2018 Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium 
Alumni Presenters: Kaitlin Gili, Kenneth Lin, Janmesh Patel, Sahil Patel, and Lincoln Weber

On Saturday, November 6, 2018, Rice University hosted the Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium.  Five 2018 U.S. Fellows were invited to return to Rice give oral presentations on their summer research at this event. This was a great opportunity for these alumni to share the cutting-edge research they did in Japan and also network with other student participants from universities throughout the U.S. too.  Congratulations to all of our 2018 GCURS presenters!

Bioengineering Division

• Janmesh Patel, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Physics Division

• Kaitlin Gili, Stevens Institute of Technology 
• Kenneth Lin, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 
• Lincoln Weber, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale 

Materials Science & NanoEngineering

• Sahil Patel, Rice University
  • Winner: “Outstanding presentation for 2018 GCURS”

Kenneth Lin
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Physics and Astronomy with a Minor in Mathematics
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020

2019 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2019, Kenneth was one of just 496 sophomore and junior students selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. He shared "I learned today that I was awarded a Goldwater Scholarship! The opportunities I had to work in Japan was exactly the subject of this success". Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from an application pool of 1223 STEM students. Of students who reported, 241 of the Scholars are men, 252 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Sixty-two Scholars are mathematics and computer science majors, 360 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 74 are majoring in engineering. Many of the Scholars have published their research in leading journals and have presented their work at professional society conferences. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Kenneth on this highly prestigious award!

Summer 2019 Domestic Research: In the summer of 2019, Kenneth will be conducting astrophysics research  in the high-energy astrophysics group of Dr. Dong-Woo Kim at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) at Harvard University as part of the SAO REU Summer Intern Program. His research project involves developing an X-ray galaxy atlas with XMM-Newton archival data to produce 2D maps of the physical properties of galaxies and 3D temperature, density, and mass profiles. This will be used to study the hot interstellar medium and thus galaxy formation and evolution. Best of luck with your research at Harvard Kenneth! 

Sahil Patel 
Rice University, Material Science and Nanoengineering with a Minor in Biochemistry
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020

2019 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2019, Sahil was one of just 496 sophomore and junior students (and two Rice University students) selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from an application pool of 1223 STEM students. Of students who reported, 241 of the Scholars are men, 252 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Sixty-two Scholars are mathematics and computer science majors, 360 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 74 are majoring in engineering. Many of the Scholars have published their research in leading journals and have presented their work at professional society conferences. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Sahil on this highly prestigious award!

Spring 2019 Domestic Research Internship: During the 2019 spring semester, Sahil will be working at the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) as an intern.   From January to May, he will be working in the Superconducting Devices and Materials Group under the advisement of Matthew Shaw. His research project seeks to create an atmospheric turbulence emulator using spatial light modulation for the NASA deep space optical communication project. Congratulations and best of luck with your research at JPL Sahil! 

Hana Warner
College of William and Mary, Physics & Applied Mathematics 
Expected Graduation Date: May 2020

2019 Barry Goldwater Scholarship Recipient:  In 2019, Hana was one of just 496 sophomore and junior students selected to receive a Goldwater Scholarship. Goldwater Scholars were selected based on academic merit from an application pool of 1223 STEM students. Of students who reported, 241 of the Scholars are men, 252 are women, and virtually all intend to obtain a Ph.D. as their highest degree objective. Sixty-two Scholars are mathematics and computer science majors, 360 are majoring in the natural sciences, and 74 are majoring in engineering. Many of the Scholars have published their research in leading journals and have presented their work at professional society conferences. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Congratulations Hana on this highly prestigious award!

Summer 2019 International Research Internship in France: In the summer of 2019, Hana will participate in the Optics in the City of Light International Research Experience for Undergraduates (IREU) program in Paris, France. She shared "I am excited to be able to continue to build on the experience I developed in Japan last summer while conducting research in liquid crystal microlasers at ENS-Paris-Saclay." Congratulations Hana and enjoy your second international research experience in France! Bon Voyage!

Lincoln Weber
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Physics and Mechanical Engineering with Minors in Mathematics and Spanish
Expected Graduation Date: May 2021

Summer 2019 International Research Internship in Japan: In the summer of 2019, Lincoln will return to Japan to participate in the Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology's (OIST) Research Internship Program.  He will be at at OIST from mid-May to late August and will be doing research very similar to what he did in 2018 at Osaka University but with a different material.  Congratulations and best of luck with your summer research in Japan Lincoln!